I sprout all my peppers on papertowel! When they sprout, i use tiny tongs and plant each sprouted seed in their starter pot. I get 100% every year! And it happens in 3 to 4 days!! That way i can keep them at 80° in my house and can check them morning and night without taking up space, having to climb stairs, or getting dress. I do ALL my transplants this way. 😉😊😊

I found a lazy way to start seeds in the garden. Plant seeds to required depth. Water and put clear plastic over them. Stick sticks in corners of plastic to keep wind from blowing it away. Check in a week. Hasn't failed.

Hello Jill and her fans, I work as a Quality Control/trouble shooter at an Organic Seed distributer some of you may know called Mumm's Sprouting Seeds Ltd. In Saskatchewan Canada. I have some tips I'd like to share that we use while testing seed quality and germination rates etc. In general, when doing a germ test, soak the seeds prior to placing in a paper towel. I say in general because most seeds will have a higher success rate, but gelatinous seeds like some mustards and chia seeds for example, will stick together and be a pain to separate. So seeds like that just go straight to a moist paper towel if you are germ testing them. You'll want to soak for a few hours at least all the way up to 8 or more hours. Peas and Beans, and most large seeds of this size do well with a 4 to 6 hour soak time. The seeds will almost double in size. Doing a hot water soak (don't boil the water; 122f-50c is a good start) - whether germ testing or planting in soil - can, and often does, wake the seeds up from their dormancy so to speak. We soak pretty much all our seeds both for germ testing and grow testing. If we run into a troublesome seed batch with poor germ, then we do a hot soak and try again. As a few people have mentioned, water from below, always. Especially when you are starting indoors in trays. If you can, always water from below, this stimulates the roots to seek the water source and grow DOWN into the soil. It also prevents the spread of mold spores on the soils surface, and can in some cases, prevent a fungus that causes a condition called "damp off". Water from below. Stack your planted seeds. By that I mean put something over the planted seeds that covers the bed fully, and put some weight on it. A piece of plastic with a board on it and a bunch of books for weight as an example. You are simulating nature, and helping the seeds find the correct direction to set their roots. If you do this, make certain the soil has moisture (but not too much) and do not disturb them until you can see the plants either pushing up the weighted object, and/or seeing the plants spilling out through the cracks around the sides of the weighted object. Usually from around day 4 to 5. You don't want to put so much weight on them that it crushes and compacts the soil, a few pounds is good. If you use a 10x20 tray, 5 to 10 pounds is nothing to the plants. They will lift that up a good inch or two by the 5th day. Keep everything sanitized. While fungus are important in nature for a healthy and nourishing soil for life to grow, those same fungus will cause growing issue for the home grower. So if you keep everything nice and clean you can prevent fungus from starting before your baby's get big enough that fungus won't be that big a deal to them anymore. If you do have molding and fungus issues, and you are a coffee drinker like I am, any left over brewed coffee you have in your pot (nothing added to it, just water and brewed coffee) can be used to help control mold issues. Put that stuff into a spray bottle straight up - put it in the fridge to cool off - at the first sign of mold give the seed bed a spray of your favorite black coffee. And, probably the most important thing for healthy plants, is your voice and love. Talk to them, project kindness towards them and welcome them to this life. If you take care of them and show them your love and kindness, they'll take care of you and give you their love and life energy in return.

For the past number of years it's warm in April and cool and rainy in May.

I planted 15 year old pea seeds and they grew lol taste was really fresh.. was amazed.. God made seeds to last , if stored right.

Agree with Dorri water from the bottom only! this also prevents mildew, fungus and spreading disease to other leaves.

Elizabeth says, Yep, I found out last year my seed is too old. Now I'm learning that even though zone 9's last frost date is well past, even the hardiest seed like squash, cuke, and melon aren't germinating, I'm sure because of cool soil; too cool. Great guidelines, Jill!

Bottom watering seedlings helps a lot! makes the roots reach down, and makes them stronger!

I toss them old seeds out in the chicken areas. It’s just a bonus if they sprout and get eaten.

