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Newbie here: too late to start over?

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xdosequisx

Hey all, first post here after spending the weekend drooling over everyone's grow logs. I was hoping to have a nice garden full of superhots and somewhat-hots, but I seem to have failed abysmally in germinating my seeds, and can't seem to figure out why. I started the following peppers in between wet paper towels in tupperware containers on top of a heat mat on February 23rd, with these germination rates so far:

THSC ButchT Scorpion (0/7)
THSC Dorset Naga (0/7)
THSC 7Pot/Pod (0/7)
THSC Mystery Seeds (1/15) Died of severe helmet-head
Padron Peppers (2/20)
Red Bell peppers (4/20)
Yellow Bell peppers (4/20)

After three weeks gave up with the paper towel and just threw all the seeds into half miracle-gro organic potting soil half perlite. It's been 4 weeks, and I don't really anticipate anything happening at this point. Any ideas where I went wrong, and is it too late to order new seeds and start over? I have a feeling the heat pad might have been too hot for the seeds, I was to broke to buy a thermostat as well as the rest of my supplies for the year. Also, I didn't soak the seeds in peroxide, so maybe fungus was the problem?
 
I use damp coffee filters instead of paper towel, as the roots can embed themselves in paper towel, making them next to impossible to remove without damage. I stopped using a heat mat quickly, though I did get a thermostat. And you are right, heat mats often get too hot for the seeds. Now I either put the container on top of the fridge (if I'm only starting a few), or put a space heater in the small room where I start seeds if I'm doing more. And yes, if you don't soak the seeds in a mix of peroxide and water for a bit before starting them, mold or other hidden nasties will reactivate once they get hit with moisture.
 
:welcome: Hi don't be too disappointed, I ordered from THSC a while back, the first batch where cracked some even crushed(mail damage). They promptly sent replacements of which, only 3 Butch Ts grew out, Choco Bhuts and the rest failed. I like Neil his videos and pics are awesome but, no padding in the envelopes killed most of the seeds in my batch. Apparently Aussie Customs are seriously Fascistic.


I have lots of seeds, BTs, Rugas, Strains, ETC, let me know it u need some there's still time
 
Oh well, I guess I'm going to order more seeds and try again for a super late start. I hear from the vendor section that pepperlover.com is pretty sweet, so i think i'll give them a shot. Assuming I get the seeds around April first, how likely am I to get pods before it gets too cold? (Located just south of Boston)

Also, whats the simplest and most noob friendly, un f***upable germination method, maybe prepackaged jiffy pellets?
 
30 days is not enough time to give up on germination for bhuts. The experiments being run by others here indicate jiffy pellets are a good choice. It's important to keep constant moisture. I have never seen the need for a heat mat, with indoor temps above 70 I get good germ rates.
 
Yep, I'd say order the seeds. Technically, it's never too late to start over if you have room to bring them inside for the winter. If you have the space, you could realistically grow year round and get a jump start on next season. I'm thinking of doing something like that this year, since I let myself run out of peppers from last year. Can't make any more sauces until my over wintered habs start producing. The good news? They're already full of flowers. And it doesn't snow here, so I'm not sure what kind of advice to give for that sort of challenge.

Once my 72 cell pack seedlings get transplanted, I'm going to fill it again and plant more. Keep it going year round if I can
 
Another alternative is just to get plants instead of seeds. Your local hardware store (home depot, lowes....) or nursery might have some pepper varieties, such as jalapenos, serranos, cayennes, and habaneros, but not much else. If you want at least 12 plants, you can order plants from cross country nurseries at http://chileplants.com
 
Ahhh Boston :twisted: (I'm a hockey fan...)

I'm in Montreal and i just started some, lost half of my seedlings last week...

I also think you should order and start again, just the experience of growing them is worth it.
This is my 3 rd year trying to grow hot peppers and i still have a lot to learn.

Worst case scenario you'll have unripe peppers by the end of the season, but they'll still be pretty hot.
 
Oddly enough, since I last checked last night one 7pot, a third padron, one mystery pepper, and a 5th yellow bell pepper have hooked (all helmet-heads, does this mean they're too hot?) Nonetheless, i decided to take the carpet-bombing approach and bought an excessive amount of new seeds in hopes that something will grow. I got these bad larry's shipped to me today:

Red, Yellow, ButchT, and Moruga Blend TS
Red, Primo, Barrackpore, Jonah, Red and Yellow Brain Strain 7Pods
Trinidad PS281317 and Trinidad Perfume
Tobasco
Anahiem
Ancho
Hot red cherry

If I germinate in Jiffy pellets or some other soilless media do I need to supplement with fertilizer or is water fine until they get a few sets of leaves?


Phil said:
Technically, it's never too late to start over if you have room to bring them inside for the winter. If you have the space, you could realistically grow year round and get a jump start on next season.
Click to expand...

This is a good point, I'm sure i'll be here asking for overwintering tips in september. I've had sporadic luck with overwintereing in the past: I've had 3 red savina's make it through one winter and one red savina make it through 2 (still alive, don't want to jinx it's thrid winter.) About a half dozen other plants have been dead within weeks of bringing them in.
 
The jiffy pellets are fine for a while without fertilization. I like them, and always seem to have a higher germination rate with them. Good luck with the new seeds! That's a good selection!
 
If you are having issues, try an aerogarden.
Out of 66 in the starter tray, I ended up with 50 that sprouted from various sources.
About damned near fool proof if you don't stuff the seeds too far down in the sponges.

6 weeks from planting the aerogarden to first flowers (admittedly, an aberration or mutation I intend to keep)

NOT suitable for a crop of 7 pepper plants (usual configuration) to full size, but a hillbilly hydro is cheap and easy to construct for short seasons and peppers in the winter.

See my glog for example on how I did it.
 
GA Growhead said:
The jiffy pellets are fine for a while without fertilization. I like them, and always seem to have a higher germination rate with them. Good luck with the new seeds! That's a good selection!
Click to expand...

Thanks GA GH, any preference on fertilizer once it becomes necessary? I may be getting ahead of myself here seeing as I just bought seeds today, but I'd like to have everything ready to go as soon as it's needed since I'm starting so late.

Gotrox said:
If you are having issues, try an aerogarden.
Out of 66 in the starter tray, I ended up with 50 that sprouted from various sources.
About damned near fool proof if you don't stuff the seeds too far down in the sponges.

6 weeks from planting the aerogarden to first flowers (admittedly, an aberration or mutation I intend to keep)

NOT suitable for a crop of 7 pepper plants (usual configuration) to full size, but a hillbilly hydro is cheap and easy to construct for short seasons and peppers in the winter.

See my glog for example on how I did it.
Click to expand...

I think an aero/hydro setup would be fun to try eventually, but at the moment I've already blown way too much on seeds and gardening supplies. Out of curiosity, is it possible to germinate in an aerogarden then transplant to soil later?
 
Yup.
Thats what I did this year.
A 66 spot sprouter that fits in the aerogarden.
Pix of it on my glog, and though new they are a bit spendy, a used aerogarden is fairly cheap.

Hillbilly hydro is also really cheap.
10$ for a plastic tub from wallmart, a cheap aquarium air pump and stone--make whatever size holes you desire to fit whatever you wish to use to hold the plants, a cheap pair of 2 tube fluorescent lights and a timer.
You can go expensive ferts or cheap fish juice.

Modify as you see fit.
 
jiffy pellets always give me 90% minimum germination on all varieties of peppers! no heat mats or so.. i did some experiment before on paper towel put it on top of my cable box and did not germinate at all, maybe its too hot!
 
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