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Do some peppers take longer to germinate?

Germinating pepper seeds - how long does it take?

How long does it take to germinate pepper seeds?
Do some peppers take longer to germinate?

Yes, some peppers take longer than others to germinate – super hot peppers such as the Chinense varieties usually take the longest, and, when stubborn, can sometimes take up to 4-6 weeks to germinate. Many faster growing peppers like Annuum varieties can germinate in 7-10 days.

It's very important to BE PATIENT with pepper seeds, as they will surprise you and sometimes sprout long after you've given up hope on them. Make sure to keep them warm and moist during the whole time until they germinate.
Read more below...

Germinate Pepper Seeds - sometimes they all sprout!

Pepper seed Germination Time
Pepper seeds can vary greatly in how fast they germinate. While most pepper seeds germinate within 7-21 days, most of the super hot peppers and some other peppers like the delicious Piquillo pepper can sometimes take much longer, taking 3-6 weeks to sprout! The trick is to be patient, and keep the warm and moist. If you do this, you're likely to have most of your pepper seeds germinate (especially if using fresh seeds). If this happens, like in the photo above, make sure to thin out the extra seedlings, you only want to have one pepper seedling per cell – crowded seedlings will not do as well! 


Above is an example of a fast growing Shishito pepper seedling (big one in the middle) next to a smaller Habanero seedling lower on it's left. These were planted at the same time, but you can see how the Shishito germinated and took off much faster than the Habanero. That's why we sometimes start many slower growing hot pepper seeds earlier than the faster growing varieties

So, that leads us to say... if you want your pepper plants to grow more quickly, sow fast-growing pepper seeds! Read more about them below...

Pepper Seed Germination Time - Fastest Growing Peppers

What is the fastest way to germinate pepper seeds?
The secret to germinating pepper seeds quickly is to keep them warm and moist. You can also grow super fast growing peppers to speed up germination and harvests.

The secret to germinating pepper seeds
Heat mats help!!
Keeping pepper seeds warm, between 80-90˚ F is best for the fastest and most successful germination.


How to germinate pepper seeds faster
Read about the different Types of Peppers »

 

 

"Why didn't my pepper seeds germinate?"
For more tips on germinating your pepper seeds, click below:

Pepper seeds not germinating
Want to learn more about starting peppers from seed?

FIND MORE OF OUR TOP TIPS FOR GROWING PEPPERS FROM SEED:


Happy growing!

And remember, there are no gardening mistakes,
only experiments!

 

 

 

 

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