On 02/14 I started several batches of Chiltepin and Piquin seeds. Most are old, some 10 years or slightly younger. I'm using the paper towel / ziplock baggie method with a heated seedling mat (about 85/f). Most of the seeds were soaked for 24 hours in plain water before going into the bag.
It took about two weeks for my Guatemalan Chiltepe seeds to sprout (they were freshly dried in November) and a few more days for Chili Parado and Chile Simojoval to germinate. Both Parado and Simojoval are 10 year old seeds, sent from a friend in Mexico. They have sat boxed all these years but still sprouted. I am surpised at the longevity of the seeds.
I had a few sprouts from a bag of dried Asian hot peppers that we use in Thai food. I thought I'd give them a shot and sure enough, they sprouted.
The remaing 10 or so bags haven't sprouted yet, still waiting ....
I've got a mini greenhouse in the spare room with 25 watt, 6500K, 1600 lumen compact fluorescent bulbs. The lights stay on 24 hours.
For those of you using paper towels, how long after the seed germinates do you transplant into soil? I carefuly put the seeds into soil with tweezers and water & mist them with a solution of SuperThrive and miracle grow.
It took about two weeks for my Guatemalan Chiltepe seeds to sprout (they were freshly dried in November) and a few more days for Chili Parado and Chile Simojoval to germinate. Both Parado and Simojoval are 10 year old seeds, sent from a friend in Mexico. They have sat boxed all these years but still sprouted. I am surpised at the longevity of the seeds.
I had a few sprouts from a bag of dried Asian hot peppers that we use in Thai food. I thought I'd give them a shot and sure enough, they sprouted.
The remaing 10 or so bags haven't sprouted yet, still waiting ....
I've got a mini greenhouse in the spare room with 25 watt, 6500K, 1600 lumen compact fluorescent bulbs. The lights stay on 24 hours.
For those of you using paper towels, how long after the seed germinates do you transplant into soil? I carefuly put the seeds into soil with tweezers and water & mist them with a solution of SuperThrive and miracle grow.