Looks like your potting mix is almost entirely peat or coir plus you are using peat pots. The pots are wicking away the moisture from the mix too fast (common occurrence when using peat pots) and/or the mix hasn't been thoroughly moistened to begin with. They shouldn't need watered every day. I would repot them into cheap plastic cups with drainage holes punched in the bottom, instead of keeping them in the peat pots. Or if that's not possible, at least set the pots into a shallow tray of water and let them soak until the top of the mix is moist.

Also, your plants look as if they are either in need of fertilizer and/or the mix they are in is the wrong pH. No way to know if the lights need lowered since you don't say how close they are. What is the mix you're using and have you fertilized?

Rodney

I am using peat moss on top and the soil does feel dry it should feel moist at all times right ?

I agree with Rodney.
Your mix doe not look very well draining. I cannot see any perlite nor any large particulate ( like pine bark fines). Least you can do is add perlite, maybe about 25%.
Definitely watering every day is too much. Depending on the temperature and pot size, 3 days and longer is what I do. The best way to tell when to water is to scratch the soil about an inch. If it is dry, then water it.

Seysonn

I'll transplant them tomorrow is that seed starting mix ok to use ?

Never used that mix but from the little bit of searching I did on google it should be okay. Not sure why you have peat moss on top of it though.

Should the mix stay moist at all times? When you water it should be thoroughly moist and then allowed to dry out some before watering again.

I really suggest getting rid of the peat pots. I'm positive it's the cause of your problems. In your last pic, the plants that are still in the plastic cells look good but the ones in the peat pots look awful. If you've done everything else the same then the pots are the only thing to blame.

Rodney

I had this issue last year. Plants grew well in my seed starter, then transferred to peat pots. Couldn't keep them from drying out. Hated the peat pots. They looked just like yours. Once I figured out what was going on and transferred them to plastic pots they did well again. I won't use peat pots again.

Yea I'm going to transplant them tomorrow . Now that I hear everything everyone is saying I've noticed that soil is always dry no matter what I do

Another thing do you all think it's time to transplant the rest of the peppers into cups as well ?

Yes, definitely you can transfer the ones in the cells into 4" pots or solo cups. You could even do that earlier. .

On the peat Pots: I have never used them. But if/when the seedlings get thirsty, they will wilt and sometimes the lover leaves will fall off.

I agree with Sandy. Transplant them into a potting soil mix in plastic pots. I use 3" square x 3-1/2" deep pots with 18 to a waterproof tray. I water from the bottom about every 4 or 5 days. Fluorescent lights are kept about an inch above the plants and raised as the plants grow. I use six light tubes to evenly cover the tray.

Richard

Unless I looked up the wrong stuff, the seed starting mix the OP is using contains composted turkey litter, feathermeal, and sulfate of potash so it's got some nutrients. But I agree with the suggestions that a potting mix would be best at this
point because of its lower cost.

Rodney

I'd also stay away from the "organic" mixes. In my experience you're far more likely to get soilborn diseases and pests with that stuff. Its one thing when you make it yourself from your own compost, but when you buy it in a bag I don't trust it.

I transplanted them all . What do you all think ? Do they look ok ? Some of them look a little rough to me

Even though everyone says don't use peat. I do but, I transplant them very quickly In to a high bark mix like orchid mix. It does well with my water soaked clay or even in drought. I also mix a hand full of bone meal in about 2 galons of orchid mix and 1 gallon soil 1 gallon compost. Try sugar water it helps with shock. Boil 2 cups of water and 3 table spoons of sugar.

I used the same seed starting mix as the OP and it is fine.

OP: Looks to me like you could have still used more drainage (perlite, pine back fines etc) in your transplant mix.

Most newbies water too much. I've done the same in the past. Err on the side of less water and they should green up a bit. Try to simplify. You'll get a ton of good suggestions on here, but often times it is too much to implement or understand in a short amount of time. Everyone has methods that work, you just need to find what they are for you. There is no magic bullet.

I use the same seeding mix as you but my solo cups have more of a 3-1-1 mix (similar to Al's 5-1-1). All I do is water when needed and Miracle Grow every couple weeks. Nothing more. It does not need to be complicated to be successful. However, maximizing yield is a completely different issue.

Peppers are very resilient. Don't give up on them.

Why did you transfer them to clear cups? How many times do we have to tell you guys.
No clear cups on seedlings once they have started.

Others may have different success stories with clear cups, but I have found them unsuitable. I use the foam cups myself and have had good results with those. Make sure to put some holes in the bottom. If you must use clear cups, drop them into another cup or wrap in black paper.

http://forums2.gardenweb.com/discussions/1573029/transplant-container-ideas-plastic-cups

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=70932

As long as they are inside and you repot them again before the roots get completely exposed on the outer edges of the cup, you'll be fine. Or , as Ronny suggests, just drop them inside red solo cups. You can get a pack of 50 at target for about 3 bucks.

I can just take the clear cup and put it inside a red cup correct ? Or do I have to transplant them ?

Big cactai,

Yes, you can just put them into non clear cup. That should serve the purpose of preventing light from getting into the roots.

BTW: Most of your seedlings look pale to me. Have you been fertilizing them at all ?

Seysonn

No I haven't do you have any recommendations ?

Any liquid plant food, 1/4 the recommended dosage.

In the future, buy a jug of osmocote and mix the pellets in with the soil before you use it.

And yes, that soil still looks too fine. Cut it with perlite or oil absorber stone chips by at least 50% by volume.

Next time you do transplants I would suggest that you get a bag of Miracle-Gro (or similar) potting soil. No mixing your own potting soils, no fertilizing guess work, all you add is water once or twice a week and good light. The transplants will be dark green and healthy.

I didn't get a bag of miracle grow moisture control for the next time I transplant and I'll start fertilizing today

I am going to try out something called Tomato Tone with my seedlings. Mix into the soil. It has everything including calcium. I have MG and a seaweed fertilizer but I wont use it until these get bigger.

Don't get moisture control!

Moisture "control" stays too wet for peppers. Just get regular potting soil that says "feeds for X months". No fancy moisture control, or special blends, or anything like that. Just plain, cheap potting soil.

The fancier you get, the more likely you are to kill your peppers.

I thought we were supposed to stay away from anything that says "SOIL," no? I thought potting "MIX" was better for pots. Even with added perlite, you're flirting with disaster from soil compaction; bad aeration and drainage issues. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong...