That's an odd statement, most seeds don't see light nor need it to sprout. What temp condition are the seeds in? That is what I would be concerned about.

Only reason I can guess that they would say light maybe they use a light that provides heat so the assume its the light instead of the heat given off. That's my guess.

I give my seeds two weeks then I germinate more if those don't show signs of germinating. I will leave those while I start another batch. Then keep those that sprout. I use the ziplock, paper towel, water method on the DVR.

Mark

Hi Mark. There are several types of flowers that require light for germination (petunias and portulacas for a couple), but I'd never heard of it with peppers. They are on a heating mat, around 85degrees. They say that the birds can take 21 days to germinate. Some are finally germinating this morning, but still, no pequins.

you know, I tried the paper towel method last year, I didn't like it, maybe I just screwed up in the way I planted the germinated seeds. I used Espanolas, and I started several with the paper towel method, they didn't seem to be sprouting so 2 wks later I went ahead and planted some in Fafard. The ones in Fafard grew faster and healthier than the ones I did with the paper towel. In fact, the ones in Fafard were up and doing great while the ones I sprouted first on a paper towel and then put in fafard just seemed to sit and do nothing for at least a month. Then they started growing, but they never did as well as the ones I started in soil. Maybe I just don't know how to plant a germinated seed correctly.
Pam

Thank you for this thread.

I think Mark is right. I never used lights for germination, when the seeds were sprouted I do not exposed it to the extreme lights until it shows the first two leaves upwards.

I have tried to germinate wild tepins and birds eye Thai but none of them germinated. I gave up the birds eye Thai, but the wild tepins still I am expecting germination.

I am also used ziplock, paper towel and moderate warm temperature. The same day I have put different types of chili seeds namely Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Orange Blend, Bhut Jolokia Orange, Fatalii Orange/yellow, Tabasco, Wild Tepins and Trinida Moruga Scorpion Red. Most of them were germinated except the wild tepins.

Still I have birds eye and other thai chili seeds but I do not have confidence to these seeds.

Germination of chili seeds sometimes I think it is so simple but when it failed to germinate the puzzle started. Different people sometimes have different opinions. For example the ghost chili seeds are not for the novice grower/gardener according to the NMSU.

"SPECIAL BHUT JOLOKIA TIPS - The Bhut Jolokia can take up to 36 days just to germinate and sometimes germinate 70 days after planting and have a very long growing period, up to 160 days after transplanting before any harvest.

The Bhut Jolokia is extremely hard to grow and we do not recommend it for the novice grower/gardener."

They may have good reasons to say these advices but from my experiences I never had any problems of germinating Bhut Jolokia seeds, within one week most of them were germinated. I think the qualities of the seeds are one of the very important factors of germination. The Habanero seeds I have taken from the fresh chilies were germinated very fast and very healthy. I use the same soil for all my different chili plants but I have different result, the Habanero have grown faster and healthier than the other plants. So I consider it is the seeds to make it different. I have bought Bhut Jolokia Seeds online the first one they have sent to me were not germinated and again they have sent another packet, still it is not germinating, I have to keep waiting, how long should I keep waiting! In this similar situation I tried new seeds in the ziplock, paper towel and soil but the results were the same, no germination.

Some of the forum members have written to soak the seeds in hydrogen peroxide mixed water and herbal tea to avoid fungus on the seeds. I think it is a good advice but I never tried.

Caelian

Pam, good to know about some seed varieties of flowers need light interesting. I am going to be growing tepin this season, I will start second week of Jan and let you know my experience with germination. Also after reading your post, got me thinking using the paper towel method when seeds germinate I don't touch them. Not sure if that plays a part of success with this method or not. I use a toothpick to make a hole in the soil in my starter pots then using the toothpick gently pickup the sprout usually by the taproot and drop in the soil and cover.

Caelian thanks for you advice also.

Mark

I've found that Annuums etc. seem to like lower temps. than Chinense.
I keep my Chinense at 85-87 degrees F but Annuums etc. at 75-80 degrees F.

Smoke that's good info and I will keep that in mind when I start my tepins.

