A tasty pepper from the supermarket can be the basis for home-grown plants. Not every purchased pepper has germinable seeds and seasonal fruits in particular have a high germination rate.

In a nutshell

  • Peppers must be fully ripe for seed collection
  • Leave pepper seeds to dry for several days
  • in order to be able to harvest early, the sowing must already take place in February
  • until they are planted out in mid-May, the young plants need at least twelve hours of light
  • before planting out, the young plants must be hardened off

Seasonal & organic quality

A beautiful yellow or red pepper does not necessarily have to have germinable seeds. Although the peppers can change the color of their skin, this does not change the degree of ripeness and the germination capacity of the seeds. This means that in the case of peppers, the seeds of a red fruit do not necessarily have to be germinable.
It is never possible to say with certainty whether the peppers were actually harvested ripe or if they were harvested immaturely and only changed their colour.

  • Using seasonal fruit seeds increases the chance of ripe peppers
  • Pepper season from July to October
  • preferably choose fruit in July, as the chance of an early harvest is very high
  • Fruits from sustainable production offer an even greater chance of germinable seeds
  • Organic peppers or good source for seeds from local markets

Tip: At regional markets you will not only find peppers with seeds that are capable of germinating, but often also special varieties that are not available in the supermarket.

Use aromatic fruits

Only remove seeds from a purchased pepper that tastes aromatic. This is also an indication of a fully mature pepper with seeds ready to germinate. If the peppers have little taste of their own or taste unripe, you should not use these seeds.

  • Seeds of unripe fruits sometimes do not dry, but begin to mold after removal
  • Seeds of unripe peppers will simply turn brown and wilt

Therefore, never sow the seeds immediately after removing them, but let them dry for about a week. If the seeds are still thick and whitish, this is also a sign that the seeds are viable.

Tip: Before you sow the seeds, do a germination test. To do this, place the seeds in an airtight container with a damp paper towel and if none of the seeds germinate after three weeks, they are not germinable.

hybrid breeds

A purchased pepper can be the result of hybrid breeding. These are not genetically modified organisms, as is often misunderstood, but seeds that are only guaranteed to have the desired traits in the first generation of offspring. This is achieved by inbreeding over a period of several years and renewed cross-pollination to produce strong and vital fruits.

  • Hybrid breeds also have disadvantages
  • from the second generation, characteristics are often less pronounced
  • Yield/size can be significantly lower

With a bit of luck, however, you will get firm peppers that can be propagated without any problems.

Sow in late winter

In order for the pepper plants you have grown yourself to bear fruit, you have to start sowing very early. The germination of the seeds can take up to two weeks. It can also take several months for the first flowers to form, and it also takes a long time for the fruit to ripen.
Sowing in February at the latest is ideal. However, so that the plants have enough light until they are planted, you absolutely need a suitable plant lamp that provides the plants with full light for at least twelve hours a day. This will prevent the plants from wilting. If you have the right infrastructure for the young plants, there is nothing standing in the way of sowing.

Instructions for sowing

  • Fill the greenhouse with potting soil
  • Distribute seeds evenly with sufficient distance from each other
  • Cover seeds with soil twice the thickness of seeds
  • Press the soil lightly
  • water the substrate
  • Cover indoor greenhouse

You can speed up germination by placing the seeds in warm water for 24 hours in a warm place.

seperate

You can prick out the plants shortly after germination. Compared to tomatoes, pepper plants take much longer to form the first real pair of leaves, which is why you can separate them while they are still in the cotyledon stage. Use a nutrient-rich soil as a substrate, but it should not be too rich. A mixture of half potting soil and half vegetable soil is ideal. Alternatively, you can mix in perlite instead of the potting soil, which has the additional advantage that the soil remains loose and the granules store water, which it later releases back into the environment.

Tip: If you separate the young plants into pots, make sure that they are initially only watered from below into saucers. This reduces the risk of Fusarium wilt, a fungal infection that causes young plants to fall over.

outplanting

As long as the peppers you grow from seed have adequate light, you can also stand in a warmer environment. By the time they are planted, they should not be longer than 30 centimeters and have a strong trunk. Water only moderately during this time, as this promotes the formation of roots.
From mid-May you can plant the plants in an unheated greenhouse or outdoors. Before you can pull out the plants you grow from seed, you need to harden them off. To do this, place the individual young plants in a shady place outdoors about two weeks before the planned date for planting out. This allows the plant to form protective substances against UV radiation. The plants can then be placed in the sun about a week before the planting date.

Instructions for planting:

  • loosen soil
  • incorporate slow-release organic fertilizers into the soil
  • Dig a planting hole
  • Put the peppers in and fill the planting hole with soil
  • Press the soil down well
  • Tie the young plant to a long support stick

High-yielding pepper plants usually need additional support because the plant or individual shoots can break under the weight of the fruit. An alternative to the support rod for a large-scale crop is a coarse-meshed plant grid that is mounted horizontally at a height of around 30 - 40 cm. The plants grew through the trellis and the mesh provides support for it.

harvest

From about July onwards you will see whether a purchased pepper, from whose seeds you grow new plants, produces the same size and aromatic fruit. However, taking seeds from a pepper and growing new plants from them is always an exciting experiment that often produces very aromatic fruits.
When you harvest the first ripe pepper, don't forget to remove the seeds from it. They grow new plants from the seeds and are no longer dependent on purchased seeds. Since a purchased pepper is usually not labeled with the variety name, describe the fruit as precisely as possible so that you also know which seeds are propagating.
You may not initially have much information about the peppers you bought. Over the years, however, you can collect additional information such as when the fruit ripened or the amount of yield. After about two to three years, it also becomes clear whether it is a high-yielding and seed-resistant variety.

frequently asked Questions

Are there methods to speed up germination?

In addition to letting them swell, there is also the option of rubbing the seeds with sand beforehand. This makes the seed coat thinner and the seedling can break through it more easily. However, this also increases the risk that the seedling will be killed prematurely by germs and bacteria.

Do I have to shorten the root when pricking out?

That depends on the root length. You should shorten very long roots that are kinked in the pot.

Can I also cultivate the plants in pots?

The pepper is one of the few types of vegetables that thrives very well in pots. The pot does not necessarily have to be very large, but you should constantly supply the plants with organic nutrients. With the fruiting you can fertilize a little more potash.

Category:

Vegetable garden