Chamomile tea: Your thoughts on this process and herbal aid?

silvertipgrizz

https://sanctuarygardener.wordpress.com/2015/03/25/a-better-way-to-germinate-pepper-and-tomato-seeds/?blogsub=confirming#blog_subscription-2

Reasons for edit: Clarified title to better describe content. Added tabs for search function.

kbmbillups1

Normally I buy veggie plants b/c I'm terrible at starting seeds. I don't have a grow matt or a grow light which might be part of my problem. This year being stuck at home I started some seeds just to see what would happen. Amazingly, my cucumber, marigold, and tomato seeds have not only sprouted but I have become seedlings! Not a single pepper seed sprouted so I might have to try this. I have some soaking in a bit of water already.

OhiohillsLouise

I have tried this with just water so now I will try with the chamomile tea. Thanks!

silvertipgrizz

@Louise

@kbmbillups1

I will be attempting this with the camomile tea with tomatos and peppers as I am hoping to get a much better germination rate into the, at least 80's..The seeds, pepper seeds I have been looking for ways to achieve that goal is the search that led me to this web site. Wish me luck. And yes the pepper seeds usually need the heat mat so I just got one of those too. If I can just get them to sprout, the rest is easy as peppers are one of the easiest plants to raise and usually need little attending other than good mulch and water, and getting them off the vine at the right time.

Good gardening to you ladies. Hopefully we will all have some good tales to tell come harvest!

LaurieLovesLearning

I always use chamomile tea from planting to ready to plant stage to prevent damping off and later to strengthen plants. It works really well.

I didn't know that it actually helped with germination. I guess that I was helping that process without knowing it!

kbmbillups1

I've been soaking my pepper seeds in a bit of water from my Berkey for about 12 hours now and I have a few sprouts!! I was so excited to see this!!!

silvertipgrizz

@kbmbillups1 Is Berkey a distiller? I ask because I distill and that's what goes in and on anything precious..ie me my cats our food, and watering seedlings.

How warm is the water and sweet or hot pepper seeds?

silvertipgrizz

@LaurieLovesLearning The only cammomile tea I have on hand also has mint in it. Do yo think the mink would hurt the seed?

shllnzl

@silvertipgrizz I believe the referenced Berkey is a gravity fed water purification system. Alexapure also makes a similar one.

silvertipgrizz

@shllnzl Oh, yes is gravity with good filters lol...Thanks!

shllnzl

@silvertipgrizz You're welcome. I own one of these filters and feel confident using the water for most anything that can take the minerals, like my orchids, for example.

(BTW: orchids do not like living in the desert -- I have a couple of them barely alive but I keep trying!)

kbmbillups1

@shllnzl Thanks! After having drunk water from your Berkey do you notice water any place else tastes terrible? My kids say it tastes like butt and that I've ruined them. 😁I can smell the chlorine when I fill the pitcher up with tap water to fill the top of the Berkey with. I used to not smell it at all.

@silvertipgrizz I love my Berkey too! When people were running to buy all of the bottled water a few weeks ago (probably still doing so) I was really glad I had my Berkey. I water my plants houseplants and the ones I've been starting with it. I also give my houseplants the water left in my Instant Pot after I've steamed veggies. I don't add anything except water to my veggies. My plants love it!

sallyhoward

good to know. thanks

LaurieLovesLearning

@silvertipgrizz I really don't know if the mint would hurt, but I would try the tea anyway.

Torey

This is a great discussion. This was something that I did not know about chamomile. Looking forward to trying it.

shllnzl

@kbmbillups1 I actually have the almost identical Alexapure filter. Last time I had unfiltered tap water it did not taste good, although never having tasted "butt", I will defer to your kids' opinion.

The water in both Nevada and Utah tastes bad and leaves mineral deposits behind in toilets, etc.

I visited Southern California once and happened to see inside a family member's dishwasher: the water there is so bad that it was literally corroding the inside of the dishwasher! Ever since then I have tried not to drink any tap water in that state. (Apologies to our California members for giving my opinion.)

silvertipgrizz

Update to all who replied coming later today, ie after finally get the seeds planted.

Hint:.... I think it will greatly help the out come of all future pepper seeds started.