Frustration is setting in

sprtsguy76 · January 13, 2012

I started my peppers almost a week ago. Not a one has popped. I've got 3 different seed sources in two kinds of seed starting mix. All of them are on a heat mat. Got me thinking because there is three seed sources mixed together I have eliminated the fact that it could be the seed source. So what next? I have successfully started pepper seeds for over 5 years now but I'm stratching my head on this one. Could the whole bunch be bad??

Damon

puttgirl · January 13, 2012

Give them at least another week-sometimes peppers just take time.

Farmette · January 13, 2012

My peppers take longer than tomato seeds and my hot peppers take longer than sweet to germinate.

rnewste · January 13, 2012

Damon,

My Peppers took almost 2 weeks (on a heat mat) to pop their heads above the surface, while most of the tomatoes were up in 7 days.

In any event, I've got you covered if you want Big Bertha, Colossal, Yolo Wonder Orange, and Bianca (white) Bell Peppers as I always start twice as many seedlings as I need, and this Season, they ALL germinated!

Raybo

Tania · January 13, 2012

I started 318 pepper seeds between Dec 26-Jan 12 and I have 138 seedlings so far (and counting). These are 30 varieties, and I record the numbers of days it takes for the first seedling of a variety to pop up.

Based on my notes, it took anywhere between 9 and 19 days for peppers to sprout. And I am sure the upper limit will be higher as there are always some strugglers in a batch that pop up several days later.

The seeds are from 2005-2011, and I cannot see any clear correlation between the age (or the seed source) and the time it takes for the first one to show up. I also had different germination percentages with the same variety started on different days - some drastically different, i.e., 76% and 97%. I used the same mix and same planting technique on all these seeds (after I had a catastrophic failure with an old bag of soiless mix that killed all my starts)

Actually, I never had any of my pepper seeds to sprout in less than 8 days. 8 days is my personal record with sweet peppers and 11 days with hot peppers

The worst case was 50+ days (it was a particularly stubborn Pasilla Bajio batch, from Pinetree), and 24 days for sweet peppers (Feher Ozon from SSE, planted right after I received the seeds). They still sprouted with decent germination percentage, but it took very long time.

beefyboy · January 13, 2012

Hey Raybo! how is that Yolo Wonder Orange? I just started Golden Calwonder for first time and under the growlights. My peppers are germinating in about 7 days most all the time and always under 10. I use the 50 mm Jiffy 7's which are 3 1/2 inches tall which keeps a better amount of even moisture than any other method I have used. Of course on a heating pad.

sprtsguy76 · January 13, 2012

Thanks everybody for the insight. Its been a whole year since starting pepper seed and I dont remember waiting this long for at least ONE to pop up. And wouldn't you know I came home from work tonight to find several of the varieties have started to pop up. Lol! They must have heard my grumbling this morning.

Raybo did you overwinter any peppers this year??

Damon

fortyonenorth · January 13, 2012

sprtsguy76 - Do you have a controller for your heat mat? If not, the ones that I have used operate by incrementally raising the ambient temperature. So, if your room is 70 deg., you get 85 deg on the mat (or whatever the incremental factor is).

I start seeds in my basement where the ambient temp at seed starting time is 60 deg. and the mat wasn't getting warm enough to pop the peppers reliably. I bought a plug-in temp. controller and it has made all the difference. I set the temp to 85 deg. and I have peppers sprouting within 5 days, tomatoes within 3 days using the paper towel/baggie method.

sprtsguy76 · January 13, 2012

forty- I dont have a temp controller for my heat mat but it sounds interesting.

Damon

lakelady · January 14, 2012

Damon dontcha know plants and seedlings will always make a liar out of you? lol

Kinda like kids sometimes!

luke · January 23, 2012

Peppers take longer. And I've just realized I should have started them instead of waiting to do all of my starts at the same time.

On a side note, I remember reading that some people think they have better production from their peppers by putting them in 3 gallon black plastic pots. I am going to try that this year, mainly to see if that helps me in my limited space.

erlyberd · January 28, 2012

Waiting 7 days and seeing nothing is quite common when starting peppers. Soil temp, soil temp, soil temp!

Tom C zone 4/5 · January 28, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by sprtsguy76

I came home from work tonight to find several of the varieties have started to pop up. Lol! They must have heard my grumbling this morning.

