Can anyone tell me how long it takes to germinate green pepper seeds indoors? I've never tried to grow them before so I have no idea. These were sown on February 23 and, as usual, I started looking for those lovely little sprouts about two days later LOL.... This happens to me every year. We get a day or two of sunshine and I get gardener's fever. I can't wait to get rid of all this snow and get some dirt under my nails again!
I'm also starting hollyhocks (black watchman), cosmos (the old fashioned tall bushy variety), foxglove, shasta daisies, black pansies (only 1 seedling so far), canary creeper (oops, I broke one trying to tie it up to a support - just stuck it back in the soil and it hasn't died yet anyway - grin), and I even got so desparate for green growing things I planted a clove of garlic out of my fridge. The darn thing sprouted in about two days and is now about a foot tall and standing proudly in its own big pot. You can almost hear it growing it grows so fast!
At the end of the month I plan to also start tomatoes (beefsteak), columbine, and Bright Lights Swiss Chard. We'll see how much of this I'm actually successful enough with to get transplanted to the garden.
--Ginny
Trying to Start Green Peppers Indoors
Hi Ginny,
Don't give up on those peppers yet. I planted yellow peppers 3 weeks ago or so, and they took a long time to germinate. Give them a week and a half to two weeks to finally sprout. Good luck with the rest of your seed planting. I know how desperate you were to start. I get that way too. I planted over 200 flower and veggie seeds the first week of February and now have a virtual jungle growing in my house. :Donna
Ginny--My peppers are really slow to germinate too. I start wondering if I should plant more, I get so impatient. But I just read that peppers sprout better in the dark so I'm trying that to see if it makes a difference. As soon as they show, I move the black plastic off. Keep them fairly warm, about 70F.
My pansies were spotty too--they also like the dark,
You could really start a few of your tomatoes now, if you've room, and keep potting them up--by the time you can set them out, you'll have fruits starting!
Hey, I did the same thing with my sprouting garlic! I've stuck them in the soil in the greenhouse, where it still freezes at night, and hope that in 2 months when I'll need the g.h. space for other things, I'll be able to transplant them into the garden. Normally our season is too short to produce garlic--it needs 120 days.
It's SO exciting to have little green things growing while it's still winter outside, isn't it!
I just snapped a picture of one of my windows--the tomatoes don't show well but they are 5" tall. The tall big leaved ones are zucchinis!. Spring is coming!!!!!
Rosemary
Wow, that's a lot of little plants Rosemary. Are those all just in front of one of the windows in your house? Do you have that many in front of each of your windows? How did you make out with the kale seeds? The only vegetable seeds I've started so far are some lettuce.
I was just outside washing out more seed trays as I've filled up all the ones I had. It sure is fun to check each day to see what's come up. I don't have as many trays planted as you do...yet. LOL
Sandy
I won't be starting kale for a while yet--I use it as a later, cold-weather crop and keep the early garden space for more frost-tender greens. Am really looking forward to that red, though, so might do a few now.
I've 3 big windows with south west and west sun, and keep the plants that need cooler growing conditions (lettuce, violas, pansies, and a few others) in my east-facing bedroom and kitchen. Finding a cool place is a problem here, as the greenhouse gets very hot during the day but freezes at night.
Space is a real problem this year as I seem to have more houseplants than last. I thought my pelargonium cuttings failure would balance that, but it doesn't seem so. We need a bigger house! In addition to the flats of seedlings, I've got 64 houseplants, as my husband rather grumpily pointed out a few days ago. He was having trouble finding a place on the table to put his lunch plate because I had a bunch of seedlings on it....I mean, how unreasonable can you get? So what's wrong with eating standing up? Sheesh!
I thought that's what kitchen & dining room tables were for....seedlings, or seed catalogues, or gardening books, or repotting.... lol!
