Proper sowing is crucial for the development of bell pepper plants. We tell you the most important care steps, so that your bell pepper sowing is also successful!
What is needed?
If you want to grow peppers from seed, you need very little special equipment. Because much of it can be found in most households anyway and can be used for sowing. Only when it comes to the substrate is it advisable to use special growing soil or germination substrate. This provides the ideal conditions for growing bell pepper plants, because it is lower in nutrients than ordinary vegetable soil and thus stimulates the roots to grow. In addition to the substrate, you should also have the following utensils for sowing peppers:
- Container: egg carton, coconut swell pot, peat or yogurt cup.
- Mini greenhouse or foil
- Seeds
- Chamomile tea
- Seeds
In terms of seeds, the amateur gardener has two methods to choose from, as they can both purchase peppers and obtain them from existing peppers. The latter is very popular: on the one hand, there is no additional cost, and on the other hand, the effort required for this is very small.
To obtain the seed from peppers, it is best to proceed as follows:
- Cut the bell pepper open lengthwise
- Carefully remove the inside
- carefully with a knife or spoon
- Place bell pepper seeds on a kitchen towel to dry
- Allow to dry for 3 to 5 days in a sunny place
- Store dried seeds in a paper bag in a frost-free place
Those who decide to purchase the seeds can do so at various specialty retailers both online and locally. To determine if the bell pepper seeds are in perfect condition, they should be checked for certain quality characteristics:
- Firm, not sensitive to pressure
- Ochre yellow color
- 2 to 3 mm in size
The optimal conditions
Successful germination of seeds depends on various factors. This is because both the time and the location as well as the temperature and light conditions are decisive for this. The best time for germination is between the end of February and the beginning of March, as this gives the plants enough time to mature and produce fruit by the end of the season.
- The best conditions are provided by a location that is as bright and warm as possible.
- Heated greenhouse
- Windowsill at a south window
- Winter garden
- Temperature: about 25 degrees Celsius
- If it is too cold, germination will not take place
Info: Many amateur gardeners swear by aligning sowing with the lunar calendar and sow peppers in early March during the waxing moon phase.
Preparation
Once the necessary equipment is available, and the location and time chosen, amateur gardeners can start sowing bell pepper seeds. But instead of putting the seeds directly into the soil, it is worth soaking them for several hours. After all, this process should kill fungal spores and make the seedlings grow healthier and stronger.
- Provide chamomile tea or water
- Soak bell pepper seeds in it for about 24 hours
- Place in a dark place out of direct sunlight
Sowing instructions
After the bell pepper seeds have been prepared for sowing, the next step is to sow them. To do this, first fill a seed tray (or an alternative, such as an egg carton) with growing soil. Then the seeds can be planted as follows:
- Distribute seeds evenly in the container.
- Press about 1 cm deep into the soil
- Place a thin layer of soil on top
- Gently press down the substrate
- Moisten thoroughly
- Close the container or cover it with foil
Once the sowing is completed, the container can be placed in a warm and bright place. A sunny windowsill offers the ideal conditions for this. However, the seeds should not be left to their own devices, because from now on they must be cared for accordingly.
However, the maintenance measures are manageable and are as follows:
- Remove foil several times a day.
- This prevents the formation of mold
- Keep soil moist, but not too wet
- Substrate should remain crumbly
Note: Germination time depends on site conditions and can take up to three weeks.