I had old seeds this year that didn't sprout. Fed what was left in the seed packet to my chickens and they love it! Don't let anything go to waste even if it is too old.

The green stalk is wonderful. I live in the city and have a raised beds, an area to single stem tomatoes, and I use one green stalk for bunch beans and my other one for herbs, beets, lettuce, kale, etc. I love it!

To make your indoor seedlings even more sturdy you can also simulate wind by touching them (bending, no snapping).

I'll be watching how your Greenstalk goes -- mine was just delivered, but in 5a we can't really plant until about Mother's Day. I used to do a larger garden, but the weeds always won. I do container gardening now (last few years in stacked cinder blocks) -- works great for hot peppers, lettuce and herbs and a few flowers for some pop. I have lots of dwarf and bush seeds I plan to put into the Greenstalk.

I really like your videos Jill. I like how you keep it real and also simple. That's my style! :) Just watching you as you go through your routine is helpful to me. I do have a hard time knowing exactly how much water and light. And, do you need heating pads after germination?? I am still trying to figure it all out. Also, I'm wondering how you are liking KZfaq. I've been following you for a while-- have your cookbook, bought the course you did and DVDs. They are all great, but I really like your youtube videos. It seem more relaxed, smaller chucks of learning, more like stopping by for a visit. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us.

I just filled my green stalk with soil tonight. Took me 8-40 lb bags to fill it. Planning on strawberries, lettuce, beans and carrots in mine.

Yes please, I'd love some info on your soil blocks too.

Awesome content Jill, keep them coming

I love your channel. You explain stuff really well and your down to earth.

In Western North Carolina my problem sprouting spinach was doing it indoors with the lettuce seeds. Spinach was slow and inconsistent at best. Direct seeding in the row works very well, late February (Zone 7a). In other words, indoor temps (60-68 degrees) were too high for spinach. Peppers, eggplant, and tomato seeds really like a heat mat (77-80 degrees) until they're sprouted. And a humidity dome over the germination tray allows steady moisture without any overhead watering, a practice that risks damping off. FWIW

Glad I found your channel. Here in Northern Colorado. Your info is the relevant for me. I have learned so much. 🥰🥰🥰

Thank you for this video!

grateful for the info on this vid.....every helpful with regard to my "old" packets of seeds that I trying to use this year.

Love, love, love your videos. Thank you so much for all your hard work. We are blessed by you and your family. Love from Nova Scotia

My peppers popped up pretty quick. Heat mats and grow lights with domes. I’ll only do it that way.

Thank you so much for this video. This will be my first year starting from seed and I have seen some germination issues. I will keep in mind theses tips that you have given.

Exactly what happens to our seed some they don’t grown, we have to keep seeding all over and over again. This is helpful tip. Thanks. Nice new pot. 👍👍Have a wonderful day. Goi g to watch more of your videos🙏

Hello from a Canadian gardener ❤️🇨🇦

Green pepper seeds sprouted today! Ten days on the nose.

You probably sold a lot of Green Stalks for that company. Looks like a great idea.

Hi Jill, just a little helpful tip on your plant labels...you can put painter's tape over the seed label and then write down the seed name on the painter's tape. Next year, just put another piece of painter's tape over the previous one. :-)

I'm sure you have answered this before but where did you get your seed storage? I love it!!!!

Great information

Haven't had any trouble with my peppers, they germinated fast this year. My tomatoes on the other hand I was forced to buy actual plants(sprouts). My tomatoes just haven't wanted to do anything at all. Thats why im here lol.

Thank you.

Everything that I planted for seeds came up good except for my peppers. They haven't come up above the surface, but I can see some trying to peek up. Edit: 6 have come up and there are several more below the surface.

Where can I get those lovely containers you have for your seeds? Are they for pictures as well? Thanks for your videos!

Hey there! Where did you get those plastic containers that you held the seeds in? Those looked cool!

Thanks for the info. What type of container did you show that had your seeds stored in?

