Green peppers need a long, hot growing season. A fantastic way to get ahead of this season is to begin peppers from seed inside. That way when spring arrives, the air and soil temperatures are in the appropriate levels and the pepper seedlings are ready to be implanted.
Late Winter Planting
Late winter is the time to plant green peppers inside. Green pepper crops need about fourteen days to mature from seed to make viable transplants. The seeds germinate best when the ground is between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. At optimal temperature, you can expect germination to occur within seven to 14 days. Heating pad designed to go under the seed apartment helps maintain a consistent temperature and provides bottom heat for your developing seedlings.
Beginning Green Pepper Seeds
When starting seeds inside, it’s best to begin with a soilless sterile seed starting mix or a seed starting compost. Garden soil includes microbes and tends to be too heavy for starting seeds. The seeds have been set on top of the ground and gently pressed down so they are just barely covered. Once germination begins, consistent moisture is critical. The seedlings grow best in a spot that gets bright, indirect light.
Temperatures for Planting Outdoors
The best temperatures for growing peppers are between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit at night. In areas with long, warm growing seasons and early, warm springs, you are able to wait to plant seams until the air temperature is ideal, but in cold temperatures, it is best to get peppers in the ground as soon as all danger of frost has passed and nighttime temperatures are above 50 degrees Fahrenheit for the maximum out of this growing season.
Planting Pepper Starts
Prior to moving apples outdoors, they need to be hardened off. Hardening off is a process of acclimating the tender seedlings to outdoor conditions. The green pepper atom are set outdoors during the day once the weather is warm and moved back inside at night for a week. When planting pepper seedlings, the main ball and 1 inch of the stalk should be below the ground line.