Mark

One of the only things that cause paper-towel method to fail is tools/hands that were not cleaned before starting.

Clean is good.

mine didn't fail, just didn't do as well as the ones I started in soil. I didn't touch them, used clean tools. When they spout, do you cover them completely, and how deep? That might have been my problem... don't know. Also, I didn't like doing it due to trying to be careful with the roots, I might have been too rough with them. I tried tearing the paper towel with each seed, but that didn't always work. I doubt I'll try it again, with a small number of seeds it might be easier, but when dealing with 2000+ I think it's easier to start in soil.
Pam

I place seeds tap root down and 1/8 or less hole that the sprout is placed in. Yeah 2000+ seeds I would not use the paper towel method. That is just too many seeds to manage and I would use starter pots with soil as well. Maybe try what Smoke suggested if possible lower temps for the pequins and see if the germination improves.

Mark

Yep, gonna try that. In fact forgot to say earlier,
Thanks Smoke.

Pam

PS Mark, "too many seeds to manage" That is one heck of an understatement. ;-) Even doing it the way I do it, I feel like I'm just running around in circles. Especially when mother nature throws a curve and I get a really low germination, then I have to start trying to back peddle or just go on and accept I'm only going to have 5 of some variety vs 30. As my friend says, the reason we do this is because we love stress in our lives.
Pam

:-) I wish I could have that problem, I am stuck limited and waiting for my greenhouse. Yeah I can't imagine having that many plants and getting a curve ball. It may drive me nuts or not, not sure until i am in your shoes. How can I help?

Mark

Please tell me, why would anyone try to germinate a penguin? Those are feathers, not leaves. And I doubt they would stand still long enough anyway.

Or am I missing something?

This post was edited by DMForcier on Sun, Dec 30, 12 at 17:02

Boy, leave it to the family smarta**, and here I thought that was my title. ;-)

haha, let me tell you Mark, it drives me crazy, at least until I get to the point that I know it's too late to start more and I'm just going to have to live with what I've got. I also hate losing them. Start pulling pots out of a flat to find there are several empty ones in the middle... very frustrating.

You're getting a greenhouse? what size? Congrats... at least zone 7 you won't have to deal too much with heating.

Sorry been waiting for that greenhouse for a long time it just has not shown up. It's a dream at the moment, don't know when it will be a reality. Maybe when all the kids move out?

One day I will be able to have flats of peppers instead of being just a home pepper gardener. Maybe grow some penguins also as suggested by DMForcier bet they are very hot.

Mark

ah, ok, thought you meant you'd bought one and waiting for it to be delivered. haha, well, flats aren't what they are cracked up to be. Last couple of years all I do is fight aphids. In fact a couple of days ago I just got fed up and pulled out the Malathion. I read somewhere to grate a lemon peel, boil it, let it sit over night then spray it. Makes aphids convulse and die. Did work well, but they still come back. I never have that problem when they are outside and the lady bugs get them (also, never had it when I just had a few peppers), but in the house and the greenhouse, it's a constant battle, and one I'm really sick of.
Pam

Grrrrrr on the aphids, can't stand em. Since you grow so many plants ever consider purchasing ladybugs? 5000 for $27 not sure if that's a deal or not but I would purchase if I had a greenhouse. Hopefully this season is the best season yet and let your problems be none.

Mark

BWAHAHAHA!!! Sorry, but yep, stupidly I purchased on line, arrived dead, they sent more, arrived dead. Finally called around the area nurseries, they were all sold out and not getting more until this spring. I thought about trying again to get some, but I wasn't sure what temps they need to live and thrive. Right now it's 30 outside, greenhouse is around 60, but it's supposed to get into the teens tonight, so I'm not sure how cold the greenhouse will get. I am so sick of fighting aphids.

Question about planting the sprouted seed Mark. You said you put it tap root down in a small hole, how much do you cover the seed? I decided to go ahead and try that with some extras (I had a few habs that didn't germinate as well as I'd like so I decided to use the paper towel method with the few extras needed).
Pam

Smokemaster thank you for your information, since I have read your post I have given less heat and today I found one of them is germinated. It took about 8 days to germinate.

