I agree with Elaine.
I thought the coffee grounds might have supplied some Nitrogen and helped a little. Some soluble fertilizer with Nitrogen ought to give fast greening if that is the problem (especially if you spray the leaves).
Clearly most of those plants are getting everything they need! I like the theories that the unhappy ones are getting less sun or too much water, or are a different variety with different needs and/or leaf color. Could the unhappy ones be sitting on top of tree or shrub roots?
When you transplanted two, did they have big healthy root systems? Did you see any grubs?
>> found it somewhat reflective so I put it on top of the dirt to see if that helped get them more sun lol.
Cool idea! Maybe white plastic film or upside-down white plastic dinner plates would do the same thing AND divert some of the irrigation water.
P.S. Plants are smart about some things. If they aren't getting enough sun, they'll divert energy and nutrients to top growth. If they have the capacity to grow faster than they can take up some nutrient, they'll divert it all to the growth they need most (new top growth) and translocate that nutrient out of older, shaded growth and send it upstairs to help the plant get taller faster. (Not all nutrients are mobile like that, but Nitrogen is translocatable.)
