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seeds Starting From Seed - Where, When, & How?

TheJollyRancher said:
Hey all,


I think I am going to try some of those Burpee Super grow cubes and try them in a few 6 packs I have as well as some plastic cups and see how those work (apparently quite well)...

Lets hear it...
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Last season (2008) was my first time growing. I used a Burpee starter tray with the growing cubes. I planted 22 seeds during the 3rd week in March and 21 came up. I believe the 22nd one did not come up only because I gave up on watering that cell after the others had sprouted. I am going to be using them again this year. Probably start the varieties that take longer to grow on February 1st and the rest on March 1st.
 
Muligruber said:
Is there a post around for someone who would like to try growing from seed? Where do I get the seed, best time to plant. I grow a lot of veggies but no chilis. Any advice? I am here in Florida and would like to plant in Jan.
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In your home state of FLA

www.tomatogrowers.com is where I got alot of my seeds :cool:
 
AlabamaJack said:
I've learned most of what I know from right here...word searches turn up all kind of interesting information...or information you need to know about growing peppers...again, I data mined this site and about 40 other ones before I came to see this was the right site to learn how to grow hot peppers....period...and on top of all that, the members are pretty awesome too....

just thinking...if you are interested in the planning of the grow box and see how I did it...read this thread....

http://www.thehotpepper.com/showthread.php?t=4191&highlight=germinator
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AJ, what would you estimate your total cost was for that growbox, and have you made any changes for next year?
 
JayT said:
AJ, what would you estimate your total cost was for that growbox, and have you made any changes for next year?
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don't know the exact cost right off the top of my head...5 sheets of 3/8" plywood, about eight 2x4's, a 25' roll of 2 mil mylar, 4 shop light fixtures and bulbs, 5 dollar thermostat, 30" square plexiglas (most expensive item), all the hardware...I think the original cost was right at $250. I added a 5 light bathroom fixture and put five 43 watt CFLs in it for another 17K lumnes and am going to put two more of them in this spring to give me a total of about 70K lumens in the box...I originally was going to make it 5' tall inside but since I could make it 6' inside with no extra material, thats the way I went...lights are hanging by rope inside so they are adjustable...
 
AJ,

Rather than adding 43 watt CFLs, I would consider the 105 watt ones. They are about twice as expensive but while the 42 watt (couldn't find 43s at 1000bulbs) they produce only 2,800 lumens. The 105 watt bulbs produce 6,900

Mike
 
I agree that peat pellets are the wrong way to start chiles because they have the wrong Ph as they rot and the nets always screw up the roots.

I use rockwool cubes and plant the whole thing either in dirt or hydro....cheaper and easier and rockwool doesn't rot.
 
Call me an idiot, but I just use the cheapest available dirt I can find. some times it's the somewhat cheap potting soil and sometimes the REAL GOOD, nutrient rich and FREE hamra soil. :D
 
I can't see what all the fuss is about jiffies - used them the last two seasons and had great results. I don't remove the netting pre-planting, I just don't let the roots go crazy and ball up too much prior to planting out - guys you gotta check 'em!
 
I just got some jalapeno seeds to germinate with the wet-paper-towel-in-a-bag method, took a week. I was very impressed, seeing as how they came from chipotles, I tried them because I was bored and curious, didnt think they would work. Now I am looking at the prospect of 100-odd seedlings, and nowhere to put them, and probably a good 6 months out of the growing season. Bugger! Oh well, at least it wont get cold enough to kill them in winter here!
 
The peat pellets are OK, but why bother?

I put 10 or so seeds in one cell of an egg container with a little dirt and just transplant them to cups as soon as they germinate. They are not delicate and do not suffer any transplant shock at that early stage.

I am covered up with seedlings. I will have to start culling in January!
 
AlabamaJack said:
thanks guys...

I am running thirty-eight - 40 watt t-12 fluorescents (1520 watts) in combinations 4100K and 6500K

Five 43 watt CFL (215 Watts) that are 3000K (I think)

heat in the grow box, four 100 watt halogen

heat in the germination chamber, four 100 watt halogen

power to all four bulbs increases the temperature in the grow box by about 10 degrees every 10 minutes and I can easily keep it at 86F in the day and drop it to 60F at night...I have a standard 5 dollar house thermostat mounted on the inside of the grow box that runs the lights

got the same heat setup in the germination chamber but I use the remote bulb thermostat for that because I want to know soil temperature and the probe sticks in the soil...

sorry all..just got to ramblin' there..
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McGoo said:
I just got some jalapeno seeds to germinate with the wet-paper-towel-in-a-bag method, took a week. I was very impressed, seeing as how they came from chipotles, I tried them because I was bored and curious, didnt think they would work. Now I am looking at the prospect of 100-odd seedlings, and nowhere to put them, and probably a good 6 months out of the growing season. Bugger! Oh well, at least it wont get cold enough to kill them in winter here!
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I love the contrast between these two guy's methods!!
 
the difference is I need to grow 360-480 seedlings at at time (grow area)and 3-4 full sized plants (grow box) and germinate eight 72 cell trays at one time (germinator)...
 
AlabamaJack said:
the difference is I need to grow 360-480 seedlings at at time (grow area)and 3-4 full sized plants (grow box) and germinate eight 72 cell trays at one time (germinator)...
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Yeah I wsn't knocking you at all I think you have a great set up :)

It just illustrates how growing can really give pleasure for everyone no matter how big or small.
 
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