Working forwards 4 weeks (28 days) from April 10, I find that I should transplant my pepper seedlings outdoors on May 8 (20 days in April + 8 days in May = 28 days). Working backwards 4 weeks (28 days) from April 10, I find that I should start pepper seeds indoors on March 13 (18 days in March + 10 days in April = 28 days). That means starting seeds indoors 4 weeks before the last spring frost date (for a total of 8 weeks from planted seed to transplant).įor example, let’s say that I want to start pepper seeds indoors in Boston, Massachusetts. The question is: when to transplant pepper seeds outside? Generally, you will want to wait until 4 weeks after the last spring frost date to transplant pepper seedlings outside. This will allow you to get a longer growing season without risking loss of your seeds or plants to frost. The University of Minnesota Extension suggests starting pepper seeds indoors 8 weeks before transplanting outside. Once you know the last spring frost dates for your location, you can work backwards to find your indoor planting date.
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That way, you can add just a little bit of water where it is needed.Ī late frost can really put a damper on your gardening plans!įor more information, check out this tool from the Old Farmer’s Almanac on frost dates by zip code. To get the right balance for soil moisture, it may help to use a spray bottle ( plant mister). Wet soil also increases the chances of mold growth, both before and after seed germination. Seeds need air in the soil, and wet soil has less space for air. On the other hand, soil that is too wet (soggy) will also cause problems for germination. Seeds need contact with moist soil to tell them that there is enough water for them to survive after sprouting.Įven short periods of drying out can harm or kill pepper seeds – they are sensitive to drought in their early stages. Pepper seeds will fail to germinate if the soil is too dry or too wet. This is a bigger problem in dry conditions without proper watering.
High soil temperature can also be a danger to seed germination if it causes the seeds to dry out. Temperatures for pepper seed germination. This table shows minimum, ideal, & maximum The table below gives the temperature ranges for pepper seed germination. Pepper seeds prefer a soil temperature of 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (18 to 24 degrees Celsius) for ideal germination. Remember that pepper seeds do not need light to germinate, so you can keep the grow lights off until after they sprout. Soil can become too warm if pepper seeds are left under grow lights that give off lots of heat. Soil temperatures higher than 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius) will slow down or stop germination.
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You can also learn more about the coldest temperatures pepper plants can tolerate (and how to protect them from cold) in my article here.Įxtreme heat can also prevent pepper seeds from germinating. You can learn about how to keep seeds warm in my article here. Seedling heat mats are one way to keep pepper seeds warmer for germination. (This is more likely if temperatures stay below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.) The ideal soil temperature for pepper seed germination is 65 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit (18 to 24 degrees Celsius).Īny seeds that manage to germinate at lower temperatures may develop into smaller, weaker plants. (If you want a complete seed starting walkthrough with video and other resources, check out our seed starting course today!) We’ll also discuss how to speed up pepper seed germination, along with ways to help your pepper plants grow better once they have germinated. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at why pepper seeds fail to germinate and why they germinate slowly. Of course, there are steps you can take to ensure that you get a higher germination rate and faster seed germination for your peppers. Some hotter varieties of peppers can take a few weeks to germinate, so be patient if you think the temperature and moisture levels are correct. Pepper seeds that are more than 2 years old may germinate poorly (or not at all). Pepper seeds will also fail to germinate if they dry out. So, why are your pepper seeds not germinating? Pepper seeds germinate slowly (or not at all) if temperatures are below 60 degrees Fahrenheit (16 degrees Celsius). However, there is usually a reason for delayed sprouting of pepper seeds. It is frustrating when pepper seeds germinate slowly (or not at all), especially after waiting all winter to start your garden.
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