Well of course that's what tables were invented for :-) Thanks for the info Donna and Rosemary. I'll try some in the dark and see what happens. The only reason I haven't started tomatoes or anything else yet is because I'm going to be away for a week this month and my brother is coming to look after things while I'm gone. I think his thumb colour is pretty close to black, so I want things to pretty much fool proof for him LOL --Ginny
No help for you here- I havn't tried them from seed... but my tomato plants are 9 inches tall. Good luck with the peppers. Joelle
My tomatos are doing very well too, Joelle. Both varieties, the Campbell and Tumbler. I swear, every seed, I planted, germinated. When I transplanted them from the trays, I had to throw some out, 'cause I just didn't have enough pots or room. I have 4 peppers that germinated, but although they are coming along slowly, they are still pretty small. The Zuchinni and Cucumber plants are so big, I am afraid they will take over the basement one day. Corn is about 6 inches tall too.
I am getting so excited... I can't wait for the tomatos!!!! Hurray! My flowers have taken over the veggie garden, so all I grow is the tomatoes. Good luck with all those vegetables!
Edit=Sorry I got off topic here, I just reread the thread and see it was a specific topic about peppers. Joelle
This message was edited Mar 7, 2005 10:41 PM
LOL, Joelle! It's a rare thread that stays on "topic" around here....and sometimes the tangents are the best part.
I'm going to be starting some green pepper seeds this weekend, Ginny, so we'll be able to compare notes (but mine'll be a few weeks behind yours).
Shannon
You're all inspiring me to try some peppers again. Whenever I've started seeds we've ended up having a cool, rainy summer and I don't get any peppers on my plants. Last year would have been a great year for them but naturally I didn't start any. I have some seeds from a few years ago...hopefully they're still okay. Does anybody know how long the seeds are viable?
I probably started my seeds too soon, Sandy. But I was so anxious to get going. But so far, they are all doing well. Here is a great link with the Spring Seed Starting Schedule from the Vegetable forum. I printed a copy off for reference.
http://vric.ucdavis.edu/veginfo/commodity/garden/springseedschedule.pdf
Thanks for the link Donna. I printed a copy too. I think it will be a very handy reference in the future. I'm going to plant broccoli, peppers and tomatoes as soon as I get the chance.
Peppers can be fun to grow. As they are tropical plants, they require a long growing season, so should be started 10 to 12 weeks before they can be set out in the garden.
Bell type peppers can be, and usually are, difficult to grow.
I start my Bell Peppers in a flat filled with Jiffy Mix and I do my best to keep the soil at 70F/21C for 14 days, 1/4 inch/6mm deep , 8 seeds per inch.
Next I transplant the seedlings into DEEP plastic cell trays, (key word here is DEEP), when true leaves are about 3/8 inch/10mm in diameter.
A good root system is very very important.
Pay attention to deep watering when the plants are young and try to find a hot spot in your garden. Straw mulch and saucer style planting pits are very helpful. Fish fertilizer is excellent to use and switch to a bloom-promoting product once you start to see blossoms. Stake your plants if there is a lot of fruit to support.
I think that's about it. Oh! Night temps should be at least 62F/17C because if you have cooler night temps you are running the risk of having blossoms falling off and you'll end up with a huge pepper plant with no peppers.
Thanks for the tips, Darrell. I started some organic Golden Sunshine Pepper in early February, and only 1/3 of them germinated, and at that, very slowly. They are still pretty tiny, but look healthy enough. I have more seeds, and after reading your thoughts on these critters, I think I'll try some more. I love peppers, but have never grown them, so I appreciate you sharing your experience with them. I have already printed your message for future reference. :Donna
Thanks for the excellent tips, Darrell! Especially about the night temps - that's a big help for planning when to start. Our night temps don't get that high until well into June.
Shannon
Thanks for all the good tips Darrell! I never knew that peppers were so finicky. Maybe there's a good reason why I've never tried to grow them before :-) --Ginny
Yeah, last year I just bought some seedlings at a nursery and stuck 'em in our soil - they thrived! (throve? :-) Who knew that the seeding process was so tricky.
Shannon
Woo hoo! I have a pepper sprout! Just one so far, but can the rest be too far behind? When I count back, that's only 14 days since the seeds were sown. I can't imagine why it seemed like so long....unless maybe it has something to do with the acres of snow we're still getting here doing its level best to dampen my spring gardening (over)enthusiasm :-) --Ginny
Good going! The others won't be far behind.
Only 12 days until spring equinox! Can you believe it?
Yep, that was about how long it took mine to sprout to, Ginny. But I agree, when you are waiting and everything else is germinating like crazy, 2 weeks sure seems like a long time, doesn't it?
