I would probably give them a total of eight weeks, but it is getting late in the year already.

I planted my Chocolate Habanero chili seeds (from seeds that I had saved from a previous harvest) in mid February, and I did not get sprouts until the mid April. I am splitting my time between Los Angeles (near the beach) and Palm Springs, and when I brought my seedlings to the desert and put them outside, they died from the heat. It was over 100° at that time, and I guess the shock was too much for them. Anyway, I planted some more seeds and got them to sprout fairly quickly, but they are just now getting started. I have them inside my house in the desert, but I put them outside for a couple of hours to warm up, but I keep them in the shade.

It takes Chocolate Habanero chilies about eight months to make fruit from the time they germinate, but once they get started, I will keep them outside in my yard in Los Angeles (zone 11a or 10b, completely frost-free), and in the past they have made chilies throughout the winter, being most prolific in December and January. I need to plant them in the ground if I want them to get very large, however, as they get rootbound very quickly, even in large pots. Maybe I will get a wine barrel planter for them and keep them in the middle of the back yard, where the sprinkler system will water them. That way I won't have to water them while I am in Palm Springs. I've been spending 5-6 weeks in L.A. alternating with 4-5 weeks in the desert for over a year now and will probably continue this habit for another year or so. I don't want to take plants back and forth very much, but I cannot grow much in the desert compared to what I can grow in coastal Los Angeles.

I'm wondering how warm I need to keep the soil of my seedlings, and I'm still hoping for more seeds to sprout. I only have four right now, and I had 18 before I killed them all.

Although I can leave my plants outdoors all year in L.A., I put them in planters because the soil in my back yard is so poor, and it has terrible drainage. Some of the neighbors have seven foot high chili plants in their front yards, however, but they are several doors down and may have different soil. I'm sort of at the top of a hill and they are not.

I traveled to Belize in 2019 and the tour guides TOLD me about these peppers, but it was too early in the year and they couldn't find any for me to try :-( I've been dying to try them ever since, and they were the ones I was the most excited about growing!! So naturally they're the ones giving me attitude :-/

Your climate(s) are drastically different from mine, and I'm honestly not sure if they'll be able to grow here under any circumstances. I have a friend that also grows hot peppers and he uses a heat mat to warm the soil (no greenhouse), and he seems to have pretty good success. But February here drops to the 30s, so I don't know if that would be applicable to you at all!

Oh my heart. I'm trying to get my chocolate habs, sport peppers and poblanos to sprout. They are sitting on a heat mat set to 80 right now.

I know I'm being impatient but I had no idea they take FOREVER to sprout from seed. Lesson learned is to make sure I start them far earlier than I did this year.

What area are you in, @MzTeaze ? I tried to start mine last year in March, and lost them all to late cold snaps! That's why I ordered the greenhouse.

Now I'm thinking about adding a heat mat or grow lamps to my greenhouse, though, and starting them in February like @Lars did.

@Jason, zone 7A, near Greensboro NC, I'm in zone 7a. I have my plants in my "3 seasons" room sitting on a heat mat. I should have started the hot peppers in late Feb/early March instead of early April. Lesson learned for me. I bought two extra grow lamps to help out this year, so I'll be even better equipped next season.

My tomatoes are doing well and will be ready for a late May early June planting. But my peppers are very very slowly spouting.

Well howdy, neighbor! LOL

I ordered mine from Australia in February, but they weren't delivered until March 23. I really ordered too much, though, so if I save seeds then I don't plan to order again unless the purple habs don't sprout. So NEXT year, I'll cross my fingers for a February planting :-)

Totally unrelated, but if you have problems with bugs eating your tomatoes (I sure do!), I take one of my hot peppers, blend it with dish soap and water, and spray the tomatoes daily. No more pests :-)

That's a great tip. Our biggest pests are tree rats (aka squirrels) and deer. It often seems like NOTHING deters them.

Are you in NJ as well? Or in NC as your name says?

Oh my, you're 7 hours North of me! I'm in western NC. Funny how we're in the same planting zone! LOL I drove through your area a few years ago, when I had to visit Philly. I LOVED the whole area! I made a point to bypass the interstate for awhile just so that I could drive through some neighborhoods.

I usually put edible plants in my fenced area, but still deal with rabbits and deer with my flowers. And the neighbors dogs, really. Spraying with hot peppers deters pretty much everything, though; one lick of a scorpion pepper and they learn their dang lesson!! LOL

I had a bumper crop of habs last year, so I should have a few spares for "special juice". I have hosta that I don't mind leaving as a sacrificial offering though.

Can you suggest a heat mat? And do they need to be in bright light, too, or can I start them in my basement?

Mine is hydrogrow You need a grow light when plants come up

tropical peppers need temps above 55 to grow otherwise they become dormant..Night temperature above that is critical.They dont like wet feet use Foxfarm Ocean Forrest soil.Dont overwater.They also need at least ten hrs /day sunlight can be grow light.Flower takes twelve hrs optimum.I grow year round in a greenhouse.You can purchase grow tents that would work in your basement. Hot peppers are heavy phosporus feeders .I use Herculian Harvest liquid bone meal every time I water.This is a Carolina Reaper just ripening Oct.30.I was just in Murphy NC in August beautiful.

Based on my experience, some hot peppers germinate faster than other.. Scorpion and ghost peppers takes a bit time and it needs heat to germinate that's why some people recommend germinating in the back of a refrigerator.. I tried it once but they grew fast and tall and transplanting hurted them so they died, You should do the same but keep an eye on them.. So once they sprout you take them out of that bag and pot in soil..

I see from picture you water too much.. Or give more sun or reduce watering

Good luck