Restarting seedlings... Overreaction?

[Lmbauer2017]

I am going to play devils advocate here. Your plants do look a lot better but I wish you would NOT use the chelated iron as a foliar spray. Use it as a soil drench. I find it does not work nearly as good when sprayed. In the first picture I see a lot of micro-nutrient deficient leaves. This should not be the case if you drenched with the iron chelate. Foliar fertilization acts differently than root feeding. Foliar feeding does not affect root growth and root growth is what is needed when growing vegetables. Please let me know if you drenched with the chelate and if so how much and when.

I definitely did not drench with the iron. I know it’s possible but I had only ever heard of people using it as a foliar, so that’s all I did . That makes a lot of sense for vegetables it’s about root growth than just pretty leaves…. Ok so next watering I will drench with the chelate just following the instructions on the bottle, or should I just drench them now? They’ll probably get watered in 2 days, but they could probably handle a drench now, it’s hot lol.

EDIT: while we’re on the topic, I may as well confess that it’s not even the “chelated” form of iron but the sulfate (Bonide Liquid Iron). It’s what I could get my hands on quickly. If I put a little effort in I could get actual chelates from a garden supply store though?

 

[Chuck]

I definitely did not drench with the iron. I know it’s possible but I had only ever heard of people using it as a foliar, so that’s all I did . That makes a lot of sense for vegetables it’s about root growth than just pretty leaves…. Ok so next watering I will drench with the chelate just following the instructions on the bottle, or should I just drench them now? They’ll probably get watered in 2 days, but they could probably handle a drench now, it’s hot lol.

Just do it when you water next time. And use the 6-12-6 too.

 

[Lmbauer2017]

Just do it when you water next time. And use the 6-12-6 too.

Ok will do. How about the chelated vs. sulfates? I can return this Bonide Liquid Iron and find some actual chelates, running a ton of errands today. Do you know if it make much of a difference?

 

[Chuck]

Ok will do. How about the chelated vs. sulfates? I can return this Bonide Liquid Iron and find some actual chelates, running a ton of errands today. Do you know if it make much of a difference?

What you want is a product that has the needed micro-nutrients and the Bonide Liquid Iron has all of them. The Bonide Liquid Iron has both sulfur and chelates so the Bonide is great but it really doesn't make much difference whether it says Iron Chelate or not. Bonide is a good brand.

 

[Lmbauer2017]

What you want is a product that has the needed micro-nutrients and the Bonide Liquid Iron has all of them. The Bonide Liquid Iron has both sulfur and chelates so the Bonide is great but it really doesn't make much difference whether it says Iron Chelate or not. Bonide is a good brand.

Wow these really beefed up! Last night I was very tired from work and panicked when I saw the white spots thinking it was mold (though later I realized it's probably sediment from the drench). I sprayed a 1:4 peroxide and water mixture on the leaves, and I think that's where the wrinkling of the new growth came from... I really wish I had taken a picture because I can't quite remember if the wrinkling was already there or not (another lesson learned). They're starting to flower... which is surprising as the peppers in my raised bed are not (maybe because these seedlings are getting way more light?). I'll remove the buds tonight or tomorrow when I do my garden maintenance routines.

On a second note while I'm at it... I'm starting to see yellowing of new leaves on my tomato plants. The soil is the same, but more packed down as I've been playing with how much I press it in. In the past I've made my seed substrate way too light causing it to dry out almost daily. Not sure if that could be causing the yellowing via roots not getting enough oxygen or something.

And the tomato yellowing...

 

[Chuck]

Wow these really beefed up! Last night I was very tired from work and panicked when I saw the white spots thinking it was mold (though later I realized it's probably sediment from the drench). I sprayed a 1:4 peroxide and water mixture on the leaves, and I think that's where the wrinkling of the new growth came from... I really wish I had taken a picture because I can't quite remember if the wrinkling was already there or not (another lesson learned). They're starting to flower... which is surprising as the peppers in my raised bed are not (maybe because these seedlings are getting way more light?). I'll remove the buds tonight or tomorrow when I do my garden maintenance routines.

On a second note while I'm at it... I'm starting to see yellowing of new leaves on my tomato plants. The soil is the same, but more packed down as I've been playing with how much I press it in. In the past I've made my seed substrate way too light causing it to dry out almost daily. Not sure if that could be causing the yellowing via roots not getting enough oxygen or something.

