• If you need help identifying a pepper, disease, or plant issue, please post in Identification.

seeds growing from seeds

Soak them lukewarm water for about 5-6 hours, then you can put them in the dirt. After that, sprinkle, do not pour, water on them every day until they sprout and grow the first few leaves. Then you can transplant them and water as they need.
 
3rd year using aerogardens.
17 days, 80% germination of numerous types this year.
Only ones not showing any sign of life yet are Galapagoense, Orange Rocoto, and Bolivian Rainbow.
 
Jiffy seed starter with a clear cover. Keep moist but not wet and 85 to 90* Peppers should sprout within 7 days. Once they sprout keep them under lights for 16 hrs a day. Keep the lid on till they are touching it but make sure to air them out for a couple minutes a day once they are about an inch tall. Then when they are touching the lid keep them in the pouches till they are at least 3 inches tall then transplant into larger pots.
 
Seeing the pattern yet? There are as many methods as there are members. I put seeds in starting mix (planted about 1/8" deep) and watch them grow. My germ rate is always >90%. No heating mats, no light until they sprout, no nutrients until they have true leaves.
 
I soak mine in peroxide for about 6 hours and they go a few inches under T5 lighting in a grow tent straight into soil cells or peat pellets under a dome.  I air them out a few hours a day and pour the moisture off the domes elsewhere, I only water very lightly with a peroxide and water blend, like a few drops with a dropper.  I keep 24 hour light on them with a small fan until they have 2 sets of true leaves and then they get a 19/5 light cycle and transplanted into bio cups and start getting nutes.  I tried the Jiffy "self-watering" greenhouses this year and don't recommend them because they hold way too much moisture for small sprouts.  The regular ones without the wetting mat seem much better.
 
There is no "best" way, choose what works better for you. I don't soak and sow directly in soil with no issues at all.

Good luck

Datil
 
I have had on average about 75 % germination rate this way. Once the seeds get their tails, they go into the peat moss potting soil.

1. Soak seeds for 24 hours in Salt Peter. 1 teaspoon Salt Peter per quart of water. (RO water only)
2. Place soaked and washed seeds in wet paper towel and ziplock bag. (RO water only)
3. Place on heat mat at 83 deg F and wait for seed tails.
4. Once tails sprout, place seed in Sunshine #4 potting mix. Water with RO water and CalMag+.
5. Place sprouting seed with container on heat mat at 83 deg F.

After much trial and error, this has yielded my best results.
Hope this helps.
 
Or, to put it this way:
 
You can spend a couple hundred $$$ on sprouting supplies, and maybe get a few more to sprout. ;)
 
Or:
 
I already blew $500 on the aerogardens, so I may as well use them, since the sponges are cheap. :shh:
 
i use oasis horticubes  ... use a dome with a heatmat  .. everything has popped minus judys red douglah offspring ... only thing i dint get everything to pop on .. only 4 outta 20 on those
 
firchf1 said:
What is the best way to start my seeds?any pointers in getting good yields?thanks
Click to expand...
 
 
Datil said:
There is no "best" way, choose what works better for you. I don't soak and sow directly in soil with no issues at all.

Good luck

Datil
There is no "best" way, choose what works better for you. I don't soak and sow directly in soil with no issues at all.

Good luck

Datil
Click to expand...
 
I second what Datil said even though he already did it himself.
 
I use a propagator from Charlie's Greenhouse website and my germination rates are about 90%
ikeepfish said:
I soak mine in peroxide for about 6 hours and they go a few inches under T5 lighting in a grow tent straight into soil cells or peat pellets under a dome.  I air them out a few hours a day and pour the moisture off the domes elsewhere, I only water very lightly with a peroxide and water blend, like a few drops with a dropper.  I keep 24 hour light on them with a small fan until they have 2 sets of true leaves and then they get a 19/5 light cycle and transplanted into bio cups and start getting nutes.  I tried the Jiffy "self-watering" greenhouses this year and don't recommend them because they hold way too much moisture for small sprouts.  The regular ones without the wetting mat seem much better.
Click to expand...
No light is necessary for germination. ;)
 
Meaning what Carlton? Some plants won't germinate unless they are in complete darkness such as Delphiniums. Do you believe EM helps a seed germinate?
 
I soak my seeds (recently for about 2 or 3 hours vs 24 that I started with) in 0.3% hydrogen peroxide. Then I put them in a moist coffee filter, which goes into a ziploc bag that I seal half way, and which in turn is placed on something warm; either my router, my fridge, or if I have the space on my heat mat then I will use that.
 
Open the ziploc bag once daily for oxygen and to check if the seeds have rooted. If they have then I plant the rooted seeds into in cup or tray with coco coir, cover with saran wrap or the tray cover, and wait for hooks. After I get hooks, I take the wrap/cover off and wait for them to pop. If I get a helmet head, I very gently cover it with more coco coir and let it pull itself out naturally; much easier than trying to remove the seed casing yourself and in most cases the cotys come out undamaged.
 
Proud Marine Dad said:
I use a propagator from Charlie's Greenhouse website and my germination rates are about 90%

No light is necessary for germination. ;)
Click to expand...
 
I have noticed that lights can help with soil temperature. So in the event you aren't using a heat mat, I think it would be beneficial.
 
filmost said:
I soak my seeds (recently for about 2 or 3 hours vs 24 that I started with) in 0.3% hydrogen peroxide. Then I put them in a moist coffee filter, which goes into a ziploc bag that I seal half way, and which in turn is placed on something warm; either my router, my fridge, or if I have the space on my heat mat then I will use that.
 
Open the ziploc bag once daily for oxygen and to check if the seeds have rooted. If they have then I plant the rooted seeds into in cup or tray with coco coir, cover with saran wrap or the tray cover, and wait for hooks. After I get hooks, I take the wrap/cover off and wait for them to pop. If I get a helmet head, I very gently cover it with more coco coir and let it pull itself out naturally; much easier than trying to remove the seed casing yourself and in most cases the cotys come out undamaged.
 

 
I have noticed that lights can help with soil temperature. So in the event you aren't using a heat mat, I think it would be beneficial.
Click to expand...
Maybe a tad although fluorescent lights put off very little heat.
 
Proud Marine Dad said:
Maybe a tad although fluorescent lights put off very little heat.
Click to expand...
     Maybe so, but when visible light is absorbed by soil and the water contained in it, it is converted into heat. I start my seedlings under eight t8s, and if I don't keep an eye on how much ventilation I allow my flats, they can get too hot.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top