My 2014 Pepper Grow List - Germination Problems - Page 2

RonnyWil · April 12, 2014

Salt Peter is what they use in stump rotting solutions, it breaks down cellulose. The seed hulls on pepper seeds tend to be very hard. The salt peter softens the outside of the seed making water penetration easier and seedling break through easier.

Ken B · June 21, 2014

Saltpeter is commonly used in seed germination testing with peppers and other nightshades -- better helps the seeds germinate in the sterile environment of paper towels.

Axixic · June 22, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by brokenbar

I forgot to add that I recently read an article that touted using Hydrogen peroxide at a rate of 1 tablespoon to 1 cup water. The article soaked seeds from the same pod in plain water, salt peter solution and the HP solution for 24 hours. Article said the HP soaked seeds germinated faster and more of them germinated that the others in the water and salt peter solution soaks. I think I will give this a try next season and do my own comparison.

There are also those that proclaim that Camomile tea or regular tea also makes an efficient soak (supposedly, it's the tannin in tea..)

I've been soaking seeds in HP and water this month and I'm getting almost 100% germination. I especially soak seeds that I have very few of so that I don't waste them.

I bought more butterfly bush seeds because the ones I didn't soak didn't sprout. I soaked the new ones ad they sprouted in a few days. The instructions were to refrigerate the seeds for 4 weeks and it still could take 3 months to germinate. Soaking and not refrigerating made them sprout in less than a week.

I planted Sea Kale last year and none sprouted. This year I soaked and all seeds are sprouting.

TerpGal · June 22, 2014

I had a heck of a time with my hot peppers this year. I put about 3 seeds each in peat pellets, under a dome on top of a heat mat. Never had a problem terminating this way before. None came up, and I used my last Corne De Chevre seeds that were about 3 years old. Then I decided to do the paper towel method on top of the fridge. All seeds were new this year. The Padron seeds sprouted in about a week. The Cayenne and Scotch Bonnet however took almost 3 weeks. No Corne De Chevres this year, super bummer. We are growing Ancho instead.

April 12, 2014	#16
RonnyWil Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Collierville TN Posts: 106	Salt Peter is what they use in stump rotting solutions, it breaks down cellulose. The seed hulls on pepper seeds tend to be very hard. The salt peter softens the outside of the seed making water penetration easier and seedling break through easier. __________________ I'm two days older than dirt and I like to play in it.

June 21, 2014	#17
Ken B Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: central Virginia Posts: 243	Saltpeter is commonly used in seed germination testing with peppers and other nightshades -- better helps the seeds germinate in the sterile environment of paper towels.

June 22, 2014	#19
TerpGal Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Olney, MD Posts: 23	I had a heck of a time with my hot peppers this year. I put about 3 seeds each in peat pellets, under a dome on top of a heat mat. Never had a problem terminating this way before. None came up, and I used my last Corne De Chevre seeds that were about 3 years old. Then I decided to do the paper towel method on top of the fridge. All seeds were new this year. The Padron seeds sprouted in about a week. The Cayenne and Scotch Bonnet however took almost 3 weeks. No Corne De Chevres this year, super bummer. We are growing Ancho instead.