Instant pot seed germination

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Gthegardener
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Re: Instant pot seed germination

#21

Post: # 55779Unread post Gthegardener
Sun Oct 17, 2021 2:21 pm

I'm loving the experiments happening in the IP! I'll definitely be using the IP next year to germinate my seeds that usually take forever (ground cherries, peppers) since I had excellent germination rates with those in relatively few days! I was excited to see @pepperhead212's great success in germinating a wide variety of seeds!
“Life begins the day you start a garden” - Chinese proverb

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Re: Instant pot seed germination

#22

Post: # 65094Unread post Gthegardener
Thu Mar 10, 2022 6:13 pm

23BECE87-D735-4922-871E-D48CC0812427.jpeg
After my pepper germinating success in the instant pot last year I have decided to try it again! I added my pepper seeds in ziplocks with moist paper towels to my instant pot and turned it on to the yogurt setting at 85 degrees. I’ll follow up with germination times hopefully soon!
EB6E648A-AF05-40C7-A18C-FC33AC7F145F.jpeg
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pepperhead212
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Re: Instant pot seed germination

#23

Post: # 65112Unread post pepperhead212
Thu Mar 10, 2022 11:27 pm

Funny you should bring this up now - I just started an experiment, soaking pepper seeds in a stronger than normal (7.6 g/250 ml) solution of KNO3, for 12, and 24 hrs. Just to see, I also put some tomatoes and eggplant seeds in, as well as one cup of pepper seeds, soaked in an H2O2 solution - 1 tb/c of water.
ImageMy next mad scientist experiment, comparing the 12 and 24 hr soaking times, using the new, more concentrated solution. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

ImageFirst batch of various seeds, soaked 12 hrs, now in the Instant Pot, keeping warm. by pepperhead212, on Flickr

In the old IP, I put it on the yougurt mode, then adjust to low, and the temp stays right about 88° on that plate. 3 more petri dishes with the 24 hr soakers were added at 10 pm.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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pepperhead212
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Re: Instant pot seed germination

#24

Post: # 65150Unread post pepperhead212
Fri Mar 11, 2022 1:48 pm

Speaking of those peppers, I checked those seeds in the IP after 28 hours, and the only sprout was a pepper sprout, in the H2O2 dish! It probably sprouted a few hours earlier, as it is over ¼", and those pepper seeds are all mixed (except for the habaneros), and 3-6 years old.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

indysun
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Re: Instant pot seed germination

#25

Post: # 65167Unread post indysun
Fri Mar 11, 2022 5:56 pm

Is that Sulfuric Acid? and if so, how can you make it or readily buy it at the correct concentration or easy to dilute.

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Re: Instant pot seed germination

#26

Post: # 65168Unread post pondgardener
Fri Mar 11, 2022 6:04 pm

KNO3 is potassium nitrate, commonly known as saltpeter
It's not what you gather, but what you scatter, that tells what kind of life you have lived.

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Re: Instant pot seed germination

#27

Post: # 65169Unread post pepperhead212
Fri Mar 11, 2022 6:08 pm

No - the H2O2 is just hydrogen peroxide, now just $1.25/qt in dollar tree. The concentration I used for the 12 hr soaking was 1 tb/cup of filtered water, using the 3% standard solution. A lady on another site told me she had great success with that and her pepper seeds, after I told her about it, and I forgot I had told her about it! So, I figured I'd compare it to the others.

The other chemical I used was KNO3 - potassium nitrate, or saltpeter. Those others in that article are potassium sulfate and sodium sulfate - salts of sulfuric acid. Is that what you were looking at?

I'll be checking out those seeds again around 10 pm!
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: Instant pot seed germination

#28

Post: # 65178Unread post Gthegardener
Fri Mar 11, 2022 9:03 pm

@pepperhead212 apparently great minds think alike!! Excuse my ignorance but I have not dabbled in chemical combos for improved germination times. It does sound fascinating though! I’ll be checking out those articles you kindly posted. Please keep us updated on your trials’ successes!
“Life begins the day you start a garden” - Chinese proverb

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Re: Instant pot seed germination

#29

Post: # 65186Unread post pepperhead212
Fri Mar 11, 2022 11:23 pm

Here is the article I saw the higher saltpeter solution in, for soaking the pepper seeds, and comparing them with potassium sulfate and sodium sulfate. There are typos, I think, next to the two other chemicals, saying the soaking time was 12-15 days, but I assume that was hours, not days. They also tell to use a sprouter after soaking, and leaving the sprouts in until well developed! But I just used that saltpeter solution.
https://curiouscultivations.com/2020/04 ... per-seeds/

The 12 hr pepper seeds had one sprout at 36 hrs, as well as one 12 hr tomato sprout, and another in the peroxide solution. No habaneros of either times and no eggplants.

