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seeds Help Germinating....

fubarhouse

fubarhouse

I have an amazing array of seeds that were given to me as a starter, I have been unsuccessful germinating any of them, including 10 odd standard yellow cayenne peppers.

Let's be frank, I need help, I am trying so hard to buy into this lovely hobby, but the way I see it gowing the peppers is merely half the fun, unlimited array of flavours, shapes, colours, and above all - possibilities.

I have shone a light into a box lined with aluminum foil. Temperature is pretty warm... Not sure what to do.
I am dead set on buying a germination kit from Wildfire, with Jiffy Pellets and all, raising one or more annums as a test before moving up a little.

I understand you need photos and more information, but my primary question is: would you call this approach a smart move?
 
there are many ways of germinating seeds. Some hot pepper seeds take a while to germinate and some germinate quickly. i would say on the norm a week is about right for most could be all the way up to a month for alot of em.

anyways some of the ways of germinating seeds

- moist paper towel in small ziplock bag
- moist paper towel in small jello shot glass with lid ( i find if you cut the seed where the hook will come out but dont touch the inner part of the seed they germinate alot quicker)
- Jiffy pellets in a small green house with a heat mat underneath

also on a side note remember to keep the temp between 80 and 85 f.


why dont you post some pics of your current setup as well
 
Are you germinating in a soil mix? If so you can't let it dry out, it must always be moist or it's game over.
 
This is a fool-resistant method:

Take a zip-lock bag and a piece of paper towel:


IMG_8543.jpg


Spread seeds on the paper towel:

IMG_8544.jpg


Insert the paper towel in the bag, wet the papre towel (wet, not soppy), close the zip lock and put it where it is 85F.....measure temp, don't guess. Wait

IMG_8545.jpg
 
I agree with everyone else.

The paper towel method is basically foolproof.

I know its important but I don't even measure temperature. I just stick the bag in a dark drawer and check daily to see if its still wet enough.

Generally after a week I look in the bag and... :woohoo:

Bleash
 
Well to be honest guys, I have tried that method with no success for one reason or another. The box I made can sustain a higher temperature better than direct light so I have just put a load of yellow cayenne seeds into a bag like mentioned with a damp absorbent cloth. Last time the seeds rotted, not sure why.....

I have ordered a germination kit just in case for future, but for now I will see how this goes, pick up a thermometer tomorrow.

Thanks, here's hoping!
 
Was your temp too high? I have experienced that if temps go above 90f for long or if they pass 98f then the seeds are basically toast.
 
willard3 said:
This is a fool-resistant method:

Take a zip-lock bag and a piece of paper towel:


IMG_8543.jpg


Spread seeds on the paper towel:

IMG_8544.jpg


Insert the paper towel in the bag, wet the papre towel (wet, not soppy), close the zip lock and put it where it is 85F.....measure temp, don't guess. Wait

IMG_8545.jpg
Click to expand...


+1 on this...at a guess I got about an 90% germ rate.

Only differences were that I used a sealed, small plastic box and sat it on-top of my wireless router :D Either way the principles of it are the same.
 
I mave managed to out-fool the foolproof paper in bag method! It sounds simple but I found all the ways you can do it wrong :P

Here's what not to do. When you put the seeds in the bag make sure you have washed your hands. If you get black stuff growing on the seeds then something has contaminated them and all you are growing is mould. Once they have sprouted be gentle because the root tip will break off easily. Don't leave them too long or the root hairs will embed in the towel and you will have to rip it apart and plant it with them. They don't need to be exactly 85F, being a little cool will still work but it will take longer. Being too hot will definitely cook them! On top of your computer or fridge is usually a good warm spot. Don't disturb them every day to check. Leave them a week and then look. If the seeds are good then this method should work.

I have gotten seeds in the mail from reputable sources which absolutely would not germinate no matter what I did. My theory on this is that you do not know what extremes the mail has gone through before you get it. If you don't know if it is bad seeds or bad germination method, go to your local nursery and get a packet of chilli seeds and check the use by date. Or even buy a fresh chilli and dry the seeds. Try the paper towel method and if nothing happens with seeds from all those different sources then your germation method is probably to blame.
 
What I do is buy some mini greenhouse seed starters with plastic domes. These are dirt cheap, a 32 cell starter costs $2.50 here and can be reused. Fill the domes with seed starting mix (I used regular Pro Mix this year though, anything that is very fine without big chunks of anything, and is very low in nutrients). Fill the cells with the seed starting mix up to about 1/2 inch from the top, spray the cells thoroughly with a spray bottle, place the seeds on top of the mix, spray the seeds (gently, you don't want to move them around very much). Then cover with a ~1/4 inch layer of seed starting mix, then spray that with the spray bottle. Stick the thermostat probe into one of the cells, set it to 85 or 86 degrees F and then plug the light into it. When the mix gets too hot, the thermostat shuts the light off, when it gets too cool, it turns the light on. Periodically spray the tops of the cells with the spray bottle to keep them moist at all times. I usually spray about twice a day.

You can also use a heating mat to control temperatures, but I've found that they heat very unevenly, at least the Hydrofarm ones that I used (the middle gets much hotter than the outsides) and as a result germination is very uneven, so I don't use them anymore.

I get over 90% germination this way. So easy a caveman could do it.
 
