We're talking spice! We've talked about seed starting and potting up, but we're actually taking a step back to talk all about GERMINATING PEPPER SEEDS.
If you haven't watched the first video, check it out https://youtu.be/R6GwRGx2Xc4
And here's the second one https://youtu.be/P1mlaz-1C1A
We previously sowed the seeds, and now we have healthy little seedlings. In that gap, we used a bottom watering tray to keep the soil moist, but there are some other little things that we did as well.
Seeds NEED to stay moist. They don't have any root system, and even these seedlings have tiny roots. That means the soil needs to stay moist so water is accessible.
Generally, bottom watering is better. However, make sure that your tray is level and that all cells can access the water. In this case, though, I'm going to top water very carefully.
Peppers can also take a long time to germinate. We've done the paper towel method and others, but we prefer to just go straight to the soil. That means waiting two, three, or even four weeks to see them pop up. Once we hit around that three-week mark, we're definitely losing confidence in the seed, though.
Finally, peppers need the temperature to be WARM. They prefer temps of 75 to 85 degrees. To help achieve warmer temps, we use a heat mat.
You can also use a humidity dome (even a homemade one) to help keep moisture and temperature up.
If you're starting seeds indoors, be aware of your grow lights and leaf burn, especially because the light might be on for 12, 14, or even 16 hours in a day. This isn't anything new and applies to any seedlings, but just another thing to keep in mind.
Because we use a seed starting mix, we also need to give these little guys nutrients as they grow. After they get their first set of true leaves coming in, we fertilize about once per week with half a dose of fish emulsion.
Finally, let's talk about thinning. Thinning is hard with every plant, and it's especially hard with peppers because they can be so tricky. In order to give them the best chance to grow well, we need to remove extra plants from the cells so we have the strongest plant left.
With some plants, like onions and tomatoes, you can pull them apart and plant them all. Peppers prefer to remain undisturbed, though, so just give the weaklings a snip.
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