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Planting pepper seeds isn’t difficult and is the best way to enjoy the diverse range of sweet and hot pepper varieties available through seed catalogs. There are several ways you can approach starting pepper seeds. The most common method is to sow the seeds in pots or cell packs filled with a seed-starting mix. The second option is to pre-sprout the seeds using the paper towel method. Both are easy and effective and the first step to growing a bounty of homegrown peppers. This article walks you through each technique and offers tips for success.
The benefits of planting pepper seeds
Gardeners who wish to grow peppers either buy seedlings from their local nursery or start seeds indoors. It’s quick to pick up a pack of sweet or hot pepper seedlings from a garden centre, but there are many benefits to planting pepper seeds yourself. The biggest one is that you can take advantage of the incredible diversity of peppers available through seed catalogs.
There are hundreds of types and varieties to choose from with peppers divided into two main categories: sweet and hot. For sweet peppers there are bell, snacking, Italian frying, and pimento cheese peppers. As for hot peppers, also called chili peppers, you’ll discover they can range from mildly spicy to super hot. I’m partial to medium-hot peppers like jalapeños and cayenne peppers, but perhaps you want to try growing superhots like Carolina Reaper or Ghost pepper.
Another reason for planting pepper seeds is that you can save money growing from seed. Buying seedlings, especially if you have a large growing space, adds up, but a seed packet of pepper seeds usually contains about 30 to 50 seeds and costs just a couple of dollars.
To learn more about planting pepper seeds, watch this video:
When to plant pepper seeds indoors
Peppers are a member of the nightshade family, along with tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplant. They are heat-loving vegetables and need a long growing season to grow, flower, produce fruits, and in many cases, mature the fruits. Growing your own peppers from seed allows you to control timing so that you have vigorous, healthy seedlings when the time is right to transplant.
Pepper seeds are started indoors from late winter to early spring, depending on your region. They are best sown 8 to 10 weeks before the last frost date. In my zone 5 garden I typically sow hot pepper seeds late February through early March and sweet pepper seeds mid-March through early April. The seeds of hot peppers, particularly super hot types often take longer than sweet pepper varieties to germinate. Sweet peppers germinate in 10 to 14 days, while hot peppers take 14 to 21 days to sprout.
In this article I’ll also talk a bit about seeding heat mats which can speed up and improve germination, because pepper seeds germinate slowly in cool soil. Seedling heat mats warm the soil to 80 to 90 degrees F (27 to 32 degrees C), the ideal temperature for pepper germination.
Planting pepper seeds: Two easy and effective options
You may be surprised to learn that there are two methods for planting pepper seeds. The first, and most common is to sow seeds in a seed-starting mix or all-purpose potting mix. The second is a two-step process called the paper towel method and is a great way to start a lot of seeds in a small space.
Option 1: Planting pepper seeds in a growing mix
The most popular method of planting pepper seeds is to sow them in a growing mix like a seed-starting mix or an all-purpose potting mix. The soil is put into containers like cell packs, plug trays, flats, or pots, or you can use soil blockers to create small cubes of growing mix. Below I outline several ways to plant pepper seeds in growing mix, as well as talk more about the best type of soil for planting peppers.
The best soil for starting pepper seeds
Using a high quality growing mix is essential when planting pepper seeds. It must be lightweight and have good drainage or else the seeds may rot. I use a seed-starting mix or an all-purpose potting mix which contain ingredients like peat moss, coconut coir, compost, perlite, vermiculite, and nutrients. You can DIY a seed-starting growing mix or buy a pre-mixed bag online or from your local garden center.
Planting pepper seeds in soil blocks
Soil blocking is my favorite way to start seeds indoors because it’s easy, effective, and uses far less plastic than other seed-starting methods. Soil blocks are formed using block molds, which come in a range of sizes. For planting pepper seeds I like to use the small sized soil blocks which are just three-quarters of an inch square. Once the seedlings have several sets of true leaves, the small blocks are transplanted into the medium-sized soil blocks. It’s a great system!
To plant in soil cubes, sow one seed in the small divot at the top of the block, covering the seed with a scant quarter inch of potting mix. Water and then label each row of soil cubes with the type of pepper and variety name. When all the cubes are planted, move the tray on top of a heating mat. Keep the soil cubes lightly moist by spritzing them with a soil mister or bottom watering.
Planting pepper seeds in cell packs and trays
Cell packs allow you to plant a lot of seeds in a relatively small space. Seed trays, also called 1020 trays because they measure ten by twenty inches, are the perfect size for a cell pack insert. There are many types of cell pack inserts you can buy. I typically use 806 or 1004’s as they’re availably locally and hold enough growing mix to give pepper seedlings a good start. An 806 insert has eight packs, each having six cells. A 1004 insert has ten packs, each having four cells. You can also buy plug flats, which are sturdier than cell pack inserts and last far longer. Popular plug flats include 50’s, 72’s, and 128’s and the number indicates the amount of cells per flat. Like cell pack inserts these also fit in 1020 trays.
