How to grow peppers from seed: a complete guide
 
Growing and peppers from seeds can be a little difficult for beginners, but it is really very easy. In this article, I will show you exactly how to grow-pepper from seed, step by step, giving you everything you need to succeed! 

Growing Peppers From Seeds

 This is a general instruction to grow from seed, regardless of type. Therefore, you can follow these instructions for any type of your choice, the steps are the same for everyone.

The type of pepper seeds to grows

 One of the things I love most about growing peppers is the incredible selection I can find. You can’t get a lot of different species in plants and gardens, they usually only have a few different ones.
 
But the number of types of seeds you can find is impressive! There are so many different kinds to choose from, it’s so beautiful. They range from the mild flavor of pepper to the mildness of bana alapeños and super HOT habanero or ghost peppers.
 
You name it, I probably praised it! Some of my favorites are cayenne pepper (hot), jalapeno (hot), bell (mild), padron pepper (mixed), and purple bell (mild).

Recommended starting method for pepper seeds
 
Pepper plants take a long time to mature enough to produce mature fruit and require a long growing season.

 They can also be a little slow to grow (some varieties take up to a month!). So unless you live in a hot climate, I recommend starting pepper seeds indoors instead of direct sowing.

Read also:How to grow peppers from seed: a complete guide

When to plant pepper seeds

 The best way to get a good harvest is to plant seeds indoors 8 to 12 weeks before your average last frost date.

Planting pepper seeds

 Another thing that makes growing peppers from seeds easy is that you don’t have to do anything special to prepare them for planting.
 
No markings, soaking or cold stratification necessary. You can put them directly from the package into the ground and they will grow!

  A quick word of warning here…if you want to plant hot peppers, make sure you wear gloves when handling.

Otherwise, the pepper oil can get on your hands and cause discomfort.

How to plant pepper, step by step
 
You don’t need to buy a ton of expensive equipment to grow from seed, but you will need a few things. You may have some of these around the house. Here’s what you’ll need…
 
Required equipment:

•  Seedling flat with lid

• Seed starting soil or peat pelleys

• seeds

•  Water

• Heater (optional)

• Latex Gloves (if you are planting hot peppers)

 Step 1: 

Fill the seed trays – Fill the seeds with wet starting soil or pre moisten peat pellet. Then put them on trays. 

Step 2: 

Decide how many seeds to use – If you are using fresh seeds, you can plant only one cell/pellet. Otherwise, if they are old or have low viability rate, plant 2 to 3 per cell/pellet. 

Step 3: 

Plant the Seed – A general rule of thumb for planting is twice the width of the seed. So, plant the pepper seeds about 1/4″ – 1/2″ deep. 

To plant them, you can put the seeds on top of the soil and gently knock them down. Or you can make holes first and then put seeds in them.

Step 4:

 Cover the seeds with soil – Fill in the holes, then press gently to ensure that the seeds penetrate the soil. Do not press down, just gently press it down.

 Step 5: 

Add water – If the soil is not moist, you need to add water. It is best to water the bottom so as not to damage the fruit. 

Just put it in the tray until it is above the drainage hole, about 1/4 the height of the pellets. Discard any excess water that has not absorbed within 15 minutes.

 Step 6:

 Cover the tray – Place a clear plastic cover over the tray to help keep the soil warm and keep it moist.
 
Step 7:

 Place the tray in a warm place – If you can, place it on a warm bed. This will help speed up germination.
 
If not, put it in the best place or put a fire nearby. If it is too cold, it will slow down germination or the fruit will not grow at all.

Read also:10 BEST COMPANION PLANTS FOR ZUCCHINI

Pepper seed germination time

 When it comes to growing peppers from seed, you have to be patient. It can take anywhere from a week to almost a month for them to grow. Some types are faster than others.

 If yours takes forever, it might be too cold. As they grow faster, place the trays on a hot bed or in the air. It’s amazing how fast they grow when you add heat to the background.

What does a pepper seedling look like? 

When they first emerge, the pepper plants will have two narrow leaves that are gray. These first two leaves are called “seed leaves” (or cotyledons, if you want to get really technical).

Any leaves that grow later are called “true leaves,” and these look like little pepper leaves. These usually start to grow about a week after the plant’s leaves open.

Pepper seedling care tips
 
Once the fruit begins to grow, you may be wondering what to do next. Yes! Do not worry, because one of the advantages of growing from seeds is that the plant is easy to care for.

Pouring water

Pepper plants need to be watered regularly, but they don’t like hot soil. Allow the surface to dry slightly between waterings, but don’t let it dry out completely. 

If you accidentally water them and the soil is freezing, pour any other water on the tray. Next, turn the fan on and off and set it to hover over the tray. This will help the soil filled with fire to burn quickly.

Light
 
If pepper plants don’t get enough light, they will start to grow legs and reach the nearest window. So, to make them strong and compact, it is best to use light to grow.
 
Place the growing lights a few inches above the tray as soon as they sprout and use a timer to keep them for 14 to 16 hours a day. The pepper plant is looking for fire The cross is looking for fire

Fertilizer

 
Once the true leaves start to appear, it’s time to start fertilizing. But don’t give them enough dose right away. Use a small dose at first and gradually increase the strength as you gain weight.
 
Air circulation
 
Once all (or most) of the seeds in the house have grown, it’s time to give them room to breathe. Remove the covers and make a fan that rotates above them on the lower floor.

This will help strengthen them and prevent problems with mold growing in the trays. Add it at the same time as your light or do it a little longer if you want.

Potting up pepper seedlings

 
Once your pepper plants start growing out of trays, move them into larger containers to give them more room to grow.
 
I like to use this planter for quick rotation in the garden. If you like this idea, but prefer something more sustainable than peat, try coir or cowhide.
 
Alternatively, you can use a small (reusable) plastic nursery pot. Or even reusable containers like yogurt pots or small milk cartons (just make sure you seal the water hole in the bottom!).

Transplanting pepper seedling into the garden

 Once the weather warms in the spring, we can get pretty excited about getting our seeds out of the garden!
 
But it is important that you turn them at the right time and do it well, otherwise, the hard work you put into growing peppers from seeds will be in vain.

 When to transplant pepper seedling

 Pepper plants are cold hardy and can be killed if you move them into your garden too early. Even if they do survive the cold, they can stop growing by it.

 Therefore, it is better to wait for them to be transplanted until all the danger of frost is gone and the ground is warm. 

 Hardening off pepper seedlings

 But wait! Before you even think about planting them in the garden, you must first harden them to prepare them for life outside.
 
Since they live in a warm indoor environment without direct rain, wind or sun, you need to harden them for outdoor life. So don’t skip this step.

Spacing

 Most pepper plants grow well together and don’t need a lot of space to grow. So plan to space your plants 12 to 18″ apart in the garden.
 
Larger species may require less space. But they like to touch each other a bit once they grow up, so don’t put them too far apart.

Pepper seedlings planting depth
 
For best results, plant your pepper plants deeper than they are in a tray or pot. Do not go deep, about 1/4-1/2″ deeper than before.
 
At least, you should plant them at the same depth, just make sure that all the roots are buried.

 How long does it take to grow peppers from seed to harvest
 
As I mentioned above, they take a long time to mature. Depending on the variety you have, growing peppers from seed to harvest can take 4 to 5 months (100 to 150 days). 

Some grow faster than others. And of course, they will begin to produce quickly under the right conditions. So give them plenty of light and sunlight for best results.

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