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Sweet pepper seed germination - epic failure!
* Red Dahlia *
Posts: 694
in Fruit & veg
On the 10 march I set 6 sweet pepper (sweet sunshine f1) 5 days ago I got very excited as the guest seed popped through. Now nothing I have one little seedling and 5 other bare pots. Is all lost, has other people got experience of this? I kept the propogator in the window so it was always between 15-21 degrees. I was hoping for a prolific hanging basket full if these peppers but now it looks like I may have one, if the seedling comes ok. The seed was 2.69 as its a revolutionary type according to the write up. Sad!
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I usually give them up to 3 weeks, so yours are at my limit. Peppers, especially F1 hybrids, can be a bit difficult I find. I always plant about a dozen extra cheaper (non-F1) pepper seeds so I at least have something in case of failure. F1 pepper seeds are very expensive for what you get and I have never had more than about 50% germinate of all the types I've tried.
It might be worth complaining to the supplier as having one germinate pretty much proves you gave them the right conditions.
I did mine on the 12th, but they are just inside on my windowsill at the moment. No propagator. Not one has come through yet. But it is a bit cold, so not giving up on them yet. Mine are California Wonder.
There's still time yet.
I've only had about 50% germination this year. Some sown on 23rd, 19th and 3rd March. Sowed some chillies on 24th February and they are only now, just showing true leaves.
I'm sure last year they were all potted up and waiting on the dining room table to go outdoors by mid April.
There's still time to sow more or buy some plug plants, you may not get the one's you want though.
I started mine in February & planted extra because nothing was happening then i saw an episode of gardeners world stating they take a while to germinate, i now have lots of chilli & pepper plants but i did plant them early so just be patient...
i planted tomatos, peppers, chillis and cucumbers on my windowsill about 3 weeks ago, the tomatos are up and just getting their true leaves, the peppers (tasty grill) have just started to germinate no leaf yet but i can see they have split and the root is emerging, no sign of the chillis or cucumber yet. It's just been too cold even on the windowsill it's not really got much above 17 degrees yet. I purposefully didn't sow them all though so if no joy in a week or so i'll sow some more.
I always put my peppers into the airing cupboard as it's really warm in there. Peppers germinated in 4 days this year. Make sure you cover the tray to prevent drying out and check daily.
Very helpful reading this. Waiting for my long sweet red peppers to germinate. I think it has just been too cold in the greenhouse overnight. I don't have a heated propagator. I shall be patient and hope for the best. French beans have now been re sown twice.....too wet and cold. Following advice I shall now hold back with the water. Let's hope I have not drowned the poor old peppers.