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seeds Problems Germinating PepperLover Seeds

nastafarian

nastafarian

I was just curious if anyone else has had trouble sprouting seeds from Pepper Lover this year? The lack of new stock on the website has me wondering if I was sold some old seeds that aren't viable anymore.
 
I have ZERO sprouts from my Fatalii, Serrano, and Princess Faten peppers. Only 50% germ rate from my 7-pot Jonahs. I have sowed twice and it has been over a month. I don't mind sowing a third time, but if the seeds are bad then I won't bother.
 
Is it the seeds, the variety, or is it my technique? I'm using the same technique as always, which gives me 80-90% germ rates on all other pepper varieties. I've tried in peat pods and also in regular soil in jiffy pots. Each time the seeds were soaked in a wet paper towel for about 4 days. Heated dome each time.
 
Any opinions would be great!
 
Cheers
 
 
 
Seeds can last for decades so depends on the environment I would guess. Grab seeds from another source and do the same with them and see if its your technique.
 
nastafarian said:
I was just curious if anyone else has had trouble sprouting seeds from Pepper Lover this year? The lack of new stock on the website has me wondering if I was sold some old seeds that aren't viable anymore.
 
I have ZERO sprouts from my Fatalii, Serrano, and Princess Faten peppers. Only 50% germ rate from my 7-pot Jonahs. I have sowed twice and it has been over a month. I don't mind sowing a third time, but if the seeds are bad then I won't bother.
 
Is it the seeds, the variety, or is it my technique? I'm using the same technique as always, which gives me 80-90% germ rates on all other pepper varieties. I've tried in peat pods and also in regular soil in jiffy pots. Each time the seeds were soaked in a wet paper towel for about 4 days. Heated dome each time.
 
Any opinions would be great!
 
Cheers
 
 
Click to expand...
 
I experienced the same problem. I noticed that the seeds that she sent me the last time was dark yellow, some with brown spots on it as opposed to yellow seeds. My rates were much worse than yours too. 
 
I'm disappointed to see this since I just ordered seeds from her!! Is she not on this site any more?

Nicole
 
I ordered seeds from Pepperlover this year and everything I planted has sprouted except one seed of the 30 that I planted.....
 
nastafarian said:
I was just curious if anyone else has had trouble sprouting seeds from Pepper Lover this year? The lack of new stock on the website has me wondering if I was sold some old seeds that aren't viable anymore.
 
I have ZERO sprouts from my Fatalii, Serrano, and Princess Faten peppers. Only 50% germ rate from my 7-pot Jonahs. I have sowed twice and it has been over a month. I don't mind sowing a third time, but if the seeds are bad then I won't bother.
 
Is it the seeds, the variety, or is it my technique? I'm using the same technique as always, which gives me 80-90% germ rates on all other pepper varieties. I've tried in peat pods and also in regular soil in jiffy pots. Each time the seeds were soaked in a wet paper towel for about 4 days. Heated dome each time.
 
Any opinions would be great!
 
Cheers
 
 
Click to expand...
 
Have you talk to her yet? :think: She can't fix a problem without knowing about it. ;)
resili626 said:
 
I experienced the same problem. I noticed that the seeds that she sent me the last time was dark yellow, some with brown spots on it as opposed to yellow seeds. My rates were much worse than yours too. 
Click to expand...
Did you let her know ? :think:
 
Nicole said:
I'm disappointed to see this since I just ordered seeds from her!! Is she not on this site any more?

Nicole
Click to expand...
 
Sometimes seeds take longer to germinate 10 to 45 days.If I had a problem with someone's seeds.The first thing I would do is talk to them about it.They can't fix something without knowing about it. ;)
 
I just sowed a whole bunch of seed stock from her and most of it all germed and sprouted. In fact I had to cull more than I kept!
 
Now the freebies she gave me looked a little haggard but you know what? I didnt even order those or plant them. 
 
So IMO everything is still good!
 
Edit: It's seems like it's real easy to jump on the bandwagon of negativity for PL. I'm not saying thats what you are doing, it just seems that a lot of people want to spread negativity about her lately. I oprefer to deal in experience and mine coupled with most of the people I talk to show that shes still bringing the heat.
 
sirex said:
I just sowed a whole bunch of seed stock from her and most of it all germed and sprouted. In fact I had to cull more than I kept!
 
