# Jalapeno pepper germination???



## laughaha

Is there a trick to getting Jalapeno Pepper seeds to germinate? Neither I or my friend (who is EXTEMELY experienced with gardening) have much luck with them but this year none of the hundred or so seeds have germinated. I usually get at least a couple plants. They were seeded a few weeks ago. 

I really want these to work out as I want to dry them and add to chicken feed. I have 60 chickens so I want about a hundred plants.......Please help


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## olivehill

What's your starting setup? Where did you get your seeds? 

I have never had a problem with them, but then I never have a problem with tomatoes either and everyone says those are supposed to be tough, too. I have issues with the seeds that are supposed to be easy. LOL! 

They do like warm soil so maybe that is the problem?


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## Yldrosie

Put them on a heatpad. I have around 100 seedlings that are about 3 inches tall now. They always take a couple of weeks or so to germinate. The seeds I have are heritage, and this is the 9th year of growing the same stock from Hatch, NM.
I don't have much of a starting setup, so after they are an inch or so tall, I put them in a sunny window, and watch them grow. I used to repot them to larger pots but quit and they seem to take off just fine when I put them in the ground, separating them as I go. Good luck.


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## laughaha

The flat of peppers was right between the flat of plum/oxheartish tomatoes (saved seed from best processing tomatos) and the eggplants. The Eggplants didn't come up with the first planting, reseeded and now have about 120 seedlings. The tomatoes are doing great and came up pretty fast. I'm having a notso greattime with all the peppers, but not one of the darn jalapeno's came up. They were cheapo seeds, which I usually have good luck with, just never jalapenos. 

The stand that holds the seedlings is ontop of a register vent so they do get additional heat- house is between 70 and 75 during the day, 65 at night. With the room closed off, it's at least 5 degrees warmer in that room than the house.


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## oregon woodsmok

You are going to feed jalapenos to your chickens? Poor chickens. Are you mad at them?

I have my best luck with peppers if I do the baggie method. Wrap them in a slightly damp paper towel or coffee filter. Place in a ziploc, without sealing the bag closed. Place on top of the water heater, fridge, or other warm place.

Check frequently, and when the seeds first show signs of germinating, transplant to seed starting cups. Continue with a warm location because peppers don't like to get chilled, but once they germinate, they will grow with slightly less heat.

I get germination anywhere from 3 days to 4 weeks with the pepper seeds. Patience is called for.

Tomatoes, I never have any problem with, but I suspect that a lot of people over-water them and lose them to damping off.


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## laughaha

Chickens LOVE hot peppers (the capsacin doesn't bother them) and hot peppers are good for them. 

Talk about weird.....I was just checking them (yet again) and one, possibly two seedlings are emerging as we speak. This is as exciting as watching chicks hatch!!! Yeah, I know, I really need to get a life. lol


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## amwitched

[QUOTE[/B]=oregon woodsmok;5073977]You are going to feed jalapenos to your chickens? Poor chickens. Are you mad at them? [/QUOTE]


..........poop *ACK!!!!!!* 
..........poop *ACK!!!!!!*


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## NickieL

i've never had issues with peppers germinating. are you planting the seeds too deep? are you keeping the potting medium moist enough but not too moist?


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## ryanthomas

Out of all my peppers, the jalapenos are the fastest to germinate. I had some that took ten days or so, then started some more on a heat mat to speed them up and they sprouted in 3-4 days.


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## laughaha

Good news, the jalapeno's are sprouting!! Apparently they are gonna be the divas and were late to the party, but better late than never.


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## laughaha

Yay!!! almost 30 seedlings are either up or coming up!


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## Patsy

I have a terrible time getting any pepper to germinate. I keep them moist on a heat mat, etc. This year after an entire flat failed to germinate I put 4 peat plugs in a ziploc bag, watered them, planted a seed in each, closed the bag & sat them on top of the coffee maker. Bingo! Almost all germinated. I can get 6 bags on top of my coffee maker.


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## gnatboy911

thanks to all who have responded to this thread. i have never grown peppers before (hot or otherwise) i planted 16 plants, and the package said 14-21 days until germination. they have been there almost a week with nothing yet....after reading this thread seeing that peppers like warmth to help germination i moved my seeds over by a tub that i'm brooding some chicks in, so its right next to the heat lamp. after only a day and a half with higher heat i've got 3 sprouted!

so, thanks to all for the info on this thread!!


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## postroad

I usually get them to germinate in about a week on my heatmats.


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## Halfway

Interesting. 

This year I have almost 100% on early jalapeno and giant jalapeno hybrids. The heat mat has a range of 82-86 and they all popped within about 72 hours with the dome on for humidity.

These seeds are from Totally Tomatoes. Last year was Pinetree and I did not have near as good germination rates.

What company did you go with?


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## laughaha

I think that putting them under shoplights (and the little extra heat they provided) is doing the trick, up to around 50 seedlings now. Mine were cheapo dollar general seeds (I think). The only place I ordered seeds from (besides the peanuts) was Baker Creek and I know I didn't get them from there.


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## elkwc

There are lots of factors that determine germination rates and times of any seed but especially pepper seeds. It is best for faster germination to keep them above 80 degrees. I use a heat mat sometimes till the first ones pop through. I set them in the bathroom and that works as well as I keep it warmer. This year I've had seeds in the same flat vary in time from 6 days to 21 days. Had seeds in the same cell of the same variety vary in time over 2 weeks. Temperature is an important factor right along with how the seeds were saved. And some varieties just take longer and have lower germination rates. I have also soaked hard to germinate pepper and tomato seeds in a 25% Clorox solution which has helped. Most the time patience is the best virtue a person can have. Jay


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