Most people begin gardening by planting a few plants in pot soil or soil rich compost. These young plant beings usually do not have very many leaves, if any!
After one season, they try to get some leaf growth going by seeding new plants or starting a new garden. This is when most beginners make the mistake of seeding too deep for their seedling’s stage.
This may be because they want more foliage later on, but also due to time constraints. If you are just getting into growing your own food then it is better to wait until the seedlings are bigger before seeding.
The trick here is to know what depth each stage seeds need at. Beginners often start trying to grow plants when them only needs a thin layer of soil to soak up water and nutrients.
This can sometimes work, but eventually those plants will run out of air and die. Also, parts of the plant cannot develop properly because there is no oxygen being absorbed.
If you are ever struggling with putting in a seed, check out our article: Tips For Starting A New Garden Plants. There, we discuss how to determine seed depth for different stages.
Carefully plant seeds
When planting pepper seeds, make sure to prepare your soil properly first! If the seed is in a bag or cocoon, do not mix it with other materials until it is safe to handle.
Peppers grow rapidly, so leave enough time to wash the seeds before sowing them.
Never dry out fresh peppers when drying them for seeding, as this can cause them to sprout but remain non-growing due to lack of nutrients.
Once they are germinated, sprinkle the compost over the bed very lightly and cover with mulch to keep warm and protect from frost.
Add compost
After you plant your pepper seeds in these soil mixes, make sure to add some more compost to keep them healthy! This will aid in strong roots and faster growth.
Not only do plants need rich nutrients to grow, but they also require close eye-on observation as they develop.
If you notice any yellowing of the leaves or brownish coloration, this can be due to nutritional deficiency. Make sure to check your seed’s site for specific tips on how to increase nutrient absorption.
Also, try planting closer together or farther apart depending on the size of the plant you want to see it grows. A small green bell pepper takes around 12 months to get fully mature, while a jalapeño can take anywhere from 25 to 35 months.
Potting soil
A pot of plants will not look good with no dirt under them or nothing to hold water. This is why it is important to use adequate potting soil.
There are two main types of soils that plant growers use, regular garden soil and special growing medias such as vermiculite, perlite, or coco- coconut shell dust. These other brands of grow mediums are more efficient at retaining moisture and offer better air circulation than ordinary soil.
Regular soil can be expensive if you do not have enough to buy an ample amount for your plants. Many beginners start off using cheap soil because they want to save money, but this may not work well for your plants in the end.
Thin seedlings
The next time you plant a pepper, do not put all of the seeds in at once! This is what people with very little green house experience often do!
This will not work because each seed needs to develop its root system before it can grow into a pepper plant.
If a few of the peppers do not emerge, try putting in fewer seeds or more advanced stage seeds so that they have enough time to sprout.
Grow plants
Starting seeds is an excellent way to organize your time as a gardener. There are many ways to do this, but one of the most fundamental is growing plants from seed. This can be done through natural means or by using soil and special additives to promote plant growth.
Natural means include letting nature take its course in terms of germination, and using windows for light exposure. We will talk more about windows later!
Using artificial seeding agents such as those mentioned in our deep plant pepper seeds article takes it one step further and helps ensure that at least some plants grow. When gardening without seeds, there may not be much you can do to contribute to the ecosystem except recycle or compost what you cannot use.
Harvest time
When your pepper plant produces flowers, leaves or both, it is advisable to gather them. If you notice its soil dry out or burnish, it may be due to lack of water.
When harvesting peppers, make sure to only pick off one leaf at a time! Pulling too many leaves will break the stem which can cause death for the plant.
After picking all the leaves, cut the stem just above where it crosses with another part of the plant. Then, pull the pod away from the rest of the plant. This way, you avoid damaging the whole plant.
Now that you know how to grow sweet bell peppers, start growing some yourself! Sweet peppers are easy to take care of so feel free to try your hand at it.
Store seeds
Now that you have gathered enough seeds, it is time to store them! Because most plants require a source of food and water in order to grow, leaving no leftover nutrients or moisture can prevent growth.
Most plant experts agree that a good place to store your seed collection is either refrigerated or frozen. Make sure to also check that they are protected from light, as this could cause degradation.
Refrigeration is usually the better option unless you know how to freeze dried foods first.
