Various problems in the first stages of growth

Delta

Delta

Perhaps someone could link these problems together. There is so much information posted for each of them individually but I think it must be one thing I'm doing wrong. 
 
My Carolina Reaper is stuck at two leaves for 4 weeks. Completely stalled.
 
Several of my young plants (4 leaves) are slightly yellowing at the tips.
 
My more mature plants  (6 to 8 leaves) are cupping up and dying.
 
Many plants at various stages have gnarly, deformed leaves.
 
Some of my super hots are having trouble opening. The first two leaves are misshapen even before opening.
 
All my seedlings are about 4 to 6 inches from 2x32 watt t8's which I have been leaving on most of the time.
 
The soil is not over damp. I water about 2 or three times per week from the bottom with a mix of bottled water and tap water that has been sitting over night.
 
The medium is a mix of black organic potting soil and a little Miracle Grow seed starting mix.
 
I have not yet fed the older plants.
 
The temperature in my house is a fairly consistant 21 degrees celsius/ 70 degrees F.
 
I have since removed the older plants from the light.
 
 
Unfortunately, I do not have the option of posting pictures on THP.
 
Please help if you can,
 
Delta
 
 
 
 
You can post pics by uploading to flickr, your dropbox public folder, imgur or any other online image service. You could even make a public album on facebook and link directly to those photos. It will definitely help if you can provide photos somehow.
 
To post photos, do as mentioned above then copy the image link. Click insert image in the editor toolbar, past the url and hit okay.
 
+1 Pics will help.
 
You are using a good watering method, but you may still be overwatering. It's hard to tell how wet the soil is inside the cup/pot. You're in Canada so I assume you're still running the heater in your house, but do you also have a humidifier?
 
Also, have you closely inspected the plants for mites? Some mites are too small to see with the naked eye, so you'll need a jeweler's loupe of at least 30x to see them.
 
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Thnx fil.
 
geeme, the watering method was your advice and is working well for the most part. I can check the soil by inserting a wooden skewer up through one of the holes in the bottom of the cup. Also by your advice of weighing the cups before watering.
 
Heater is still on and the humidity level is quite low as I heat with electricity.
 
I did have a mite problem when I brought the mature plants inside to over winter but I seemed to have gotten that under control quickly.
 
Hopefully the pics will help a little.

I've just checked my overwintered plants and sure enough, it seems that the mites are still around and feasting.
 
Not sure if that is the problem with my seedlings but if it is, what solution is mild enough for young plants?
 
In the fall I used a mix of Murphy's soap, rubbing alcohol and water which seemed to work without damaging the plants.
 
Aren't those the shells of the seeds preventing the opening of the leaves in #3 and #4? Helmet head it's called right?
 
Be careful. I think some people put some wet soil on them to make them come loose rather than yank them off. Anyone else got any tips?
 
Be Patienceis three needs of a plant water,sun,and nutrition the nutrition only once the plant has developed two pairs of true leaves and a little tlc remember dont over do it watering, nutrition and the plant will grow/produce be patient and try to find somthing elst to preoccupy time its like watching the clock time just seems to drag
 
fab980 said:
Be careful. I think some people put some wet soil on them to make them come loose rather than yank them off. Anyone else got any tips?
Click to expand...
 
yeah, wet them, leave it to soak in, squeeze them a bit along the axis to try to open them while you pull. By the size in the photo, it wont be a big deal if you do rip a tiny bit of the leaf off with them but be sure not to pull the entire seedling in two or uproot it!!
 
 
what mites did you have? 2 spot? 
 
Agree - things look pretty good except the helmet head. I have also used water to soften the stubborn seed casings, pinched along the seam,  then removed them. Take it slow and be careful. If one won't come off, soak it some more then try again.
 
 
Delta said:
I have not yet fed the older plants.
Click to expand...
Do you mean the younger plants?
 
The best way to prevent helmet heads is to tamp the soil lightly after seeding. If it's packed, the hook will emerge first and as it straightens the soil will help pull the seed capsule off of the emerging cots. Soak the shit out of the cots and pull them carefully with tweezers. The cots might get a bit mangled but it'll be fine if they set true leaves soon. Otherwise your plants look fine. Give 'em a weak (25% or 50% of regular strength) fertilizer solution either foliar or soil feed every week for a few before stepping up the concentration. However, that really depends on your fert schedule so feel free to ignore that.
 
Basically, you should see the seed capsule when it goes into the soil, not afterward. If the capsule is coming back up, get it off. The plant is often too weak at the onset to crack open the capsule completely so it usually asks the soil for help.
 
My results were the same as yours a couple of weeks ago, and I am also in the great white north.  For the helmet heads and slightly deformed leaves, I got the same info as was posted here, but rather just decided to let them be.  In a couple of weeks, the leaves shedded the seed case and are now on their merry little ways.  With the exception of 2 that kept the seed attached while starting its life.  And I too am using Miracle Gro seed starting mix with an organic mix.  In my cups, I fill the bottom half of the cup with the organic stuff, then the top half with the Miracle Gro.
 
After a week or so I will try to help the plant out by grasping the leaves gently, and pinching the helmet on its sides, not the flat part. 50% of the time I am able to get the leaves out whole. The other I end up tearing the tips off. The plants usually survive about 95% of the time with torn tips.
 
The odd time I've plucked off the seed, I've done so gently and didn't have a problem. Good advice for next time, thanks.
 
Moosery, I should correct myself. I didn't have mites (to my knowledge anyway) I had aphids.
 
Geeme, I meant I have not yet fed the older plants, meaning the plants with at least 2 or three sets of leaves. I don't think it is recommended to feed before that. Am I wrong?
 
I'm concerned about the curling or cupping leaves. I think that might be light related. I just noticed that one plant has a little bit of purple on its leaves which I believe is light burn?
 
For the most part I do leave my plants alone. I guess Im just obsessing because it is my first year growing from seed.
 
Thanks you all for your help!
 
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