First time? Dreaming of impressing the crowds with your homegrown hot peppers? These basic tips are just what you need to look like a pro… and become one!

Materials

• Potting soil – Practically the only item I recommend buying new.

• Containers – Can be any shape and size. The important thing is that they have drainage holes. My favorite is the repurposed “mushroom container”.

• A tray – To collect excess water. The black trays sold in stores are practical. A plate or saucer are also effective.

• Seeds – When you start, it’s better to get fresh seeds, just to put the germination rate on your side!

• Labels – Here again, we recycle! Popsicle sticks, plastic containers cut into strips, slats from an old window blind…

Easy steps of sowing for BEGINNERS

1. Prepare the Seeding Soil

First, pour the required amount of potting soil into a bucket or plastic tub and add water. The soil should be moist, but not soggy. When you squeeze a handful of potting soil in your hand, it will stay compressed, but no excess water will drip out.

Using a spoon or your hands, place the potting soil into the containers. Tap the containers on the table to settle the potting soil. Do not press with your hands. Leave about 2 cm (1 inch) of space between the surface of the potting soil and the rim.

2. Sow the Seeds

Place the seeds on the surface of the soil. No need to worry about their orientation. Even upside down, a seed is capable of germinating. For very small seeds, you can mix the seeds with sand, which allows you to know where you have sown. The smaller the seeds, the smoother the surface of the soil should be. Cover with a thickness of soil equivalent to 2 to 3 times the diameter of the seeds. This rule is impractical and quite difficult to follow to the letter… Remember that the larger the seed, the more you cover it. In the case of very small seeds. Simply press the surface of the soil, without adding any.

3. Label

“I will remember what it is…” A statement that all sowers have said once in their lives. Once. With a pencil or permanent marker, write the name of the plant and the date. If a plant takes an average of 10 days to germinate, you can start asking yourself questions if the seeds have not shown any signs of life after 3 weeks. That’s what the date is for.

4. Keep Moist

Once prepared, the seedling containers are placed in the tray and covered with a plastic dome, or they are placed in a plate that is covered with a transparent plastic bag. Here, reproduce a miniature greenhouse. A high humidity level close to 100% is favorable for germination. If it is too humid, water drops will form on the surface of the dome. It is then necessary to open a little to let this excess evaporate. In general, the dome remains in place until germination. It is removed when the real leaves appear.

5. Place in the Light and Water as Needed

Not all seeds need light to germinate. However, all plants need light to grow. A windowsill will give you good results to start with. More serious growers may want to consider purchasing an artificial lighting system.

Throughout the germination period, until you obtain plants that have about 4 true leaves, you must keep the soil moist, but never soggy. Preferably, moisten the soil by soaking. That is, place the container in a tray of water and let the water rise by capillarity.

And there you have it: the best advice that can be shared with someone who is at their first experience with sowing. You will find on this site an incredible amount of advice and practical tips to develop your expertise and improve your sowing techniques!