I sow directly into small square pots and then use bottom heat.

I use that method because fresh seed WANTS to germinate. Plus transplanting sprouts is too much like delicate work to me. I have yet to find a compelling reason to germinate seed without actually sowing it. I mean if your intention is to grow a plant out of it.

Honestly, if you just want to germinate seed, try a ziploc bag filled with water and just drop the seed into it. the floaters generally aren't viable seed, but the sinkers should sprout nicely if the temp is in the right range.

I used peat pellets in a mini greenhouse on a heating pad. Had great results last year. Most seeds took 7 days to germinate, even tepins.

I use chilli's method also...works like a champ.
Also use that method for my tomatoes (which I haven't started yet)

Soil in 72 cell trays with water is bout all I do.

I use cell packs with seed starting mix or sometimes Jiffy 7's. Either seeding method gets covered with a plastic dome or Saran Wrap and placed on a warm pad or on top of a shelf over the ballast of a flourescent light(turned on about 16 hours a day) The warmth isn't alway well regulated or constant, but I've had very good germination with peppers and tomatoes through the years. I've even grown some without any added heat, just kept them in the warmer (and that's not real warm in late winter) rooms of my home. I don't presprout because I know me, and know some would not get mived on time. Never saw any reason to change and like shelbyguy, I think presprouting just makes more work. If I'd had failures, I might rethink things.

I often plant tomato and pepper seeds at the same time. Pepper sprouts usually take a few days longer to break the soil surface.

If anyone is wondering if they can grow peppers from seed, I'd encourage you to try. I don't always do things the "right" way and the peppers still grow. I think they are forgiving of alot of things. Perhaps my neglect is better than the pampering some give them. Too much water is probably the biggest problem with pampering.

I use the 144 cell tray fill with Pro-Mix and bottom water until saturated, next put 1 seed per cell and mark on a chart that I keep of each variety so i know where everything is and then top with sifted Pro-Mix and spray with spray bottle if necessary, Then cover with dome and put on waterbed heater. The waterbed heater is plugged into a receptical that is wired to a remote bulb thermostat, the remote bulb is put into the top of the dome through a hole in the top just below the surface of the soil. the temps stay pretty darned constant with this setup. I just spray with spray bottle as needed. I keep the spray bottle close to the heater so I am spraying with warm water.

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Dale

I use the "baggie" method, using coffee filters instead of paper towels because the sprouted roots don't dig into the filters and get damaged when I pluck them out. I place the baggies with the dampened filters in a warm spot(on the fridge, on the cable modem, etc.)and check them every few days. I use this method because I have limited room for plants and space isn't wasted on "no shows". I usually place 4-6 seed(of each variety)on each filter. They don't all germinate at the same time(and they don't all germinate)and it only takes a few minutes to pluck the sprouted ones off the filter and drop them into starting pots, and set them under a light. I start my tomatoes the same way. Not very scientific, but it's been working so far.

I use the "Bio-Dome" setup, which is pretty similar to many described here, except they have these spongy inserts in a foam layout. The foam floats in water, with the spongy material maintaining moisture, and with a dome to keep the whole thing under high humidity. Initially, it costs more, but it has allowed me to get a very high percentage of germinations. I used to put in a few seeds, hoping to get some to germinate, and pulling out the extras if it works. Now, with the price of seed, I only plant the one seed, and I'll go for 2-3 yrs before needing to order more of the same variety. The other plus is the sponge insert is ready to put in the ground as one unit with the plant roots intact.

Basics is the way to go for me so I either plant in pro mix or a peat pellet with a plastic lid or plastic wrap on top in a warm place until they sprout. When transplanting I tear the mesh covering off the peat pellets because it can choke the roots. Maybe I have a lazy outlook on starting seeds but they want to grow and it doesn't take rocket science for that to happen. Why make things complicated?

Thanks for all the replies... and keep em coming. I need one of those 144 cell trays. Or at least another 72. I've planted 3 at a time to smaller pots in varying sizes in seed mix plus a loaded 72 cell. We're having a Santa Ana right now so it's like 75 degrees outside.

It's cool to see that most people here do the same as me. Between heating pads, a fluorescent light and a warm Jan, I got a white hab, a bonbero and naga to sprout. White hab didn't make it cause I got home really late and it was cold. I put 34 seeds in smaller pots today. Hopefully it stays warm.

-HabBob

I have tried the plastic bag method and had good results, but I eventually stopped as I got tired of being so delicate when the plants germinated.

Now I buy several bags of seed staring mix (sorry I don't recall the brand) and add coir, sphagnum peat, and perlite. Some day I'll get around to actually measuring how much I actually add.

I place and label my seeds in a 50 cell tray. I bottom water until moist. Then the tray is covered with a plastic lid and placed on a heat pad (the kind for muscle relief).

I have done one tray this year and have almost 90% germination with some seeds that I took out from some store bought manzanos.

For years I've used Park's starts under grow lights, but this year I've ordered a Bio-dome.

