If you are new to starting pepper seeds, I’ll show you step by step how I do it. Our pepper seeds usually sprout in about 7 days, give or take a day or two. Instead of using a seed starting mix, I use a regular soil mix that is light and fluffy. I grow peppers 365 days a year, so I’ve had quite a bit of practice. Once you start pepper seeds a few times on your own, you will refine the process and find a way that works best for you. Let us know if you start your own pepper seeds. Thanks for watching!
The potting tray I use (earns commission): https://amzn.to/3ZAmiuZ
The 3.5 X 3.5 Inch reusable pots I use (earns commission): https://amzn.to/3YGQaUV
The tags I use (earns commission): https://amzn.to/3l0DCtQ
My Nature Channel (Observing Nature): https://www.youtube.com/user/heroletters
Midwest Gardener is also on Facebook, Instagram, Rumble, and Twitter.
I garden in zone 6b, in the state Kansas. I would love to hear from you, so feel free to comment, make suggestions, ask a question, give tips, tell about your garden, or even offer constructive criticism.
Thanks for watching!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This is not a sponsored video, but I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. That means that I will receive a small percentage of any sales generated from one of my affiliate links, but you won’t pay any extra. It’s one more way that you can support our channel.
20 Comments
Good Morning- Thanks for the demo on how you plant your pepper seeds. I have never tried to start them in soil directly so might try that this year. Do you add any low N-P-K fertilizer before transplanting into the garden or does Pro-Mix have enough to get them to the outdoor stage? I usually add some because I use seed starter and there is no fertilizer in that mix. Have a good weekend!
Impatiently waiting tomorrow is day 7 nothing this morning
Awesome video, thanks. Loved it as usual like your other instructional videos. Enjoy the weekend. Cheers.
Great process and info. A ton of interesting and cool types there. Going to be an exciting grow season. Thanks for the share!
Do you ever get fungus knats filling your pots directly from the bag? I did last year because I forgot to sterilize the potting mix. Now all potting mix used indoors gets baked for a half hour. Takes time but well worth it.
I'm going to be starting some of your seeds I got from Matt's peppers today! I'm looking forward to seeing the results in a few months.
Thank you for this video! This seems much less fiddly than the method I use, which involves putting seeds on moist paper towels in ziploc bags, and laying them on my heat mat. It's quite tedious, but space efficient. I sowed my tomatoes 10 weeks before last frost out of ignorance, and now they are massive while the peppers, which were started 2 weeks later, are on their second set of true leaves. It's my first year with grow lights, so I was not expecting such rapid growth.
Most of mine are up, but something really weird happened this year and they sprouted on day 15! The totally tomatoes brand of seeds are having poor germination except for the Goliath varieties and the Yellow Monster. Black Pearl didn't germinate at all. I'm amazed that you can tell at such an early stage which ones you don't want. Because I want them all!
I’ve been watching your channel for if not 10 years very close to it! I’ve learned so much from you and appreciate all you have taught me. I moved from Utah to Texas and have had success with gardening in both states thanks to many of your tips and tricks!❤
You're method of seed starting is very efficient. You're seedlings are looking very healthy. I've been waiting a while for my seeds to germinate. So far only 4 Adjvarski peppers emerged. I've had them numerous places inside and outside, I don't have a heat mat yet. I thought I could do without one since I'm in 80-90 degree weather. I guess not. I'm going to order one.
My best germination is the compost where I discarded the whole pepper seed center last year.
I now have so many seedlings, (I stopped counting at 25) in my purple sweet potato bed. I'm assuming that they are bell peppers from the grocery store. I'll be saving the strongest looking ones and culling the rest.
9 swallowtail caterpillars so far, 7 in chrysalis stage, two babies.
Have a wonderful weekend 🦋🦋🦋🦋🦋
I sprout my pepper seeds on a damp paper napkin in a sandwich bag. I place those bags on top of my grow light shelf with a towel on top to keep them warm. When the peppers sprout in the bag I'll move them to a tray. I've got a Poblano seedling with white streaks in the leaves from a dollar store seed pack, the other 5 look normal.
Hi, I just found your website and YouTube channel when looking for how to grow horseradish that I bought from the grocery store. Both your information and presentation are wonderfully clear and very helpful. Even though I garden in zone 10, southern California, I can most definitely learn from you! Thank you for sharing your knowledge, Laurie
Jim, your seedlings look great! I will wait almost 3 weeks before I start my peppers and tomatoes because we have ice and snow outside. I hope you and Mrs. Midwest Gardener have a fun weekend. ~Margie🤗🌱🌷
I started laying the seed on top and just putting more soil on top myself. Makes it easier on you.
Sound advice. Your setup looks great.
Just started peppers too
I will definitely be using the super hydration tip next time I start peppers. They always take at least 2 weeks to germinate for me, even with a heat mat. Also, I was able to get some seeds from Matt's Peppers several months ago. I have two Odapeno pepper seedlings growing right now! Any tips on what a desired Odapeno seedling should look like? Happy growing!
Nice to see your method. I start seeds in little 6-cell inserts (72 would fit in a 10×20 tray but I use at most 1/3 of that area at this phase). From there I go to 2.5" pots within 2 weeks, then 3.25", then 5". But we have some elements in common, including putting seeds on a flat prepared potting soil area and covering them afterwards (I try for 1/4" of compressed potting mix). Also, I have a similar heat mat and leave it on for 72 hours straight, after which I put it on the same timer as the grow lights (the 2.5" and larger pots do not get a heat mat). I get about the same germination time as you do, with most coming up in 6 to 10 days. The 3 days on full heat mat helps them germinate quickly, but I do not leave it on full after that because even a 4th day results in cases of "helmet head", where the seed coat gets stuck on the leaves.
My overall average for this year (so far) is 67% germination for peppers, 81% for tomatoes, including some old seeds for which none germinated. I usually start 3 to 6 seeds per cell and separate them as they go to 2.5" pots (a few come up late, and I'm tracking those to see if the latecomers are worth keeping in the future).
Awesome🌞
🍀🍀🌿👍👏