More on my search for trying to salvage the pepper seeds...
From the Old Farmer's Almanac:
PEPPER SEEDS need warm soil to germinate.
Experiments by Georgia horticulturists have shown that the highest rate
of germination (80 percent) occurs when the soil temperature is 70° to
80° F. Water seedlings from the top with warm water. I'm planning to dig out the heating pad for this and I hadn't used warm water before.
Start
pepper seeds three to a pot, and thin out the weakest seedling. Let the
remaining two pepper plants spend their entire lives together as one
plant. The leaves of two plants help protect the peppers against
sunscald, and the yield is often half again as good as two segregated
plants. Interesting! I will definitely do this if I ever get some seedlings!
If
you buy pepper plants at a nursery, use the seed leaves (the first
leaves to emerge) as a "stress barometer." As long as they are strong,
green, and healthy looking, you have a good, healthy plant.
When
pepper plants bloom, make a solution of Epsom salts in water, and spray
the plants. The NGA asked test gardeners to mix one tablespoon of Epsom
salts in a gallon of water and spray it on the leaves of 'Gypsy'
peppers, once when they bloomed and again ten days later. The results,
attributed to magnesium in the salts, were larger plants and fruit. What's a Gypsy Pepper I wonder?
Take
a book of matches with you when you set pepper plants out in the
garden, and put two or three matches in the hole with each plant. They
give the plants a bit of sulfur, which they like. There's that match head advice I was looking for. Check.
Okay then...
XXKHT
Very useful tips! I love green peppers. Good luck with yours.
Posted by: Nancy Bond | 05 April 2008 at 02:12 PM