We recorded a cute video from which you can see the steps in germinating process of chili seedlings. Even though it’s cold outside, January and February are the perfect months to turn up the heat and start sowing some fiery chili peppers! Early sowing is the secret to give your chili peppers plenty of time to ripen before the end of summer – although they can still be sown right up until the end of April for a successful crop. Read our article on growing chilies for some chili growing tips that will make you really feel the heat this summer.
You can buy chili plants in a nursery or you can grow chilies from seed. The seed needs at least 20°C to germinate. Start them in early spring in cooler climates or any time during the dry season. (You could start them all year round in the tropics, but it’s a good idea to let the plants grow strong before the wet season hits them.) Chili plants are usually started in seedling trays or small pots. They are very vulnerable when small and they don’t grow all that fast.
You can plant several chili seeds per pot. Once your seedlings have a few leaves, snip off the weaker ones and only keep the strongest plants. You only want one chili plant per pot when you plant them out. Otherwise you will disturb their roots too much and they HATE having their roots disturbed. If you grow chilies in seedling trays or little punnets, plant them out once they have four to six true leaves (about 5 cm tall). If you don’t, their roots will start feeling restricted and it will set them back. Chilies don’t mind growing in bigger pots, so the timing for planting them out is not critical if you use pots. If you live in a cooler climate, use pots. Let them to grow to 10 to 15 cm. Make sure it’s warm enough before you put them outside! Water the chilies before transplanting, so the soil doesn’t fall apart when they’re removed from the pot. Be VERY careful when removing the seedlings from their pots. Drop them in a hole in the garden, fill it back in, firm down the soil, water, done.
Feel free to watch the video and see how to start grow chilies from seed.
Good luck! 😉
