Do you grow? All about the Hot Peppers

Is it too early to think about starting seeds in January? I mean, it is practically February already. If you ask me, the answer is no! This is when I start our capsicum annuum or hot peppers.

A sweet baby scotch bonnet pepper seedling

We grow hot peppers to make Master Tonic, fermented hot sauces, spices and to sell at market. I am not a huge fan of spicy foods, but I consider these to be of medicinal value so it is an important crop to us.

Some of last year's hot peppers that I had frozen. They freeze like a dream....

Growing your own hot peppers from seed is super rewarding. There isn't always the best selection of hot pepper plants available at plant nurseries, but the available seed selection for them is astounding! As hot pepper popularity is exploding, so are the varieties. The hardest part in my opinion is choosing which hot peppers you are going to grow!

Where we live makes it hard to successfully grow hot peppers as they are heat loving plants. We are in zone 5b and the last 2 years the growing season has been unpredictable. This year I will be growing our peppers in the greenhouse to see if I can get a better yeild! I have found by starting the peppers so early, the plants already have a first flush of flowers by the time I transplant them to the garden. This has (for the most part) enabled me to get 2 full harvests out of most varieties of peppers before the frost.

Pepper plant in the grow room right before transplanting to the garden

Basically, when you start your hot peppers depends on the variety you are growing. "Pepper time" works sort of like this:

Sweeter, milder hots like Hungarians and banana peppers that need 75-80 days to mature
Medium heat peppers like cayennes need 80-90 days to mature
Super hots and ornamentals like habaneros, scotch bonnets and Chinese lanterns can take up to 110 days to mature

Hot peppers (capsicum annuum) can be tricky to start, and can take 1-4 weeks for seedlings to emerge. Here are a few tips to help you successfully germinate those precious seeds!

Soak your seeds overnight to soften the shell casing. This gives the seeds a head start, helping the tap root to break through the seed's shell.

Set up your dishes to soak the seeds making sure you label them!

Most of them will float at first

Seeds starting their 24 hour soak

Pepper seeds love heat from seed to harvest. While germinating you want to keep them at around 80 degrees. A heat mat is best, but the top of the fridge would do. If you cannot supply heat, it may take much longer to see sprouting.
I use seedling starter trays to start most of my seeds. I then "plant up" once or twice to bigger cells/pots before they finally go to the garden in the spring.
Peppers require no light to germinate so that saves space under your lights.

For info on seed starting mix, check out my previous blog here:
https://steemit.com/doyougrow/@karenfoster/do-you-grow-starting-with-seed-starting-mix-and-the-right-water

Fill seedling starter trays three quarters full of damp seed starting mix and drop 2-3 seeds in each cell. I do 2 because I am working with a little amount of seeds. Cover the seeds about a 1/4" deep. Press soil gently to settle the seeds in.

Press down firmly and then add more starting mix to fill to the 3/4 full mark

I am doing 2 seeds per cell

Spray or lightly water. You want to keep the seeds damp, not soaking throughout germination. Do not let the seeds dry out at any point during germination!
Use a dome or plastic wrap to cover your seedling tray, removing it for about 10 min a day to get some air circulation to prevent mold. You want to see condensation on the dome while it's on, this is good.

Tray filled and misted. Ready for the heat mat

Heating mat row

Now we wait. Be patient! Just make sure they have heat and moisture throughout and you will see sprouts in no time.

I have a small grow tent and lights I use to start our seedlings. A lot of home gardeners have small set ups with a few fluorescent lights and a fan. If not, find a good and warm sunny windowsill. Seedlings prefer at least 8 hours of sunlight, the more the better. I have ours on an 18/6 timer.

First set of leaves

Second set or first "true leaves"

Final transplant to 4" pots where they will grow for about 5 weeks before going out to harden off

As they develop their first set of leaves I will cull the weakest one with scissors. I replant to a larger cell after they have developed their second set of leaves. Remember to keep a fan on your seedlings, this will slow down its growth and make its stem thicker and studier. This mimics the outdoors and makes for a much stronger plant. Once you have healthy seedlings you're ready for the transplant and growing phase, then the harvesting phase, and finally my favorite, the cooking and preserving phase!

Finally in the garden!

I would love to know....#doyougrow hot peppers? Let me hear your advise or pepper dreams!

Thank you for reading! Take care of you and yours ❤