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They've sprouted! Woohooo!!!

New seed in damp compost in proporgator.  10 days later - they're up! 16 of the little beauties! And I know that there are more in there yet to come.

Not jalopeno but Piri Piri from dried chillies in the shop (same packet as those I sent to Alan which should arrive Monday-ish) so it just goes to show that dried chillies destined for cooking with can be grown from!

Thank you so much for all your advice - much appreciated.

Just need to keep them alive now... er... yes. Um...  ;D

Will be moving to a new office in a about a month which with a lovely, big,  sun-drenched windowsill so will sneak a few potted up baby chillies in and hope that no-one notices!

Funny little devils, chillies.  I sowed a few different ones a week ago today, nothing showing at all this morning.  I nipped out for 45 mins to ring for church, just come back and all six cayennes have popped up while I've been gone.

i'm sure theres some movement beneath the soil in my pots.
ive also been waiting for about a week, and as soon as i turn my back, they'll be up!
heres hoping.

I've got chilies and aubergines germinating after a week on top of the water heater. Another few days and I'll be able to move them to somewhere I won't have to unscrew the panelling every time I want to water them!

Quote from: greyhound on March 18, 2007, 11:28:09
Funny little devils, chillies.  I sowed a few different ones a week ago today, nothing showing at all this morning.  I nipped out for 45 mins to ring for church, just come back and all six cayennes have popped up while I've been gone.

Do you think they heard you?  ;D

Practice night tonight, so they might take cover again!   ;D

I've had less than 50% germination after 2 weeks in the heated propagagtor in the (cold) GH. Suspect the propagator couldn't lift the temperature high enough for long enough.  Will be trying Bennettsleg's Piri Piri's indoors!

Robert's got the right idea about germinating them 8)

How long do chilli/pepper seeds stay viable? I have seeds bought back in 2002. Should I so them or not bother? ???

They will be fine if not exposed to extremes, use by dates are very much a buy more date ;D Sow them, i think you will be surprised

You have nothing to lose by sowing them. They tend to need minimum of 25-27o C to germinate and, depending on the type, can take quite some time to pop up. I tend to give them a month and if there is no show I then try again.

If anybody wants some seeds just PM me your details and I will send some.

Quote from: Barnowl on March 19, 2007, 12:39:37
I've had less than 50% germination after 2 weeks in the heated propagagtor in the (cold) GH. Suspect the propagator couldn't lift the temperature high enough for long enough.  Will be trying Bennettsleg's Piri Piri's indoors!

Think I know why. The seeds are in two trays so it wasn't too obvious at first (who am I kidding - the word is "doh"), but those that have germinated are concentrated towards the middle of the propagator so I reckon it's not generating enough heat for the seeds nearer the edges. I've turned the trays round but it may be too late.

I think it hasn't been a problem in earlier years because the temperature differential to the outside was smaller.

Can anyone think of a way to get the heat to spread a bit more evenly - a layer of damp sand perhaps?

Quote from: Barnowl on March 20, 2007, 14:52:02
Can anyone think of a way to get the heat to spread a bit more evenly - a layer of damp sand perhaps?

My proporgator came with a cappillory mat for use wt and dry.  To lower the temperature, put the mat in.  their theory was also that the mat created even temperature.

Bizarrely enough, my seedlings are on the outside of the proporgator and not the centre!

Capillary matting sounds a good idea.

My propagator's in a cold GH - if the weather stays like this might risK the wrath of OH and bring it indoors for the next batch.

QuoteTo lower the temperature, put the mat in.  their theory was also that the mat created even temperature.

Do you wet the matting Barnowl!

I ask because I do and I find this does a few things e.g.

The water in the mat warms up and spreads the heat evenly.

There is no need to water (unless the mat dries out) If the mat is dry it could work in reverse i.e. pull the water from the plantpots/trays.

I find the humidity is higher which is brilliant for cuttings but you have to be careful of fluctuating temperatures as this could cause 'damping off'


ps; Prior to getting the mat I used an inch of wet sand in the bottom and this did equally as well but was a bit messier!

Hi TG,

I have some matting which I wet in my small windowsill propagator because it seems to dry out quickly but hadn't tried it in the larger electric one because that one keeps the moisture in better.

Hadn't thought of it in terms of warmth distribution but,  as bennetsleg and you suggest, it makes sense.

Do you think it will be ok to try some (in an ordinary tray with lid - and matting!) in the drying cupboard? I reckon it's got to be nearly 30C in there.  It may be dark but I can move them out once they've sprouted...

When I replied above I was thinking in terms of heated propagators simply because I know how they are constructed.

Basically these have strip or wire elements cast into the propagator base.

When the power is on these strips/wires heat up causing localised heating in the base of the propagator.

When using matting/sand the moisture in the matting/sand warms up thus spreading the warmth over the total area of the propagator.

Unheated propagators will only be as warm as there surroundings.

Does that make sense?

Thanks TG, I understood re hot spots / warmth distibution applying to heated rather than unheated propagators, but I also have trays that take cells and have lids that are unheated that I thought I might try in some of the warm places round the house (if OH lets me) with a bit of damp matting in case the places are too hot. Just not sure whether lack of light matters at the start of germination.

I've sown my seeds now. Let's see if they come up... :)

Last week I put about 30 chilli seeds in a clear plastic ex-cake container from the supermarket. I sieved the soil so that it is really fine, and filled the bottom half of the plastic tray. Then I divided it up with cotton and sowed 5 of each of my 6 varieties in it, then stuck it in the airing cupboard. Some of them have come up in less than 7 days and the whole tray has now been moved to the windowsill.
I have also done the same with some cherry tomato seeds and they came up in 2-3 days, so it seems to work very well.