I usually sow my peppers in the last week of February, heated propagator until germinated then under grow lights at room temperature 17 - 19 degree. They stay under the lights until mid-April until it is warm enough to take to my unheated greenhouse where they stay coddled in the hot section of the greenhouse (small area with double walls) then in the ground only once soil temp is 10 about mid May. It works for me.
I ended up sowing some more aubergines and peppers on Tuesday. Not germinated yet. The January-sown ones are in a heated propogator under grow lights now. When the new seeds germinate, they will be just under growlights, I think... Not sure where to put them though. The windowsill is a bit chilly at night as no double glazing. The lean to is too cold without a propogator. The sitting room... they will be at the mercy of mischievous 7 month cats.
I have a cat that will eat any seedling I start, so one thing I've used that worked was to fashion a frame out of lightweight trim or molding, then fold chicken wire over it and staple it in place to form a cage with an open bottom. I made mine specifically to fit some plastic window boxes that I used to start seeds, and the cage slid inside of it, but was tall enough to accommodate growing seedlings. With the open wire, you can still water without having to remove the cage. A nursery I often visit has a greenhouse cat that roams freely, so they keep their cat grass in wire animal cages (think rabbit or guinea pig) to prevent him from snacking on it. At night if it gets too cold, you could drape a towel over the cage to help keep some of the heat in.
New England, USA
Metacomet soil with hints of Woodbridge and Pillsbury
Thanks. Great idea. I am hoping now the cats can all go outside this will be less of a problem. Them careering around and knocking things is more of one. I now have everything in a propogator at about 20C with grow lights. I sowed a few more seeds and they went in there as soon as they germinated (which wasn't happening until I brought the propagator (one the temperature of which I can't control) into the sitting room and temperatures of 25-27C were achieved. Only 21C tops on the kitchen window sill. After the move, they came up overnight. I think not a coincidence. Aubergines and chillis clearly need that much more to germinate...
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I now have everything in a propogator at about 20C with grow lights. I sowed a few more seeds and they went in there as soon as they germinated (which wasn't happening until I brought the propagator (one the temperature of which I can't control) into the sitting room and temperatures of 25-27C were achieved. Only 21C tops on the kitchen window sill. After the move, they came up overnight. I think not a coincidence. Aubergines and chillis clearly need that much more to germinate...