Peppers may be one of the most popular vegetables gardeners choose to grow, but there is a major different between growing conventional peppers and hot peppers. Growing hot peppers from seed allows for diversity and spice in dishes, but certain steps must be followed to ensure the best possible outcome.
To plant:
When it comes to growing hot peppers, there are certain types of hot peppers that are easier to grow than others. Typically, hot peppers require warmer soil temperatures to germinate, but certain varieties require warmer temperatures than others. For example, hot peppers like jalapeños, serrano peppers, cayenne peppers, poblano peppers, ornamental peppers and Thai peppers require cooler soil temperatures than other types of hot peppers. Jalapeños and the other peppers in that family only need soil with a temperature of 50-70 degrees to germinate. Habaneros, scotch bonnets and other hot peppers require warmer soil to germinate, such as 75-90 degrees.
Plant the seeds during the winter months, such a anytime between November and February, to give the seedlings plenty of time to grow before transplanting them outside.
Before planting, soak the seeds overnight in warm water. Soaking the seeds allows them to sprout quicker and better than when not soaking them. You can plant the seeds the morning after soaking them in warm water.
You won’t immediately plant the seeds outdoors and will instead begin them indoors. Plant the seeds in peat pellets, but follow the instructions on the pellets in order to add water and allow the peat to expand before planting the seeds. Plant three of the same hot pepper seeds in a 1/4 inch hole and loosely cover with soil. Do not pat the soil down because you want the seedlings to break through the soil’s surface easily.
Apply a soil additive such as Myco Blast immediately after the planting the seeds to enrich the soil. Water once a week until the first set of true leaves appear on the seedling.
Since hot peppers take much longer to germinate than other peppers, you can quicken the germination process by placing the peat pellets on a seedling heat mat. This warms the soil and encourages the seeds to germinate faster.
Once the seedlings sprout, remove the greenhouse dome that comes with the peat pellets and place them in a well-lit area such as a window. you can also add a grow light to create more light when the sun sets early in the winter months. Mist the seedlings with water to keep the soil moist but not wet.
Once the three seedlings in each cup reach two inches in height, remove all but the strongest seedlings.
When seeds reach this stage, you can transplant them into bigger cups.
To grow:
It is time to transplant your seedlings when the last frost has passed and nightly temperatures are above 50 degrees. Plants should be around 8 weeks old and they shouldn’t have any blooms yet. If they do have blossoms, pinch off the blossoms prior to transplanting so energy will be directed to adjusting to the transplant.
Before transplanting, harden off your plants by placing them outside in half-hour increments in an area protected from the wind. Gradually increase this time up to 8 hours a day. Hot peppers need temperatures of at least 70 to 80 degrees during the day to grow. To transplant, dig a hole slightly bigger than the size of the seedlings root ball and plant them in the ground. Be sure to space the plants several inches apart.
Keep in mind you will have to water the plants more frequently than when they grew indoors. Since peppers are heavy and their branches are brittle, stake the plants or use cages to support them.
To harvest:
Peppers are ready to harvest when they change color. For jalapeños, this means deepening to a dark green. Other hot peppers will transition form a green color to the color they are supposed to be, such as orange or yellow. To harvest, use gloves when picking and use hand pruners or scissors to snip the pepper from the plant.
What hot peppers crave:
Fertilizing begins when the seedlings are still indoors and the first true set of leaves have appeared. Use a diluted fish emulsion fertilizer. Use 1/4 of the strength suggested. When there are four sets of true leaves, fertilize the plants with magnesium sulfate, also known as Epsom salt. Mix a tablespoon of Epson salt with a gallon of water, shake and apply to the leaves and stem. Be sure the Epsom salt isn’t scented. The Epsom salts keep the foliage strong.
When transplanting, add bone-meal to the soil because pepper plants eat up lots of calcium as they grow.
Where to buy hot pepper seeds:
You can find many varietals of hot pepper seeds such as jalapeño, serrano, habanero and may more at Urban Farmer.