I think Wild Tepin and Pequin are same but I am not sure.

Caelian

This post was edited by chilliwin on Tue, Jan 1, 13 at 17:15

Hi Pam,

Wow I would think a business would have a better shipment methods for shipping them so they would not arrive dead. I wonder how difficult it would be to order ladybug eggs or larvae instead.

Just about the same depth 1/8 inch so it has time to lose the outer shell of the seed within the soil, as pictured above, I can't stand seeds that stay on above the soil only happens to me a few times not too bad.

Mark

Hi Mark, thanks for the procedure, I'll see how they do this year. It might actually be easier to do the paper towel method, I do a lot of seeds, but some varieties I only do 9-30, it would be easy to do with them. Plus I stagger my planting, I start at Thanksgiving and finish around mid Feb.

And, concerning the lady bugs, I agree. For one, they shouldn't have been shipping then, it was during the heat of the summer (I had moved many plants inside due to the heat and that's when the problems started). Plus, it's possible the second batch hadn't been dead when they arrived. The UPS guy put the small box in a hidden corner and I only found it by accident (they always put them on the porch). I'm not sure how long it sat out in the full sun baking... Since they are dormant now it might be a safe time to ship.

Caelian... I'm not sure either if Wild Tepin and Pequin are the same.. Are the Wild Tepins more oblong and long vs the round Tepin? Pequins are, I'd say about twice as long as the Tepins, but about the same diameter. BTW, nice photo!

Pam

Thank you Pam, for the information.
Caelian

Sure Caelian, but not sure what info I answered, :-) I'm still curious to hear if the Wild Tepin and Pequin are, in fact, the same.

And MARK! another question. How often do you check your seeds using the towel method? Plus, do you plant them once you see a tiny root, or wait until they have a bit more?
Pam

I usually check once a week to make sure nothing is dried out or check for roots, I pull them off the DVR hold them in front of the TV, the light from the TV just makes it easier to see roots, a flashlight would work the same. Usually I catch them at tiny tap root sometimes a bit longer. The reason I like this method 99.9% of the seed you place in the pot are known good seeds and will grow, then discard the ones that do nothing so no pot or soil or time wasted. I've had one or two seeds that sprouted tap roots that I placed into soil that died but its rare.

Mark

Thanks Mark. I checked on some today, a week in, there were a couple of Filius Blue's with tiny little roots.

I agree, that is the one big positive about the towel method. We'll see how it goes this year with the few I'm trying it with.

Awesome! Glad it's working let me know how they do. I have germinated sweet, hot, and super hot varities using the paper towel method. I will start mine this time next weekend.

Also will be the first time using this to germinate a wild pepper

Mark

This post was edited by habjolokia on Sat, Jan 5, 13 at 16:21

Pam, your indirect answer or idea of Wild Tepin and Pequin "Pequins are, I'd say about twice as long as the Tepins, but about the same diameter" are right, they are not same. I did a little bit research on the net too.

Caelian

Well, it was more like a question. I don't know anything about the Wild Tepin, only the Pequin. So, does the Wild Tepin look like the Pequin? I prefer the Pequin to the Tepin, only cos it's bigger, Tepins are so tiny, they are a bit of a pain to collect. haha, and I ONLY ended up with Pequins cos Totally Tomatoes got the seeds mixed up, I was supposed to get Tepins and got Pequins instead... Glad I did.

BTW, one more question Mark. Since I have 20-40 seeds on the towels (per variety), do you think I should plant them as they sprout roots, or wait until they are all sprouted? I'm torn... doing it while the roots are tiny would be easier, since they won't be so intertwined in the paper towel, but would it hurt the other seeds? I guess if I remove the ones that are sprouted and then recover the rest it shouldn't hurt them.
Pam

I usually have about 10 per 1/2 sheet of paper towel. I try to collect at the same time and place into soil. So some may have a tiny tap root and others 1/2 inch of roots and do get caught up in the paper towel, I remove as much as I can of the paper towel around the roots but there have been times that I had to leave a good bit around the roots with no ill effects.

