[matilda333]

Hello all..

I would like to ask if anyone has grown dorset naga chillis from seed successfully?

I recently bought some seeds and diligently planted under a propagator outside but to no avail not even a hint of seelings... I must admit i was a little slack in tending to the seeds, so thought i would try a second attempt.

So, with the thoughts of super hot chillis I eagerly had another go with these seeds, under a propagator again but this time keeping the seeds inside, hoping less fluctuating temperatures may help. But still nothing.... 

Does anyone have any tips on how to grow these seeds successfully? I am wondering whether soaking the seeds before planting would help, or perhaps the seeds are just too old? I did buy this year so I would have thought they would be fine, but I guess you never know..

Any tips or insightful knowledge appreciated as always, thanks guys 

[GrannieAnnie]

Mine didn't germinate this year.  I did get germination last year, but as I didn't look after them properly, they all died!

I'm useless at times!  My Scotch bonnets are doing okay, but they were a second sowing too!

[matilda333]

Hmm was there anything you did differently GrannieAnnie last year to this year?....

I have been successful with some other types of chilli's and peppers that I've planted this year, but none are as potent as the nagas!

[GrannieAnnie]

If anything, I tried to be more careful this year!  Tried not to forget to water them, maybe watered them a bit too much, but in the modules I planted them in, some went a little green on top which shows too much water, but other modules in the same tray were too dry, even though I watered them the same!

And they were only last year's seeds, so should have been okay!

[shokkyy]

I'm trying Fatallii for the first time this year, and they're incredibly slow growing. I sowed them on 22nd Jan, they germinated in about 10 days and have been potted on, but four months on they're still only about 2 inches high

My superchillis sowed at the same time are about 10 inches high and have flowers and fruit on them.

[Epona_4]

ive had a total crop failure with my chillis (around 7 different varieties) i had to resort to *choke buying one from garden centre!

[arugula]

We can't seem to get chocolate habanero to germinate here. None last year and none this. Are hotter chilli varieties more difficult to get going or did we get a dodgy batch of seeds? 

[mumofstig]

I think they are difficult to germinate without heat.

I start my chillis in a heated prop on a table next to the window, even so they are not the quickest things, and sometimes take weeks to germinate


This site has some tips
http://www.thechileman.org/guide_starting.php

[arugula]

We have no problems with other varieties, just these hotter ones. We'll get some new seeds next year and try again anyway.

[Lardman]

Hmm was there anything you did differently GrannieAnnie last year to this year?....

If they were the same seeds I sent Grannie for last year its probably because the age of the seeds. They were from 2006 !

They're slow to germinate and need plenty of heat, I scatter a liberal handful of seeds from 2006 in a pot at the start of the year and had about 30% germinate.

[shokkyy]

I never have problems with germinating chillis. All I do is stick them in pots on the worktop near the boiler and they come up pretty quick there, but I never use a propagator or anything like that. Cayenne and Superchilli I always find very easy to grow on and last year I got a massive crop from them, but clearly Fatallii are a much more difficult variety so I doubt I'll get much from them.

[JayG]

Even cayenne seeds don't last forever; the germination of the 3 year old packet of seeds I used this year (the seeds themselves will be around 4 years old) was down to around 50%.

[matilda333]

Hmm was there anything you did differently GrannieAnnie last year to this year?....

If they were the same seeds I sent Grannie for last year its probably because the age of the seeds. They were from 2006 !

They're slow to germinate and need plenty of heat, I scatter a liberal handful of seeds from 2006 in a pot at the start of the year and had about 30% germinate.

no, these ones weren't from Grannie, and I'm hoping they werent from back as far as 2006!!!!

[matilda333]

Its reassuring to hear that its not just me that is having trouble with the hotter varieties!!

I think i might try a few different germination methods as a bit of an experiment... better put the kettle on!!

[mobilekat]

I have never bought chilli seeds, instead I have always grown them from the chillis I have had to eat, and the germination is normally great. (have baby scotch bonnets growing this year)

I know from what the guys at the local chilli farm say, that the germination can be very patchy and they say some varieties take up to 5 weeks to get their act together!

So if you can give them a bit more time, it may be worth waiting, think the longest I have known was about 2 months- I had forgotten they were there until little heads popped up- then lots appeared together!