seeds Seed starting for 7a

[hadanero]

New to zone 7a here in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Any recommendation on when to start seeds indoors for growing outside? I'm thinking mid-February, but would be happy to hear from others growing in this same general area.

 

[Aksneed]

Do you have lights? I ask because I started mine real early and just keep indoors longer. Maybe not a good idea but that’s what I did. Lol

 

[hadanero]

I do - they're not especially powerful, but I have a pair of Sansa 36w LED bulbs.

 

[Aksneed]

I have mediocre lights and they are growing out of my containers and I have pot up once already. Next would be a 3 gallon but do t have the room.

I guess what I’m saying is you could plant and if your a little early that’s fine. There are dates you could find on google.com but if they are not exact you’re ok. I did it for fun. Going since October and I’m in 8a. Texas. Going outside probably early April.

A few are prob Root bound and I’ll deal with that later. This is my 1st grow and I’m learning a lot.

 

[Aksneed]

I think I have about the same light you have and I’m kinda amazed at how well they are doing.

 

[Black Compass]

Do you have lights? I ask because I started mine real early and just keep indoors longer. Maybe not a good idea but that’s what I did. Lol

Great idea if you have the ability to adequately grow the plant indoors (light, space, temps, time to care for them) and then move outside. You will get a tree that way.

 

[Aksneed]

So I was wondering but I will find out soon. Will I get peppers all summer or is it kinda a 1 and done. Also, what about the mulatas that are all ready trying to flower will they go grow bigger later even though they are going to flower.

Didn’t mean to hijack post but it may help. Does starting early pose certain negatives instead of going straight outside?

 

[Aksneed]

New to zone 7a here in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Any recommendation on when to start seeds indoors for growing outside? I'm thinking mid-February, but would be happy to hear from others growing in this same general area.

What are you planning on starting? May make a difference on your start times too. Ie… most of the ones I started are almost 100 days to flower with the exception of 1 kind that i couldn’t say no too.

 

[hadanero]

What are you planning on starting? May make a difference on your start times too. Ie… most of the ones I started are almost 100 days to flower with the exception of 1 kind that i couldn’t say too.

Good point!

My current plans are:

Seeds from Matt's Peppers:
-- Pimenta Bode Amarillo
-- Rob's Folly
-- Olho de Peixe White
-- Zebrange
-- Peppadew
-- Ají Charapita

Seeds from Midwest Chileheads
-- Bica Roxa
-- Scotch Bonnets MOA (yellow and red)
-- Peruvian White Habaneros

Seeds from THP friends:
-- Er Jing Tao
-- Aji Ayuyo
-- Red Aji Peru
-- Papa Dreadie Scotch Bonnet (G3)

Miscellaneous sources:
-- Aji Pineapple
-- Coyote Teeth
-- Datil
-- Aji Chombo

 

[Black Compass]

So I was wondering but I will find out soon. Will I get peppers all summer or is it kinda a 1 and done. Also, what about the mulatas that are all ready trying to flower will they go grow bigger later even though they are going to flower.

Didn’t mean to hijack post but it may help. Does starting early pose certain negatives instead of going straight outside?

It should continue to flower continuously after maturity, right?

Yeah they will grow bigger after flowering until they reach a genetic/environment limitation. Negatives would be you have to have the conditions to grow, ie lots of light.

All this sound right? It's been awhile since I was growing peppers indoors, it was cannabis previously.

 

[Aksneed]

Good point!

My current plans are:

Seeds from Matt's Peppers:
-- Pimenta Bode Amarillo
-- Rob's Folly
-- Olho de Peixe White
-- Zebrange
-- Peppadew
-- Ají Charapita

Seeds from Midwest Chileheads
-- Bica Roxa
-- Scotch Bonnets MOA (yellow and red)
-- Peruvian White Habaneros

Seeds from THP friends:
-- Er Jing Tao
-- Aji Ayuyo
-- Red Aji Peru
-- Papa Dreadie Scotch Bonnet (G3)

Miscellaneous sources:
-- Aji Pineapple
-- Coyote Teeth
-- Datil
-- Aji Chombo

Wow. I would know how all of them taste and which are your favorites. I will pick 2-4 or my favorites plants and overwinter them.

I would be careful. saying only because I started so many of only a few varieties and now they are really taking up space. I have sold some and even gave away so I could start different varieties. I really didn’t know so many would germinate (same cell) then it’s hard to let them go / cull them. There are some I haven’t started because of that…..you have a wide variety.

So… if I planned on planting in the ground and leaving them, maybe start closer to the last frost so you go from say 3 in pots to the ground. Or really plan on the space you need to pot up to 5in pots, with all your varieties. Next season I will start fewer of the same type but prob about the same time. I made the mistake of multiple seeds in cells.

An idea would be start 1 from each variety. If they start good, keep them going. Then start a few more that didn’t get going. Then 1-2 months before the last frost start all but a few. Keep a few seeds for next season.

 

[Downriver]

New to zone 7a here in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Any recommendation on when to start seeds indoors for growing outside? I'm thinking mid-February, but would be happy to hear from others growing in this same general area.

Hello Hadanero - it's been a minute.

MY rule of thumb:

Chinense, baccutum - 12 weeks before plant-out
Annuum, Frutescen - 8 weeks before plant-out
rocoto/manzano - 2 YEARS before plant-out (lol)

Check your last-frost-date for Lancaster. I'm a little south of you, in 6B. My target date for plant-out is 5/01-5/15. Sooo, my seed start dates are Feb 1 and March 1. This strategy has worked pretty well for me the last several years. YMMV

Good luck with it. Hope you have a great season.

 

[hadanero]

Hello Hadanero - it's been a minute.

MY rule of thumb:

Chinense, baccutum - 12 weeks before plant-out
Annuum, Frutescen - 8 weeks before plant-out
rocoto/manzano - 2 YEARS before plant-out (lol)

Check your last-frost-date for Lancaster. I'm a little south of you, in 6B. My target date for plant-out is 5/01-5/15. Sooo, my seed start dates are Feb 1 and March 1. This strategy has worked pretty well for me the last several years. YMMV

Good luck with it. Hope you have a great season.

Hey Downriver! It sure has been longer than I thought it'd be to get settled.

This is really helpful, and gives me good reason to tell my ever-patient wife that I just need more lights and heat mats.

Hope you have a fantastic season too!

 

[HellfireFarm]

I'm in zone 8a and I started my chinense's last week (2 weeks later than planned) and starting my annuums next week.

I think your last frost is probably only a couple weeks behind mine so you're right about there for chinense's.

 

[alkhall]

6A here.

Start seeds 1st week of February.

Plant out 3rd or 4th week of May.

 

[Downriver]

@hadanero - I forgot about tomatoes. I don't know if you plan on growing tomatoes, especially since you're in the heart of Amish country where there's a produce stand on every corner during the growing season lol, but if you do, I start mine 6 weeks before LFD. Just an fyi.