heated propagator time

[bikermike]

I have some seeds in trays on a heated propagator.
3 sets have sprouted, one set has not - they are all peppers
They have been on for two weeks.

How long would you leave successfully-sprouting seeds on a heated P, and how long would you leave non-sprouting things before you abandon them?

They are on the sunniest windowsill I can manage, with a foil reflector behind them for extra sunlight

[Small pumpkin]

I take seedlings out of heated propagator as soon as they've germinate or they will get to leggy.
What sort of pepper? That a very wide spectrum.
Chillies I leave for a month before I start to worry that they might not germinate.
I've had some take over 40 days

[Scarlet]

As soon as a chilli or pepper has germinated I take it off the heat. They get leggy with the combination of heat with lack of light/daylight hours.
I sow them singly so I take each one out as soon as it shows.

As for waiting on non- sprouting seeds, as SP says - it depends on the variety....but I am impatient, after 3 weeks I'd use the compost for something else

[bikermike]

sounds like pretty strong view on taking the good ones off the heat this weekend.

The non-performers are ordinary (bell?) peppers. I got two vividly purple ones last year, and it's the seed out of them. I suspect the seed may not be any good as it didn't have the same size cotyledon[1] as the known good peppers.


[1]I think that's the right term - the food store bits

[burnie]

My prop is heated, so I tend to take the lid off to begin the hardening, then pot on and return to bottom heat for a couple of days, then no heat other than ambient in the conservatory. Once they look strong enough(onions are at this stage) they go into the unheated greenhouse until ready for final planting.

[Bren In Pots]

I'm another one who takes seedlings out as soon as I see a bit of green, they then go on a sunny window sill with foil behind until it's GH time.

[Scarlet]

The non-performers are ordinary (bell?) peppers. I got two vividly purple ones last year, and it's the seed out of them. I suspect the seed may not be any good as it didn't have the same size cotyledon[1] as the known good peppers.


[1]I think that's the right term - the food store bits

Peppers cross pollinate so if you didn't isolate the flowers the seed may not come true....also what variety were they? They may well have been an F1 and it's hit and miss the performance of seeds sown from those.

[veggiechicken]

The non-performers are ordinary (bell?) peppers. I got two vividly purple ones last year, and it's the seed out of them. I suspect the seed may not be any good as it didn't have the same size cotyledon[1] as the known good peppers.

When you say "got" do you mean you grew them or you bought the peppers?

I take seedlings out of the prop once germinated too.

[bikermike]

bought a generic pack of pepper seeds (don't think they were F1). One plant gave two purple peppers, probably from cross-polination. These are the seeds therefrom.

I know there is a risk I won't get what I expect from them, but that's only an issue if they grow at all...

They were also small seeds from small peppers, so it's hit and miss, but I'm just wondering when to declare a "miss"

[Scarlet]

I would poke around with a pen - see if it's rotted or started. If neither I'd chuck, but that's me. SP would hang in a bit. There's no right or wrong.






Go on, have a little dig in the pot

[bikermike]

I'll have a look this weekend if I can. Be shame if they have failed, they were a spectacular colour (tasted rubbish though...)

[bikermike]

they are off the propagator. I am pretty sure they are failures. bah!

[Scarlet]

Were they rotted or just not sprouted?

[bikermike]

they definitely hadn't sprouted, they weren't actually rotten, but they seem to have lost their stiffness and are looking quite floppy on the soil.

They are still on a warm windowsill indoors, so I'll give them a bit before turfing them out

the propagator now has lemons, cucumbers and tomatoes on it

[ColinB]

Bell Peppers



I have F1 bell Peppers growing in a heated propagate they took 3 weeks to germinate, 12 seeds sown 10 germinated, I will move them into the greenhouse, kept at 20c.
This is my first try with Peppers 🤔