It all started in Feb. when I bought myself a birthday present of eight different types of hot pepper seeds (115 seeds total) due to the outragous cost of peppers in the market. I took a standard heating pad and a 72 compartment seeding tray two types of soil (MG Seed Starter & MG Organic Potting Soil). The seeding tray had 8 tray's of 9 cups so I did one tray of each variity of pepper and did 3 cups of each tray with the seed starter, 3 of the organic and 3 of a 50/50 Mix of both soils to test germination rates.
I tested the seeding tray on the heating pad for 24 hours to accurately maintain a 85 to 87 degree soil temp and planted my seeds on the 23rd of Feb. On the 28th of Feb. or less than 6 days later my first 3 sprouts (White Habs) broke through the surface. On March 6th (12 days) my last sprout #94 broke surface and I knew I had too many plants for just me and took the heating pad away.
March 1st
March 3rd
March 6th
On March 9th I started transplanting into solo cups any sprouts starting second sets of true leaves ( a set premature but I had cups with 3 or 4 sprouts and didn't want root tangle) and that lasted about 10 days,and added mylar for light reflection from my two double lamp 4' shop lights with full spectrum daylight lamps.
I tested the seeding tray on the heating pad for 24 hours to accurately maintain a 85 to 87 degree soil temp and planted my seeds on the 23rd of Feb. On the 28th of Feb. or less than 6 days later my first 3 sprouts (White Habs) broke through the surface. On March 6th (12 days) my last sprout #94 broke surface and I knew I had too many plants for just me and took the heating pad away.
March 1st
March 3rd
March 6th
On March 9th I started transplanting into solo cups any sprouts starting second sets of true leaves ( a set premature but I had cups with 3 or 4 sprouts and didn't want root tangle) and that lasted about 10 days,and added mylar for light reflection from my two double lamp 4' shop lights with full spectrum daylight lamps.