So how come it took so long for you to start talking to your peppers?

January 13, 2012	#1
sprtsguy76 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Santa Clara CA Posts: 1,125	Frustration is setting in I started my peppers almost a week ago. Not a one has popped. I've got 3 different seed sources in two kinds of seed starting mix. All of them are on a heat mat. Got me thinking because there is three seed sources mixed together I have eliminated the fact that it could be the seed source. So what next? I have successfully started pepper seeds for over 5 years now but I'm stratching my head on this one. Could the whole bunch be bad?? Damon

January 13, 2012	#5
Tania Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Anmore, BC, Canada Posts: 3,970	I started 318 pepper seeds between Dec 26-Jan 12 and I have 138 seedlings so far (and counting). These are 30 varieties, and I record the numbers of days it takes for the first seedling of a variety to pop up. Based on my notes, it took anywhere between 9 and 19 days for peppers to sprout. And I am sure the upper limit will be higher as there are always some strugglers in a batch that pop up several days later. The seeds are from 2005-2011, and I cannot see any clear correlation between the age (or the seed source) and the time it takes for the first one to show up. I also had different germination percentages with the same variety started on different days - some drastically different, i.e., 76% and 97%. I used the same mix and same planting technique on all these seeds (after I had a catastrophic failure with an old bag of soiless mix that killed all my starts) Actually, I never had any of my pepper seeds to sprout in less than 8 days. 8 days is my personal record with sweet peppers and 11 days with hot peppers The worst case was 50+ days (it was a particularly stubborn Pasilla Bajio batch, from Pinetree), and 24 days for sweet peppers (Feher Ozon from SSE, planted right after I received the seeds). They still sprouted with decent germination percentage, but it took very long time. __________________ Tatiana's TOMATObase

January 14, 2012	#10
lakelady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: northern NJ zone 6b Posts: 1,862	Damon dontcha know plants and seedlings will always make a liar out of you? lol Kinda like kids sometimes! __________________ Antoniette

January 13, 2012	#2
puttgirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: SW PA Posts: 281	Give them at least another week-sometimes peppers just take time.

January 13, 2012	#3
Farmette Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 985	My peppers take longer than tomato seeds and my hot peppers take longer than sweet to germinate.

January 13, 2012	#4
rnewste Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Campbell, CA Posts: 4,064	Damon, My Peppers took almost 2 weeks (on a heat mat) to pop their heads above the surface, while most of the tomatoes were up in 7 days. In any event, I've got you covered if you want Big Bertha, Colossal, Yolo Wonder Orange, and Bianca (white) Bell Peppers as I always start twice as many seedlings as I need, and this Season, they ALL germinated! Raybo

January 13, 2012	#6
beefyboy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Pt. Charlotte fl Posts: 329	Hey Raybo! how is that Yolo Wonder Orange? I just started Golden Calwonder for first time and under the growlights. My peppers are germinating in about 7 days most all the time and always under 10. I use the 50 mm Jiffy 7's which are 3 1/2 inches tall which keeps a better amount of even moisture than any other method I have used. Of course on a heating pad.

January 13, 2012	#8
fortyonenorth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 1,150	sprtsguy76 - Do you have a controller for your heat mat? If not, the ones that I have used operate by incrementally raising the ambient temperature. So, if your room is 70 deg., you get 85 deg on the mat (or whatever the incremental factor is). I start seeds in my basement where the ambient temp at seed starting time is 60 deg. and the mat wasn't getting warm enough to pop the peppers reliably. I bought a plug-in temp. controller and it has made all the difference. I set the temp to 85 deg. and I have peppers sprouting within 5 days, tomatoes within 3 days using the paper towel/baggie method.

January 23, 2012	#11
luke Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Mississippi Posts: 177	Peppers take longer. And I've just realized I should have started them instead of waiting to do all of my starts at the same time. On a side note, I remember reading that some people think they have better production from their peppers by putting them in 3 gallon black plastic pots. I am going to try that this year, mainly to see if that helps me in my limited space.

January 28, 2012	#12
erlyberd Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: CT Zone 5 Posts: 186	Waiting 7 days and seeing nothing is quite common when starting peppers. Soil temp, soil temp, soil temp!