Expert Tips for Sowing Bell Pepper and Chili Pepper Seeds

 

Sébastien Dion founded Ferme Guyon 13 years ago, driven by his desire to help people discover Quebec-grown products and provide an immersive agritourism experience for people of all ages.

1. What are the benefits of starting your own seedlings?

There are hundreds of varieties of fruits and vegetables available in garden centres and on e-commerce sites. This opens the door to finding rare and even exclusive products. Additionally, by starting seedlings yourself, you can ensure production quality by opting for a more natural crop or avoiding pesticides. And most importantly, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as the pride of having grown a plant from start to finish!

2. What basic equipment is needed for starting pepper and chili pepper seedlings?

Non-perforated trays and domes come in handy when it comes to controlling water drainage and maintaining a high humidity level. You can also use washed recycled items, like grocery store mushroom trays, clamshell fruit containers, egg cartons with a drainage hole and plastic bags with watertight closures that can help retain moisture. A spray bottle is also required for germination.

3. Should supplemental lighting be installed for indoor seedlings?

Lighting shouldn’t be overlooked when starting seedlings. Homes don’t always have the necessary light to allow plants to grow strong and sturdy. There are dozens of supplemental lighting options available on the market, ranging from simple compact fluorescent bulbs designed for plants and seedlings, to more complex equipment that uses LED bulbs. Gardening experts can help you find the equipment best suited to your needs.

4. What type of soil should you choose?

It’s important to go with seed-starting soil, available at garden centres. It’s specially formulated to promote germination thanks to its lightness and ability to retain moisture. Jiffy peat pellets, for example, are also easy to use for germination.

5. When is the best time to start your pepper and chili pepper seedlings?

At least 10 weeks before planting them in the ground (early June), so by the end of March.

6. How should pepper seedlings be maintained?

All seedlings have the same basic needs and require daily attention to temperature (minimum 21°C), light exposure and humidity levels. Seeds tend to germinate more quickly when the temperature is high. Pepper and chili pepper plants love warmth and it’s imperative that you fertilize them regularly.

7. What’s the difference between chili peppers and bell peppers?

From a botanical standpoint, they’re the same plant. What differentiates them is their taste! The presence of capsaicin gives chili peppers their sought-after heat. In bell peppers, however, its presence is very low, which explains their mild flavour.

8. Is there a wide variety of chili pepper and bell pepper seeds available in garden centres?

There are multiple varieties available and we have nearly a hundred at Ferme Guyon.

9. Which varieties are the most popular?

Miniature varieties are very popular where bell peppers are concerned! There’s strong demand for cultivars like Mini Bell, Mini Sweet and Lunchbox. Among classic bell peppers, varieties like Bell, California and Campbell are surefire bets. Candy Cane Red, Mohawk and Redskin peppers are reputed for their maturity and productivity. As for chili peppers, the most well-known varieties are undoubtedly Jalapeño, Habanero, Cayenne and Espelette.

10. What are some recommended chili pepper varieties for people who enjoy a bit of heat?

• Lemon Drop: It’s moderately spicy without being too overpowering, and has a hint of lemony acidity.
• Chinese Five Colour: A small chili pepper about one inch long, it’s moderately spicy. The same plant can also produce purple, cream, yellow, orange and red chili peppers.
• Orange Pepperoncini: This is one of the oldest Italian pepper varieties. It’s excellent pickled, or sliced on pizzas, in salads or sandwiches!
• Dragon Cayenne: A hybrid between a Thai chili pepper and Cayenne pepper, it’s five times spicier than a jalapeño.
• Armageddon Hybrid: This habanero-type pepper is one of the hottest in the world (400 times spicier than a jalapeño)! It’s rated at 1.3 million on the Scoville scale, which ranges from 1 to 10. It’s comparable to the Carolina Reaper, with some people saying that it’s even spicier.

11. What’s the yield of a bell pepper or chili pepper plant?

Depending on the variety, three to eight standard-sized bell peppers can be harvested per plant. Chili peppers, for their part, can produce several dozen per plant, depending on the variety.