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Bubblebeam
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Location: Queensland, Australia

Bell pepper seeds with mulch?

I've been reading about how cat/dog hair makes good mulch/insulation for soil, and since bell pepper seeds need higher temps to germinate, this combination sounded ideal as our nights are still a bit too cool for the seeds. I just had some concerns.

1) Will the hair prevent the seeds sprouting since it will basically be a fine mesh covering the soil?
2) Will the hair go 'bad' in any way if it is damp for a long time? Will that effect the soil/seeds?

imafan26
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Location: Hawaii, zone 12a 587 ft elev.

cat and dog wastes are not recommended for compost or mulch. They can be carriers of disease and pathogens. Bell peppers like temperatures between 68-80 degrees. A heat mat works for germinating seeds. So does a little potassium nitrate.

https://www.motherearthnews.com/organic- ... az84sozraw

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applestar
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I agree -- Heat mat or bottom heat source is definitely better. I have even tried top of the TV but peppers sprout most reliably when the heat is steady or regular cycles with about 10°F drop during the night/dark hours. Often people overlook high shelves near the ceiling as a possibility (heat rises).

I think mulch of any kind will impede seed germination. And animal hair would mat too much when wet. Emilia Hazelip used (thick) sheep wool as weed suppressing mulch on her raised rows.

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Bubblebeam
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Woke up this morning to a sprouted seed. This was my 3rd attempt in 2 months at growing these but the cold nights were stopping germination. This time around, I placed the container with seeds on top of our TV box at night which provided heat from underneath. Seems to have done the job.

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applestar
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Haha That's great! Yay! :D



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