When to start seeds

9 years ago

I read an article that said for many hot peppers, I should start germinating the seeds about 8 weeks before the last frost. (Indoors obviously).

But then it gives a 3 month lead to actually starting the seeds.

It gave and example: If your last frost is May 15th, then you should start germinating seeds on February 15th.

That's 12 weeks, not 8.

I need to figure this out, cause I live in a warmer area of the country, and the last frost was (50%) given as April 5th.

Other than last year, which was atrocious, I'd say by April 15, we're pretty much past the frost stage.

So I should be starting my seeds around Jan 15th, according to the article. But still, confused why the article said 8 weeks before the last frost, but gave 12 weeks before the last frost as the actual starting point.

http://homeguides.sfgate.com/plant-charleston-hot-cayenne-49406.html

That's the article I read. And yes Charleston is one of the peppers I plan on growing. :)

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Comments (28)

seysonn
9 years ago
This subject has been dealt with many times here and in other forums.
For pepper , the consensus is start seeds 8 to 12 weeks before the LFD. That is a general guide line. It also depends on your resource as how long you can provided proper care for your plants. Remember that at from 8 to12 weeks bench time, the plants will be growing much fasater than the first 4 weeks. your 12 week lead time is pretty much on the mark.

So if you germinate 12 weeks before your LFD, , be prepared to take care of those plants another 2 weeks, in case of bad weather.

I, personally will start some of my slow growing ones 12 weeks before my LFD and some 8 weeks.

Seysonn
eagleclaww
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks, I'll get a Hydrofarm seed germinating station and light grow system, and a heat lamp.

That should pretty much do it. I"ll start the seeds in mid January. That gives about 2 to 3 weeks for actual germination and couple months of seedling growth indoor.

I think I'll end up using containers anyway, most will be outside eventually. I can overwinter them indoors at the end of the season.

Last frost is April 5th. That's certainly about average. Couple extra weeks indoors if needed should suffice.
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t bob, that's good feedback on my feedback. I guess the ultimate solution is, one does whatever will work in the area you happen to live in. Somewhere on the arctic circle is some guy with no web access to Garden Web and no information growing a jalapeno and getting a pod or two...LOL I heard the "55 rule" from a grower at a big nursery here called Debaggios. I was looking to do an early to mid May transplant, and he said, no, wait for consistent > 55 nighttime temperatures, to around May 20. He was right...my earlier plants had fewer and smaller pods than the ones that waited for the higher nighttime temperatures. We recently had 2 nights in the 40's and that seemed to bring the pod growth to a screetching halt. They were happily producing a robust 2nd harvest until those cold nights last week, but they really seem to have called it quits now in terms of new growth. However, along the lines of your post, I think one can get wrapped too tightly around the web-recommended metrics when you just have to try things out to see what happens. For instance, I read from many sources that peppers want 6-8 hours of direct sun, and won't even waste their time with less than 4-5 hours. Well, I only have 50 square feet available that gets 5 hours of direct sun. Another 10 sf that gets 3 hours, and then around 60 sf that gets no more than 2. That latter area is trapped between a house and woods, blocking the sun except between 11:30 to 1 pm, but is the largest space I have for gardening. And guess what, every single square foot on my property produced peppers this year. Now, the area with the real sunlight produced more, better peppers. But even the area with the 1.5 to 2 hrs of direct sun produced a fatali with > 40 pods, a Jaloro with > 30, a handfull of cayennes and serranos with 10-15, and a yellow drop with 20. So it can be done, if not perfectly, the moral of the story being to give it a shot and see what happens. Zenit: I think if you grow indoors under really good lights it'd probably be OK to start some super-early to see what happens. Here's the experience I had growing indoors with plenty of lead time (around 11-12 weeks). My lights were weak. So the plants got super-super leggy and tall. Then, when they were transplanted, they stayed with that theme of growing up and up and up. I have several 6 foot tall peppers that are supposed to be 24-36 inches. But that is not a good thing. That unusual vertical growth comes at the expense of filling out the foliage in the middle, and ultimately leads to low yield / small pods. Thus, I had a half dozen plants this year that were taller than me and yielded 5 to 8 pods, instead of the expected 25-30. So.....it's worth trying as an experiment, but mother nature's design is hard to mess with successfully. She wants to see 8 to 10 week old plants at transplant. It all comes down to the lighting - you need a strong light, right in the face of those plants; every inch away from the leaves that those lights are will cost you severely in terms of legginess and, down the road, poor pod development. The young plants crave sun, and they react strangely to 0.01 of sun, which it seems is what a cheap flourescent light too far away from the leaves delivers. But good luck and do share your results here if you try it
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pepperdave
9 years ago
8 weeks before planting is plenty of time. Over 10 and Ive found my plants get to large to deal with inside since my lights only penetrate a foot into the canopy and larger pots are required as well as more room and more lights.
Here are some plants at 8 weeks from the seed being planted with 2 weeks to harden off.
Peppers grow Quick and can outgrow there space overnight and unless your prepared like having a greenhouse you can get overwhelmed. I see some members starting now but unless you are planting the beginning of March its too early unless you have the room.Some members live down south where they can, here I cant plant till the end of May so mid March is when I plant seed.Ive started
Mecdave Zone 8/HZ 9
9 years ago
Yesterday.

