How to Plant Peppers From Seeds

1). Start your seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before you want to plant them outside. Temperatures need to stay above 55 degrees Fahrenheit for peppers to grow in the ground, so to choose a date for starting your seeds, count back 10 weeks from the time summer temperatures arrive in your area.
2). Fill small peat pots or seedling pots three-quarters full of light potting soil. Be sure seedling pots have drainage holes in the bottom. If you use peat pots, dip the pots in a bowl of water after they are filled to thoroughly soak the pot and soil. Set your pots on a tray or cookie sheet to catch excess water drainage.
3). Plant one to four seeds in each seedling pot. Press the seeds about half an inch below the surface of the soil, and cover them with dirt. Pepper seeds have a low germination rate, so it's fine to plant several seeds in one container. Water the seeds thoroughly.
4). Cover your tray of pots with a large sheet of plastic wrap or a clear plastic bag. The plastic will act as a greenhouse, keeping the seedlings warm and damp. Place the tray in a sunny room that has a temperature of at least 80 degrees Fahrenheit, or place a heat lamp over the tray to bring the soil temperature to 80 degrees.
5). Water your pots whenever the soil looks dry, removing and replacing the plastic wrap each time you water. Never allow peat pots to dry out. Keep the soil moist but not overly wet; dirt should stick to your finger when you touch it, but not look muddy or soaked.
6). Remove the plastic wrap or plastic bag as soon as seedlings appear in your pots. Keep the seedlings in their warm environment, and continue to water regularly.
7). Prepare your garden for planting once outside temperatures are consistently above 55 degrees day and night. Choose a sunny location with good soil drainage; raised flowerbeds are ideal for heat-loving peppers. Mix compost and a general fertilizer into the soil where you will plant your peppers.
8). Dig small holes with a hand shovel to accommodate the seedlings' root systems. Plant your seedlings in rows, spacing each hole 18 to 24 inches from the next.
9). Remove each seedling from its seedling pot and set it in its hole. You can place peat pots directly in the ground. Cover the roots and potting soil with dirt ,and lightly pat the soil around each plant. Add a layer of dark-colored mulch to absorb heat from the sun and keep weeds at bay.