Now the freebies she gave me looked a little haggard but you know what? I didnt even order those or plant them. 
 
So IMO everything is still good!
 
Edit: It's seems like it's real easy to jump on the bandwagon of negativity for PL. I'm not saying thats what you are doing, it just seems that a lot of people want to spread negativity about her lately. I oprefer to deal in experience and mine coupled with most of the people I talk to show that shes still bringing the heat.
Click to expand...
Congrats on 1k posts!
 
I was given seeds, many of which came from PepperLover and were most likely at least a year old and I had very good germination rates, probably 85% or better on most.
 
Don't get me wrong, I am very happy with the service from Pepper Lover and I can't imagine ordering from anywhere else. I thought maybe there might have been something wrong with those particular varieties.
 
I haven't made a complaint because I don't want her to feel obliged to pay for postage on sending new seeds when the problem could be something on my end.
 
I had germination issues with the seeds I got from her as well. I thought I was just having issues last year, but had the same problem this year. The other fellow I shared some with reported the same thing. No issues on the red Jolokias I had from a different source.

Neil
 
I just germed seeds that are 3 years old, that I got from another member. They are PL. I do at least a 12-15hr soak. Then I use the papertowl/ziplock method. I open the bag daily for 10min, spray them down again and back on the heating mat. Heating may is set at 80 degrees. 90% germ rate. Usually within 5 days. If I get impatient on day 5-6, I scarify and get sprouts within hours. I do this with all varieties. I use to germinate in dirt, but for me I didn't have good success. I would get them to wet and rot, or to dry and nothing. This method lets my know for sure I've got sprouts, and I get to choose the strongest looking sprouts. Could also be storage. I also just germed some bbg from a pod I pulled from the freezer. Could be a fluke with PL seeds. She is a awesome vendor. Majority of my seed stock originated from her.

I wish you the best of luck. Like others have said, just see what she says. She has shown great customer service skills anytime I've talked to her. If it doesn't work out, PM me and I'll see what I have and send you some seeds for free.

Chuck
 
The 16/20 ratio i got to sprout included these varieties (all from pepper lover) i planted 4 of each in 20 different cups:

Devils brain
Peach bhut
7 pot congo large
Bubblegum large
Cumra cherry (freebie she tossed in)

Im not joking when i say i have never grown anything in my life and still got 80% germination rate. The 20% that didnt sprout I guarantee was because i screwed something up. If i had to guess what i did wrong i think i sowed them too deep. I didnt soak my seeds or papertowel them, i literally threw some outdoor potting mix in a 10oz cup and sowed. All 16 sprouted within a week under a cheap ass t8 light fixture with my wifes heating pad she uses on her back under them. Oh i rubberbanded a sandwich Bag Around each cup for my "greenhouse" effect as well.
 
pepperguy1 said:
Sometimes seeds take longer to germinate 10 to 45 days.If I had a problem with someone's seeds.The first thing I would do is talk to them about it.They can't fix something without knowing about it. ;)
Click to expand...
I was disappointed to see the above posts... I haven't even sowed my seeds yet!

Xo
 
 I had many issues with her seeds. People rave about her but my experience with Judy was very negative. I ordered seeds and when I got them 50% of the order was incorrect. I emailed her and she took a whopping 4 weeks to get me the seeds I had originally ordered. So in total it took almost 40 days from when I placed my order to the correct seeds being received. I also had to email her about 10 times and she just kept forgetting to send them. This was only a few months ago. And I see that she is still out of stock and has nothing released for 2016 season yet. I don't know if she is just letting the business go or has more important things to attend to. Of the seeds I did finally get from her, they looked old and of poor quality. Most that I planted failed to germinate and the ones that did never grew. They actually stayed in a cotyledon state for weeks without producing any true leaves. Personally I was very disappointed after all the wonderful things I had heard about her and the company. My seeds from every supplier germinate in 5-9 days, even the stubborn varieties. And I get about a 98% germination to maturity plant rate at the present time. Meaning that 98% of everything I germinate goes on to maturity and produces multiple harvests.
 
