How do you trick a seed?

I`m try to grow piper nigrum , the commun black pepper , I`ve been looking on internet for information and apparently it`s really hard to germinate , as the seed need to get trough an animal digestive system and then on the floor.

any suggestion? no funny business thank you

 

Erm, well, you could always eat a few whole ones yourself. And then.....

Suppose that comes under the heading of funny business, though.

 

Sorry thank you for the idea , but no funny business ....I was waiting for Zig to come out with something like it .

 

Stomach fluids are highly acidic, and as I recall also contain Chloride compounds. So I would be looking to soak in an acid and bleach mix (not sure if that is a safe mix, or what ratios to mix it in) and then sow in ericaceous soil.

 

Surely you will get "some" germination without the passing through an animals gut.
How many plants do you need?

How about trying soaking in vinegar for a few hours?

 

First, get hold of a Badger...

Try rubbing the seeds on sandpaper to break down the outer coating.

 

will a Cat do the trick ............
Pete , Vinegar could be a good idea , i was reading about using a red light for 2 hours a day.....that confused me even more .....red light for 2 hours a day .

or another thing I can think of is , that no one have ever tryed to chip them as we do with the cannas.

if anyone would like to have a go feel free to ask for some seeds.
got planty.

 

Chip them?

 

Chip them and soak in diet coke - works for many seeds.

 

And for Chard Girls

{edit, might need to add Baccardi}

 

Sal - I am sure you have seen this post on GardenWeb as its the one that mentions red light - but I am showing it for anyone else interested.:-

This plant is a pain to start from seed. It is way, way easier to start from a rooted cutting.
Like many tropicals, it hates its seeds to be watered with tap water because chlorine, alkaline minearls, or salts found in tap water inhibit its sprouting. It needs very pure water such as rainwater or reverse-osmosis water.
The seeds you have are quite possibly dormant too. As with many tropical berries, the germination of over-ripe pepper seeds is reported to be greater than the germination of less mature seeds. Seed suppliers can't usually let the pepper berries get over-ripe because it is messy and risks birds making off with the crop. So they are harvested before that stage and this causes dormancy.
Treatments to the seed coat and alternating temperatures may promote germination, but careful regulation of moisture, temperature and light in the environment may be necessary for germination to occur. Make sure the seeds are kept at a temp as close as possible to 25 degrees Celsius and do not let them dry out.
Scarification (pre-treatment to break dormancy) with concentrated sulphuric acid, for 2 minutes to simulate what happens when the seeds are eaten by birds or animals, followed by thorough rinsing and then low light sowing is recommended for this species. Applying red light for 2 hours every 8-12 hrs also may help.
In nursery cultivation seeds may germinate satisfactorily provided they are sown shallow, or on top of sand, or in the shade. It is suggested that seeds of Piper spp. be tested for germination at 25°C with red light applied, for 2 hours in every 8-12 hours.
Sources: personal experience and URL below. The online document is a manual from Bioversity International on seed testing for seedbanks. Seedbanks need to keep track of germination techniques for all their plants, so they can test seeds for viability.

It mentions sulphuric acid, which you get in car batteries, though I think that stomach acid is hydrochloric acid. I don't know of any simple source for that. If you have a bottle of Fennings Fever Cure - its main ingredient is dilute nitric acid.

Other suggestions were to soak for 24 hours to soften the coat - same as chipping coat, and treating with hydrogen peroxide or similar as the seeds often have harmful bacteria on them.

 

Sunshine Seeds says :-

Sowing Instruction
Propagation: Seeds/Cuttings
Pre-Treatment: soak ca. 24 h in lukewarm water
Sowing Time: all year round > only fresh seeds germinate reliably
Sowing Deep: ca. 1 cm
Sowing Mix: Coir or sowing mix + sand or perlite
Germination Temperature: ca. 27-30°C
Location: bright + keep constantly moist, not wet
Germination Time: ca. 3-6 weeks
Watering: in the growing season regularly water
Fertilization: weekly 0,2%ig or long-term fertilizer
Pests: Spider mites > especially under glass
Substrate: potting soil + sand or perlite
Culture: bright at approx. 20°C + keep constant slightly moist
Overwintering: Older specimens bright at least 15-20°C and according to ambient temperature keep slightly moist always.

Another site says seeds are only viable for 7 to 10 days.