Peppadew Patent

[Blueaussi]

Battling how?

Inquiring minds and all.

[huntsman]

I'm not getting very good germination rates, Blue...

Could have been because I was starting far more seeds than I could manage, but the numbers still seem down on my other peppers which are coming along rather nicely, if I do say so m'self! ;-)

[Blueaussi]

Ok.

Could it be that they're just a little slower germinating?

[RJ_Hythloday]

Originally Posted by huntsman

I'm not getting very good germination rates, Blue...

Could have been because I was starting far more seeds than I could manage, but the numbers still seem down on my other peppers which are coming along rather nicely, if I do say so m'self! ;-)

Originally Posted by Blueaussi

Ok.

Could it be that they're just a little slower germinating?

Are you using a heat mat? Many peppers require more heat to germinate.

[Wi-sunflower]

Here is a page on my web site with the set up I use for germinating. http://knapps-fresh-vegies.netfirms....enhouse06.html

For germinating peppers HEAT is everything.

The only thing I've changed about this the last few years is that I don't drape the plastic all the way to the floor any more. I leave it open a bit at least on 1 of the sides so there is a bit of air circulation. It helps keep down the damp off problem if there are too many plants in too small a spot that's too humid.

Something else I do for really hard to germinate peppers, like pequins or "bird peppers", is before I put them in the pot, I "scarify" the seeds a bit. I use 2 sheets of fine grade sandpaper and rub the seeds between them for a bit. Not too hard tho. Just enough to scratch them up a bit.

Something that I don't do but many pepper enthusiasts do is to soak the seed overnite in "salt peter".

Carol

[Blueaussi]

If I remember correctly, the ideal temperature to germinate peppers is 85F/30C. Anything much above 70F/21C is good, but below that and much above 95F/35C and germination percentages start to drop off pretty sharply.

I usually run mine between 75F/23C and 80F/26C.

[Wi-sunflower]

I do believe tho that those temps are the soil temps. The air temp of in the 90* range doesn't produce an overly hot soil. Especially when you keep the soil damp. I have on occasion put a little meat therometer in the soil but I don't remember what it gets any more.

The fact that I'm getting germination in 3-5 days for tomatoes and less than a week for the hot peppers say it all for me. And I'm not getting just a few of the seeds to germinate.

But I was just putting out what works for me. Everyone has to do what works for them.

Carol

[Blueaussi]

I thought soil temperatures were what we were talking about, I'm sorry. I have a soil thermometer to watch my temperatures.

[roper2008]

Last year for Christmas, my sister gave me a seed heating mat.
My peppers germinated a lot faster

[Blueaussi]

I prefer seed heating mats, but they get a little pricey. I use whatever's to hand, though.

[huntsman]

Oh, I agree entirely with the heating 'thang'...

Maybe I'll give them another go, but I have at least 50 varieties that have grown well from seed, so I kinda 'forgot' about the PDews!

I actually move them from my germination chamber (AKA heated polystyrene box!) where they are under plastic domes, to a drier area, still on heat mats once they clear the soil. This is the tricky part - not letting them dehydrate.

Interesting idea about scarifying the seeds!

Later:

Very ingenious idea for a germination tent, Carol! Just one question: Did you not get condensation running down the plastic and onto the floor?