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brett_cpg

Poor germination

Brett-CpG
12 years ago

Question for anyone with experience...

I'm starting my seeds indoors for the 2nd year, and it seems that a few varieties just won't germinate. I'm at about the 2 1/2 week mark, and virtually all of my tomatoes are doing great, and a couple pepper varieties are doing well. However, only 1/12 of my black cherry tomatoes has sprouted, 0/12 of my jimmy nardello peppers (which I was really excited about), and 0/12 of my mini red bell peppers. Meanwhile, my other tomato and pepper varieties I had 90-100% germination. Temps inside have hovered between 68-72, and I moisten the soil every other day. Today I decided to set the unsprouted seeds in the sunlight for some extra heat. Think it will help, or is it more likely that the seed is bad?

Comments (3)

  • girlgroupgirl
    12 years ago

    questions a) are these the same seeds as last year, or new seeds...
    b) that soil is cool for peppers to germinate. Some are just slow and stubborn. You may try throwing some clear plastic over top of them and see if more humidity helps (they like it humid to germinate, in general)...take it off immediately upon germination.
    Have you put your seedlings under lights? In general, windows do not provide enough light for seedlings this time of year. Lights work also by generating heat. Bottom heat really can help too, like the top of a fridge, or a dryer when it's on...(not too hot, but 75 is a great soil temp for peppers and eggplants...)

  • Brett-CpG
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    Admittedly, these are year old seeds that haven't been opened before. All of my seedlings are getting lights...in fact those that germinated are doing great...but I thought light wasn't a factor until germination actually occurred, so it shouldn't matter for my ungerminated ones.

    I'll try the plastic wrap technique, and maybe set them on the fridge. I think trying anything over my current methods is a good idea. I think the black cherry tomato seeds are duds though. The grow lights get the little chamber I have for them between 75-80 degrees, but only 1 seed of them has come up, even with the added heat of the lights. As for the peppers, hopefully the fridge and plastic wrap will do the trick.

    I won't lie....my setup is a pretty ghetto-rigged, but if it means early tomatoes...who cares.

    Thanks

  • girlgroupgirl
    12 years ago

    light isn't a factor in germination, but heat is. Lights create heat. So that is why I asked about the lights.
    Year old seeds should be fine. You may have lower germination than you would if they were fresh, maybe not. Keep waiting! We still don't have many peppers up, in a warm, humid green house for 2 weeks running! Some are up, but peppers in particular can be slow.