Two Seedlings, different color, Why??

Cherokee_Motley · April 7, 2009

I started both at the same time, but one I transplanted into a 4" cup on March 20th with 50% compost and the other I left in the seedling cup.

I noticed the pure difference in color when I went to transplant the one still in the original container. The one transplanted is light green almost lime in color. While the other is a nice dark green. However, if you notice, the dark green plant is showing a little yellow on a lower leaf.

I have not watered either with liquid fertilizer. What are your thoughts / comments...

Thanks... John

vermiit · April 7, 2009

Off the top of my head with no coffee, I'm thinking because the transplanted one is focusing on growing more roots in the nice roomy pot, and the other is focusing on leaf growth and making use of the whole photosynthesis thingy!

TZ-OH6 · April 7, 2009

I remember seeing pictures like that where the light green seedling was in woodchip compost, which caused nitrogen deficiency.

the999bbq · April 8, 2009

maybe it is the underpotting/overpotting theory ;-) when you potted both seedlings at the same time (overpotted the left one into a bigger pot trying to avoid an extra transplanting session later - you lazy you ;-) the right one got into a pot fit to the seedling at that time. Overpotting makes watering more difficult so the right one took of much easier, and the left one got too much water after you noticed that it got too little water.

Maybe by now the right one could get the same pot of the left one...

maybe the right one got a better root system (damaging roots on transplanting encourages root growth) or maybe you compacted the soil of the left one more - someone mentionned this earlier this week and I must admit that it seems to be true indeed : the excess peppers that I threw with little care into some pots (for so called later use or friends or ...) sometimes do better than the ones that I transplanted with (too much) care.

travis · April 9, 2009

Number one, are you sure those are both the same variety? Maybe so, but the leaves look a bit different in shape. If they are different varieties, there can be a difference in the shade of green. Early Girls, just for example, are always lighter green than many other varieties.

Secondly, I think you just need to dose that smaller plant with a bit of fertilizer. A mild dose. A little nitrogen and potash wouldn't hurt anything. Use something that also contains micronutrients.

And the yellowing of lower leaves is normal especially for plants in constricted containers with limited nitrogen source. The plant is transfering nitrogen from the lower leaves to the new growth. But I'm not saying dose the plants heavily with nitrogen. I'm saying give them a little something balanced to feed on and watch for a response.

April 7, 2009	#2
vermiit Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: z 14, California Posts: 137	Off the top of my head with no coffee, I'm thinking because the transplanted one is focusing on growing more roots in the nice roomy pot, and the other is focusing on leaf growth and making use of the whole photosynthesis thingy!

April 7, 2009	#3
TZ-OH6 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Mid-Ohio Posts: 848	I remember seeing pictures like that where the light green seedling was in woodchip compost, which caused nitrogen deficiency.

April 8, 2009	#4
the999bbq Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 191	maybe it is the underpotting/overpotting theory ;-) when you potted both seedlings at the same time (overpotted the left one into a bigger pot trying to avoid an extra transplanting session later - you lazy you ;-) the right one got into a pot fit to the seedling at that time. Overpotting makes watering more difficult so the right one took of much easier, and the left one got too much water after you noticed that it got too little water. Maybe by now the right one could get the same pot of the left one... maybe the right one got a better root system (damaging roots on transplanting encourages root growth) or maybe you compacted the soil of the left one more - someone mentionned this earlier this week and I must admit that it seems to be true indeed : the excess peppers that I threw with little care into some pots (for so called later use or friends or ...) sometimes do better than the ones that I transplanted with (too much) care.

April 9, 2009	#5
travis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 2,984	Number one, are you sure those are both the same variety? Maybe so, but the leaves look a bit different in shape. If they are different varieties, there can be a difference in the shade of green. Early Girls, just for example, are always lighter green than many other varieties. Secondly, I think you just need to dose that smaller plant with a bit of fertilizer. A mild dose. A little nitrogen and potash wouldn't hurt anything. Use something that also contains micronutrients. And the yellowing of lower leaves is normal especially for plants in constricted containers with limited nitrogen source. The plant is transfering nitrogen from the lower leaves to the new growth. But I'm not saying dose the plants heavily with nitrogen. I'm saying give them a little something balanced to feed on and watch for a response.