I also want to add that the cotyledons are still the most prominent feature. You can barely see the true leaves emerging...

What is going on?

This post was edited by TrinidadPerfume on Sun, May 5, 13 at 14:03

the pods look REALLY moist but i cant really tell from the angle, try letting them dry out completely before watering again.

Peat pots never did any of my plants any favors and they usually were stunted, then if not repotted usually died.

Next thing is your soil the MG organic choice while it contains fertilizer it very slow to release as the nitrogen comes from poultry waste so it takes time to break down to be plant usable. I would use a liquid fert low dose to get them going. I suggest they get repotted to a plastic pot or as I use the plastic solo cups until they go to their final pot or in the ground.

Mark

Agree with above, a little less water and get them into a higher quality potting mix asap.

I'll go one step further and take a guess that the roots are rotting / not spreading due to excess moisture. You're right, they should be growing. You shouldn't even need fertilizer until *at least* the first set of leaves has set. But, in this case, I don't know. Definitely repot and water them, but, let them dry out between waterings.

Kind of hate to say this, but you are in zone 7 so I'm guessing most people there are looking at planting peppers outdoors around now? Even if you could turn these plants around today, they are at least 6 weeks away from being a good outdoor-transplant size, probably more like 8 weeks. I think it would be best at this point to find a nursery that sells peppers as bedding plants and use them for your garden this year.

Dear PepperGuy222, habjolokia , sjetski, tsheets and don555,

Thanks for your thoughtful responses. After all this work, it is hard to just let them go...habjolokia, what numbers you recommend for liquid fertilizer in the future?

1. I will never use peat pots again. I like the solo cup idea. Thank you!
2. I will be careful not to over-water! Thank you.
3. What do you suggest I use instead of organic choice (OC) next year? Should I add to it? I read that peat based soils were too acidic and thought I had really done well mixing OC and pearlite. Should I add bone meal? Add 33% peat based soil?

Thanks again folks! I appreciate the feedback.

Enjoy your peppers, : ( ......: )

Ralph

Ralph, I am battling a similar problem to you this year. I have plants that are nearly three months old and only about three inches or so tall. Several of them died early on and the ones that survived just have not thrived. I used MG orchid mix which worked good for me last year...plastic starter pots and definitely did not over water. If anything, I think I damaged them from underwatering. They were in severe wilt mode several times before I watered them and I think that essentially killed off some of their root structure. I have already repotted them once and the root structure was less than optimimal. But as suggested above, I would guess your problem is partially a nutrient problem but more likely an over watering problem. I just went to the other extreme.
Repotting in a better soil in plastic and less watering will likely help a lot. But, do what I did and go out and purchase some starters from a garden center and then you don't have to stress out if your seedlings never turn around. I hate the idea of buying plants after going through three months of growing my own but, hey, some times you just have to bite the bullet.
Bruce.

Hi Ralph, I do use the MG OC and mix it with MG Orchid mix and additional perlite. With the OC by itself there is nothing to combat the hard/sap wood in the mix as that leaches the nitrogen away from your plants and the chicken waste is a slow release fertilizer that has to break down then be plant useable. I think it's a combination of using peat pots, overwatering, and a nitrogen robbing soil.

You can see if CCN is still delivering plants

http://www.chileplants.com/

Or if you are in MD I know a nursery that sells super hots and has a good variety

http://www.valleyviewfarms.com/veggieHerbs.html

Mark

Dear Mark,

Thanks for your response. I appreciate the soil info, and the links. Sorry it took me so long to reply.

I will follow your advice next season. I can't wait really.

I finally gave up today. When I examined the tiny seedlings, they had some healthy root growth (no rotting) and really strong stems...

Thanks again!!!!

Ralph

I've had the issue with *some* of my plants. The 7Pot crosses from Bill seem to be just plain weak. The Poblanos are miserable. The surviving HHW is too. I put these instances down to bad seed or unstable crosses.

On the other hand, a few BJs are still runts while their siblings are beefy. One Black Pearl jumped up and the other three lagged, then two caught up and one is still small. Some Orange Thais are threatening to be shrubs while others are still in the nursery.

As of the last census (yesterday) of 78 plants 18 are still in 3" pots. Four of those should be moved up and at least a half dozen will probably not make it.

All have been grown and fertilized with the same techniques. With the exception of the BJs are all from single seed sources.

Causes (conclusion):
* bad seed / unstable crosses
* individual variation.

I don't see any pattern that points to malpractice or bad soil. Have not considered bad karma.

Dennis

Update: One of Bill's 7 Pot crosses surprised me this morning. It now looks like a big grown-up pepper. It must be the sun and ferts. Hopefully more of the runts will get the message...

See my post about Bhut potting soil.

Miracle grow potting soil is amazing.

Otherwise if your patient they will grow, give them time and a little fertilizer, and don't coddle them for Christ's sake.

I made that mistake my first year growing supposedly "hard to grow peppers"

I had thermometers, pH this and that, light cycles..

My next batch I tossed in the soil watered when dry and they actually grew better.

Having said that, soil is important as my test proved.

I was measuring water out by the ML, and keeping the soil temperature with a few degrees of "optimal" moisture meters et cetera

Essentially, I was an idiot.