Thanks Shannon. Do you think the weather will pay any attention when the spring equinox rolls around this year? I seem to remember that last year it stayed unseasonably cool here well into May.
You bet two weeks can seem like a lifetime Donna, especially when some of my other seeds started popping up in about two days! My black pansies are starting to germinate now too - I have three little sprouts so far. Now, if I can get my two cats to ignore my green pepper sprout(s?), and I can baby them along until time to plant out, and my brother doesn't manage to kill them while I'm away...LOL That's a lot of if's isn't it? --Ginny
LOL! :-) My DSO has agreed to keep my seedlings alive while I'm out west in April too - I think he's particularly interested in the tomatoes, but as long as they all get watered I don't care.
A friend of mine improvised a cat-protection device for her seedling trays, from a few small lengths of wood and some mosquito netting. I'm building a seedling stand in the basement; if I used netting our cats would just shred it, so I think I'll have to use one of those big plastic covers with the zipper instead. But then the air wouldn't be circulating enough....oh there's just so much to think about!
When I got home yesterday all the sweaters that had been folded on the top shelf of my bedroom closet were lying on the floor. I deduce that one of the cats had launched themselves off the chair that was near the closet, and didn't quite make it all the way up....hope they had a soft landing! bad kitties.... :-)
Our deep freeze is over, for now. Hope everyone's having good weather today!
Shannon
Good luck with your seedlings while you're away, Ginny. I'll bet your bro will do you real proud.
Glad to hear your cold weather is at an end, Shannon. You are due for some Spring type weather now. We have been so fortunate here over the past weeks as the weather has been so lovely. We've been averaging around 15C this past week, with another nice one today. I have to work until 2:00 pm, but I'll enjoy it after that.
Hope everyone has a great day. :Donna
Oh, it must feel so much like spring there, Donna! Wow. I'm envious, in a good way if that's possible :-) Happy for you, that's what I meant to say...lol. How have the night temps been?
Shannon
My cats too are very upset at not being able to get to the window sills--I shrieked at Mojo yesterday when he jumped up on a flat with soil blocks; he made the most amazing recovery in mid-air so he mushed only 2 of them. I remember now (duh) that last year I put a little frame around the areas with seed flats; from the floor looking up it made everything look too high for them to jump over, plus they couldn't be sure what they'd find at the top.
Our nights have been remarkably warm too--around -2--but that's due to change in a few days. I was seduced into putting some large houseplants in the g.h. so now the trick is to pay attention--if the stars are out at 10 p.m., I need to move everything back into the house for the night!
Sounds like your absence will be worry-free, Shannon. Have a good trip!
Thanks, Rosemary! Unfortunately I'll miss the RU, but going west again will be fun. Between now and then, I have about 8 weeks' worth of backlog to deal with at work, in the next three weeks...fun fun fun :-) Need occasional DG breaks just for sanity.
What a good kitty at heart, Mojo is. They sure can change direction fast, eh?
Shannon, The high today was +16. It was wonderful and still is. Buddy and I have got to go fro our late afternoon walk yet, so it should be very enjoyable. The lows are still kinda cold yet. Anywhere form 0 to +4. I wish it would warm up so I could move my plants to my green house.
Rosemary, my cats have been feeling kinda sorry for themselves too lately, what with all the south windows being used for seedling pots. One morning Callie, jumped up on my kitchen window sill and very nonchalantly sat on one of my tomatoes. I just happened to be watching at the time and snatched her up before she could squash it entirely, but boy, did I get a dirty look and a yowl.
I'm getting anxious hearing about everyone's tomatoes and peppers sprouting. Just because I planned to plant some tomato and pepper seeds the other day, I've ended up working every day this week and haven't had the chance. Don't get me wrong....I'm glad to have work for a change but it sure cramps my style I must say. LOL Only a half day tomorrow so maybe I'll be able to fit it in between that and a few other things I need to do.
I'd trade my low temps of -12 to -16 for your 0 to +4 any day Donna! Our high temp today is supposed to get all the way up to -3 :-) This is definitely very unseasonably cold weather for these parts. Highs/lows for this time of year should be +3/-7.
