Yellowing on seedlings..

[ChiliPeppa]

Well, I was a bit slow in getting some fertilizer on my seedlings. Lesson learned. Some of the ones which grew up especially fast started yellowing very quickly. I did a couple of rounds of liquid kelp several days apart and then today gave some epsom salt solution (fed and sprayed). How often can I give the epsom salt? Will it really only take 72 hours before they green up?

[ScottinAtlanta]

That is odd. I don't normally get any yellowing until they are, say 3-4 inches high. What kind of potting medium do you use?

[ChiliPeppa]

The ones that have yellowing are at least 4 inches, some 6 inches. I'm using Kellog organic potting mix.

[AlittleSalt]

ChiliPeppa, are these tomato or pepper plants? On both, the cotyledon (first) leaves turn yellow before falling off.

If you take a picture or two and share them here - I know a lot of people here will know how to answer you better.

[Worth1]

Your not going to get much of a boost out of kelp and I would not use Epson salts to make them green.
The need more or lees equal NPK fertilizer for good health.
I can get plants to green up in about 24 hours doing this.
It will mostly be on the new growth.
The spraying of the Epson salts is just a trick they use to make plants look healthy, sort of like makeup on a pig.

Worth

[Worth1]

I want to add water logging can cause this also.

Worth

[ChiliPeppa]

Yes, these are tomato plants, and it's the first set or two of the true leaves. Not all my plants have done this just the ones that grew the fastest. Worth, I used the epsom because I had read about here on TV and Dr Carolyn had commented about it on a thread etc. I had it on hand. I've been careful to not over water but maybe I did. Still getting the hang of this. Oh and sorry I don't have a way to post pics.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by ChiliPeppa

Yes, these are tomato plants, and it's the first set or two of the true leaves. Not all my plants have done this just the ones that grew the fastest. Worth, I used the epsom because I had read about here on TV and Dr Carolyn had commented about it on a thread etc. I had it on hand. I've been careful to not over water but maybe I did. Still getting the hang of this. Oh and sorry I don't have a way to post pics.

No worries many of my bottom leaves have turned yellow just a part of the life cycle.
I just pinch them off.

Worth

[RayR]

Originally Posted by ChiliPeppa

Yes, these are tomato plants, and it's the first set or two of the true leaves. Not all my plants have done this just the ones that grew the fastest. Worth, I used the epsom because I had read about here on TV and Dr Carolyn had commented about it on a thread etc. I had it on hand. I've been careful to not over water but maybe I did. Still getting the hang of this. Oh and sorry I don't have a way to post pics.

Besides what has already been said, what kind of soil are they planted in and what size pots? It won't take long for a fast growing plant to deplete whatever macronutrients were in the soil originally. The fact that your leaves are yellowing from the oldest on up is a clear indication of nutrient deficiency (A lack of Nitrogen is the most visible sign that will show as yellowing leaves from the bottom up) that is a real lack of nutrients in the soil or an induced deficiency most commonly caused by overwatering. I would think the problem is a real nutrient deficiency since all you have fed them is kelp and Epsom salts. Kelp is great as an additive to a fertilizing regimen for a number of reasons but kelp only has trace amounts of the nutrients a plant needs. Epsom salts only offers Magnesium and Sulfur. Neither one will solve the problem when what you really need at this point is a fertilizer (Organic or Synthetic) that contains all the essential macronutrients and micronutrients that the plant needs.

[Cole_Robbie]

http://www.kellogggarden.com/product...s=potting-soil INGREDIENTS: Aged recycled forest products, rice hulls, composted poultry manure, perlite, kelp meal, worm castings

Your mix has fertilizer in it already. I would guess your yellow leaf problem is from over-watering.

[Gardeneer]

A picture or two could be helpful to say what is going on.

Gardeneer

[ChiliPeppa]

The weird thing is I used this same mix last year and didn't have a problem. I did notice that this bag looked different. More coarse looking for one thing. Drainage is really good so I can't see how I'm over watering? The mix always feels like um.. pipe tobacco. Sorry I can't post pics. I don't have a camera and my phone is a 'ghetto phone', lol.