Hi all,
I am really struggling with the yellow-green problem this year. At least half of my plants are a somewhat unhealthy looking yellow-green, and the foliage is not lush at all. Oddly, the exception are the Chinenses, which are a beautiful dark green with lush, full foliage. I think it is too late to remedy the situation for this year, as these plants will be put in the ground in a week. But for my learning experience and future years, I am really trying to get my head around WHY so many of my plants (except the Chinenses) are a sickly yellow color.
Here is a picture of my 70-ish seedlings. They are 8 weeks old, in 4" pots (yeah, getting a bit crowded in there now). They have been conservatively watered around every 5-6 days, and fertilized lightly once a week or so (1/2 strength fish/seaweed). They've gotten 17 hrs of light per day from a bank of 8 4' T5 lamps. They are in Promix BX. They got one Epsom salt treatment, and one bone meal supplement, at around the 6 week mark. Seriously, what else could I do for them - that is the textbook method for getting pepper seeds going indoors, right? They do not look healthy and vibrant like a garden store pepper. I really want to understand why. Here is the picture:
Just to draw some contrast between my success with the Chinenses and my lack of success with non-Chinenses, here's a pic of an orange hab and a fatali, on the one hand, and in the middle two sickly looking yellow-ish other peppers, an italian roaster and a Biker Billy.
I have tried everything. Less fertilizer, more fertilizer, less water, no water, more light, no matter what I do they seem to remain sickly yellow. The only thing that's made any difference is that in the last two weeks, I put a couple trays out in the sun instead of under the T5 banks, and those do look greener now. In the first picture, the plants that have been in the sun most of the day are on the left; the ones in the middle and on the right are the ones that live under the T5s all day. There's a pretty obvious difference. Is it possible that the yellow is a function of growing under T5s and should just be ignored?
Help, if possible. I really need it. Thanks,
Larry
I am really struggling with the yellow-green problem this year. At least half of my plants are a somewhat unhealthy looking yellow-green, and the foliage is not lush at all. Oddly, the exception are the Chinenses, which are a beautiful dark green with lush, full foliage. I think it is too late to remedy the situation for this year, as these plants will be put in the ground in a week. But for my learning experience and future years, I am really trying to get my head around WHY so many of my plants (except the Chinenses) are a sickly yellow color.
Here is a picture of my 70-ish seedlings. They are 8 weeks old, in 4" pots (yeah, getting a bit crowded in there now). They have been conservatively watered around every 5-6 days, and fertilized lightly once a week or so (1/2 strength fish/seaweed). They've gotten 17 hrs of light per day from a bank of 8 4' T5 lamps. They are in Promix BX. They got one Epsom salt treatment, and one bone meal supplement, at around the 6 week mark. Seriously, what else could I do for them - that is the textbook method for getting pepper seeds going indoors, right? They do not look healthy and vibrant like a garden store pepper. I really want to understand why. Here is the picture:
Just to draw some contrast between my success with the Chinenses and my lack of success with non-Chinenses, here's a pic of an orange hab and a fatali, on the one hand, and in the middle two sickly looking yellow-ish other peppers, an italian roaster and a Biker Billy.
I have tried everything. Less fertilizer, more fertilizer, less water, no water, more light, no matter what I do they seem to remain sickly yellow. The only thing that's made any difference is that in the last two weeks, I put a couple trays out in the sun instead of under the T5 banks, and those do look greener now. In the first picture, the plants that have been in the sun most of the day are on the left; the ones in the middle and on the right are the ones that live under the T5s all day. There's a pretty obvious difference. Is it possible that the yellow is a function of growing under T5s and should just be ignored?
Help, if possible. I really need it. Thanks,
Larry