THKS

I don’t have a green thumb. I have a tendency to either overwater or not at all, then sadly they die. 😕 So I’m going to give it a true try this year and start small perhaps plant a few herbs such as mint, thyme, basil, and cilantro (herbs I buy constantly) and go from there. Thank you for your videos they are so informative and uncomplicated, so easy to understand. Question, have you ever dried your own herbs/spices?

Jill - Loved this video! Going to watch more - saw someone else ask, and hoping you can answer - those storage containers are wonderful and would be perfect for my cabinet where I store seeds - where can I get those??? Thank you in advance!

Jill, you mentioned that your peppers were slow to germinate but you forgot to say when you sowed them and how many days til they germinated. It would be a big help to those of us still waiting for germination and on the verge of tossing! Thanks

If you haven't already, you should consider up-grading the greenhouse with rigid insulation buried along the perimeter to keep the frost out and the interior soil warmer. You don't have to dig deep, you can go down 12-16" then outwards under the soil for 2-4-ft. horizontally. Then you can cover the insulation with soil or crushed stone and a buried drain.

Can you please share how you get your soil into the block shape?

Hey Jill , I have a brand new Greenstalk in my living Room ! I'm so excited 🙌🐦 Thanks for sharing 👌 JO JO IN VT 💕😄

Hi Jill! Perfect timing! I was just telling my friend yesterday how disappointed I was that only the watermelon seeds germinated, then fell over after I left them outside for 2 days in the sun. We live in southern cal so it's been warm enough I suppose, but it might have been the lack of enough water??? Anyways, can we use the same soil and just add another seed on top and try again?

Hello, Im trying to start tomatoes for the first time this year. I have them inside and covered with plastic wrap but it looks like it grew fuzzy white mold. What did I do wrong? Is it too wet?

There was no link when you pointed at the end of the video for seed starting hacks. Qué pasó?

Love 💕

What indoor light do you have?

Please tell me where u got your seed packet organizer! I

The float test works also. Put them in water if they float duds sink winners

What do you do if you’ve already planted the seeds that are about 2 to 3 years old and it has frosted a couple times since you’ve planted them? Do you think there’s any of them coming up? It too early to tell I think because I plan for them quite deep but they should be coming up around this time and I’m not seeing anything ? I live in North Carolina.

What light do you recommend. We have a grow light to extend our tomato season. We tried using it to start seeds and it did not work. We had to buy already started heirloom tomatoes. None of our seeds grew. Not even the herbs

North east florida here- tomato seeds are giving me no germination vibes 😬👩‍🌾 can it be too hot?

I had mine way over watered and did not realize for maybe 5 days or so. I realized this and emptied the extra watered and now it's just damp. Could they still germinate do you think, or did I screw it up? What do you think?

How are the blocks making out?

Here's the scoop on the vertical garden I showed at the end of the video (code HOMESTEAD for $10 off $75)--> lddy.no/vwny

What is the containers you keep your seeds in

So would you throw non germinating seeds into compost pile??

💚

Do you have any tricks or tips for getting rid of fungus gnats? I have tried multiple different potting mixes from the hardware store, cleaning the pots, sprinkling cinnamon into the dirt and sprinkling chamomile into the dirt but nothing has seemed to help. I live in a condo, so everything is grown inside and with potting mix from the store.

Where did you get your seed storage container? Love that!

I would be concerned about growing a food crop in a plastic container and having chemicals leach in.....

I worked very hard and lost most to fungus gnats..............I HATE FUNGUS GNATS !!!!!

Where do you live?

A LOT OF HERBS ARE REALLY SLOW TO GERMINATE...☮️❤️💥😇🖖

Btw I hope your next batch of chicks turn out better.

zone, area, country, last frost date ??????????I wish these videos would state in there titles !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seeds not sprouting? Something with the moon? Sow seeds just at or just áfter New Moon and you’ll find they sprout like weeds. Sounds far fetched? Go , Give it a try... it’s easy done...

Elizabeth says, Yep, I found out last year my seed is too old. Now I'm learning that even though zone 9's last frost date is well past, even the hardiest seed like squash, cuke, and melon aren't germinating, I'm sure because of cool soil; too cool. Great guidelines, Jill!

Thank you.