I keep my shoplights an inch or two above the plants to keep them from getting leggy and trim them so they'll branch. Think Bonchi until springtime. That's the plan this year anyway. I couldn't wait any longer. ;-)

This post was edited by mecdave on Sun, Dec 28, 14 at 8:40
2ajsmama
9 years ago
I've found the peppers take longer to germinate (sometimes 3-4 weeks!) than tomatoes and they also can't take the cooler temperatures as transplants so go out a week or 2 after last frost. So a March start doesn't allow me to plant out at the beginning of June, I usually start by mid-Feb or sometimes even (for superhots) right after New Year's (when I'm itching to grow *something*, anything!). I'd love to get started even earlier this year since we have the hoops on the high tunnel and if we can get it covered in March I could have it warm enough to plant out tomatoes and maybe peppers in April or early May. But DH insist on having a Christmas tree in the bay window. Maybe I can convince him to take it down this week since DS is having his wisdom teeth out on Friday and isn't going to feel like helping this weekend?
pepperdave
9 years ago
If I had the room and $ to pay for the electric used buy lights or just the gas to heat a GH it would be peppers 24/7 . I ran a large green house for a few years and know first hand the expense involved. The same with lights ONE OF THE BIGGEST EXPENSES growing peppers. Im thinking LED's might just pay for themselves in a season in electrical savings. It cost $130 a week in oil to heat a 32 by 92' greenhouse in 2001 oil is twice that now. My lights now run about $60 a month.Knowing When to start your plants is an important thing to consider when planning the year. Starting too early without proper planning can cost time,money& you sanity and set you back struggling with root bound plant that you are struggling to get enough light to.Ive been there more then once and will probably go there again but do try to consider What Am I Getting Myself Into every year.
Never stopped me, I just hope the have a garden at the nut house when the put me away.LOL
Bill_Missy
9 years ago
I planted (sowed) yesterday and planning (Based off last year) to start hardening off around the first of April and final planting mid April. Last year I was able to do my final planting on 12 April if I remember correctly. I am in Central Louisiana.
2ajsmama
9 years ago
I use 6500K CFLs and the peppers don't get leggy though if I start the tomatoes before mid-March (or can't harden off in early May due to weather) those do. I do have to find a cheaper way to get bottom heat to the pepper flats though instead of using my old warming tray, since electricity rates are going up. We don't keep the house warm (67 and I may drop that lower and wear sweaters this year!) enough to germinate them without bottom heat and I've got a cabinet over my fridge so can't leave them there but may just try germinating them there (using a step stool to check on them every day to see if they've popped and need to go under the lights!). My basement's too cold to set up there. I am collecting milk jugs to use as mini-greenhouses to shelter the transplants this year, hope to get them in the ground (inside the unheated tunnel) earlier.
User
9 years ago
I started germinating seeds on the 26,,I put them on damp paper towels in zip lock bags and have them on a heating pad.
Randal
seysonn
9 years ago
Randal, for zone 6B that is quite some head start. Probably it is like 16 weeks before you can start hardening off .

I am trying to resist the itch and temptation to start early. Probably I will go with 10 weeks before LFD.

In my climate, I have found out that early planting peppers does not have an advantage. With tomatoes it is a bit better.

Seysonn
ryang23
9 years ago
I started some super hots on 12/22 and I'm looking at at least 4 months before they can go outside, and that's being optimistic. One sprout is currently in a plug and I moved another to soil today. For the most part, I have enough indoor space but more than anything, I'm just being impatient. I'll continue to germinate through January
User
9 years ago
Yeah its early but I have room in the basement and grow lights. I'm hoping the head start will pay off with the super hots. Last year it took along time to get ripe pods
Randal
User
9 years ago
Yeah its early but I have room in the basement and grow lights. I'm hoping the head start will pay off with the super hots. Last year it took along time to get ripe pods
Randal
smokemaster_2007
9 years ago
What is a Last Frost date?
What is frost? LOL

I'm guessing it might have something to do with that white stuff that falls from the sky along with hard water...the stuff people skate or ski on...somewhere else...

I'm putting plants out right now.
Some have green pods a lot have buds...

I started seeds a while back,will start more in july or so.

That way I'll be getting rid of the Winter/Spring stuff and use the hot summer heat to start my fall stuff.
Mid summers here are too hot for budding.
So I straddle the temp. breaks and usually have pods for different varieties year round.
Now I have Frutescens mostly outside,only a couple Chinense (for a June July crop) and a couple Annuums.
I'm going to add Baccatums out there this spring.They are only poping up now.
northeast_chileman
9 years ago
No frost Smoke? Lucky devil!

On a more important note, how are you feeling?
seysonn
9 years ago
Smoke, you should perhaps find out what your "last Triple Digit" date is . haha

Anyway. I could not resist the itch and finally sowed just a few seeds, mostly on the super hot side. This is just to keep me calm. hehe. I already have a TEPIN twins with 3 leaves going plus 2 overwintering. I will start the rest of my seeds in about 4 weeks.

