Whether it’s the flavor of a bell pepper or the fiery heat of a chili pepper, nothing beats knowing how to grow peppers from seed. It allows you to try a bunch of different kinds at home.
Lots of gardeners I know don’t bother growing their own pepper starts. Buying established nursery starts makes it easy to control the timing of putting the plants in your garden.
Pepper seedlings need a fairly long growing season before they are big enough to produce mature fruit. And so, peppers are usually started indoors six to eight weeks ahead of the last frost date.
Which Pepper Variety to Pick When Growing from Seeds?
The first thing to do — if you haven’t already done it — is to choose the pepper varieties you want to grow, again, picked with your growing conditions and tastes in mind.
At 70 to 80 degrees F, the majority of pepper seeds sprout in about a week, though germination varies by pepper variety and can be patchy. Hot peppers can be difficult to work with, while chilies are easier to work with.
Once your seedlings emerge, give them light. A sunny window sill, especially in March, won’t do the trick. T5 fluorescent grow lights are a good choice but other, higher-output bulbs will also work.