When you’re ready to sow pepper seeds, place the cell pack insert or plug tray in the 1020 seeding tray and fill it with the moistened growing medium. Plant the pepper seeds a quarter inch deep with 1 to 2 seeds per cell. Cover the tray with a humidity dome or sheet of plastic wrap to keep humidity high and encourage good germination. If you’re using a heating mat to raise the soil temperature, place the tray on top and plug it in. Remove the seedling heat mat once half of the seeds have sprouted. Leaving it on too long causes leggy growth.
Planting pepper seeds in pots
As with cell packs and plug trays, there are many options for pots. There are plastic pots and peat pots, or you can recycle items like paper coffee cups, egg cartons, or even toilet paper rolls. Whatever type of pot you decide to use it must have drainage holes. If using recycled items, poke holes in the bottom before you fill them with the growing mix so excess irrigation water drains away.
When the time is right for planting pepper seeds, fill the pots with growing mix. Sow 1 to 2 seeds in each pot, planting them a quarter inch deep. Add a plant tag or label to each pot. I typically recommend using a seedling heat mat when starting pepper seeds in cell packs, plug trays, or small soil blocks. However, a heating mat doesn’t work well with pots, because pots hold a larger volume of growing mix and the mat doesn’t generate enough heat to warm all that soil. Instead, place the pots in a warm spot such as on top of a refrigerator.
Option 2: Planting pepper seeds using the paper towel method
Many types of seeds, including sweet and hot peppers, can be started using the paper towel method. This technique is used to test the viability of old seeds and is also an easy and cost-effective way to start a lot of seeds in a small space.
Step by Step Guide:
- Step 1 – Pre-soaking pepper seeds in room temperature water for 12 hours softens the seed coat and helps break dormancy.
- Step 2 – Place the pre-soaked seeds on a sheet of damp paper towel or use a paper coffee filter. Space the seeds a half inch apart and then fold the paper towel, covering the seeds completely.
- Step 3 – Slip the paper towel in a zip-top baggie or a sealable container. Close the baggie, but don’t squeeze out all the air as oxygen is necessary for germinating seeds. Instead, use a straw to blow air into the baggie to puff it up, and then quickly seal it.
- Step 4 – Place the baggie or container on a seedling heat mat. Peppers are a warm season vegetable and germinate best when kept between 80 and 90 degrees F (27 to 32 degrees C).
- Step 5 – Check the moisture level of the paper towel often, spritzing with more water if it seems dry. While doing this, look to see if any of the seeds have germinated. Depending on the type of seed and temperature, germination may take 10 to 30 days.
- Step 6 – Once you spot germinated seeds (they’ll have a baby root, called a radicle that emerges first), carefully lift them off the paper towel and transplant them into cell packs, soil blocks, or pots filled with potting mix. Place the root in the growing mix and the seed coat at soil level. I use tweezers for this step.
- Step 7 – Move the planted pepper seeds to a sunny window or place them beneath a grow light.
Caring for pepper seedlings: 5 steps to success
After planting, follow these steps to encourage healthy plant growth.
- Light – It’s important to give pepper seedlings plenty of light. If they don’t have enough, the seedlings stretch towards the closest light source and grow leggy. If you have a bright window you can rely on direct sunlight, but I prefer to use a grow light. Keep it turned on for 16 hours daily.
- Air flow – Good air flow helps prevent issues like damping off. Damping off affects newly germinated seedlings and is caused by fungi or molds. I use a small oscillating fan in my seed starting room to move air around.
- Fertilize – When the seedlings have developed two sets of true leaves, it’s time to start fertilizing. If they’re not fertilized, the leaves may start yellowing. I fertilize every 10 to 14 days and for the first few feedings I use a liquid organic fertilizer, like fish emulsion, diluting it to one-quarter strength. For the third feeding, I dilute the fertilizer by one-half. Fertilize at full strength after setting the plants out in the garden.
- Thin – If you sowed more than 1 seed per cell pack or soil block, thin out the weakest seedlings once the first true leaves have developed. Pinch the extra plant out with your fingers or use garden snips to clip it back to soil level.
- Water – Don’t overwater pepper seedlings. Aim to keep the soil lightly moist. Too much water can cause root rot and damage the young plants. Also, don’t allow the seedlings to dry out to the point of wilting as this can prompt issues like blossom-end rot.
For more information on growing peppers, be sure to read these in-depth articles:
- How far apart to plant peppers
- A hot pepper grow guide
- 12 science-based companion plants for peppers
- When and how to prune pepper plants
Did we answer your questions about planting pepper seeds?
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