Seysonn
Mecdave Zone 8/HZ 9
9 years ago
Yeah, I'm not sure where Smoke lives but it sounds like we have similar growing conditions (not counting frost and freezes). Last year I started some Superhots mid-May. While it was a pain to nurse them through the long hot summer, once it cooled a bit they started producing and the race was on to harvest before FF. It worked out well, but I plan on limiting my summer grow to cut down on the water bill since I'm now drip irrigating pots during the dry periods.

So, I'm off to the races early this year in the hopes of getting most all I need before July.

This post was edited by mecdave on Wed, Dec 31, 14 at 11:03
scorpion_john
9 years ago
I start early, I will start planting some stuff this weekend, but as Pepperdave said, i pay the price in electric bills..I don't care, stuff grows slower in my basement where its cooler. I'll pay for the lights

Its no big deal for most of you, as most don't plant a large quanity to worry about. But as Dave said, alot of lights get expensive if you grow alot plants. Not to mention all the time involved. Its a trade off and everyone will tell you different times. For the most part, the majority of people probally go between mid- jan. to mid- feb.
smokemaster_2007
9 years ago
I'm pissed!
Someone sent me some Winter cold seeds that sprouted BIG TIME!

Today was the coldest since 1950 something according to the news.
Actually had temps. from the mid to low 30's.

Looks like I might have lost 6 plants out of 40.

NEVER is this cold here for more than a day or so.
I'ts been below 40 at night for the last few days,close to a week until it warms up.
Usually it isn't until Feb./March that we get cooler temps.
Rain and cold nights are doing the root rot thing...

Nothing froze though we had a couple actual 32 degree nights.

On the good side,the mountains are getting a decent snow pack which MIGHT put a damper on our Drought.
I guess 6 plants isn't much of a price to pay...
I just hope none of the stuff I'm out of seeds for died.
Most stuff I have backup starts for I think.

OK,let the "I told ya so,shouldn't have bragged about S.Ca. weather" stuff get posted. LOL
I desrerve it I guess.

I still have about 100 starts indoors that haven't gone out yet.
Several are podding up too.
Almost as many seeds ready to put in soil that just sprouted.

Hopefully I covered my butt...as far as still having replacements for what varieties I lost...I usually do OK.

I just thought I'd let you cold winter guys know,when a dish of crow is served,I'll man up and eat it.

Besides,all you guys that get a real winter need to kill some time yet.
Posting suff about me semi bragging will give you something to do between shoveling that white stuff and putting on your longjohns until you can go in your basements to set up your grow stuff.

Happy New years EVERYONE!

Hope you get a decent season this year.
I hear you guys mostly got crap weather last year so a lot of peoples gardens didn't produce no matter how much care they got.
Maybe this year Ca. sucked up enough cold so you guys get a break this year.
Hope you guys do great this year in everything not just your gardens.

Happy New Year!

This post was edited by smokemaster_2007 on Thu, Jan 1, 15 at 23:27
scorpion_john
9 years ago
Mike,

No time to kill here buddy, I just put 400 on the heating mats yesterday. I figured i would start the New Year right...John
centexan254 zone 8 Temple, Tx
9 years ago
I started my first batch last week. I only have one heat mat so I am starting with about 30 at a time. 8 were sprouted yesterday. So today I get to plant 8 more to fill the empty space.
scorpion_john
9 years ago
Centexan,

what do you start them in? If you use smaller containers you can get more on the heat at a time. its easy to re-pot once they get a few true leaves.

Also , don't be afraid to stack them if you need more room. Cover the pile with a sheet of plastic to hold the heat in. Depending on the size of containers you use, second row will run 3-5 degrees cooler. just make sure you get them light once they break the ground
seysonn
9 years ago
lets talk about germination time.

I sow 8 varieties on 29th Dec. I just checked Trinidad Scorpions sprouting. So that is 5 days.
Amazing !! They are the hottest of them all.

Seysonn
.
scorpion_john
9 years ago
I hardly concider scorpions the hottest of them all.
CanadianLori
9 years ago
I started all of mine except for the milder ring of fire on Christmas day

no sprouts yet....Ã°ÂÂÂ¯
seysonn
9 years ago
John I planted just 2 seeds of Trinidad Scorpion Butch T, yellow ( I am holding rest of the seeds for you).

By "hottest" I meant amongst those that I am germinating:
-- Chenzo
-- Red Squash
--Aji Crystal
--Thai Bird
--NuMex Twilight
-- Thai Dragon

I think the seeds must be very fresh

Seysonn
scorpion_john
9 years ago
Cryrus,

I would agree with you there, its definately the hottest on your list. Did your seeds get there yet? I don't know why the emails didn't go threw. I would recommend you plant a couple of the White Bhuts also, You will like it better than the scorpion
seysonn
9 years ago
Scorpion John

I got the mail. Yours is on the way.

Thank you very much
Seysonn (Cyrus)

When to start seeds

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When to start seeds

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