First time starting seeds

[ARgardener]

Originally Posted by Father'sDaughter

Eggplant seeds can take about as long as sweet/mild pepper seeds.

Thanks!

[dmforcier]

Whoa. Don't take from her comment that "sweet/mild pepper seeds" are different from "hot" pepper seeds. Heat has sod-all to do with it.

[ARgardener]

Originally Posted by dmforcier

Whoa. Don't take from her comment that "sweet/mild pepper seeds" are different from "hot" pepper seeds. Heat has sod-all to do with it.

Hot pepper seeds are notorious for taking longer than sweet/ mild

[Father'sDaughter]

Originally Posted by ARgardener

Hot pepper seeds are notorious for taking longer than sweet/ mild

That's been my experience as well. And for me, super hots take the longest.

[oakley]

If you have full packs of purchased seed you could try the baggie method for a few
varieties to experience that method. And also go ahead and start some seeds into your
trays. That way if one goes foul you've got another method on its way.

I use the baggie/ coffee filter or p-towel for testing germination only. Usually just my own saved seeds from the year before. Did that a couple months ago as i have so many
in quantity...want to see that they are at least 70-80% then toss them. (just me not trusting my
own seed saving). Always surprises me that they germinate so well. (And i would not like
to pass on dead seed.)

One sweet and two med hot are the larger starts in my tray, pic above. Two hots did not germinate at all and they were recently purchased. No experience at all with peppers...
gave up a dozen years ago and just now revisiting another try. Short growing season but
starting early for a head start. I need to start the two that did not germinate all over again.
It happens even having started seeds for 20yrs.

[rhines81]

Originally Posted by oakley

It happens even having started seeds for 20yrs.

My pepper germination this year is less than 40%, while tomato germination is at 90%.
Having low inside humidity and big outside warm spell issues going on this year which I recognize. I germinate over my ceramic heaters, they store heat based on outside temps. My heat units have been paused the last two weeks due to 60-70F outside temps which is unusual for this area in Feb, we are back down to teens and single digits this weekend so I expect that the heaters will store and discharge at a more normal cycle now. Typically, peppers (hot or sweet) are up by 12 days. I've re-sowed peppers 3 times now since Feb 5th ... 3 out of 17 varieties have not even given me 1 sprout. My tomatoes have all done wonderfully, need that extra 5 degrees for the peppers.