Who is starting seeds indoors this season?

[Beekissed]

Pepper seeds I have to sprout with a heating pad under the tray or I don't get germination at all.

 

[henless]

I usually say "on top my fridge" but somehow that sounds chilly! It isn't. My old fridge used to be real good at putting out some heat but the coils are within inches of the floor on this model. A better location, for my seed sprouting activities, would be for the heat to be on the back of the fridge and a little closer to my seeds and soil .

Steve

I've heard the top of a fridge is a good place to sprout seeds. The heat from my fridge comes out the front at the bottom.

 

[majorcatfish]

started the first round today.....

 

[catjac1975]

Peppers can be the seeds I have the most trouble with. Optimum sprouting temperature is a little higher than what I have overnight up high in my kitchen.

I usually say "on top my fridge" but somehow that sounds chilly! It isn't. My old fridge used to be real good at putting out some heat but the coils are within inches of the floor on this model. A better location, for my seed sprouting activities, would be for the heat to be on the back of the fridge and a little closer to my seeds and soil .

Anyway, peppers are things that I carry to the sunny South Window and then return to the warm kitchen overnight ... at least the chili don't have to experience that chilly room, overnight.

Steve

Get a small bottom heat mat-pretty cheap.

 

[Beekissed]

Got an epiphany today as I was cutting up salad. I saved the seeds from the green peppers and will ferment them, dry them and plant them instead of buying pepper seeds of that kind this year. They are all hybrids anyway, so planting the seeds of a hybrid won't be a big change. If they don't germinate, I'll go buy some as per usual.

I may even go get me a hot banana pepper at the store and do the same...won't cost as much as a packet of their seeds. I'll choose a deep red one and let it mature out and get wrinkled before collecting the seeds.

Can't get much info on fermenting pepper seeds but I know I've never done it in the past when saving my own seed and had pretty poor germination, so I'll try it to see if that helps.

 

[catjac1975]

Got an epiphany today as I was cutting up salad. I saved the seeds from the green peppers and will ferment them, dry them and plant them instead of buying pepper seeds of that kind this year. They are all hybrids anyway, so planting the seeds of a hybrid won't be a big change. If they don't germinate, I'll go buy some as per usual.

I may even go get me a hot banana pepper at the store and do the same...won't cost as much as a packet of their seeds. I'll choose a deep red one and let it mature out and get wrinkled before collecting the seeds.

Can't get much info on fermenting pepper seeds but I know I've never done it in the past when saving my own seed and had pretty poor germination, so I'll try it to see if that helps.

Ferment? How and why. I have been saving pepper seed for years. I have done the colorful thick walled peppers from the grocery store. I just dry them, and then plant them thick, and then thin to my liking.

 

[Beekissed]

Ferment? How and why. I have been saving pepper seed for years. I have done the colorful thick walled peppers from the grocery store. I just dry them, and then plant them thick, and then thin to my liking.

And that works for you? I've done the same with pepper seed saved over the years but don't get good germination rates...but then, I don't use lights and only use heat pads under the trays.

Fermentation of the seed is more for wet seeds like tomatoes, squash, etc. but I thought it would be worth a try for the pepper seeds.

http://howtosaveseeds.com/seedprep.php

In addition, in some cases wet seeds (such as tomatoes) are best fermented for several days to remove germination-inhibiting substances from the seed coats (see Fermenting Seeds). Fermenting can also help such seeds as members of the Squash family by killing molds, mildews and other disease organisms that may be present on the seeds after growing.

Some families (such as the Cucumber family) include some plants that produce wet seeds (e.g., squashes and melons) and others that produce dry seeds (e.g., luffa and hard gourds). See Seed Saving Instructions for Common Vegetables for details on whether a plant makes dry or wet seeds, and whether its seeds must be fermented before cleaning and drying.

 

[catjac1975]

And that works for you? I've done the same with pepper seed saved over the years but don't get good germination rates...but then, I don't use lights and only use heat pads under the trays.

Fermentation of the seed is more for wet seeds like tomatoes, squash, etc. but I thought it would be worth a try for the pepper seeds.

http://howtosaveseeds.com/seedprep.php

Wow-this is the most unusual thing I have learned on TEG. But weirdly I have never heard of it, never done it, and have never had trouble germinating saved seed. I am very confused and will read more about it.

 

[ducks4you]

AARRRGGGHH!!!! EVERY time I get serious about some aspect of gardening it turns into hard work! So, I sowed lettuce in a 72 cell with a plastic top. I put it on the porch, on a south facing ledge. Everything was ok, but then I noticed that I had let them dry out. Scenes from 2017. So, I watered it heavily and reseeded. I check on it every morning, then Saturday I pull the top off and find that it is cooking!! Literally STEAMING and I can feel the heat!!! I killed the seeds.
Gotta start over and I'll put them on the east ledge this time.

 

[Beekissed]

Can't get much info on fermenting pepper seeds but I know I've never done it in the past when saving my own seed and had pretty poor germination, so I'll try it to see if that helps.

You know that little experiment with the store pepper and fermenting the seeds? I did a little test of the seed and planted a few in some available cells in my onion seedlings. No heating pad and it's been chilly since they were planted. This room stays in the 60s most of the time but colder at night but when the sun comes in that window on the tray I'm sure it's warmer....but not warm enough to germinate peppers and not as quickly as these germinated.

Yep, both of those seeds came up. I don't get THAT good of germination from my regular pepper seeds bought from Fedco, nurtured in a sunny window, warmer house temps and using heat mats.

I think I'll be fermenting my pepper seeds prior to planting from now on. Also think I'll be gleaning my hot and sweet pepper seeds from store bought peppers...cheaper than a pack of seeds from Fedco, that's for sure. And I can eat the peppers.