Try and distinguish between the new growth and the oldest leaves, especially on artichokes. As long as the rhizomes stay healthy, the leaves & fruit will eventually come, no matter how ratty any one leaf looks. Transplant shock can be rough and produce stress signs in all plants, but it's best to wait it out a bit and see if the new growth recovers. Splashing soil up on the leaves while watering can produce yellow & black spotting too, it's one of my biggest challenges, as a moment of garden ADHD while watering means I've just splattered an entire row of seedlings with soilborne fungi and bacteria. It's often localized and never spreads beyond the affected leaf, except on my solanums (tomato, eggplant, potatoes, ...) it can mean I've just sent early blight everywhere, as I can't seem to get that disease out of my garden ever since my Home Depot tomatoes were infested. Whiteflies leaving your nursery-bought plants is a huge problem, it's illegal for the nursery to sell you infested plants. Get a refund and/or find another nursery. I rarely use box stores anymore, their pest prevention is weak (at best).

I agree with Keriann. Yes, you should really let them dry out. Matter of fact, once my seedlings are as big as yours, I let them dry out pretty much all the way before I water again. You can tell they need watered when you pick up the flat and it feels light as a feather. Then after you water, it's much heavier. Your method of bottom watering is quite unique, I must say. I think that most folks bottom water the way I do, which is to say setting the cells or cups into a tray of water and letting the plant absorb as much as it wants until you see moisture on the surface of the soil (usually takes anywhere from 5-20 min). Now, I can't say for sure what positive or negative effects your method of watering might have, except that it sure sounds like a pain in the hiney to me, and I somehow doubt that the soil is getting properly saturated. You want to simulate mother nature; a soaking rain. Then you want to let the soil dry out. That's how it is in nature. Roots need water yes, because the plant needs water, but then they need to dry out and get oxygen. Damp soil all the time = no oxygen to the roots. Now, I can't say for certain what part of your program is causing your issues, but I would start bottom watering them as described by letting them absorb water sitting in a tray. I think you will find that using this method, you should only have to water every 3-4 days, or less. I would lay off the ferts for a while, and then make sure only to fertilize when the soil is already damp, or you will burn the roots. I just mix the fert with water, then pour into a tray and bottom water as usual. Give this a shot, see if that doesn't help.

my various spirea are in glacial sand.. are never watered.. and never fert'd and planted in native sand ... cant beat them back with a machette ... yellowing leaves suggest over watering ... are you doing such.. when they need it.. or all the time ... is the native soil clay.. did you plant in a clay cauldron?? is there a lawn that was sprayed... favor us with a pic if you can was there any frost or freeze event.. since it leafed out??? ken

need a picture to get anywhere on this ken Here is a link that might be useful: how to post pix