Gardening and Horticulture - Sweet Bell Peppers

Hi y'all!

I started some seeds indoors and everything - except the bell peppers - is taking off. It will 11 days tomorrow and so far zip! How much longer do I wait on these guys? Everything I've read says to start them inside.

Thanks for your help on this!!!

North Garden Gal

HI Elizabeth,

It's been awhile since I tried to start peppers from seed. Check the back of the package. How many days did they say until germination? If you've surpassed it, try again.

I buy tomatoes, peppers, and other common veggies at the farmer's market or start them from seed directly in the garden when the soil has warmed up. My seed rack is for "special" plants. I believe Fred (Fewalt) gave the same advice.

If you don't care about starting other flowers, then starting your veggies from seed is a money saver.

Gami

Hi Elizabeth!
Gami is right (as usual :) ) Peppers are a heat loving veggie and the seeds require a lot of heat to germinate as well. Usually the soil must be at least 80 degrees, and then 70-85 degrees to grow. They should only take about a week to germinate. Where do you live? The soil in the pots by the window have been there all winter long, and their temps are only about 64, 65 degrees; checked it with my handy dandy soil thermometer that came last week :D On a serious note, in order to heat up the soil quicker, you might want to invest in a plant bulb. I have one at home and one here at work. It fits ina regular desk lamp, and it has done wonders for the plants at both locations. In fact, I think I may just take another picture with the logitech camera here. Ill take one of the cardoon (member of the artichoke family) and the grapefruit started from seed :D

To get back on track, I have found that the best choice is to only buy seeds for veggies that you cant, or at least not without problems, get plants for. I only buy radish, corn, beets, carrots, peas, beans, and pumpkin seeds. Everything else (cukes, peppers, tomatoes, celery, lettuce, broccoli, zucchini, summer squash, eggplant) I get plants for. Home Depot (oops, no plugs :o ) usually has a very good variety of plants. They usually start carrying your cool season veggies around the end of March. See ya here and at Sierra! :)

Eric

Hi you guys - Thanks for getting back on the peppers so fast!

The seed package says 7 - 10 days, so I guess nothing will come of them at this rate. I think the issue must be heat. I put them in the warmest window I have, but gosh 80 degrees is not going to be achieved without some heating device like you said, Bomber.

I guess I'll just go ahead and try some by seed when we get our warm weather, and hedge my bets and buy some seedlings! One way or another....Gotta have those peppers!

And the advice to get seedlings for the more available stuff does make sense - will probably go the route ultimately.

Thanks!!!

North Garden Gal (Elizabeth)

If you get a Johnny's or Stokes seed catalog and read the growers tips for Peppers. tomatoes and eggplant you will find the
ideal germination temperature is 86F(30C).

If you read Nancy Bubels "The New Seed Starters Handbook"
it will show that these 3 types of plants can take 57 days at 57 F.

They need heat to germinate..

Byron

Hi Byron - welcome to DIY!!

86 degrees!!!!! Wow - my seeds were from Burpee's and the package indicated 75 degrees as ideal. I am glad you mentioned tomatoes as well, since I was planning to start some from seed.

Bomber, it looks like it's time to get a plant bulb.

You all are going to help me get smart in no time, aren't you?

Thanks again.

Elizabeth

P.S. I've been "glued" to the forums today because it's rainy and 39 degrees today in Charlottesville, Virginia!

Elizabeth,
Being glued to these forums is a good thing! I always have Sierra and DIY open all day long. It makes the day go by so much faster, and its a good escape from customers; Im a software technician doing phone support.... :D

Byron is correct to an extent. Bell peppers like between 80-85 degree soil temps, but if you are going to start hot peppers from seed, the soil may even need to approach 90.

Dont worry, you will be a veggie gardening expert by the end of this season, and next year, you can be on our side of the fence offering your expertise to newbies! :)

Eric

PS. You said you are in Charlottesville? Too bad about the Cavaliers... they shoulda made the NCAAs :D

Eric,


Yeah, a lot of depression around here concerning the Cavs defeat. I was busy outside when it all went down....:(

Did you get my e-mail? I had sent you a question on this last-minute soil prep in the garden I am doing. Anyway, I hit "pay dirt" this morning - found a load of old, mostly decomposed hay that I started transferring to the bed to add more the soil. A friend of mine stopped by this a.m. and said, heck yes, put it directly in the garden, till it in with the manure and add it to the compost pile, too. Maybe I am set now?