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And the tomato yellowing...
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The yellow leaves on the tomatoes is normal. They will soon grow out of it. It seems to be a varietal issue but I am not sure. My tomatoes get it quite often but it only lasts a few days. The same thing with the pepper leaves. It seems that rapid growth coincides with the wrinkling but the plant always outgrows it. As the plant get older the now wrinkled leaves will straighten out but the new growth will be wrinkled. Again, I think is is rapid growth that somehow does this. But, in my experience it is nothing to worry about. Quite a change in the plants in only 5 days huh? You asked in another post why I use the Medina granular. I use 3 fertilizers on my vegetables. The Medina Grow N Green, Medina HastaGro 6-12-6 and a liquid fish emulsion. I use the granular at planting, at bloom set and at the beginning of the whitening of the fruit. I alternate the two liquids every 2 weeks. I use the Medina products because they work and because they are much cheaper than the others.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Wow these really beefed up! Last night I was very tired from work and panicked when I saw the white spots thinking it was mold (though later I realized it's probably sediment from the drench). I sprayed a 1:4 peroxide and water mixture on the leaves, and I think that's where the wrinkling of the new growth came from... I really wish I had taken a picture because I can't quite remember if the wrinkling was already there or not (another lesson learned). They're starting to flower... which is surprising as the peppers in my raised bed are not (maybe because these seedlings are getting way more light?). I'll remove the buds tonight or tomorrow when I do my garden maintenance routines.

On a second note while I'm at it... I'm starting to see yellowing of new leaves on my tomato plants. The soil is the same, but more packed down as I've been playing with how much I press it in. In the past I've made my seed substrate way too light causing it to dry out almost daily. Not sure if that could be causing the yellowing via roots not getting enough oxygen or something.

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And the tomato yellowing...
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I was reading about hydrogen peroxide and its water solubility and uses compared to benzoyl peroxide which is fat soluble, in hopes of finding a stickier, water resistant yet breathable garden helper. In the usage upon skin I read that hydrogen peroxide is quite aggressive toward cells, and is not the wound cleaner etc that I thought it was. In fact the use of clean water is now recommended instead for wound care. I surmise it may be more aggressive toward plant cells as well.

 

[Chuck]

I was reading about hydrogen peroxide and its water solubility and uses compared to benzoyl peroxide which is fat soluble, in hopes of finding a stickier, water resistant yet breathable garden helper. In the usage upon skin I read that hydrogen peroxide is quite aggressive toward cells, and is not the wound cleaner etc that I thought it was. In fact the use of clean water is now recommended instead for wound care. I surmise it may be more aggressive toward plant cells as well.

Living out in the country and doing things a bit harmful to the human body I get small injuries very often. Hydrogen peroxide is a staple. I use it very often and when out doing something many times I don't have a bottle of peroxide handy so I have to use water. The water washes off the blood and gets the big pieces out but IMO that is all it does. If I don't use peroxide it takes longer for the injury to scab over and heal. There is just something about all that foaming action of peroxide that seems to work.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Living out in the country and doing things a bit harmful to the human body I get small injuries very often. Hydrogen peroxide is a staple. I use it very often and when out doing something many times I don't have a bottle of peroxide handy so I have to use water. The water washes off the blood and gets the big pieces out but IMO that is all it does. If I don't use peroxide it takes longer for the injury to scab over and heal. There is just something about all that foaming action of peroxide that seems to work.

I am of that generation as well. Thats why I was surprised to read about increased scarring and so forth. It was like finding out Dr Spock and his baby books could be improved.

 

[Oliver Buckle]

Living out in the country and doing things a bit harmful to the human body I get small injuries very often. Hydrogen peroxide is a staple. I use it very often and when out doing something many times I don't have a bottle of peroxide handy so I have to use water. The water washes off the blood and gets the big pieces out but IMO that is all it does. If I don't use peroxide it takes longer for the injury to scab over and heal. There is just something about all that foaming action of peroxide that seems to work.

Glad I am not the only one. It has been so hot lately that I have been in shorts and tee shirt, sitting in the bath the other day I realised my arms and legs were covered in scratches and small cuts and bruises. That foaming is Oxygen being released, a lot of things are rendered harmless by it, and scabs form when the blood is exposed to the oxygen in the air, so it makes sense they form quicker when it is a bit concentrated, air is mostly Nitrogen, only about a fifth Oxygen.

 

[Lmbauer2017]

So these pepper seedlings are flowering relentlessly. As soon as the buds get big enough for my fingers to pick them off I do so. I just cleaned out my raised bed and spread a nice layer of compost over it. I have a 50% shade cloth over the whole thing, and I'm thinking about planting a few of these there... At this point, the garage is just as hot as the outside (sometimes more if it's cloudy). I probably shouldn't plant in the front yard where there's no cover, but I kind of want to get some of these into some soil before they get rootbound (if they aren't already).

I've raised the light up for now to try and slow their growth. So, once again I ask, am I overreacting? Is there any downside of them sitting in these pots in the garage?

Here's the latest picture I have (Saturday). I should've grabbed a pic this morning. I'm having trouble keeping some of them watered as I didn't fill the pots with wetted down soil. I think that caused me to fill with soil that dried out easier than a nice even mixture. My tomatoes' soil is wonderful and is holding moisture much more evenly. (lesson learned!)

