Problem in chili seedling

[Kamran Saeed]

The germination of chili seed was well but as soon as plant started to grow and come to the true leave stage its true leave started turning yellow. Every new leave that emerged is yellow. I am preparing my nursery for off:season. There is no problem with the seed because it is tested with my co farmers. I have tried fertilizers 8-8-6 or 20-20-20 with micro nutrients but getting no result. I am in Pakistan here day time temp is almost 28 degree and night time is almost 22. I cover my nursery bed at night. Please help me if u have any suggestions

[rainbowgardener]

There can be many reasons for yellowing leaves in peppers. One of the most common is over-watering. You didn't say anything about how you are watering. But even with young seedlings, you want to let them dry out A LITTLE BIT between waterings. Are these seedlings outdoors in the ground or indoors in pots / with lights? If indoors, best is to water from beneath - put your pots in trays and put A LITTLE water in the bottom of the tray, so the soil can wick it up. Outdoors the watering issues are trickier for little seedlings, but still you want the top of the soil to dry out a bit in between waterings.

Also, I don't know if your water in Pakistan is chlorinated. If so, it is best to put water in a bucket and let it sit 24 hrs to outgas the chlorine, so you can use non-chlorinated water for watering them.

It sounds more like they are outdoors, in which cases were the seeds planted outdoors or did you transplant your seedlings? What is your soil like? I would not keep fertilizing, especially 20-20-20 which is very concentrated. Excess fertilizer can sometimes cause yellowing also. Seedlings need very little fertilizer and it is best used half strength.

That's the best I can do with the info I have... pictures might help. Instructions for posting photos here are in New to Helpful Gardener? under Helpful Tips and Suggestions for New Members.

Welcome to the Forum and best wishes with your gardening endeavors!

[imafan26]

What kind of media did you plant the peppers in? Your media should drain well and it is best not to have compost in planting media. Plants usually start off fine in compost based potting mix, but turn yellow and die shortly afterwards. I don't know why that happens. I suspect the compost was still sucking up nitrogen. All I know is that it is not a problem with peatlite. I know you said that you fertilized, but did you use a water soluble or granular fertilizer? I myself have killed more than a few plants with too much love (water and fertilizer).

[PHONETOOL]

Signs You are Overwatering the Garden

The first year of Meadowwood Garden I was consumed by this desire to have “perfectâ€

[ElizabethB]

Have you checked the pH of your soil? 6 is optimum for veggies. Higher or lower can lock up the nutrients in your soil and make them unavailable to you young plants. Fertilizing will not help if the pH is not right.