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Old February 2, 2019   #1
Tracydr
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Default Older pepper seeds

Any tricks to getting older pepper seeds to sprout? I need to replant,I think it was too cool in my new setup and none of the older (5-ish years) sprouted. I want to plant a lot of peppers this year,mainly hot ( jalapeño,new-mex,etc) and super hots such as datil,habanero and Carolina reaper.
I have a heat mat but I can’t warm up the room much more than 67 and it seems to not be warm enough or something. Only the two newer seeds-aji limon and Aji Amarillo) have popped up.
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Old February 2, 2019   #2
Tormato
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The only thing I can comment on is that I've heard SUPERHOT peppers (1,000,000+ SU) have low germination even with fresh seed. No matter what tips you receive, sowing lots of seeds will increase the chances of success.
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Old February 2, 2019   #3
zipcode
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67F is somewhat low, over 80 would be a big difference. I don't have a heatmat, I put them on the heater (circulating water, so it's not too hot) in moist paper. It will take longer, no doubt, but 5 years is very doable. I put a small crystal of calcium nitrate on the moist paper as well, nitrate is shown to help.
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Old February 2, 2019   #4
rxkeith
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pepper seeds just don't last long in my experience. five years is about it. hot pepper
seeds may last a bit longer.
you can try a soak with miracle grow or fish emulsion, a nitrogen source, and either try
pre sprouting the seeds or sow a bunch of seeds and lightly cover on top of a heat source or by a radiator seems to work in winter time. if you get two out of 30 seeds to
sprout then all is well. you can freshen your seed supply.
so, if you have seeds that are several years old plant a bunch. they are only going to be a year older the following year.

good luck, others will chime in with their thoughts.



keith
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Old February 2, 2019   #5
MrBig46
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67 ° F is very little to germinate the hot peppers. I am germinating successfully them at 90 ° F.
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Old February 2, 2019   #6
DonDuck
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I germinated a number of hot peppers this year and while I have no great tips on how to do it, I can say "be patient". Unlike tomato seeds, pepper seeds only germinate when they are ready to germinate. I had some five year old Bishop's Crown seed which I had low expectations for. I planted three or four seeds per cell hoping for one seedling per cell. They germinated slowly, but well; and required removal of many extra small plants. It seems the older the seed, the longer to germinate.
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Old February 2, 2019   #7
Tracydr
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Thanks all! I’ll try soaking with a pinch of fertilizer and try presprouting some.
I did buy a massive grow light and once I turned that on I’ve had a few more pop up so I think the temperature and old seeds was a bad combo. I think it’s been about three weeks. I might also order a fresh batch of the ones I can’t do without.
I dried some datil peppers on my dehydrator a couple of years ago. I wonder if those seeds are viable? I probably dried them around 120-130:degrees but I don’t remember for sure.
I’ll try presprouting in my styrofoam egg incubator,that might help,too.
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Old February 2, 2019   #8
Lotte
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I use the floor in my bathroom where there is under-floor heating, that helps, but im my opion pepperseeds are not that long living, I would say about 5 years as rxkeith says.
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Old February 2, 2019   #9
Salsacharley
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I just got some potassium nitrate (saltpeter) that is supposed to be mixed 1 teaspoon to 1 qt warm water. Soak seeds in it for 24 - 48 hours and sow immediately. This is supposed to boost germination to 80 - 90% on tough seeds. We'll see.

http://www.chileplants.com/search.as...earchButton=Go
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Old February 2, 2019   #10
roper2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Salsacharley View Post
I just got some potassium nitrate (saltpeter) that is supposed to be mixed 1 teaspoon to 1 qt warm water. Soak seeds in it for 24 - 48 hours and sow immediately. This is supposed to boost germination to 80 - 90% on tough seeds. We'll see.

http://www.chileplants.com/search.as...earchButton=Go
I've read somewhere, maybe here, that Stump Removal chemical is the same thing as
saltpeter.
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Old February 2, 2019   #11
bower
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I always soak pepper seeds - 12 hours in plain well water - before planting on the heat mat - then they're up in three days instead of three weeks. Older seeds have come up in a week, a bit delayed but... the soaking definitely helps, whether you add special ingredients or not.

One year I grew a 'heatless' habanero type, and I was warned the germination would be low. So I put a ton of seeds in a little pudding cup of warm water (instead of cold), and set it on the heat mat overnight. So many germinated!!! in 2-3 days we were overrun with the things.
It is never warmer than your 67 F in the room where my seeds are germinating. The heat mat is supposed to raise the temperature 10 above ambient - I don't know it doesn't have a thermostat. But it has worked fine for me in a cool room, for germinating peppers.
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Old February 2, 2019   #12
Nan_PA_6b
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I'm with Don Duck. Don't be too quick to give up on them.
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Old February 2, 2019   #13
ScottinAtlanta
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I keep them at between 80-90 degrees on heating pads, and use a laser thermometer to check. I put the pepper seeds in the center of the germination tray where the heat is highest.
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Old February 2, 2019   #14
Tracydr
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Wondering if my egg incubator which is about 99 degrees would be good germination incubator or if it would be too hot?
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Old February 2, 2019   #15
Tracydr
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ScottinAtlanta View Post
I keep them at between 80-90 degrees on heating pads, and use a laser thermometer to check. I put the pepper seeds in the center of the germination tray where the heat is highest.
Great advice,I’ll get the thermometer out of the garage tomorrow.
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