 

[Chuck]

So these pepper seedlings are flowering relentlessly. As soon as the buds get big enough for my fingers to pick them off I do so. I just cleaned out my raised bed and spread a nice layer of compost over it. I have a 50% shade cloth over the whole thing, and I'm thinking about planting a few of these there... At this point, the garage is just as hot as the outside (sometimes more if it's cloudy). I probably shouldn't plant in the front yard where there's no cover, but I kind of want to get some of these into some soil before they get rootbound (if they aren't already).

I've raised the light up for now to try and slow their growth. So, once again I ask, am I overreacting? Is there any downside of them sitting in these pots in the garage?

Here's the latest picture I have (Saturday). I should've grabbed a pic this morning. I'm having trouble keeping some of them watered as I didn't fill the pots with wetted down soil. I think that caused me to fill with soil that dried out easier than a nice even mixture. My tomatoes' soil is wonderful and is holding moisture much more evenly. (lesson learned!)

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Yes, plant the peppers. You may have to fix up some kind of temporary afternoon shade for them but it appears that the 100+ F temperatures are abiding. Still hot but not so much. 95F is the secret number. Over that and precautions are in order. Once you plant them stop removing the blooms. Before you plant TOTALLY soak the area of planting and soak the transplants as well. This will alleviate most transplant shock. Raising the light will not do much about slowing growth. It will make them leggy. Plant everything you can including tomatoes. It is almost mid August which is the normal planting time. If you haven't already start moving the plants outside in the AM hours so as to harden them off before planting. Are your tomatoes determinate or indeterminate? If determinate I would wait a couple of more weeks to transplant so as to make sure they do not do their blooming too soon.

 

[Meadowlark]

Very nice peppers. Fall peppers are prolific here. Be prepared for a bumper harvest.

 

[Chuck]

Yes, plant the peppers. You may have to fix up some kind of temporary afternoon shade for them but it appears that the 100+ F temperatures are abiding. Still hot but not so much. 95F is the secret number. Over that and precautions are in order. Once you plant them stop removing the blooms. Before you plant TOTALLY soak the area of planting and soak the transplants as well. This will alleviate most transplant shock. Raising the light will not do much about slowing growth. It will make them leggy. Plant everything you can including tomatoes. It is almost mid August which is the normal planting time. If you haven't already start moving the plants outside in the AM hours so as to harden them off before planting. Are your tomatoes determinate or indeterminate? If determinate I would wait a couple of more weeks to transplant so as to make sure they do not do their blooming too soon.

Starting off, harden them off with about 2 hours of morning sun. If they get too much afternoon sun they will scald, so if you can't take them in after morning sun just leave them in partial shade out of the afternoon sun. Shade cloth should work.

 

[Lmbauer2017]

Yes, plant the peppers. You may have to fix up some kind of temporary afternoon shade for them but it appears that the 100+ F temperatures are abiding. Still hot but not so much. 95F is the secret number. Over that and precautions are in order. Once you plant them stop removing the blooms. Before you plant TOTALLY soak the area of planting and soak the transplants as well. This will alleviate most transplant shock. Raising the light will not do much about slowing growth. It will make them leggy. Plant everything you can including tomatoes. It is almost mid August which is the normal planting time. If you haven't already start moving the plants outside in the AM hours so as to harden them off before planting. Are your tomatoes determinate or indeterminate? If determinate I would wait a couple of more weeks to transplant so as to make sure they do not do their blooming too soon.

Sounds good, yea I think these peppers are beginning to struggle in these pots. It looks like I potted them unevenly with soil (I think when the soil is wet it's easier to get an even mixture), and some get bone dry within two days. Been having to water a couple separately which really hurts my OCD.

P.S. I'm going to keep posting pictures, because who doesn't like reading with pictures?!

Below are a few pictures of the tomato seedlings. The second picture (all pots with a "4") are my only three determinant varieties (Floradade). From what I understand, I should leave the suckers on determinants and remove suckers from indeterminants. I'll probably leave on 1 or 2 for the indeterminants to attempt to keep them from growing 1000 feet high.

The last pictures are of two Cherokee Purple seedlings, which I'm most excited for. Of course they're the two that are doing some funky things. They don't seem to be underwatered (top and bottoms look moist, but they may feel a little lighter weight than usual). The bottom leaves are shriveling and there's some unusual yellow spotting? This yellow looks different from the new-leaf yellowing that usually occurs on tomato seedlings. I guess the plant is just sucking up water in the middle of the pot faster than the top and bottom soil layers can dry out? The top moisture color may be misleading me...

Determinant tomatoes (Floradade)

Two of the Cherokee Purple indeterminants that are being... strange.