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seeds light/germination?

I crack my seeds in a ZIP LOCK bag with damp paper towel, on a heat pad. And I stack the bags.
IMO do not really need light for this stage, but once they crack and show tap, then you have to be quick to get them into soil and under lights.
. Seeds will germinate if conditions are right, ie: heat, water. Light will be need for growth .
 
ok,


1)when you say crack the seeds do you mean when a root starts to show?
2)"stack the bags" pile em up on top of each other?

now,i have seeds started in small containers on a heating pad but the temps are fluctuating between 80 and 90 degrees during the day.
is this bad?
i have them in a plastic container with a lid(rotissare chicken container)
with 4 small ventilation holes on top and a ceiling fan on most of the day.moisture is just enough so that it don't drip from above.
i did not soak the seeds or anything just stuck them in some starting mix called green thumb put them in the container and placed it on the heating pad.
i just did this friday so i know not to expect anything yet but will they germinate this way?

Thank's
Erik
 
ebk637 said:
ok,


1)when you say crack the seeds do you mean when a root starts to show?
2)"stack the bags" pile em up on top of each other?

now,i have seeds started in small containers on a heating pad but the temps are fluctuating between 80 and 90 degrees during the day.
is this bad?
i have them in a plastic container with a lid(rotissare chicken container)
with 4 small ventilation holes on top and a ceiling fan on most of the day.moisture is just enough so that it don't drip from above.
i did not soak the seeds or anything just stuck them in some starting mix called green thumb put them in the container and placed it on the heating pad.
i just did this friday so i know not to expect anything yet but will they germinate this way?

Thank's
Erik
Click to expand...

They should germinate just fine. Expect a few to pop up very slowly or not at all! Make sure you keep the soil moist with a spray bottle or 'bottom watering' as the cells tend to dry out quickly on a heat mat.
Also when they pop up be very careful about water.. a cell can dry out in less than a day on a heat mat so spray morning and night if necessary. Bottom watering gave longer-lasting moisture for me.
 
1. - yes, they will show a small white tap root, when I see this I will replant into a seedling pot or tray.
2. YEP, as I germinate ALOT of seeds it saves room.. i do 100`s ( to both check for germ rates, and also for the farm here.

3.should do. But as lance said dont let them dry out..
 
thanks for the info guys i appreciate the help.

does cracking the seeds in a ziplock make them stronger in anyway and do they germinate faster?
and how often should i check for tap roots?
 
ebk637 said:
thanks for the info guys i appreciate the help.

does cracking the seeds in a ziplock make them stronger in anyway and do they germinate faster?
and how often should i check for tap roots?
Click to expand...

Take a shower and get a good meal. Cause if your a true chilihead, you wont sleep til those seeds are in dirt! I'm just sayin':cool:
 
ebk637 said:
thanks for the info guys i appreciate the help.

does cracking the seeds in a ziplock make them stronger in anyway and do they germinate faster?
and how often should i check for tap roots?
Click to expand...

Ziplock bag provided a warm humid environment for them to "hatch". Which is easier for me to keep coco fiber damp 24/7.
Once I see tap I will transplant straight away into coco fiber. If not you will find the tap root will explore through the tissue. And they are much harder to get out & transplant with out damage on the tap root. And you will end up with seed caps... as the soil helps remove the seed husk.
Open and close the bag every day at least once, and MIST with water if its not damp.
I see action between 7- 30 days. Depends on other variables.

This is just what I do, but there are plenty of other techniques.
And I do get lazy sometimes and just throw them into coco coir inside a mini greenhouse.
I also use NAA & IAA (PGR`s)to help get them germinated as a weak soloution.
Hope that helped
ian
 
this is great info!
thats how im gonna do the next set of seeds.
iv'e got my fingers crossed that the seeds im trying to start now will germinate.
im gonna go pic out a few seeds to start this way now.
purple pepper and F1 hybrid superchilli.


MAN THIS STUFF IS ADDICTING!!!
 
One other thing, when they sprout out of your soil, they might still have the seed 'cap' attached. Do not try to pull it off, as you can easily rip off the cotyledons with it and that seedling will proceed to die horribly!!!
If you get seed caps the best thing to do is to leave them, they will eventually get pushed off by the growing cotyledons. If you are truly impatient (like me!), you can moisten the seed cap lightly with a spray bottle and squeeze the cap GENTLY between your fingers. If it's ready it will slip right off without tugging.
 
Very helpful stuff!

chilliman said:
I crack my seeds in a ZIP LOCK bag with damp paper towel, on a heat pad. And I stack the bags.
IMO do not really need light for this stage, but once they crack and show tap, then you have to be quick to get them into soil and under lights.
. Seeds will germinate if conditions are right, ie: heat, water. Light will be need for growth .
Click to expand...

What size pot/bag would you go to from the paper towel, chilliman?


LancelBracken said:
They should germinate just fine. Expect a few to pop up very slowly or not at all! Make sure you keep the soil moist with a spray bottle or 'bottom watering' as the cells tend to dry out quickly on a heat mat.
Also when they pop up be very careful about water.. a cell can dry out in less than a day on a heat mat so spray morning and night if necessary. Bottom watering gave longer-lasting moisture for me.
Click to expand...

Would it be fine to put a tray of water on top of the heat pads, and then stand the seeding tray in the water while the plant grows, or should you bottom water, then remove the water and return to the heat pads?


joeknowsjolokia said:
Take a shower and get a good meal. Cause if your a true chilihead, you wont sleep til those seeds are in dirt! I'm just sayin':cool:
Click to expand...

ROFL!
 
huntsman said:
Would it be fine to put a tray of water on top of the heat pads, and then stand the seeding tray in the water while the plant grows, or should you bottom water, then remove the water and return to the heat pads?
Click to expand...

Yea it's fine, my germinating mini-greenhouse has a tray with no holes that sits on the heat mat, then the tray with the actual dirt etc in it sits inside the other tray and the water soaks up through the holes in the seed tray.

So i just pour water in an empty cell and it swishes around underneath.

It's not good to have them sitting in water though so don't put too much in your water-holdy-tray.

The heat will conduct through the 2 trays fine as long as they aren't super thick.
 
There is no "need" for light during germination, only after they have sprouted (it will not contribute or harm them in any way). some wavelengths are known to get seeds into and out of dormant state, but that's about it.
 
I thought there were some studies done that showed that red light assisted with germination?

http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/bot00/bot00689.htm

"The wavelength of light is critical. The seeds germinate well in white light, but also to single "colors"...particularly red light (660 nm). On the other hand, far-red light (730 nm) strongly reduces lettuce germination. "
Click to expand...

Yes, I do agree that peppers don't officially need lights to sprout a tap root, but I reckon that red light would assist with germination rates.
 
I find the paper-towel trick actually works better with coffee filters, especially with tomatoes that grow into the paper towel very quickly.
As said above, no light is needed until the seeds sprout, at which time you want to move plants close to floros or other lights.
 
Erik, I don't mean to rain on your parade but if you plan on growing these outdoors you're out of time. If you plan on growing them indoors and expect peppers you're going to have to invest in some lights.

Hope I'm not out of line with this.
 
POTAWIE said:
I find the paper-towel trick actually works better with coffee filters, especially with tomatoes that grow into the paper towel very quickly.
As said above, no light is needed until the seeds sprout, at which time you want to move plants close to floros or other lights.
Click to expand...

Cool trick - thanks!

What size grow-bag would you go to from the coffee filter?

Can the filter be re-used? (or am I being too cheap?!) :oops:
 
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