A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Food Garden Forum Vegetable Gardening pepper seedlings

Wow I haven't been here in a few months and everything is different! But now that it is growing season, I am back.
I started pepper seedlings several weeks ago. They have looked very good and stout, but lately after the baby leaves fell off the true leaves are starting to come off too. They are starting to look like sticks with little green tops. Everything has been going well with them and I don't know what is going on. I have started peppers for years, but I skipped last year. They are on a heating pad set at low heat and are about 4 inches from the light. They are still just starting to look bad so I think they are able to be saved.

I'm sure your using new potting soil. Did you bleach the pots your using? Other than those two things I can't think of anything at all.

Too much water will cause leaf drop with seedlings.

I did use fresh soil. It is the compressed peat wafers I have used for several years. I did bleach the trays but maybe not well enough. As to too much water, maybe, they always seem dry but maybe not. Should I turn up or down the heat? My tomatoes/basil are in the next tray over and look like a forest! The peppers look like trees in fall. I don't think the light is too close; could that cause anything?

peppers like heat just like tomatoes do so I don't think adjusting the heat will make a difference. As far as light it's a full sun plant so if it's working for the tomatoes it should be working for the peppers as well. You have quite a mystery going there.

I only use heat for germination. After that, I take them off the heating mat as long as the room they're in is between 65-75F, that should be fine for them. Also be sure they're not in standing water. peppers like to be thirsty from time to time. Let them dry out between waterings.

Cheers,
Julianna

I'm not sure about your conditions but I usually take mine off the heating pad when the emerge. And also remove the dome if you had one on. Not sure that would cause your problem but if the room in hot it isn't helping any in my opinion. Jay

I only took them off the heating pad a couple weeks ago because our basement is pretty chilly- about 55. Anyway they look the same as before. The tops look nice. I have noticed the stuff I planted in my seed mix doesn't seem to be perfect. The tomatoes/basil have some yellow leaves and the violas and scallions have some dried, icky bits. So far everything in peat pots (the kind that you soak and drop a seed in) seem fine. I don't know if I didn't bleach the old trays enough or if the potting mix was no good, but I don't think I will buy it again next year. They didn't put it into individual bags this year anyway which made much less because so much turned to dust in shipping. I might get the big, square peat pots and some new mix and transplant the peppers and tomatoes. They could use that anyway.
hmm more money to spend

Good luck with your plants. I hope they get well soon and really perform well for you.