How to Grow Habanero Peppers From Seeds

You can plant habanero pepper seeds indoors or outdoors.

Habanero peppers are red and orange in color and are one of the hottest peppers in the world. The peppers can grow up to 2 ½ inches long and are common to areas like Belize, Costa Rica and Mexico. You can grow habanero peppers from seeds six to 10 weeks before the last frost. The peppers can grow both indoors or outdoors and grow well in warm and sunny locations. Habanero peppers add spice to a variety of dishes. The peppers can be kept for a long time by freezing or canning them.

Things You'll Need

• Bowl
• Warm water
• Garden soil
• Vermiculite
• Sand
• Seed tray with drainage holes
• Plastic bag or plastic wrap
• 6-inch planter pots

Instructions

1. Place the habanero pepper seeds into a bowl. Soak them overnight in warm water.

2. Combine an equal amount of garden soil, vermiculite and sand. Fill a seed tray with drainage holes with this mixture.

3. Plant the pepper seeds 1 inch apart and ¼ inch deep. Water the soil mixture to keep it moist. Place the seed tray into a plastic bag, or cover it with plastic wrap to create humidity.

4. Sit the seed tray in indirect sunlight. Keep the temperature range between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. Water the seeds to keep the soil mixture moist. Take the seed tray out of the plastic wrap or plastic bag after germination.

6. Thin out the weak seedlings. Discard seedlings that are weak after the seeds sprout their first and second sets of leaves.

7. Transplant your habanero pepper seedlings into 6-inch planter pots. Each habanero pepper plant will need its own planter. Water the soil to keep it moist, and keep the peppers in a warm and sunny location.

References

• University of Illinois: Heat Up with a Salsa Garden
• Habanero Chili Peppers: Growing Habanero Peppers
• Pepper Joe: Pepper Joe's Gardening Tips