Several years ago, when first experimenting with GA-3, it definitely didn't help pepper or tomato seeds (actually slowed them, compared to water soaks), but, surprisingly, it definitely helped eggplants. It also helped okra, and many herbs, which tend to be slow, and squash, and other cucurbits.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: Instant pot seed germination

#30

Post: # 65189Unread post indysun
Sat Mar 12, 2022 12:20 am

thanks much pepperhead!

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Re: Instant pot seed germination

#31

Post: # 65606Unread post Gthegardener
Thu Mar 17, 2022 9:44 pm

My update is… after 5 days in the instant pot with about 50 different pepper varieties I had germination success of all varieties! I consider that a win! All the pepper babies are now in their forever pots (I did the lazy man’s method of 4” pots right from the start with potting soil in the bottom half and germination mix on the top half). Here is my new set up for this year, fingers crossed it works out well. I’ll be adding my mylar blankets as soon as Amazon delivers them!
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Re: Instant pot seed germination

#32

Post: # 65611Unread post pepperhead212
Thu Mar 17, 2022 10:33 pm

After 4-5 days, almost all of the regular pepper seeds and tomato seeds had sprouted, but no eggplant or habanero sprouts. Late yesterday - 6th day - one of the 24 hr habaneros had sprouted, and this evening, 4 out of 5 of the 24 hr seeds had sprouted, but just one of the 12 hour seeds. So the longer soaking definitely helped with these. And they were new last year, and all from the same packet - not like the mix of old seeds in the other pepper and tomato dishes. Still no EP sprouts, but those are old.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: Instant pot seed germination

#33

Post: # 65666Unread post pepperhead212
Fri Mar 18, 2022 2:11 pm

Today, on day 7, all of the 24 hr habs had sprouted, a couple getting cotyledons already, though not green, since it is in total darkness! The 12 hr still has only one sprout. This is good to know, as later today I will be starting my 3 chinense varieties, and will definitely be soaking them 24 hrs.
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: Instant pot seed germination

#34

Post: # 65743Unread post Gthegardener
Sat Mar 19, 2022 1:08 pm

pepperhead212 wrote: Fri Mar 18, 2022 2:11 pm Today, on day 7, all of the 24 hr habs had sprouted, a couple getting cotyledons already, though not green, since it is in total darkness! The 12 hr still has only one sprout. This is good to know, as later today I will be starting my 3 chinense varieties, and will definitely be soaking them 24 hrs.
This is awesome!!! Very interested in trying the soaking method next year!!
“Life begins the day you start a garden” - Chinese proverb

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Re: Instant pot seed germination

#35

Post: # 65800Unread post pepperhead212
Sat Mar 19, 2022 11:39 pm

Yesterday I began soaking the 3 chinense varieties I am growing, for 24 hrs, and today, they went into the IP. And this morning, one of those 4 EP seeds finally sprouted, on the 8th day. This was one of some old seeds a friend in FL gave me, and I wasn't even sure they were going to sprout at all. So I am growing that sprout, in case I don't have luck with the rest!
Woodbury, NJ zone 7a/7b

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Re: Instant pot seed germination

#36

Post: # 65860Unread post Gthegardener
Sun Mar 20, 2022 4:46 pm

pepperhead212 wrote: Sat Mar 19, 2022 11:39 pm Yesterday I began soaking the 3 chinense varieties I am growing, for 24 hrs, and today, they went into the IP. And this morning, one of those 4 EP seeds finally sprouted, on the 8th day. This was one of some old seeds a friend in FL gave me, and I wasn't even sure they were going to sprout at all. So I am growing that sprout, in case I don't have luck with the rest!

I’m very excited to try some older seeds in this method as well! I’m glad you had success with your older seeds so far!
“Life begins the day you start a garden” - Chinese proverb

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