I thought that I'd start a thread on this, to continue my results on it, and maybe other's results, if they try it!
At noon, on 9-29, I started the seeds for some seeds for Longhorn, Craig's Jalapeño, and Maui purple peppers, plus 2 curry tree seeds, in the Instant Pot, on yogurt mode, on low, and the temp stays around 90°, or just under. And yesterday, after soaking in 500 ppm GA-3, I started some Eggplant seeds around noon, so they are just a day later. Here they are before the eggplants: Longhorn, Craig's jalapeños, and Maui Purple peppers, plus 2 curry tree seeds, planted 9-29 in IP by pepperhead212, on Flickr
This evening, I put those sprouted curry tree seeds in the stray with 6 others, that I put directly into the seed starting mix, after squeezing out of the berry. So they have already been in 4 days - I'll see what grows better. And I started soaking some bitter melons - 3 in water, and 3 in 500 ppm GA-3, to see if this heat helps, and if either is better. In each dish I soaked 2 of this year's variety - Sayonara - and one Comet, which is a variety that I just ordered. I've had trouble with these sprouting in the past, and I just thought about them today.
What are those clear containers? Do they have lids? How many seeds can you get in the pot? How would you organize them if large number and keep them labeled, etc.?
apple Those dishes are petri dishes, and yes, they have lids. This brand, that I use most, has a small section that is sort of a label window, where the plastic is roughed slightly, so pencil will write on it. Unfortunately, as always, I haven't seen it again on Amazon or ebay, but I got another brand, and took some 600 grit sandpaper, to make my own label windows on them.
I figured that when I end up with more seeds, come spring, I will have levels, and maybe slightly larger plates - something I'll be looking into. Or, if only one or two plants are needed (which is most!) I could make a line on the PT pad, and have one on one side, and one on the other. I won't really be having that many, just the peppers and eggplants, plus oddball varieties, like those bitter melons.
So far, no Maui sprouts, and examining the seeds closely I may see one possibly showing a sign of a sprout. If they don't sprout soon, I'm going to do another experiment, based on a strange thing that happened a couple of years ago, when I tried sprouting these with my usual pepper seeds, in the heated vermiculite tray, which is usually kept in the high 80s. Out of about 20 seeds, none sprouted in 2 weeks, when all the rest of the peppers were off and growing in their pots already. So I gave up on it, and pulled all the unused sprouts out of the tray, and dumped the vermiculite into a bag, and stuck it in the shed. It sat their, through the summer, and the shed would get so hot sometimes that when I opened it, I had to let it cool for a while, before touching some things. So I always figured the soil components I kept in there for making up batches of seed starting mix had been sort of "solarized". In fall, I made up a batch of starting mix for the cool weather seeds, using some of that vermiculite. The usual things went in, mostly brassicas, and in just 2 days things started coming up. Normal for lettuce, but usually takes longer for the rest. Plus, the seedlings didn't look normal. And some were sort of purple, and the only one I planted that was purple was kohlrabi. By the 4th day, a bunch of what I planted were coming up, next to the earlier ones, and I realized that they were those Maui purple seeds I had given up on!! In just 2 days they had started coming up, and they had been drying out in that hot shed all summer! I got over a dozen sprouts, yet I didn't get one in the spring.
So here's what I'll do now, in a couple days, if none sprout - I'll take that petri dish and uncover it, and put it in my oven - the one with the pilot light, that stays around 125-130° all the time. In a few weeks I'll plant those in regular soil, at room temp, and maybe a few in the coir in the hydro, and see if any sprouts appear.
Today I took those seeds out. The Comet hi melon seeds didn't sprout at all, despite all 4 of the others ending up like small plants! None of the hoja santa sprouted, and I thought that one might benefit from the warmth. The parsley nor the celery sprouted - I'll try new ones of them in a seed sprouter, as that has worked before. The spearmint is already sprouted in the hydroponics, so I threw those away.
And now, I'm actually making some yogurt in the IP using the yogurt mode! 4 pints curing in there.
apple, I figured some seeds, like peppers, eggplants, and bitter melons, would benefit from the heat, but the others were just things I tried, just to see. The hoja santa I thought might benefit, being from Mexico, but I still haven't gotten any sprouts. And like you said, now I am back to being able to use the IP for its usual jobs! It's unbelievable how much I have come to using that thing, esp. in the summer, when the AC is on.
Wonderful. I have never had luck with sprouting bitter melon. Being an Indian, bitter melon is the crop of envy for us, specially in Colorado.
I will definitely use the method. It makes sense as everybody says that best sprouting temperatures are around 85F. What better way to ensure proper moisture and temperature.
Just curious. You started these seeds in Sep end just for experiment. Right?
Yes, I'm not planning on growing them inside at that time of year! lol
The only drawback to doing that in the IP is not having the IP to use for cooking. I don't realize how much I use that thing, until I can't use it! But then, it's not like I don't have enough other pots.
I never tried cilantro, as that doesn't seem to be one that needs higher heat. And I still can't figure that one out. I'm always seeing things about it needing cooler weather, but that can't be the problem, given the regions where it is used mostly are tropical, or close to it. And I've tried many varieties, including the oval Indian variety, used for coriander, but everything bolts early on me. I have one in my hydroponics - where they last longest for me - but only one started. I'll have to start another bunch of them.
I haven’t successfully grown cilantro in years. I got spoiled before when they used to come up on their own very early each spring from unharvested dropped seeds in the spring after the the very first batch and thereafter.
I’m pretty sure that first one was a no name cilantro from seed packet at the store — Ferry Morse or Burpee most likely… and no, I don’t remember how I got those started in the first place.
I should buy a packet of seeds and just dump them on an available bed right now….
it is funny. my wife threw some coriander seeds in out veggie plot. they come up, drop seed and keep coming back. some seeds drop on the gravel and grow too. but, when I plant them inside, they refuse to behave
This season, I have decided that instapot is better for sprouting than for cooking. I have sprouted everything marrying Paper towel with instapot. Results are outstanding. Most seeds took 3 to 5 days.
Some seeds, like the Korean peppers, took almost 10 days. I was about to throw them out till I noticed a little tail (you had to peer hard at it to see). Lo and behold, most of them sprouted in next 5 days.
Next set of seeds are Cilantro seeds. No luck till now.
Any tips on growing Cilantro? First, the seed germination rate is low. Then, those which do, keel over. OTOH, I see one or two plants growing robustly through the rocks.
Cilantro doesn't do well for me, at least outside - as soon as it starts getting hot out, it bolts. Also doesn't have great germination %, and it doesn't really get better at higher temps. I've tried a bunch of varieties, including a "frilly" type, that were all supposed to be bolt resistant, but didn't find any better than the others. One thing I have found that helps some is to split the seeds - each seed is actually two, and splitting them helps them sprout faster, as the water gets to the inside faster. One source actually had cilantro seeds already split, for a little more.
Longhorn, Craig's jalapeños, and Maui Purple peppers, plus 2 curry tree seeds, planted 9-29 in IP by pepperhead212, on Flickr
Longhorn pepper seed, in the IP yogurt low mode, sprouting in 55 hours. by pepperhead212, on Flickr
