Starting habaneros from seeds?
 

I looked and didn't see a thread on this.

I was given a bunch of different varieties of habanero pepper seeds for Christmas.

I normally buy habaneros pepper plants at the local big box store and have good luck with them.

But this year I am kind of "forced" to start them from seeds.

I have some heated seed starting mats and trays and grow lights, but I am not sure when to start them indoors.

Or should I just wait on warmer weather and start them outdoors in peat pots?

Anybody got any guidance?

I'm in Zone 8a and our last frost date is March 13.

Thanks.

Start them now as soon as you can considering where you live.

Worth

Go to Johnny's Seeds website look under tools and calculator page, they have a seed starting calculator there. Type in your last frost date and it will give you a list of all vegetables when to start seed, when to plant out. Hot peppers sometimes take a long time to germinate so be patient.

Here it is, took a few clicks but I found it.:lol:
[url]http://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/seed-planting-schedule-calculator.html[/url]

Yes, I would start them now and set out maybe late March / early April depending on weather and how quickly they grow.
Good Luck!

My last frost date is about May 9th, but peppers wait another 3-4 weeks before plant out. I start them around Valentine's Day.

You're two months ahead of me so like Worth said, start them now. And don't be surprised if they take 2-3 weeks to germinate.

Good luck!

[QUOTE=Worth1;677941]Here it is, took a few clicks but I found it.:lol:
[url]http://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/seed-planting-schedule-calculator.html[/url][/QUOTE]



So for me it said to start peppers at the end of March. For the first time (and the last time) I did start mine late last year (mid March) for various reasons, and it was my lowest production year.

Same with the eggplants, which I always start at the same time as the peppers. Last year 's later than usual start ended up with each plant producing just one eggplant before first frost.

That's why you need to use the one-size-fits-all on line guides as a reference point, then do some research and use trial error to see what works for you.

[QUOTE=Father'sDaughter;677950]So for me it said to start peppers at the end of March. For the first time (and the last time) I did start mine late last year (mid March) for various reasons, and it was my lowest production year.

Same with the eggplants, which I always start at the same time as the peppers. Last year 's later than usual start ended up with each plant producing just one eggplant before first frost.

That's why you need to use the one-size-fits-all on line guides as a reference point, then do some research and use trial error to see what works for you.[/QUOTE]


I still say my seed starting time should be November I dont care what the so called experts say.

I did it two years ago and had the best plants ever.
The deer played no roll in the plants and what I had other than eat them.:lol:

Worth

According to the calculator, eggplant is started 3 weeks before peppers.

I have a Tville friend named K, he lives and gardens in So Florida. A friend up here where I am was making salsa but it wasn't HOT enough said her son, etc.So I contacted K and he sent me a huge box with many different kinds of seeds,also pods as well.

I forgot to tell her that she had to sow seeds very early, about 3-4 weeks eariler than cold pepper seeds,as it were.

I am NOT a lover of HOT HOT peppers but did grow some many years ago, the problem being that they cross pollinate very easily and no way was I going to build isolation cages.

The one below is one I did grow, seeds from Richard a friend in W NYS,he was a fanatic about hot peppers and subbed to an international journal about them and was a also a very active member at several sites.

Here is one that I sent to SESE, and my seeds were from Richard.

[url]http://www.southernexposure.com/royal-black-hot-pepper-02-g-p-915.html[/url]

I did send another one to SESE but they listed it not as it should be,I let them know about it.And they fixed it but not before seeds had gone out so I had to chase all over the place where they went to ask them to change it, and they ended up being offered in The SSE catalog,and many other places/

You can see the Joe's Long here and some of the places it ended up at.

[url]https://www.google.com/search?q=Joe%27s+Long+Pepper&hl=en&site=imghp&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiRruSju9nSAhVmwYMKHWl8DoMQ_AUIBygA&biw=1403&bih=788&dpr=1[/url]

Habeneros?

Here was another source for me

[url]https://www.google.com/search?q=heidi+Iyok+habaneros&hl=en&site=imghp&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjRvoKK7-XTAhVl1oMKHf_7DHgQ_AUICSgA&biw=1402&bih=790&dpr=1[/url]

Hot pepper seeds want warm bottoms so I used to put them on TOP of the lights on my plant stands.

Carolyn

Wow! Thanks everybody! That is super info.

I'll get started on them ASAP.

By the way, the seeds I got for Christmas include:[LIST][*]White Habanero[*]Peach Habanero[*]Spicy Mustard Habanero[*]Paper Lantern Pepper[*]Orange Scorpian[*]Carolina Reaper[/LIST]
I had not looked closely at the names. I see that not all of them are habaneros.

There is just a small envelope of each kind---which is a good thing. At the normal pepper germination rate I should not end up with too many plants.

[QUOTE=Father'sDaughter;677944]My last frost date is about May 9th, but peppers wait another 3-4 weeks before plant out. I start them around Valentine's Day.

You're two months ahead of me so like Worth said, start them now. And don't be surprised if they take 2-3 weeks to germinate.

Good luck![/QUOTE]
I spent some time in the Hanover-Lebanon, NH area. Beautiful country up there! I loved Woodstock, VT.

But I see that the temperature will get down to -10 degrees tonight and the wind will be blowing at 10 to 20 MPH as usual. I can't take that.

[QUOTE=JerryHaskins;678009]I spent some time in the Hanover-Lebanon, NH area. Beautiful country up there! I loved Woodstock, VT.

But I see that the temperature will get down to -10 degrees tonight and the wind will be blowing at 10 to 20 MPH as usual. I can't take that.[/QUOTE]

They pass the time sitting outside at a table seeing who can drink cold beer the longest.:lol:

[QUOTE=Worth1;678010]They pass the time sitting outside at a table seeing who can drink cold beer the longest.:lol:[/QUOTE]I would think that beer would freeze . . . and so would the beer drinkers.

I tend to hibernate all winter like bears do.

;)

[QUOTE=pmcgrady;677965]According to the calculator, eggplant is started 3 weeks before peppers.[/QUOTE]

I am guessing there a some calculation flaws with the calendar (at least with the peppers). It says to start my tomatoes 2 weeks before my peppers and my egg plant a week before the tomatoes. Eggplant and peppers are started at the same time ... and that is generally 2 weeks before the tomatoes.
The peas also seem to be a couple of weeks too early.