Sandy, to go back to your earlier question about how long the pepper seeds stay viable, I can't say specifically about pepper seeds, but I know I successfully started shasta daisy seeds this year that had to be at least 5 or 6 years old, and they were a free package from Hallmark Cards to boot! I could hardly believe my eyes when they all promptly germinated for me.
--Ginny
For sure, Ginny. That IS definitely unseasonably cold for Ontario this time of year. Maybe you'll be rewarded with a wonderful summer. :)
Fabulous luck with those Shasta Daisies. Good to hear success stories like that.
Sandy, if you want to speed up the germination I recommend soaking the seeds overnight, then wrapping them in a damp paper towel, placed in a baggie. Keep warm, around 75F. Check each day. It may take 4-5 days, sometimes more, but when each seed sprouts plant it into a small pot--I use 4-paks--sprout down, cover gently, and put in a warm place, perhaps with plastic over it. The seedlings will pop up in a couple of days. This way, non-viable seeds aren't taking up pot space.
I start most of my larger seeds this way, except some that form a protective coating after being soaked (such as basil and, I think, salvia). Those I soak then plant into a 3 x 5. I do all my brassicas like that. It's really good for seeds that don't like being transplanted--I pop the sprouted seed directly into a soil block.
If the seeds need dark for germination, I wrap the paper towel in a piece of black plastic.
With the cost of seeds now, I hate planting more than I'll use. In fact, with lettuces I pre-sprout right in water! Takes 1 or 2 days. Of course, YOU don't have to worry about starting lettuce inside, lucky girl.
Rosemary
Good tip about the Paper towel and Baggie method of germination, Rosemary. I'll have to try that.
Yes, thanks for the tip, Rosemary. I have a whole pile of seeds from prior years...some I don't even remember buying. I was reluctant to plant them because of the pot space they'd take, but your idea is the perfect solution. Thanks.
Donna, your weather sounds great!!! Sigh.
Glad to hear you have work too, Sandy. It does rankle though, sometimes, doesn't it - to think of all the other things we could be doing with that time. I often wish someone would just send me regular cheques, to stay home all day and garden, take piano lessons, read books, stare out the window, play with the cats.... :-) Not to mention all the errands that end up taking up half my Saturday. And my job's not even that bad - it's relatively interesting. Just wish sometimes that it were reduced to one day a week, but with the same salary LOL
Shannon
This message was edited Mar 22, 2005 12:35 AM
Today I have 8 green pepper sprouts, and my "little bratling" (Smokey - the baby of my two cats) has not yet eaten any. I think I'll move them tomorrow though to a place that he absolutely can't get to before it's too late. He's a beautiful silvery gray colour with huge round golden eyes and fur so soft it feels like chinchilla. He has this way of getting caught doing something really bad and staring at you with those huge innocent eyes as though he's saying, "Who me? I didn't do anything!" It cracks me up every time - I just can't even really get mad at him he's so cute. Kinda reminds me of Puss'n Boots in the Shrek movie.
Happy germinating everyone! --Ginny
Peppers plants - very nice. Now could you show us some pictures of the little bratling please. He sounds lovely.
Okay, I've finally got my pepper seeds soaking. I'll try your method Rosemary, of soaking them overnight and putting them in wet paper towel inside a baggie tomorrow. I have four different kinds of pepper seeds from 2000. I've kept them in the fridge so hopefully they'll sprout. Thanks for the tips.
Tomorrow I'll start my tomato seeds. I think I have about 7 different kinds so it should be interesting to see where I can put them...providing they grow of course. I also have a couplle of kinds of broccoli seeds. Unfortunately I can't grow them in my Community garden plot anymore because the last few years I've had a bad problem of them getting club root. I read that you can grow them in a sterilized pot in sterilized soil so I'm going to try them on the patio....if I can find room amongst the brugs. *Ü*
Okay....here goes....I'm going to try to load two pictures of my cats. Here's the first one. It's of the little bratling - Smokey. He's the younger by one month - both are about 1 1/2 years old. --Ginny
And here's the other one. This one is the female - Tipper. She has always been quite the little lady. Even when she was a little kitten she looked more like a miniature full grown lady cat. These are my "kids". I hope you like the pics. --Ginny