I don't know why you guys are having bad germ rates.  I ordered from Pepperlover for the very first time this year and ordered Cumra Cherry - 1 - 3-4-16
Jonah's Yellow Brain - 1 (Unlabled) -3-4-16
Aji Peruvian - 2 - 3-4-16
Hot Tomatos - 2 - 3-4-16
Guatemalan Orange Rocoto - 2 - 3-3-16
Aji Amarillo - 4 - 3-4-16
Tomato Pepper - 2 - 3-4-16
Sulu Adana - 1 - 3-4-16
Aji Cereza - 2   Popped 2-28-16
Aji Melocoton - 2 - 3-4-16
Mini Rocoto - 2
Stuffing Scotch Bonnet - 2 - 3-2-16
Yalova Charleston - 2 - 3-4-16
San Isidro Rocoto - 2 - 3-4-16
Karaman - 1 - 3-4-16
Aji Calabaza - 2 - 3-4-16
Goat Horn - 2 - 3-4-16
 
So far all of them except the Mini Rocoto has sprouted.  My method in Hawaii was I put foxfarm oceanforrest in 4"x4" containers, put the seed it, watered it & kept it moist outside in the sun with zero alternate light source.  I was worried for a while as I planted them on 2/19/16 and the dates above are when they popped.  If you had any issues with any above (other than the mini rocoto's which may just be taking longer) then i'd be surprised given my lazy & lightless planting method.  Granted mmost of these took 2 weeks to sprout, but still they did all sprout except for MR.  Anyone have any on this list not sprout for them?
 
 
------
3-10-16    I just want to note that I went out this morning and checked my seedlings and my Mini Rocoto popped this morning.  Little seedling popping through.  so for me its 100% from Pepperlover this year with the strains named above.
 
I had reaper, trinidad scorpion, trinidad Jonah not sprout for me. I planted 40+ in total and only 2 survived to the stage where they had their true leaves. Most of them died due to fungal rot on the seeds (pre-emergent) whereas the one that manage to survive died before their cotyledons came out because the fungus ate their leaves. No, it is not my problem because I did the same for the seeds that I got from 2 other vendors using the exact same method and they turned out fine. 
 
Tardis said:
I don't know why you guys are having bad germ rates.  I ordered from Pepperlover for the very first time this year and ordered Cumra Cherry - 1 - 3-4-16
Jonah's Yellow Brain - 1 (Unlabled) -3-4-16
Aji Peruvian - 2 - 3-4-16
Hot Tomatos - 2 - 3-4-16
Guatemalan Orange Rocoto - 2 - 3-3-16
Aji Amarillo - 4 - 3-4-16
Tomato Pepper - 2 - 3-4-16
Sulu Adana - 1 - 3-4-16
Aji Cereza - 2   Popped 2-28-16
Aji Melocoton - 2 - 3-4-16
Mini Rocoto - 2
Stuffing Scotch Bonnet - 2 - 3-2-16
Yalova Charleston - 2 - 3-4-16
San Isidro Rocoto - 2 - 3-4-16
Karaman - 1 - 3-4-16
Aji Calabaza - 2 - 3-4-16
Goat Horn - 2 - 3-4-16
 
So far all of them except the Mini Rocoto has sprouted.  My method in Hawaii was I put foxfarm oceanforrest in 4"x4" containers, put the seed it, watered it & kept it moist outside in the sun with zero alternate light source.  I was worried for a while as I planted them on 2/19/16 and the dates above are when they popped.  If you had any issues with any above (other than the mini rocoto's which may just be taking longer) then i'd be surprised given my lazy & lightless planting method.  Granted mmost of these took 2 weeks to sprout, but still they did all sprout except for MR.  Anyone have any on this list not sprout for them?
Click to expand...
Pretty much what I do too. FFOF is awesome seed starting medium for me. My PL seeds take 1 to 2 weeks to sprout vs. my own harvested from pod seeds which only take a couple days but that's what I would expect.
Also, anuums and baccutuums grow a lot quicker than chinense peppers.
Obviously you can't do this further up north but OCD Chilihead has the technique figured out. Try that next time and see if you get better results.
 
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