Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
madgoofer

A ton of questions.. HELP!

MadGoofer
10 years ago

IF you have an answer to one put the number of the question then the answer please.
1. Can I germinate my seeds in the same box as my light

2.What is the best seeding starter mix/ brand

3.once my seeds germinate do I still need them on a heatpad while they grow under the light

4.How long should I have my lights on each day

5.how long should I have my fan on all day

6.How long should I have heatpad on when seedlings sprout

Comments (10)

  • don555
    10 years ago

    2) Beats me, I usually just use what's cheapest.

    3) No.

    4) I use 16 hours on, 8 hours off.

  • StupidHotPeppers
    10 years ago

    1. Yes you can as long as your light doesn't make the temps above 85 degrees.
    2. I honestly think anything works. I'm using organic topsoil which is not even a seed starter or potting mix and my seedlings are doing great. Try anything 5-1-1.
    3. Once your seedlings sprout, stop using the heating pad.
    4. 16hr on 8 hrs off has best results.
    5. I keep my fan on as long as my lights are on because I keep my fluorescent lights very close to my plants. Plus it helps strengthen your stem and it helps from bacteria and fungus build up.
    6 is same as 3?

  • ottawapepper
    10 years ago

    1. Can I germinate my seeds in the same box as my light
    Sure, as long as your light box is 90F or under.

    2.What is the best seeding starter mix/ brand
    I like peat starting mixes. Others will disagree and share their favorites.

    3.once my seeds germinate do I still need them on a heatpad while they grow under the light
    No, once sprouted light is the most important variable. Heat doesn't factor in at this point

    4.How long should I have my lights on each day
    18 hours on and 6 off is the standard answer. I do 14 / 10.

    5.how long should I have my fan on all day
    You can leave it on 24 hours but I time mine with lights.

    6.How long should I have heatpad on when seedlings sprout
    Until you get the number of sprouts you want

  • scott123456
    10 years ago

    1. Yes but watch the temp

    2. Any sterile seed starting mix will do. Plan old dirt will work but then you have to be extra carful about fungus and damping off

    3. No, assuming its not below 50 degrees in your house.

    4. Most use 16 on 8 off. I use 15 on 9 off
    5. 24 hours to zero hours it doesn't really matter. Just expose them to some "wind" atleast a few hours every other day so they won't be destroyed when you put them outside.

    6. Once they sprout, get them out of the dome and under a light,
    they don't need a heat may after they sprout. But it can help with ambient temperature if they are in a cold room like the basement .

  • seysonn
    10 years ago

    All very good answers.

    Now I have reduced my lights to about 12 to 14 hrs on.

    I have a CPU fan (bought from Radio Shack).

    I don't use fan all the time. I mostly use it after watering for a few days. Then I turn it on now and then.

    You did not ask about HOW FAR?CLOSE? the lights should be. Of, course this applies to the Fluores. I try to keep them at 1 to 2" distance.

  • HotHabaneroLady
    10 years ago

    1. I don't use grow lights--more on that below.

    2. I think most anything works. I have had lots of success germinating seeds using miracle grow garden soil from Home Depot or Lowe's and I'm honestly not even sure that's the right name for the product. Basically, I buy whatever is cheap. Now, soil for peppers later on is another issue. As they grow, your soil choice will be more of an issue and there are little tricks and things that you can do to make your plants happier.

    3. As long as the house isn't too cold, you shouldn't need the heat pad after germination. Exact temperature requirements will vary, but a good rule of thumb is that if it's comfortable for you, then the chances are good that it's comfortable for your pepper plant. Seedlings, of course, may be a little more sensitive.

    4. I do not use grow lights at all. In my home I have a very large, south facing bay window. In the morning, the sun comes up and shines in from the east side, the sun travels across the sky all day long, and then sets in the west. There is very little time during the day that the area lacks direct sunlight. I use that as my space for starting seedlings and anything else that I want to grow quickly before putting it outside. This means that my plants get a natural day-night cycle, which is less than the amount of light most people get from grow lights. My plants do very well this way.

    Incidentally, this also avoids the need for a heat pad. Even in the dead of winter it's amazing how warm that area gets. And even now with winter refusing to leave, the sun shining in directly on the black soil in my little seedling trays gets amazingly warm. I've never tested the temperature, but I get excellent germination. It's like a green house or solarium inside my house.

    So I highly recommend trying something like this if you can. I can't believe grow lights are better than the sun. And certainly this approach is cheaper. :)

    5. I don't use a fan at all. This has produced no apparent ill effects. But hardening the plants off before putting them outside doesn't only give them a chance to get used to temperature and light. It also gives them a chance to get used to wind.

    6. I think that's the same question as 3, right?

  • peps22
    10 years ago

    i see a lot of suggestions to not use heat with seedlings. I agree light is most important, but wouldn't heat be beneficial? Wouldnt a temp of 75 be better than 60?

  • pepperdave
    10 years ago

    75 would be better then 90. If you keep your plant at 70-80 your in good shape a pad can be a lot hotter then that. 60 at night should not make a difference ether. Use your lights for heat if the temp. goes below 60 at use it then , use your lights when there on Pad when off . I think if you dont have to dont

  • ottawapepper
    10 years ago

    pepperdave,

    Agreed, 75-80 would be better for plants than 90. Actually 80-85 is best in a situation where you have sprouts and ungerminated seed which is what I surmised MadGoofer's situation is - i could be wrong. Up to 90 is acceptable (not optimal for germination) but above 90 will really start to impede germination.

    JMHO,

    Bill

    This post was edited by ottawapepper on Sat, Mar 15, 14 at 18:16

  • seysonn
    10 years ago

    It is the germination that requires higher temps for faster time. You can germinate your pepper in room temp (68- 72F). But it may take probably twice as long as if you had provided 86F.
    So, if pepper can germinate at 65F, def. it can grow at 60,65F.
    But it will grow faster at 75F than in 60F.

    Right now , because my seedlings are quite big enough and I have 3 more weeks till plant out, I am trying to slow down their growth by:

    --- shortening lights time to 11 to 1 2hrs. To reduce photosynthesis.
    --- reducing temperatures to about 60F. To reduce ability to take up more nutrients.

    It might not work as I assume, but it should have some effect.

Sponsored
Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes
Average rating: 4.9 out of 5 stars254 Reviews
Northern Virginia Design Build Firm | 18x Best of Houzz