Starting peppers from seed is so rewarding, but chile plants can be tough to grow from scratch! For instance, there’s understanding what kinds of seeds to buy, when to sow your seeds indoors and how to germinate your pepper seeds. (Sometimes you’ll need to try different methods for the more stubborn varieties.) These seed-starting posts are here to help.
This section is a subset of the Growing Peppers page. Be sure to refer back to that page (in the menu bar) for a complete listing of pepper-growing topics.
Seed Definitions and How To Buy Pepper Seeds
Heirloom vs Open Pollinated vs Hybrid Seed Varieties
Learn the differences between seed varieties so you can make informed choices when buying.
Heirloom Peppers vs Open Pollinated vs Hybrid Seeds: What’s The Difference?
How To Buy Pepper Seeds
If you’re looking for super hot pepper seeds, be sure to read this post so you know how to buy them without getting swindled.
How To Buy Hot Pepper Seeds Without Getting Ripped Off
Where To Find The Pepper Seeds You Want
Heirloom, novelty or the latest super hot pepper seeds can be very hard to find. Here’s a list of pepper seed vendors (both in and out of the US) who have an extensive collection of seeds.
Preparing and Starting Pepper Seeds
When To Plant Pepper Seeds
Planting at the right time makes a huge difference in whether you can grow lots of chillies or not. This post explains how to determine when to plant for your particular growing location.
How to Know When to Plant Pepper Seeds (And, Why It's Important)
Test Pepper Seed Viability for Germination
Testing pepper seed viability is a process that tells you whether your seeds will germinate (sprout) or not. Pepper seeds, in particular, can have long germination periods, so this test really saves some time (and aggravation).
How To Test Pepper Seed Viability So You Don’t Waste Your Time
Germinating Pepper Seeds Tricks & Tips
If only we could just drop a few seeds in planting mix and know that plants will grow. There’s a little more to it, especially with peppers! Here are some tips and tricks that increase your chances of turning your chile seeds into healthy plants.
Harvesting Pepper Seeds
Saving Pepper Seeds To Plant Again
Saving your own seeds gives you the freedom to grow what you love each year. This article explains what to look for when saving seeds, and offers three methods to actually get the seeds out of the chillies.
And for those of you who want a step-by-step, detailed growing guide that explains how to go from pepper seeds to outdoor-ready plants… Make sure to check out the updated and expanded Pepper Seed Starting Guide. I personally use this resource to grow my chillies each season, and I’m always here to answer questions!