My system is based on several things: I'm cheap and like to "re-purpose" things, I have very limited space, and I'm living off the grid. Everything electric has to be 12v or low current draw on a small inverter.
Paper towels or cotton pads are great for saving space, but I hate disturbing the root to plant them. I can only deal with a couple of dozen newborn seedlings at a time, so I use egg cartons with small holes poked in the bottom of each cell for drainage. I'm using year-old leaf mulch mixed with some sand for soil this year with good results.
I put the egg cartons on top of the furnace at night and in a sunny spot during the day. I have a food thermometer in one and keep it around 80 as much as possible.

As soon as they poke their heads up and shed their seed pods, I scoop the dirt out with a spoon and put them in 9oz plastic cups filled with the same soil. I've only broken one root this way so far. The cups have holes on the bottom edge made with a paper hole puncher. I can put 6 cups in a plastic cupcake tray for bottom watering. (Mmmmm... cupcakes...) They go in one of 2 light boxes with a 10w CFL aquarium bulb on a "shop light" reflector socket. I also have a 12v LED box for larger seedlings. They all go outside during the day, weather permitting. This will grow them several sets of true leaves before they need transplanting to 4" containers - which means they get to stay outside at night too. Don't get me started on my greenhouse setups for the older plants.

We're supposed to have several nights in the 20s this week and keeping everything warm will be a challenge. I might have to bring some of the big ones back inside for a while. At last count I had about 65 seedlings in various stages and 11 plants over-wintering from last year - some in 1gal, some 3gal containers.

Hi Habbob!

I started my seeds on Saturday and am similar to a couple people: I used a 72 cell tray and have more than 1 seed in each cell which will make things challenging when they sprout but I'm not worried about it. They are covered, on a heat mat and I will spray to keep moist. I used Fafard's starting mix. Also, my reformed pot smoking/growing friend is donating his grow light to the cause so I'm VERY excited about getting my hands on that.

I tried the coffee filter method and had zero success. The filters were on a mat on the fridge and did nothing. I mean.. not a peep out of them. I would open the bags and check and lightly spray them too. I'm glad it's working for others because it seems like a cool space saving idea.. I just did something wrong I guess. No worries! Dirt works. :)

caroltlw, i totally forgot about seedlings when you mentioned cupcakes, I'm good for a couple of those myself.

spencersmom,Your reformed friend huh. Hey,It's your story. LoL.

Dale

podpiper:
How about some pepper cupcakes?

Oh yeah, I also made an incubator in a small cooler using a light bulb, a piece of aluminum mesh as a heat sink for the bulb, a thermostat and a relay. It didn't work as well as the top of the furnace method. I'm not sure if it was the light cycling on all the time or if I really needed a remote sensing thermostat like you use. Maybe next year I'll perfect it.

HA!!! Hey, as long as I get the light..

You can get the remote bulb thermostats on ebay.

Dale

I did a test germination using the ziploc bag inside paper towel method and it worked, but since I'm new to this I wasn't sure I would be able to successfully transplant them to dirt.

I did something maybe a little wierd last night when I planted my seeds in peat pots. I put the 10 celled-tray in a plastic tupaware container and wrapped it in plastic to keep the moisture locked in. I then used fishing line to suspend the container in the air below an air vent. This particular room stays pretty warm and I figure the overall temp of ths soil would stay warmer being near the vent. We'll see if it works. Of course I couldn't do this on a large scale.

I tried to find a seed sprouting heat pad at local stores, but had no luck. Wouldn't it be dangerous to use a regular heating pad?

I use paper towel method and I have had 100 percent results so far.

thepodpiper,you are a man after my heart....loved the details of your method.

I might try the same albeit on a smaller scale this year.

Naga Jolokia Addict

The best way I have found to get seeds to germinate is to just put them in a cup of water. Leave them there until the roots have sprouted 1/4" or more.

I buy the plastic 16ox cups. Put in about 50 or so seeds, cover with about 3" water and that is it. Sometimes I swirl the water around a bit to make sure all the seeds get wet and fall to the bottom of the cup.

Works like a charm!

I started my long cheyannes and jalapenos
in moist paper towels and had good results.
Iam starting the seeds i just recieved the same way.
thanks again Dale!

How much light do I need to start my jalepeno peppers from a peet in a dome? 2 rows of 6 (Starter kit)

Rebecca

Rebecca, If you are asking how much light you need to germinate the seeds, the answer would be none.

pepperson, you are welcome. Enjoy.

Dale

I use the plastic bag method with a coffee filter. I write the name of the pepper on the coffee filter before moistening it.

I use that method for testing seed viablity. Once, I was testing some pepper seeds which were taking forever to emerge. They germinated quickly in the bag, so I just transferred the sprouted seeds to pots. Now I always start peppers that way. It isn't necessary with most other things.

Jim

I germinate my seeds in pure worm castings. It seems to split germination dates in half.