How I prepare seeds from store-bought sweet peppers

Pepper

It's possible to grow a plant from a store-bought vegetable seed, even producing a full harvest. Germination rates can reach 100%, but the results will be unpredictable, as there's no reliable data on the seed source. Depending on your region, it's best to buy peppers at a specific time. For example, in warmer climates, this should be done in late January or February, while in colder climates, it's best to buy peppers in February or March.

Features of selection and preparation

Smooth, ripe, and fragrant fruits are suitable as a seed source. Their seeds are suitable for use, but you won't be able to obtain large fruits. They will replicate the parent's characteristics, but to a lesser extent. In addition, the offspring will have:

a noticeable decrease in resistance to diseases;
the walls can be thinner;
not very useful, for example, the level of vitamins and microelements is reduced;
differences in shape and color are noted.

For seed preparation Gardeners use technology using potato juice:

The juice is squeezed from one tuber, which is the size of a chicken egg.
The seeds are placed in liquid for 12 hours.

Please pay attention

The juice acts as a disinfectant and saturates the seeds with amino acids and other beneficial elements.

All about growing peppers from store-bought vegetables

You can collect about 80-100 seeds from just a few fruits. First, select the bad ones from the good ones suitable for planting. To do this:

a piece of gauze cloth, folded in half, is placed in a not too deep container;
the material is moistened;
lay out the seeds;
cover with another piece of gauze;
The container is placed in a warm place with good lighting, for example, on a windowsill.

Depending on the pepper variety, the seeds can remain there for a long time before they swell. Periodically inspect the seeds to ensure they don't miss the time when tiny sprouts form. Do this carefully to avoid damaging them. If they don't, moisten the gauze as it dries.

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Once the seeds have sprouted, they are placed in seedling boxes. Before planting outdoors, the peppers are hardened off. To do this, place the boxes containing the young plants on a balcony or loggia, but ensure the air temperature remains stable at 12-15°C.

Any variety, even if high-quality and grown from good parents, requires timely fertilization. When budding begins, spray with Epin-Extra solution, which will accelerate fruit ripening and increase yield. Before planting, apply mineral and organic fertilizers to the soil.

Please note!

About three weeks pass from the moment the seeds germinate until they are placed in the seedling tray. Only those seeds that sprout are selected.

The best time to transplant to open ground or a greenhouse is from late May to early June. Planting is done as follows.

They dig a hole of shallow depth.
The hole is watered.
Place the bushes.
Sprinkle with a small amount of soil and pat lightly.

It's recommended to transplant the seedlings in the evening, after the heat has subsided. This will prevent the leaves from wilting and the plant from dying. The distance between the plants should be at least 40 cm. The seedlings are very delicate and fragile, so handle them with care.

During dry summers, regular watering is essential. Weeds should be removed and the soil should be loosened to improve oxygenation. If pests such as slugs feeding on stems and young shoots are detected, treatment is necessary. In midsummer, cover the soil between the beds with ash. This will help prevent slugs from reoccurring.

If you follow all the above recommendations, you can expect to see the first fruits, in the form of small peppers, as early as August. To conduct this experiment, it's important to properly germinate the seeds, select them, and adhere to the hardening-off, transplanting, and watering procedures.