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[GeneQueen]

Hello all i just ordered my first E. novo seeds. I could only afford 15 and its still pretty chilly here in the north east. But i was going to start my eggplants and other random solanums and wanted to try my hand at something new. I wanted to know if anyone has germinated seeds by soaking them in water untill a tap root comes out? Thank you in advance to anyone who responds.
cheers. ß

[chronic]

Best use Sphagnum Moss to germinate Erys. And most importantly, no tap water, only rainwater or treated demineralised water. The calcium in tap water kills E. coca and novo. Also no fertilizer with calcium. The substrate humos with many coarse components. 

The germination can be done by using pots with substrate and a layer of sphagnum on top. Put the seeds in the moss and let the roots grow down into the substrate. This way you combine the best of two substrates during germination and don't stress the young freshly germinated plants with a transfer.

1 Like Malak likes this.

[GeneQueen]

okay thank you i will save a few gallons of rainwater and i will make sure i dont use added calcium. I hope  ebay seeds are viable and i get that far.

[GeneQueen]

Hello, i went out and bought some long fiber moss.  I made a mix of coir, vermiculite, sand and blended that to some pro mix. I put the blend on the bottom, then a mix in the middle and 100 long fiber moss on the top. I have them hydrating in rainwater and coming up to 80F in a seedling chamber i made. My drupes should be here tomorrow.

[GeneQueen]

Much variation inside the flesh.A small percent were round all way.Most were ever so slightly elliptical. Between the elliptical ones there were some with groves and some without. Between the ones with groves there were a portion that had a hard piece of material nuzzled up against the rest off the seed. ( i hope not a tap root because two came off.)
I tried to clean the flesh  off the "berries" as much as i could with my teeth but i think i felt vascular tissue popping so i did a few with a rag.
I also left a handful whole.
I dropped them in some rain water with lime juice wile i prepped to plant them.
 8 planters with 2 seeds 4 planters with 1 seed and one ziplockbag filled with long fiber moss with 5 seeds.
I watered with warmed rain water.

2 Likes Shamichael and Malak like this.

[ThirstyRoots]

My preferred method is to make "smoke-water". I take a small amount of soil and leaves (1-1ratio at first) and place them in a metal bucket. I add enough water to make the mixture damp but not wet and then I turn my torch on a low setting and begin charring the mass. I try not to burn it so I keep mixing with one hand and torching with the other. I like to use 3-4 times as many leaves (weight, just guess) and do this until all has been successfully charred down. The soil should have a sticky feel to it from the smoke. There should be nothing recognizable as a leaf left. I then take 1-2 quarts of water and place them in my bucket. Add an airstone for 24 hours. Strain the mass with cheesecloth and the put the water in squirt bottles. I misted my Novo seeds once a day in their humid container and had a 80%+ germ rates, as well as them sprouting more quickly than the seeds misted with distilled water.

[GeneQueen]

Okay!! its over 3 weeks now and I have my Erys in 3 different locations to see who does the best. I have some in a south facing window, some in a east facing window, some under 20 hours of light with this LED and an oscillating fan.In all areas some are in bags and some are in open air.
Surprise-surprise the ones in humidity bags under the LEDs are doing best. They all seem to be doing well but the south facing window with no bag is the worst.

I am posting today because i have run out of rain water! can i just buy distilled? I think i will select one or two of my seedling and use tap water just so i can learn first hand that my water is detrimental.

I'm aware i have been warned that calcium is bad but my water here is high in Iron and other heavy metals not so much calcium.
My largest seedling with the biggest leaves look like they already have some nutrient deficiencies.
Am I good to go ahead and start feeding?