I recently began my gardening adventure around New Year's, and I've found seed starting to be quite a challenge. Is this something that everyone experiences? I start my seeds using the paper towel method until they sprout, then I move them to the double cup method with a Ziploc bag for humidity. I've managed to get jalapeno seeds to sprout, but then I tend to overwater, underwater, or end up damaging them, like today when I tried to remove the hull and ended up tearing off the leaves. My apple seedlings have been doing well for the past two months, but all of my pepper seedlings have died since January.
3 Answers
You might want to soak your pepper seeds for a day before planting them in a seed starting system. I find that watering can be tricky, so I just sprinkle water on top to keep the soil moist without overdoing it. Less water is often better!
It sounds like you're putting a ton of effort into your seedlings! I think you might be over-complicating things. Instead of starting them with the paper towel method, try planting the seeds directly in a seed starting mix. Once they’ve got a few true leaves, you can transplant them if needed. For peppers, they do take a while to grow, so don’t get discouraged if it seems slow!
Hang in there! It looks like you're handling the seedlings too much. Instead of taking off the hull, just leave it be; it usually comes off on its own. I'd recommend sprouting seeds directly in small pots. That way, they'll be less disturbed. And when you need to thin seedlings, hold them by the leaves rather than the stem. Also, remember with apple seeds, the variety might not be what you expect!