Uh oh! Newly Transplanted Pepper Leaves Turning Yellow

Oh no! I noticed last night, the peppers I planted from Brock's last sunday are turning yellowish, definitely not the deep bright green they were when I brought them home. More like light greenish yellow, as you can see from the habanero picture on the right. The soil around them in one bed was looking pretty hard and cracked, too.

I had some problems with peppers last year, so I'm not that surprised. I think it may be nitrogen deficiency in the soil. Although, the one bed I planted the scarlet runner beans in last summer, so it should have nitrogen? I also read it could be from too much chlorine in the water, which I'd say is definitely a possibility around here.

I wish my compost pile had worked out better. That's totally what these peppers need.

Unfortunately I haven't been able to find any vegan compost around here. I was thinking I might have to settle for something non-vegan but as harmless as possible. maybe vericomposted tea, even if the worms were fed non-vegan ingredients.

But they didn't have any compost tea at brock farms. I even asked the staff and they were like "nope, never heard of it - but it sounds cool". If it gets more desperate I might settle for animal poop, like bat guano or chicken manure? I mean, poop happens, and I don't think it would be un-vegan to use it, as long as the animals were not harmed in the process.

I have resisted buying it though, because i assume the stuff they sell at home depot probably is collected from harmed animals, since it most likely comes from factory farms.

Maybe I will find something tomorrow. I'm going to Well Sweep. I've never been there before but, according to the 80+ page catalog they have over 50 kinds of lavender and rosemary, and like every other herb known to humankind!! It looks awesome, and you can walk around their gardens, so we are making a day trip of it. I'm so excited!

I'm sure we'll pass many farm markets and gardening centers on the way too, since it is in west-central jersey. So there is hope we could find a good farm with compost.

Here's the main pepper bed. Three habaneros in the front, and three jalapenos in the back. Behind it on the trellis I planted zuchinni rampinato, or climbing squash. The four plants in the front are 2 red and 2 tangerine gem edible marigolds.

Actually, all this just made me remember I bought kelp at the end of last fall from a place on the west coast over the internet! But I just went and looked for it, and can't find it! Darn. Well, I better get off this computer. I gotta go look for it and put on the epsom salts.

edit: I just found this post about how to grow great peppers: http://theherbgardener.blogspot.com/2009/06/pepper-tips-and-tricks.html
It says
Pepper Growing Tips

Give peppers at least eight hours of light a day.

Peppers like rich soil that is high in phosphorous.

Make sure your peppers have good drainage.

Provide them with a soil pH between 6 and 8.
I need to follow up and make sure my peppers have enough phosphorous and a good pH.