Every time you grow pepper seedlings, you expect green short to medium-sized trees with either chili or sweet peppers. However, there are times when you will see a few yellow leaves falling off the little branches. This should not be a case of alarm because it is normal for those leaves that are overshadowed
In some other situations, peppers will develop yellow leaves that later fall off as a sign of fighting certain infections. If you notice that the falling off is persistent, then you will have to.
If you realize that the leaves are still shading over a long time, you can take action and find out the reasons why they turn yellow and any remedies for the condition.
This article will briefly explain the causes of yellow leaves on pepper seedlings and the remedies to such a problem.
Reasons why pepper seedling leaves turn yellow
Persistent change in color of pepper leaves from green to yellow is referred to as chlorosis. This condition is caused by either lack of nutrients, inappropriate watering, attack by pests and diseases, or low temperatures.
1. Lack of nutrients
The most common reason paper seedlings turn yellow is that they lack nutrients. Nutrients like magnesium, iron, and nitrogen are essential for the coloring of pepper leaves.
Understanding how the plant reacts to the deficiency of certain nutrients help you determine which type of fertilizer to use and save your pepper seedlings from dying. Nitrogen deficiency is identified by decoloring the lower leaves and new shoots being slightly green.
This is because the greener nitrogen moves from the older shoots to the new ones, yet there is inadequate nitrogen to move from the soil to the older shoots. If your pepper plants lack magnesium, the leaves will turn yellow, but the veins remain green.
For iron deficiency, new leaves are usually yellow while the rest of the plant remains green. Make sure you apply the appropriate fertilizer depending on the nutrient deficiency that is stressing your peppers.
2. Inappropriate watering
Watering peppers should be done on a routine basis. However, you need to remember that peppers do well in relatively dry soil, and too much watering will definitely affect their growth.
Overwatering pepper seedlings leads to poor foliage and leaves turning yellow. Underwatering, too, is hazardous to pepper seedlings. If they stay long in dry soil, the leaves start to wither and turn yellow before falling off.
Make sure you supply the peppers with enough water and wait for some days or weeks for the soil to dry before you water again.
3. Pests and diseases
There are so many pests and diseases that affect peppers, especially if you plant them in cold areas. The most common pepper infection is the bacterial leaf spot which is characterized by yellow leaves with brown spots.
Bacterial leaf spot is transmitted through the seed; therefore, if you notice certain types of seeds are producing infected seedlings, you need to be cautious and avoid planting the same type of seeds in the next year.
Some fungal infections affect peppers and cause their leaves to turn yellow. The most common fungal infections are the fusarium wilt and the southern blight.
Pests like aphids, fleas, and beetles can cause pepper seedling leaves to turn yellow, especially if there is an infestation of such pests. You can buy pesticides and fungicides to help control or eradicate the pests.
4. Low temperature
If you are a keen pepper gardener, you must have realized that peppers start developing yellow leaves during the cold months before they get attacked by the killing frost.
This yellowing usually occurs when you have already harvested pepper or are preparing to harvest if you had planted it at the right time.
You should therefore worry less because you have already gotten good produce before the winter month.
If you live in tropical regions that experience cold weather throughout the year, you should use cold protection to safeguard the pepper seedlings from the effects of too much cold.
Why Are My Pepper Seedlings Turning Yellow: Conclusion
Planting peppers is one of the easiest garden assignments you can take. Even though they require minimum maintenance practices, they are usually affected by diseases and pests.
Yellow leaves are a common condition in peppers and can be controlled easily as long as you identify the cause of the yellow leaves.
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