Germinating Pepper Plant Seeds

Pepper Plant Seeds are one of the harder seeds to germinate solely because of their short shelf life. They can be prone rot by bacteria for fungus and require hight temperatures to germinate. Typically anywhere from 80-90 Degrees Fahrenheit. When you first receive or collect pepper seeds it is wise to keep them refrigerated as it increases the seeds shelf life.Pepper seeds stored at room temperature often do not last longer than several years. Although pepper seeds do not require a stratification or "cold" period to germinate, the seeds do seem to benefit from it nonetheless. . It is also important to note that pepper seeds that are collected after intense drying such as in a dehydrator, are likely to be less viable.

1. Make yourself a nice cup of Green Tea! Green Tea is antimicrobial and we will be using it to soak our seeds in. When the tea is warm enough to put your finger in comfortably pour some extra in another container and let your pepper seeds soak in the tea for several hours at the very least. There is no harm in letting it sit overnight. The warm liquid will penetrate the seed coat over the course of this time and awaken the delicate embryo inside.

2. Strain out the seeds from the green tea liquid and place them into your germinating medium. If it is soil ensure that it is clean soil without insects harmful fungi or bacteria. A safer route is to use coco coir pearlite and vermiculite mix. Coco coir is less prone to bacteria and creates a safe place for the seeds to germinate. Make sure that the medium can remain moist and still drain properly. For proper soil mixtures and additives CLICK HERE.

3. Cover seeds properly with a humidity dome, plastic wrap, or cover. This will keep the humidity levels and the temperature inside consistent until the seeds sprout. Beware of fruit flies and other small insects that may want to lay their eggs on your seed pods. See Video...