How to Plant Habanero Seeds

Grow your own habanero peppers from seeds.

Habanero peppers add spice to food, but they are hot--100,000 to 445,000 on the Scoville Heat Index as compared to 400 to 2,500 for jalapeno peppers, according to the National Gardening Association. The peppers are red and orange when mature, and they typically reach 1 to 2 inches in length. You can grow these fiery peppers from seeds outdoors in a warm climate or start them indoors. You must keep the seedlings in a sunny and warm location to help them grow.

Things You'll Need

• Vermiculite
• Potting soil
• Seed trays with drainage holes
• Plastic wrap
• 6-inch growing pots

Instructions

1. Soak the habanero pepper seeds in warm water overnight. Soak the seeds six to 10 weeks before the last frost.

2. Add an equal mixture of vermiculite and potting soil to a seed tray with drainage holes.

3. Place the habanero seeds into the soil 1/4 inch deep. Keep them 1 inch apart.

4. Water the seeds to keep the soil moist. Cover the tray with plastic wrap.

5. Sit the seed tray in a bright location that receives indirect sunlight. Keep the soil temperature between 75 and 85 degrees F.

6. Add water to the soil to keep the soil moist. Take the plastic wrap off the seeds once they begin to germinate, which will usually take six weeks.

7. Remove week habanero seedlings once the first set of seedling leaves grow.

8. Plant the habanero seedlings into their own individual 6-inch pots. Dig a hole large enough for the root ball in the soil. Keep them in a sunny location and keep the soil moist for adequate growing.

9. Plant the seeds outdoors by digging a garden bed 18 inches deep. Add compost to the top 6 inches of soil, and plant the seedlings 15 inches apart after the threat of frost passes. Water the plants to keep the soil moist.

References

• Pepper Joe: Starting Hot Pepper Plants From Seed
• National Gardening Association: Edible of the Month: Hot Peppers