Last Friday, I transplanted my Chile's into my family garden. As this represents my 3rd consecutive successful year of starting Chile' indoors under lights, I'd thought I'd post my routine and the timing:
I attempt to sprout 8 to 9 weeks before my planned transplant into the garden, assuming a 7 to 10 day sprouting time, as the Chile's I have been growing have not taken longer to sprout. Adjust your times back accordingly if your types take longer. I have been using this lighting system for 3 years and have not yet had to replace the bulb: Hydrofarm Jump Start T5 Grow Light System - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001XLSGQI
Regarding sprouting, I recommend taking other advice on the medium, as my method is generally frowned upon. In any event, this is what I do to sprout. I buy small pots and ordinary potting soil. It is important to put rocks in the bottom of the post for drainage. Then fill with soil. In the soil, in the middle of the pot, make a small 1/2 inch depression with your finger. Place 1 seed there. Loosely cover with soil and lightly pack it. Water a little. Water when the top of the soil appears dry. Don't fertilize until after the 2nd watering of the first set of true leaves. After then, fertilize with 1/3 of the recommended strength of any plant fertilizer. Only fertilize with every 3rd to 4th watering. This year, I used some 8-14-9. This is my germination percentage for this year. Last season, I made the bad mistake of collecting seeds from immature green Lemon Drop Peppers. All 8 of my attempts failed to sprout. I gave up after 5 weeks. If you count these in this years overall sprouting percentage, the percentage is 57.7% as I had 15 successful sprouts, the 8 lemon drop failures and 3 other failures. If you don't count the immature lemon drops for the overall percentage, only including mature seeds that I collected and seeds that I purchased and traded, the percentage is 83.3%.
I put the pots with the seeds under lights right away and set the timer for 17 hours on and 7 hours off. This may not help at all with the germination, but it is easier for me to start the timer right away and leave it alone. I keep this lighting cycle for the entire indoor growing period.
Harden off: Look for some better advice, but I have done a decent job. After the 2nd set of true leaves appear (provided the outside weather agrees) bring them outside to get adjusted to sunlight and wind. Start with small times and gradually increase to a few hours, and if you can a day.
When the last frost is over in your zone, transplant outside.
Best of luck and happy growing!
I attempt to sprout 8 to 9 weeks before my planned transplant into the garden, assuming a 7 to 10 day sprouting time, as the Chile's I have been growing have not taken longer to sprout. Adjust your times back accordingly if your types take longer. I have been using this lighting system for 3 years and have not yet had to replace the bulb: Hydrofarm Jump Start T5 Grow Light System - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001XLSGQI
Regarding sprouting, I recommend taking other advice on the medium, as my method is generally frowned upon. In any event, this is what I do to sprout. I buy small pots and ordinary potting soil. It is important to put rocks in the bottom of the post for drainage. Then fill with soil. In the soil, in the middle of the pot, make a small 1/2 inch depression with your finger. Place 1 seed there. Loosely cover with soil and lightly pack it. Water a little. Water when the top of the soil appears dry. Don't fertilize until after the 2nd watering of the first set of true leaves. After then, fertilize with 1/3 of the recommended strength of any plant fertilizer. Only fertilize with every 3rd to 4th watering. This year, I used some 8-14-9. This is my germination percentage for this year. Last season, I made the bad mistake of collecting seeds from immature green Lemon Drop Peppers. All 8 of my attempts failed to sprout. I gave up after 5 weeks. If you count these in this years overall sprouting percentage, the percentage is 57.7% as I had 15 successful sprouts, the 8 lemon drop failures and 3 other failures. If you don't count the immature lemon drops for the overall percentage, only including mature seeds that I collected and seeds that I purchased and traded, the percentage is 83.3%.
I put the pots with the seeds under lights right away and set the timer for 17 hours on and 7 hours off. This may not help at all with the germination, but it is easier for me to start the timer right away and leave it alone. I keep this lighting cycle for the entire indoor growing period.
Harden off: Look for some better advice, but I have done a decent job. After the 2nd set of true leaves appear (provided the outside weather agrees) bring them outside to get adjusted to sunlight and wind. Start with small times and gradually increase to a few hours, and if you can a day.
When the last frost is over in your zone, transplant outside.
Best of luck and happy growing!
