Occasionally when shopping, gardeners run across an exotic looking pepper or one which has exceptional flavor. When you cut it open and see all those seeds inside, it's easy to wonder “will store-bought peppers grow?” On the surface, it seems to be an easily answered question. Yet, whether grocery store pepper seeds can be used in the garden can't be answered with a simple yes or no. Here's why:
Can You Plant Store-Bought Pepper Seeds?
Can you plant store-bought pepper seeds, and will they grow into the type of pepper you want depends upon several factors:
- Is the pepper a hybrid? Store-bought bell pepper seeds from hybrid varieties of peppers don't have the same genetic make-up as the parent pepper. Therefore, they rarely grow true to type.
- Was the pepper self-pollinated? While pepper flowers often pollinate themselves, the possibility of cross-pollination exists. Even if the pepper is an heirloom variety, the seeds from grocery store peppers may not perform as expected.
- Are the grocery store pepper seeds ripe? If the pepper is green, the answer is no. Peppers which have reached maturity have a different color such as red, yellow, or orange. Even brightly colored peppers may have been picked at an immature stage which resulted in seeds which didn't ripen sufficiently to germinate.
- Were the store-bought bell pepper seeds irradiated? The FDA approves irradiation of produce to eliminate food-borne pathogens. This process renders the seeds useless for growing. Irradiated foods must be labeled as such.
Is It Worth Planting Store-Bought Pepper Seeds?
Whether or not planting store-bought pepper seeds is doable depends upon the individual gardener's taste for adventure and available garden space for experimentation. From a monetary standpoint, the seeds are free. So why not give it a go and try your hand at growing grocery store pepper seeds!
To help you get started, here are a few tips for planting store-bought pepper seeds:
- Seed Harvesting– After carefully cutting the core from the pepper, gently remove the seeds with your fingers. Collect the seeds on a paper towel.
- Drying and storing pepper seeds– Place the seeds in a dry location for several days. When they are dry to the touch, store them in a paper envelope for up to two years.
- Germination testing– Determine the viability of the store-bought bell pepper seeds by using the plastic bag method for sprouting seeds. This saves resources, like seed pods or seed starting potting mix, should the seeds fail to germinate. In most areas, it's advisable to start pepper plants six to eight weeks before the final frost date in the spring.
- Raising seedlings– If the grocery store pepper seeds germinated successfully, plant the sprouts in starting trays using a quality seed starting mix. Peppers require plenty of light, warm temperatures, and moderate soil moisture levels.
- Transplanting– Pepper seedlings can be transplanted outdoor once danger of frost has passed. Seedlings started indoors will need hardened off.
If you're lucky, planting store-bought seedlings will yield the type of peppers you desire. To ensure continued quantities of this pepper in the future, consider stem-cutting propagation as a method of pepper propagation.
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FAQs
Bell Pepper (or your variety of choice)- One pepper ought to do the trick. There are usually a ton of seeds inside of a pepper, as you'll see in a moment. Gardening Soil- Once again, the soil of your choice should work just fine. I usually use an organic seed starting mix.
Will dried pepper seeds grow? ›
To start, the results of the dry seeds showed that out of the 72 planted seeds, only 56 sprouted for a sample germination rate of 78%. We were surprised to find out that out of the 72 water-soaked pepper seeds that only 47 sprouted for a lower sample germination rate of 65%.
Can you plant seeds from store-bought jalapenos? ›
Can you plant seeds from a store-bought jalapeno pepper? Yep, under the right conditions! Here's how to pick good peppers to harvest and get those seeds to germinate. This post is part of the growing jalapeno peppers series that covers how to grow jalapenos in pots, from beginning to end.
Do you soak pepper seeds before planting? ›
Soak or pre-sprout seeds
While not necessary, you can soak pepper seeds prior to planting them to encourage faster germination. Place pepper seeds in a bowl or jar of room temperature water for up to 24 hours to soften the seed coat and break dormancy.
Can you grow seeds from store bought produce? ›
People grow food from grocery store seeds all the time. It will grow food as long as the seed is mature. For example: a watermelon from the grocery store that has fully-matured seeds in it, if you take them home and plant them, they will grow.
Can you plant seeds right out of a pepper? ›
To ensure the best results, harvest seeds from ripe, healthy peppers. Simply cut open the pepper and remove the seeds, then rinse them in warm water to remove any pulp. Allow the seeds to dry thoroughly on a paper towel before planting. We grow a variety of pepperoncini that was gifted to us by a gardening friend.
How long do seeds need to dry before planting? ›
If you are collecting seeds from non-fruiting plants, gather the seeds on a dry day. Spread the seeds on newspapers, in a cardboard box, or in an old telephone directory, and allow them to dry between one and three weeks. Often seeds need to be separated from the chaff (the seed casings and debris).
What seeds should not be soaked before planting? ›
By soaking the seed, it enables the new growth from the inside to push through the hard shell and grow. The seeds that could benefit from a good soaking include: corn, pumpkin, beans, chard, beets, and peas. The seeds you shouldn't soak include: carrots, lettuce, radish, celery, turnips, and spinach.
Will pepper seeds sprout in water? ›
A: Absolutely! Let your pepper seeds soak in warm water to help break dormancy and speed up germination.
Will grocery store pepper seeds grow? ›
Even brightly colored peppers may have been picked at an immature stage which resulted in seeds which didn't ripen sufficiently to germinate. Were the store-bought bell pepper seeds irradiated? The FDA approves irradiation of produce to eliminate food-borne pathogens. This process renders the seeds useless for growing.
The height of a healthy jalapeno pepper plant can reach 2-3 feet (24–36 inches). Jalapeno pod production per plant might range from 25 to 30. The ripe pods have a dark green appearance. They turn red and eventually purple if they are kept on the vine for a longer period of time.
How long does it take to grow peppers from seed? ›
Generally, it takes about 6-8 weeks, or 60 to 90 days, for peppers to grow from seed and be ready to harvest off the plant. This is an average range for all peppers of different varieties and heat levels.
How long does it take for pepper plants to produce from seed? ›
Generally, it takes about 6-8 weeks, or 60 to 90 days, for peppers to grow from seed and be ready to harvest off the plant. This is an average range for all peppers of different varieties and heat levels.
Can you plant pepper seeds straight into the ground? ›
Yes, you can plant pepper seeds directly outside in warm regions such as in 9+ growing zones once the soil warms up. However, for most growing regions, we find it's best to start seeds indoors in early spring, then transplant them outside.