With my Bhuts I did pluck the ones that rooted then fold and wet the paper towel again if needed to let the others sprout.

While I prefer to plant all at the same time, sometimes it's not possible with stubborn seeds lol.

Mark

Yesterday, all but 4 of my Filius Blue had roots, so I went ahead and put them into pots. Once you put them into a pot, approx. how long is it before they break the surface?

Depending on the depth and seed its usually 4-7 days. Stubborn ones may take a little longer.

Mark

One more question Mark,
once they germinate, and you pop them into pots, do they still need a heat mat? I hope not, cos I put mine out in the greenhouse with the other seedlings.
Pam

I don't use a heat mat. It's ziplock germination on DVR to the shelf above the DVR and once they break the soil it's down to the basement under my T12 shop light, I am sure my basement is a lot cooler than your greenhouse. I know your sprouts will be very happy in the greenhouse.

Mark

Thanks Mark.... I seriously doubt that. It gets down into the 40's at night (with 3 heaters running). It can warm up during the day, but like today, it's overcast so I will be lucky for it to reach 60. haha, I actually had a couple last night that had sprouted roots and stem.
pam

Want to give you a BIG Thanks Mark! I have found I much prefer this method. Now to figure out how to do 2000+ seeds without killing myself. But, it's so much faster and more efficient than starting in soil. My germination is great, and they are popping up pretty fast... although, I still have a few stubborn Filius Blue's that are refusing to come up. But, everything else is coming up fine. Thanks, I may never go back to starting in soil.
Pam

Mark and Pam:

I ordered some ladybogs through Hirt's Gardens(via Amazon.com) last year in May(pretty warm here in May) and I think there was maybe a half dozen out of the 1,500 that were dead. All the rest were still very lively.

Ladybogs piss me off though-- let em loose and 2 weeks later they've flown off somewhere else.

Kevin

Pam, that's awesome! I am waiting for my seeds to sprout now, in ziplock bags now. So now you need a long popup table lined with heat mats where you can place 100+ ziplock bags, that would be a site to see.

Kevin, yeah no leash on those guys they feed and get rid of the aphids and move on to other feeding grounds. Sucks but I am sure they will be back to check and feed again. Think of it this way every year you introduce them the higher the ladybug population in your area could mean over the years less aphids.

Mark

Ah, but I figured out a way around that Mark. I put the seeds in the paper towel, fold it up, put it in a sandwich bag (the fold-over kind) then put that in a ziploc, along with 3 other sandwich bags of seeds. I've got 2 mats that I'll use, I think I'll just put them on the floor of our back room.

I also think this is the way I'll go. On saturday I spent the morning putting sprouted seeds in pots. I finished at noon and now it was time to pot up the seedlings, my first thought was, Oh, I really don't want to do this.... ha, I actually enjoyed putting the sprouted seeds in pots.

Ladybugs, we'll see if they stay around, I am hoping letting some loose in the sunroom and greenhouse, they should stay around awhile, especially since it's much colder outside. haha, my friend bought some, and put a few on her plants inside, she said while eating dinner one flew by her husband as he was about to take a bite, he watched it fly past, shook his head and went back to dinner.

Pam

Hey all, I Just read int his thread now about the Pequin, I hope this helps for the germination that I did with them. I am a novice to hot pepepers as you may have seen me before and I greatly appreciate everyon's help here and generosity. Below are photos of the Yellow Pequin that I started germination on April 28th this year. And a very much special thanks to SmokeM!

I did the germination in Ziplocks and generic coffee filters and put them on top of an old computer that runs hot in my basement (I covered with a black plastic trash bag to keep heat in on the computer next to the exust fan.) The temp on my thermmeter read about 85-90 F.

The top pic is what I will put in the soil tomorrow (I ran out of room with my grow lights until I move stuff out tomorrow.) The bottom is the Yellow Pequins (on the left 4 cells.. the middle ones have helmets that I need to get off tomorrow) the other cells to the right are Charapita.

Thanks again Smoke and the rest of this forum helping me out to grow.

Mr - Beno