Elizabeth

Elizabeth,
I havent gotten it yet, but email here is usually slow. If you have either aol instant messenger or yahoo, send me an instant message.

Eric


yahoo: bomber_095
aol: bomber095

Howie

I only have 54 years of planting veggie and roses.
I am only an advanced beginner.

Any seed from the solanacae plant family needs to be starrted at 86F. Geranium and nicotina are a couple of the 2500 poises.

Sweet and hot peppers are members of the same species
capsicum annuum. about 2,500 varieties

Byron

Hi Byron

Welcome to DoItYourself!!

We'll all benefit from your knowledge, I know...

Not sure if that last post was intended for me specifically, but I'll take it under advisement

Regards

Howie

Hello all:

I just had to share with my friends here at DIY I have four -count 'em - fOUR - pepper plants now coming up! I just happened to glance over at them, and there they were! I am so darned excited! And I thought I was just watering the dirt for no apparent reason!!!

The coriander that I forgot about is also, halleluia, starting to show up. Patience has never been one of my strongest viurtues -I see now I should work on that, huh?

We've had some really warm weather here in Charlottesville, VA today - low 70's. More on the way, and even some more rain.

North Garden Gal

Hi Elizabeth,

WAY TO GO! Yeah, I think patience is something that comes with age. At least it did with me. :D

Your coriander should reseed for you next year.

It's 80 here today, but a little windy! It's time to dig some shorts out! All those early risers are popping through, and a tree peony I left out all winter in a pot is busting with buds. The robins are building nests.

We're having company this weekend, and it sounds like it will be warm enough to do some fishing!

Gami

Elizabeth,
Congrats!!! Now its just a matter a few more weeks before you can get them outside when they will really thrive.

Both you and Gami are making me jealous. Yes, it was 66 degrees here today, and will be the same again on Sunday, but no time to enjoy it... At work today, and Tracey and I have a wedding to go to on Sunday. But my time in the sun will come again. Just gotta be patient :)

Eric

If it makes you feel any better my peppers haven't taken off yet either, but everything else seems to be working. Good Luck
Jarvis

Consider your lucky to even think plant out.

About 4" of heavy wet snow here today,

Hi Byron,

I saw that on the news. Lucky you! :D Didn't that happen last year also?

We just have rain forecasted, and I hope it stays that way.

Gami

Hi all!!!

Just so you guys know -- we are back to 40 and 50 degree temps here in Virginia -- lots of rain with it, so we are counting our blessings!!! We're working off the rain deficit little by little.

Spring?... officially?... tomorrow? Hmmmmm......

Can't really do much of anything with the garden so back to "Spring Cleaning" in the house :)

Thanks for the good wishes, Jarvis!!!

Bye for now.

Elizabeth

Hi everyone!!!

Thought I'd bring my pepper thread back to life to let you know each of my plants has put out either first or second sets of true leaves!!

Makes a Momma real proud....:p

Cilantro, basil and chives are doing well, too. Summer Savory...well, let's just say I need to post my failures somewhere else. :( I started some new ones, though. I feel sure I sowed them too thickly and then didn't thin them out fast enough! Eric, you suggested that might be the reason some time ago and choke...choke, that's bound to be it. There's a lesson I should not ever have to re-learn.

With the weather changing drastically - cold, cold, cold, I will be "checking in" here more often.

Elizabeth

Hey Liz,
Since this is your thread, I'll mention it here....

In doing some research this morning as promised, it appears another good deterent for the cabbage worm is to plant celery. From what I just read, celery offends the moth stage of the worm. Mint will also do the trick.

Spinach and cabbage are good companions as are cabbage and onions. Keep the cabbage away from pole beans and tomatoes though, and keep the onions away from beans and peas. Keep the basil and cabbage separate also.

Was out in the greenhouse before coming here this morning. 33 degrees outside, but 56 in there at quarter of 8 :) Keep your winter weather down there! :p

Eric

PS. Was Law & Order a life altering experience last night???? :D