Chillies no show

[Marb67]

I sowed 3 different chillies in a small kit with plastic cloche. In the kitchen window since 14th Feb. The packet states should be up in around 2 weeks. Still nothing showing. Should I give up ?

[Tripmeup]

are they getting warm enough to germinate Marb?
What types are they?

[Penellype]

Don't give up yet. Peppers and chillies can be very slow to germinate especially if you haven't got them at a constant temperature in a propagator. I sowed 6 pepper seeds on 11th February. 2 germinated within 2 weeks, another several days later, and I'm still waiting for the remaining 3 to appear.

[Scarlet]

Take them off the windowsill, they are probably getting chilled at night. Chilli seeds don't need warmth to germinate. Put them in a cosy spot that doesn't fluctuate in temperature much.

[Nicos]

Agree...that'd be very quick for most chillies!
Mine sat (constantly moist )on a warm radiator for 2weeks before they germinated.
The cold down drought from the window will be undoing all the warmth of the day.

...move them

[Guest]

Top of the fridge or airing cupboard until the pop

[Small pumpkin]

I feel your pain Marb67. I'm having the same trouble with my jalapeños!!! Don't give up.
I can't give any better advice than you've already had.

[Marb67]

Ok, will do thanks. It must be the low temp in the windowsill at night then.

[Mitzi]

Take them off the windowsill, they are probably getting chilled at night. Chilli seeds don't need warmth to germinate. Put them in a cosy spot that doesn't fluctuate in temperature much.

I think Scarlet meant chillies don't need light to germinate. I agree with everyone else - they won't be warm enough on the windowsill. Ideally they should have a temp between 20 - 30^oC. Once they're up, give them as much light as possible.

[burnie]

I had some types germinate and some not, seems these tricky little suckers need a bit more care than a lot of other plants.

[Chris11]

It's always a difficult question, how long do you leave the seeds before giving up and trying again.

And it's a bit of a 'how long is a piece of string?' question because it depends on your growing conditions with heat, freshness and quality of seeds, the variety you're growing etc

In my basic heated propagator, the fastest germination I ever get is around 5 days, average around 11-15 days. Generally if they haven't germinated for me within 25 days, it's unlikely they ever will. After 30 days I generally give up and sow again if there's still time.

[Muddy_Boots]

Here's a tip if you want to have less pain trying to germinate your chilli seeds.

• Make yourself a cup of tea and with the used t-bag make another and leave the t-bag soaking until you have drunk the cuppa you've just made and discard the bag.
• Leave the weak tea until its cooled down before you use the tea solution you have just made.
• Soak your chilli seeds in the tea solution for 24hrs.
• Place 2 pieces of kitchen roll that have been folded into a quarter in a plastic bag/sandwich bag/freezer bag basically something you can Seal airtight and wet the kitchen roll so its as wet as a wrung-out sponge.
• Place the chilli seeds in the plastic bag on the wet kitchen roll and inflate and then seal.
• Place in an airing cupboard or propagator or on top of a warm not hot radiator.
• Check the seeds every two days and dampen the paper if it starts to dry out.
• Once the seeds have sprouted you can transfer into 75mm pots.

The reason why you use the tea is because chilli seeds have a hard outer coating and the tanin in the tea helps to scarify the seed coating and make it germinate easier.
The hot varieties of chilli can be tricky to germinate at times and will benefit with a germination temperature of between 80°F and 89°F, also do not leave your chilli plant on a window sill over night as temperatures can drop and it will not do your plant any good.

Finally, after all that hard work, make yourself another well deserved cup of tea.

[Zelenina]

I've been known to give up on chillies and tomatoes germinating and thrown the contents of the pots or modules in the used compost bag, only to find a few days later there are little sprouts poking their heads up inside the bag. But then of course I don't know which variety they are. I've no idea why they would rather germinate in the depths of the bag than in their nice little modules. Maybe it was just cosier in there.

[Marb67]

Yep they are still not up despite taking them out the windowsill so as I used to do with my toms. I put them on the top of my PC which is running all day. Hopefully it will bring them on.

Thanks for the tips Muddyboots (I take it you are THE muddybootz from Youtube ? :-)

[Zelenina]

Yeah, the top of the PC is a great place for drying seeds too.