Starting Pepper Seeds in Damp Propagator Ok?

[Itoero]

I have my pepper seeds in this propagator.
It's very moist and damp in there.
I've put a heating mat bellow.
Is that a good way of starting seeds?
Do I have to remove the cover once they start growing?

[rainbowgardener]

Yes, you must remove the domes once the seeds sprout. I don't use domes at all because they aren't necessary (the seeds will sprout with no cover) and too much risk of killing little seedlings once sprouted.

I can't tell from the picture, do you have a light source or just the window? The window is not likely to be enough light for them and all from one direction, meaning you will have to be frequently turning them.

You were right to use the heat mat under them.

Check out the seed starting basics thread at the top of this section.

[Itoero]

I only use sunlight, it's on window to the South.
I did grow peppers last year but not this early in the season.
Can I plant them deeper in the soil if they grow to thin?
Thats what I do with tomatoes.

[rainbowgardener]

Tomatoes are different. If you look at the tomato stems, they have lots of little hairs, which can turn into to little sprout/bumps ("primordia"). When the stem is buried, the primordia become new roots, so it can root all along the stem and even from main branches. Peppers don't have those and don't root like that. Pepper plants can put out new roots from the bottom of the stem while it is new and tender, but don't root as easily and don't put out roots once the stem has hardened up. Peppers are more sensitive to having their roots disturbed.

[applestar]

Since you have a shelf above this one, you could strap on a fixture for aquarium light or under kitchen cabinet/kitchen counter light . A 6500K T-5 fluorescent tube if you can. Place it closer to the interior edge rather than the center.

Hmm... Can't find a better photo at the moment, but there is an example in 2nd picture in this thread. That's a 36" under kitchen cabinet light fixture that uses a T-5 tube. This year, I replaced the tube with an aquarium coral reef natural sunlight tube since it originally came with a yellowish color in the lower Kelvin range. https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/vi ... 05#p288505

[Itoero]

Each shelf is 90x30cm, so that would be the max. surface for the peppers.
What size of fluorescent tube should I buy for it?
And how do I know how high I should hang it?

[rainbowgardener]

You want your lights just a couple inches above your plants. That means you need to have a way to move things as the plants grow, either raise the lights, lower the plants, or whatever.

[Itoero]

I have 3 rows of peppers in pots with diameter 3 in.
Should I hang 1 or 2 fluorescent tubes above them?

[applestar]

For 9" width, you are better off with a double tube -- plants on the outer edges won't get as much light and will try to lean in -- especially after they get bigger. But if you get good sunlight from the window as well, you can compensate by rotating. (Moving the pots around) -- but this can get tedious.

In other words, it's possible to start off with a single tube and add on later, but if you can afford to get a double tube fixture now, then you might as well because you'll want it later.

[Itoero]

OK then I'll take a double
They are 4000K (T5), If I want 6400K, I have to buy them seperately in a different webshop...
In april they normally can go in the greenhouse.
So I will grow them indoors for 3 months....is 4000K enough for that?