Growing chilli peppers basics

Here are the basics of what you’ll need to get your seeds started:

  • Containers – Either purchased pots, flats, containers you’ve saved, like milk cartons and yoghurt cups. Used pots should be cleaned and disinfected by soaking in 1 part bleach to 10 parts water.
  • Jiffy Pellets
  • Potting Mix – Seeds do best in a soil less mix where there are fewer inherent problems than with garden soil
  • Seeds
  • Labels/markers – Trust me, you won’t remember what’s what
  • Plastic bags or covers – These will trap warmth and humidity where the seeds need it
  • Water
  • Light source – If you don’t have a bright window, you will need some kind of florescent or high density plant light. This is if you are starting them inside

Preparing the potting mix:

  • Always Use the best Potting mix you can afford, some contain water crystals others contain fertilizer use what you think suits your climate
  • Loosen and dampen the potting mix before you put it into your seed starting containers. It is easier to get a uniform level of moisture if you do it this way. Dampen the mix to the consistency of a rung-out sponge. It should be wet, but not dripping, with any dry lumps

Filling the Containers:

  • Use the pre-dampened potting mix to fill your seed starting containers
  • Don’t pack the potting mix into the container
  • Fill till 1 cm from the top of the container

Planting the Chili Seeds:

  • Small seeds can be sprinkled on top of the potting mix. Larger seeds can be counted out and planted individually
  • Use at least 3 seeds per container, since not all seeds will germinate and not all that do germinate will survive. You can thin extras later
  •  Cover the seeds with more dampened potting mix and then gently firm again
  •   Although the potting mix was pre-dampened, it is still a good idea to sprinkle some additional water on top of the newly planted seed. This insures that the top layer of mix won’t dry out and it also helps to firm the potting mix and insure good contact between the seed the mix.

 Create the Right Atmosphere for Your Seeds:

  • Greenhouse Effect: Your seeds are now ready to be covered loosely with some type of plastic. This will help hold in both heat and moisture. You can place the whole container into a plastic bag or simply lay a sheet of plastic over the container. If you have special seed starting trays with plastic covers, use those
  • Heat: Move your container to a warm, draft free spot and check it daily. Most seeds germinate best when the temperature is between 27 to 30 degrees Celcius.  The top of a refrigerator is an ideal spot or you could consider purchasing heating mats specially made for germinating seed
  • Heating mats go under the potting containers and heat the soil from below. You will usually need to water more frequently when using heating mats. Caution: Only use heating mats certified for seed starting use
  • Light and Air: In general, seeds will not need light until they emerge. They will need air circulation under the plastic or you will be encouraging mold
  • Signs of Life: Remove the plastic as soon as you see a seedling emerging and move the plant into indirect light. Be sure the potting mix stays moist, but not wet

Emerging Chilli Seedlings

  • First Signs of Growth: Once your seedlings begin poking through the soil, they will start to straighten up and unfurl. What look like two leaves will appear. These are actually leaf-like structures, called cotyledons that are part of the seed and serve as food sources until true leaves are formed and the plant is capable of photosynthesis. At this point you should move your seedlings under a light source
  • Move into the Light: Your seedlings will need between 12-18 hours of light each day. This may seem extreme, but artificial light and even the low rays of the winter sun are not as intense as full summer sun. The best way to insure regular long doses of light is to attach your florescent or high intensity plant lights to an automatic timer

True Leaves

  • True Leaves: As the seedling grows, the cotyledons will wither and what are called the first “true” leaves will form. This is when your seedling begins actively photosynthesizing. Since it is growing in a soilless mix, you will need to give it some supplemental feeding at this point. Use a balanced fertilizer or one high in nitrogen and potassium, to encourage good roots and healthy growth
  • Potting up: Seedlings can remain in their original containers until you are ready to plant them in their permanent spots. However it is common to move the seedlings into a larger pot once several sets of leaves have formed and the seedling is a couple of inches tall. This is called “potting up” and it allows the roots more room to develop. Three to four inch pots are good sizes to pot up to, allowing plenty of room for root growth

Hardening Off your Chilli Plants

By the time the temperature warms outside, you should have stocky, healthy young plants. Before moving them out into the garden, take a week or two to gradually introduce them to their new growing conditions. This is called hardening off. It gives the plants a chance to acclimate to sunlight, drying winds and climate changes.

  •  Move the plants to a shady spot for increasing amounts of time, several days in a row
  • Bring them in or cover them if the temperature looks like it will dip
  • Gradually increase the amount of time they spend outside and the amount of sunlight they receive until you see that they are growing strong and appear ready to go out on their own
  • Water your seedlings well before and after transplanting and try not to transplant during the hottest, sunniest part of the day

We hope this information about how to grow chilli seeds will help you.

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