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Peppers

What to do with the stunted and the weak?


Starting over is not an option, since they are my own hybrids and I don't have any more seeds for them. I still would like to see them fruit

by AnyPalpitation8018

11 Comments

  1. Give me your tired, your poor,
    Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
    The wretched refuse of your teeming shore

  2. ApprehensiveSign80

    They don’t look stunted how old are they?

  3. seaweedglutton

    I cull, but since you don’t have any more seeds, just keep them and see how they turn out. Just be mindful of this if you keep the seeds for future gens tho but I’m sure you know that. 🙂

    I kept many weak ones last year and none of them caught up to their healthy “siblings” – NONE. And I don’t mean the biggest one is 10cm and the smallest one is 9.2cm, but like 10cm vs 5cm- level of weak. Now I actively cull.

  4. What do you fertilize them with? I’ve seen pepper seedling bounce back from way worse than this with some nitrogen (seaweed)

  5. TiffanyBee

    Your potting soil looks a little dense. Do you have anything like vermiculite or perlite in it? Pepper seeds are really sensitive to compacted soil. They prefer looser soil to shine, I’ve noticed. If you overwater, that also makes it worse.

    So my suggestions would be:

    1. Make a new seedling starter mix that has vermiculite &/or perlite to repot into smaller containers. Sometimes they don’t do well in big containers when they’re not ready yet.

    2. Get a fan to gently blow a nice breeze on them 24/7. Creates a stronger stem.

    3. Add liquid fertilizer to your water regimen once a week. Bottom water.

    4. Keep them in a warm environment with lots of bright light for 16 hours a day.

    Hope your seedlings strengthen up!!

  6. I personally keep the stunted ones to grow at their own time and just use them how they come out.

  7. miguel-122

    They are perfectly fine, just need fertilizer and lots of light. Don’t forget to harden them and protect from extreme temperatures

  8. Fetus_Transplant

    My stunted plants grew after supplying them with my home made NKP

  9. bill_gannon

    Roots dont like light. You need to cover those containers.

  10. Manatee4Hugh

    What a difference. Florida patio with bushy seedlings. It’s my first time, but I don’t think I’ll bother with seeds. I could take pictures, but thick and bushy is better.

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