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ThunderChili

About 2 months ago, I started germinating 25 + varieties of pepper seeds. Each variety has there own plastic baggie, that had hydrogen peroxide, water, seeds and coffee filters in. For the first 2 weeks, I had the seeds on a heating mat. Not one of the seeds has germinated and I don't know where I went wrong. If anyone has any suggestions, please help. I traded countless people for rare variety's and now that there not germinating, it really sucks.
 
how much water?
temps?
and did you leave them in the hydrogen proxide? if so i think your just suppose to do that overnight
 
i use a germination mat and dome in jiffy pellets myself.. ive also done paper towel but i just soaked over night then put in paper towels damp and then made sure they stayed warm
 
Yea, I tried the whole ziplock germination thingy and had really crappy results.  Most seeds did nothing and after 3 weeks I got sick of waiting and just planted the seeds in germination pods and had 90% germination rate.  Just good ole fashion dirt works pretty damn good.  
 
My suggestion, forget ziplocks and just plant the seeds.  Use a heat mat, but be careful not to dry the dirt out too much
 
I go straight into peat pellets or dirt, no soak. I have done the baggie method, just not my thing.
Directly on the heat mat?
Could have cooked them.
My heat mat gets too hot to directly place on. I even pull a towel down to keep the temps lower and help distribute the heat better when I put a tray on them.
Try putting them in some soil and hope for the best, while restarting what you can.
 
ThunderChili said:
About 2 months ago, I started germinating 25 + varieties of pepper seeds. Each variety has there own plastic baggie, that had hydrogen peroxide, water, seeds and coffee filters in. For the first 2 weeks, I had the seeds on a heating mat. Not one of the seeds has germinated and I don't know where I went wrong. If anyone has any suggestions, please help. I traded countless people for rare variety's and now that there not germinating, it really sucks.
Click to expand...
Go to the pellets...I'm a beginner and I tried using the baggie method as well and it didnt work for me. Pellets are awesome.
 
The seeds are now junk if they have been wet for 2 months without germinating. Do you know what temp the baggies were at while on the heat mat? My guess is they got too hot. 85F is about perfect IMO, but too cold is much better than too hot. Most seeds will germ just fine at room temp. They will just take a bit longer is all.
 
I've had good luck in the past with the paper towel (or coffee filter) method, but it's definitely not necessary. For the past few years I've planted straight into seed starter with great results. No soaking or anything.
 
Good luck
 
I will also chime in here.  Hydrogen peroxide is just for soaking.  I used the baggie with coffee filters and have since changed it up a bit.  I use a spritz type bottle and wet one side/one piece of coffee filter.  Then lay my seeds out on the wet filter, place a dry filter on top, and spritz the whole works till wet.  Then I put it in a bag.  But...  I have since used the same procedure but rather than using a baggie, I just clean and reuse them plastic containers from the grocery store deli hot food section (double bonus, you get to snack while attaining supplies...).  I am in a similar climate as you and have had a great success rate this way.
 
Though I am FAR from experienced in growing from seed, I HAVE had great success with germination. I think the hydrogen peroxide messed things up.
 
Here's what I do and it works...
 
I usually soak in weak chamomile tea and water over night or at least until the seeds fall to the bottom. (floaters don't usually germinate in my experience.) I soak each type in its own plastic container so I can tell them apart. I germinate half my seeds in paper towel/plastic bag and half in soil or seed starter. The paper towel is moistened with distilled water, placed in the bag and sits on the kitchen counter in a reletively warm spot. 
 
The others germinate in pastic cups with cling wrap over top. The soil or starter is moist when sowing. The cups are kept in a WARM place. Too hot will bake them, in my experience and too cold will mean they take longer. The longer they take, the more time you have to make mistakes like letting the soil dry out or letting it stay too moist to the point where it developes mold. Also I find that lifting the cling wrap or opening the plastic bag once a day and exchanging the air helps. The reason I use both methods is to figure out which one works better for me. I've had about the same success with paper towel as with soil. I've had a terrible time with the seed starter. Also remember that if you use paper towl, when they germinate, don't pull them off. Cut around the seed. 
 
I realize I've not said anything you haven't read a million times but it all works for me and works well. I keep it simple and let the seeds do the work.
 
Good luck!
 
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