Hi everyone,

Just thought I would share my first season with you all as I need all the help I can find!!

I have planted, Bhut's, Twilights, Choc and Orange Habs and paper lanterns. I planted these babies in plugs three weeks ago and so far I have about 6 out of 20 plants which have germinated...Gutted.

All of the Paper lanterns and 2 Twilight's germinated after 3 weeks. They have been in a propagator and were covered for the first 14 days until signs of germination appeared. Since then I have them covered most of the day and night but let them have a couple of hours light each day. (photo's to follow)

So I need some advice please!

Can planting the seeds too deep affect them(?) as the habs and bhuts have yet to appear.

Secondly I water them every other day, just enough to moisten them but not so they are too wet. Is it best to put them in water for a couple of mins or to spray them with water? I’m not certain how to ensure I don’t over water!!

Lastly, what are the chances of the other seeds germinating after 3 weeks, or am I best to start again? I was thinking of planting the same again but this time filling the propagator with John Innes no 2 and just putting the seeds in, as I think it may be easier to water and maintain.

Sorry for the babble (sorry if this does not make sense..be gentle)

Sean

dont worry bout being gentle....this website doesnt work like that, we all in it together mate.
Chilli nutter is defo the best to answer the issues you have. When it comes to germinating seeds I always soak the seeds prior to planting, plant about 2mm deep into plug, spray til damp, then put them somewhere dark and warm, I only ever respray the plugs if they get excessively dry which is very rare, i would rather be a bit dryer than overwatering during germination. the prop lid usually gets very condensated which i think is good and the prop then seems to keep the moist in. As for the other question I would leave them a bit longer just to see, If you want to germinate some more seeds then follow chillinutters guide for best results mate, this will ensure the best germination and conditions. But all the best, looking forward to following your progress this season, and pics pics pics, we love em! CT

Hi Mate,Just Seen Chillitemples Reply To Your Problem,ALL of it is RIGHT,whatever you do though,DO NOT Keep Watering,As You Run The Risk Of Rotting The Seeds,If You Have Seedlings In The Propogator,Keep Them In Light ,As With Your Propogator,When The Seedlings Can Be Handled,Get Them Straight Into Small Pots,But Leave The Seeds That You Are Waiting For,Undisturbed,As The Seeds That You Have Mentioned Are Chinense Varieties,And Take Much Longer To Germinate Than Other Seeds,Possibly 6 Weeks,Thats Why When I Put Seeds Into Propogator,I Only Put In One Type Of Chillis,I Dont Mix Chinense/Annums/Fruitescens Etc.If The Seeds Are Too Deep Under The Surface They Should Still Germinate,But You Should Always Have Your Propogator In Light As Much As Possible,Not Just For A Few Hrs A Day,But Any Seedlings Need Light,But Not Direct Sunlight.Think Nature,Light During The Day,Dark At Night,But In Our Climate,We Need To Give Them A Helping Hand,Hence Artificial Heat.But Any Overwatering Will Lead To Seeds Rotting. Light Dampness/Humiddity Should Do You Fine.Let Me Know How You Get On.CHILLINUTTER

Thanks CT and CN, some great advise. i will report back when i have an update. im the mean time i will keep trying to upload some photos. good luck this year everyone.

Sean

no problem mate, smae to you. Also could you please check out the thread to uploading photos, much easier and better for the forum, many thx ct.

Well, just finished potting on my twilights, still waiting for the others to show their faces!! They are still in the propagator as it’s still chilly. I have also planted some orange Habs.
Sean






Photos of my first batch ( i hope this works)!!

Worked perfect, great pics and good to see some little seedlings pokin up. Great stuff m8!

Well its been three weeks since my last post, sorry about that. My chillies are looking scrawny and lanky! and i have lost about 3, and still waiting for a few more to come through. I moved the chillies to a table by a radiator next to the window, and since then 2 bhuts and come up

i will post up some photos so can see what i mean. Not sure if this is how they are supposed to grow, so feedback will be welcome.

Cheers Sean

cool waiting for photos im sure some one will be able to offer some great advive then,,,

Hi Sean,Dont Lose The Faith,But At This Time Of Year,It Is Always Going To Be Hard To Germinate Seeds
Especially Chinense Varieties,Then It Becomes Even Harder To Keep Them Alive. Lack Of Light & Heat Are The Chilli Growers Main Problems.A Balance Of Warmth And Light Is Crucial,Warmth Will Keep Them Alive,But The Type Of Light They Get Will Make A Difference To How They Grow. Natural Light Is Best,But The Seedlings Will Always Head For The Light,And Most Of The Time Bend Over In The Direction Of The Nearest Light Source.Turn Your Seedlings Daily And Try To Keep Them In Natural Light,But Not Direct Sunlight Just Yet,As They Are Too Young For The Direct Light Approach. I Am Trying A Couple Of Butch t Seedlings Under Halogen Downlighters Behind The Spirits Optics Behind The Bar Of The Club I Run,But Need To Be Carefull As The Heat From The Bulbs Can Burn The Leaves,And They Need Water Everyday,But They Have Been There For 2 Weeks Now,And Seem To Be Coming On OK. See Latest PICS. Any More Info,Just Ask. Chillinutter