Preparing pepper seeds for sowing seedlings

In this article, you'll learn the best way to prepare pepper seeds for planting seedlings. These methods have been proven by modern gardeners and vegetable growers, so they can be used for both planting pepper seeds for seedlings and in open ground. Here's how to properly prepare pepper seeds for sowing seedlings at home.

 

 

 

Seeds bought at the market or collected from your own pepper

 

The quality of seeds for planting depends largely on how they were obtained. Typically, purchased seeds are collected and packaged in bags by specialists, who know the exact time to do so. If you already have peppers in your garden, you can collect them yourself for planting. Store-bought pepper seeds are also often used for seedlings. For example, California Wonder pepper, read reviews about it in our new article.

Remember that peppers aren't an early-ripening crop. Their ripening cycle is approximately 119 days, with slight variations depending on the variety. Unripe seeds may not produce viable seedlings, and overripe seeds may not all be suitable for planting. Therefore, it's important to know the ripening time accurately to ensure you have viable seeds for planting.

 

Experts recommend planting pepper seeds no later than February. The deadline is before the 19th, when the sun is still in the constellation Aquarius. Remember that it usually takes 3.5 months from the first day of planting until flowers appear. This will give you plenty of time to plant the seeds on time. If you decide to plant them in March, you'll need to use supplemental lighting, greenhouse conditions, and transplanting. Only then will the seedlings be fully developed.

Does it matter how the seeds were obtained? Yes. If you collected them yourself and they're ripe enough, you'll get a good harvest. Unripe or overripe pepper seeds may not produce full-fledged seedlings in time, so you should check their quality. It's also worth checking the quality of store-bought seeds. However, many people, after trying peppers with seeds themselves, decide to grow seedlings from them at home or in a greenhouse. This is a risky approach, as many varieties of store-bought peppers not only contain fertilizer but are also genetically engineered. To sell large quantities of pepper seeds and fruits, special hybrid varieties are developed that produce full-fledged offspring only in the first year of ripening. The second and third generations of seeds may fail to produce offspring, producing many empty flowers, or may even be inferior. The seedlings may die or prove completely unadapted to weather conditions and even greenhouse cultivation. Therefore, experts recommend buying pepper seeds either from a store or growing them yourself. This will ensure the best results and reduce the risk of seedlings dying. Avoid planting store-bought seeds past the expiration date indicated on the packaging. They will not be fully viable.

 

We check the completeness of the seeds

 

To do this, dissolve a tablespoon of regular table salt in one liter of distilled or purified water. Then add the seeds and stir, leaving them for 10 minutes. Any seeds that float to the surface are empty. They can be collected and discarded immediately, as they will not produce any seedlings.

 

How to cultivate the soil

 

To ensure your seeds take root well and are pest-free, you need to properly cultivate the soil. To do this, prepare the soil in advance in the fall or buy it at the store. Afterward, before planting the seeds, it's usually warmed up and disinfected against various pests. To do this, rinse the soil with a hot, pink solution of potassium permanganate. This will not only kill pests but also warm the soil, allowing you to plant the seeds in full-fledged soil.

 

The soil can be additionally fertilized. To do this, mix it in equal parts with store-bought peat soil. This is called "pepper soil." You can also add a little wood ash. Typically, add 1/4 part soil to 1/5 part soil and mix well. You can also fertilize it with various plant mixes available at the store—this will make the soil more nutritious and the seedlings will be stronger and healthier.

 

The next stage of preparing seeds for sowing

 

The seeds should be prepared approximately 20 to 10 days before planting. To check their viability, place 10 seeds that settled to the bottom after the first treatment on a cotton pad soaked in water for 24 hours. The water should completely cover them and be warm, but not hot.

 

The seeds are then dried and wrapped in a damp cloth, then placed in a warm place for 5 days. During this time, many of them will sprout. Those that sprout immediately can be planted. The rest, too, as they germinate slowly.

 

Experts recommend sprouting the seeds and disinfecting them. First, soak them in a cold, pink solution of potassium permanganate for 30 minutes. Then rinse them thoroughly with water and soak them in a liter of water with a teaspoon of wood ash or fertilizer dissolved in it. Wrap the seeds in a cloth and leave them in the solution for 24 hours.

 

Then, remove the seeds, rinse, and dry them. Place them on a plate or saucer and leave them for the same amount of time. Seeds that haven't sprouted yet can fully germinate in about 5 days. These procedures should be performed on seeds that haven't sprouted yet. If they fail to germinate after 5 days, discard them as they won't germinate.

 

What is seed hardening and why is it necessary?

 

This is the name given to a procedure in which seeds are exposed to different temperatures. To do this, you take the seeds and alternately change their temperature conditions for a week or 10 days. For example, the air temperature may be 20 degrees Celsius for two days, and around 0 degrees Celsius for the other two. You can vary the temperature fluctuations so that the plant can adapt to the weather changes under natural conditions. This not only increases the seed's resilience but also its yield. However, it's important to keep them constantly moist during the temperature fluctuations. Many people achieve this by keeping them indoors, then in the refrigerator or on the balcony. There are other ways to change temperatures. Planting seeds while they're cold will help them take root better in the soil.

 

Does it matter what container the seedlings will be grown in?

 

Yes, this is very important. If the cups are small or low, the pepper seeds will grow poorly and will be very uncomfortable. Therefore, seedlings are grown either in boxes or deep plastic cups. Before planting the seeds, you need to first add drainage. Experts recommend using a natural source of calcium—eggshells—for this purpose, crushing them and sprinkling them at the bottom of the cup. The seeds are usually planted at a shallow depth.

 

Next, add soil to the drainage area, which can be mixed with pepper soil rich in peat. Plant the seeds about half an inch deep, with the sprouted tips facing down. Then, lightly cover them with soil and water. Some experts recommend covering them with plastic film to create the necessary greenhouse effect. Once the seedlings begin to sprout, the film can be removed. Water them every four days, and be sure to ensure the plant receives adequate light. This will ensure proper growth. Avoid overwatering to prevent the risk of developing a disease called "black leg." Experts recommend turning the plant trays so that they face the window to ensure all plants receive adequate light. Insufficient light will cause the seedlings to gradually stretch, which can lead to illness and eventual death. It's best to encourage slow growth, as this will gradually absorb the nutrients needed for the plant. Some people recommend fertilizing the plants once a week or every two weeks with various fertilizers available at gardening stores. And, of course, monitor the room temperature. Ideally, 25 degrees Celsius during the day and 17 degrees Celsius at night. However, fluctuations in temperature are acceptable. Under these conditions, you can have fully developed plants in as little as six weeks. They can then be planted outdoors.