I had no problems with germination on mine... it took a couple weeks and I thought they were not going to sprout and added a few more to the soil and now they are all growing... hell, with the extras still in the soil when I transplanted them they are still coming up (some got buried deep in the transplant process)

All I did was take some dry seeds soaked them in a cup of room temp water for 30 mins or so and then put them in some general potting mix and let them go... all I had was a desk lamp with a CFL light on them and the container had a split down the side ans was sitting in a tray of water... so it kept wicking up into the container and kept them very moist and the light kept them at about 70-80F the light was on from about 6:30 am to mid night every day or so (weekends it was on longer and then off longer) with it shut off while I slept...

I've tried the papertowel thing and ended up with a moldy lump in a couple days... not sure why it didn't work for me..

The small cup I used was just one of those plastic safety caps that cover 10 liter distilled water dispensers and the split was the tab you pull on ... seems weird but it worked... if not a little too well...very few of the seeds I put in there didn't end up sprouting... and this was just a random mix of seeds I pulled out of some supermarket habs and scotch bonnets... and later added a few bought black naga seeds


I've since split them up and potted them on their own and they are working out ok so far


I should also note I used distilled water throughout the early watering of the seeds and sprouts so perhaps that helps rather than using the mineral and chlorine of city tap water


Here is what it looked like before I split them up once leaving the remaining seeds and a few tiny seedlings in the small green container...
HPIM1348.jpg


and later on one more step as even more sprouted
HPIM1349.jpg




Avon Barksdale said:
What I do is buy some mini greenhouse seed starters with plastic domes. These are dirt cheap, a 32 cell starter costs $2.50 here and can be reused. Fill the domes with seed starting mix (I used regular Pro Mix this year though, anything that is very fine without big chunks of anything, and is very low in nutrients). Fill the cells with the seed starting mix up to about 1/2 inch from the top, spray the cells thoroughly with a spray bottle, place the seeds on top of the mix, spray the seeds (gently, you don't want to move them around very much). Then cover with a ~1/4 inch layer of seed starting mix, then spray that with the spray bottle. Stick the thermostat probe into one of the cells, set it to 85 or 86 degrees F and then plug the light into it. When the mix gets too hot, the thermostat shuts the light off, when it gets too cool, it turns the light on. Periodically spray the tops of the cells with the spray bottle to keep them moist at all times. I usually spray about twice a day.

You can also use a heating mat to control temperatures, but I've found that they heat very unevenly, at least the Hydrofarm ones that I used (the middle gets much hotter than the outsides) and as a result germination is very uneven, so I don't use them anymore.

I get over 90% germination this way. So easy a caveman could do it.
Click to expand...
 
millworkman said:
Was your temp too high? I have experienced that if temps go above 90f for long or if they pass 98f then the seeds are basically toast.
Click to expand...

Thanks to everybody for their help. Yeah, it is quite possible. I have measured the temperature of the light at around 40-45 degrees and that could be why my last effort failed, including some black mould that was made noted in this topic. I have measured the temperature of the box at 86 degrees F or 30 degrees C for us Aussies :P

I have a feeling, that with some extra moisture and steady temperature exactly where it needs to be, I may have more success - however I have had wishful thinking every time I have tried this so I dunno. I'll keep blowing these cayenne seeds until I get it right - only came from a couple of handful of woolies peppers so it's no loss.

Thanks again to everybody, some things have been made obvious to me which may have been at fault. I will try again and hope again, let you know, and I will definitely use this topic as a reference. You've all been so helpful :)
 
Hey Karl your greenhouse kit will be on it's way tomorrow. I will put in some instructions for germinating as well as how to use the kit properly.
Just one note on using store bought peppers for your seed source. I'm not a 100% sure but with some I think they can actually grow them so that the seeds will be sterile so people dont grow them. I know I had some Jalapenos once from Coles and no matter what I did they wouldn't grow. So just an idea it might be because of that also.

I hope you have some better luck.
 
I'm sure bunnings or even woolworths will have a packet of cheap chilli seeds you can hone your germinating skills on. My local bunnings has a big box full of old seed packets for 50c each.
 
Most people go with the paper towel method. like many said, its "fool-proof'

what I personally do is soak the seeds in water for exatly 24hours, then put them in soil. try this if you happen to be the first person to mess up the towel method. lol.

and yes,make sure the soil is a warm 85 degrees.
 
I do the wet paper towel and zip lock bag method. But i keep an inch of the zip lock not fully sealed and put them on top of the fridge where it stays dark and warm. Ive tried every way and this works the best for me. Dont give up, my wild chiltepins took 3 months to pop
 
im also waitng for my seeds to germinate. im a rookie at this but i got my seeds from ebay. they are chinese 5 color pepper. its been 5 weeks zero germination. i have half in a ziplock/paper towel combo on the cable box 82-86 degreees. the other half is in miracle grow seed starting mix at 84 degrees . i think i got beat non viable seeds. i emailed the seller who claimed a 95% germination rate. lol. she told me to give it more time and the paper towel method is not advised. im thinking she just didnt want to admit she robbed me. im going to wait a full 12 weeks before i ditch them. i hope this makes u feel better that u are not alone.
 
dvd case.
Wet paper towel squeeze excess water
drop seeds on fold over and stick in dvd case.
Put this somewhere warm maybe ontop of your modem or fridge even cable box.
I put mine on top of a 4-bulb t-5.
Sprout Bhuts in a week like this.
 
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