You set the course for a successful chili culture during cultivation. How to grow plants correctly is not a closed book. In order for the seeds to germinate, only a few requirements are important.
How do you grow chili plants?
For successful chili cultivation, prepare a seed tray with substrate and soak the seeds in lukewarm s alt water for 24-48 hours. After sowing at 25-28 degrees Celsius, germination takes 10-30 days. Light and regular watering promote the growth of seedlings.
In spring, chillies grow under impeccable constellations
In these latitudes, time is limited to successfully grow chilies. If the germination period continues quickly, the maturation period will take up to 120 days. Consequently, only February and March are suitable for cultivation.
The heat-loving seeds find advantageous conditions in a warm room or heated greenhouse. In order for them to germinate, they look for temperatures of at least 22 degrees Celsius and enough moisture. The lighting conditions only become more important later.
Sowing only after a botanical wake-up call
Mother Nature equipped chili seeds with a protective mechanism to prevent them from germinating prematurely. Heat and moisture are not enough to end this dormancy. How to get the seeds in the mood to germinate:
- fill a bowl with lukewarm s alt water
- soak the seeds in it for 24-48 hours
- the water in a thermos flask stays warm
Experienced hobby gardeners go one step further. To prevent rot formation, disinfect the seeds in a three percent hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) solution. After 20 minutes, the tincture is diluted 50% with water to soak the seeds in it for 24 hours.
The sowing determines the germination time
Following the pretreatment, the pre-cultivation flows seamlessly into sowing. You will need these materials:
- Seed tray or growing pots
- Peat-sand mixture or special sowing soil
- Clear film, otherwise a mini greenhouse
- Water spray bottle
- fine-mesh sieve
Fill the seed container with substrate and plant the seeds 2-3 mm deep. The distance is approx. 2 cm. Then sift the seeds thinly with soil and moisten them with a fine spray.
At a constant temperature of 25 to 28 degrees Celsius, the germination period is 10 to 30 days. Lower temperatures significantly lengthen the process. A cover with transparent film or the space in the mini greenhouse creates a conducive, moist, warm microclimate.
Seedlings want to go to the south window
When the first cotyledons blink out, the delicate plants now come into light. A spot by a sunny south-facing window with shade from the midday sun is ideal. If you pamper the seedlings with a little water every now and then, growth will progress quickly.
After another 2 to 4 weeks, pricking is on the agenda. Now every chili wants to form its root ball in its own planter before it goes out onto the balcony or into the bed from mid-May.
Tips & Tricks
In every substrate, fungal spores, insect eggs and viruses can lie in wait to attack the seeds. You can prevent this danger by disinfecting. Place the seed soil in a fireproof dish in the oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 20 minutes or in the microwave at 800 watts for 8 minutes.
