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Hello,

this is my first time posting on this forum, as well as my first pepper seed starting attempt. I tried the paper towel method with a few ghost pepper seeds and nothing was happening for a few weeks. I decided that the seeds were no good but still kept them for a few days just in case. Today I opened the baggie after not doing so for a few days and found that one seed had germinated, the only problem is that there doesn't seem to be a visible root (just a little stem which branches in two at the end). The other thing that alarmed me is the fact that the little seedling was not in the seed (the seemingly empty seed was a few centimeters away from the seedling).

Like I said, this is my first time trying to grow a seed and I don't know if either of those things are normal. I couldn't manage to snap a picture because I was excited and in a hurry to plant it in some soil. Any help and advice would be much appreciated.

Welcome to the forum!

One thing to remember with peppers, especially the ghost, habaneros, and other chinense peppers, is that they love heat! Both the seeds, and the plants do better with heat. 80-85° is good for germinating, sometimes I've put them up to 90°, and usually get germination in less than a week, and if none by 2 weeks, I figure the seeds are bad. Some people have gotten peppers to germinate after 4 weeks or more at lower temps, but seeds can rot, when sitting that long.

The seed hull or husk eventually loosens from the seedlings, but I'm not sure how it ended up a few CM away, short of a minor earthquake, or other vibration!

@sugarsmoking I'd guess your seeds are old/not viable. You'd likely be best getting new seed.

I'll repeat something I've posted before: I find toilet paper easier to work with than paper towel, from which the rootlets can be hard to extract without damage. TP is fragile & easier to tear.

Good luck!

pepperhead212 wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 02, 2021 5:34 pm

Welcome to the forum!

One thing to remember with peppers, especially the ghost, habaneros, and other chinense peppers, is that they love heat! Both the seeds, and the plants do better with heat. 80-85° is good for germinating, sometimes I've put them up to 90°, and usually get germination in less than a week, and if none by 2 weeks, I figure the seeds are bad. Some people have gotten peppers to germinate after 4 weeks or more at lower temps, but seeds can rot, when sitting that long.

The seed hull or husk eventually loosens from the seedlings, but I'm not sure how it ended up a few CM away, short of a minor earthquake, or other vibration!

That is why I stopped checking on them, because I thought they were all bad, now I have no idea if this one is good or not. The earthquake thing could be a plausible theory because the area where I live has been shaky for the past few months. I have attached some pictures, the seedling looks good to me but I have no point of reference.

Vanisle_BC wrote: ↑

Tue Feb 02, 2021 5:39 pm

@sugarsmoking I'd guess your seeds are old/not viable. You'd likely be best getting new seed.

I'll repeat something I've posted before: I find toilet paper easier to work with than paper towel, from which the rootlets can be hard to extract without damage. TP is fragile & easier to tear.

Good luck!

Thanks for the tip, I tried a paper towel and and a cotton pad this time but I will try toilet paper next time I try germinating.