Firstly, we would like to say that there are many different ways to germinate your seeds. Opinions and methods vary and the starting point for any undertaking these days always warrants checking the internet. The internet has a wealth of information on this and there is no hard or fast rule as to how to do this. This having been said, the method we will demonstrate in this article is the Coco Coir Peat method, which is very popular among chilliheads the world over. There are other mediums such as Germination Mix, Rock Wool, Jiffy Pellets for instance. If you would like to try these, please do check the internet for instructions on how to use these.

We would encourage growers to start their chilli germination before spring. This gives you a head start on the season, meaning plants will be that much bigger by the time spring roll around and you will get a good head start on the grow season, a longer grow period and hopefully more pods ultimately!

What makes this method so attractive is that it is less involved than the Ziplock method. Seeds are germinated and can grow in the Coco Peat medium right up to adolescent seedling stage. The medium is slightly acidic which aids germination. It is also semi sterile, meaning there is lowered risk of bacterial or fungal infections causing seeds to rot in the medium as can be often the case with germination mixes. Coco Peat has great aeration and water properties and is reputed to be an excellent medium for growing Chilli as well as Tomato seedlings. In our experience, we have seen better seedling root development in Coco Peat than with other methods we have tried. Furthermore, once ready to transplant, the whole seedling and plug can be planted in the container or soil with minimal disturbance of the roots.

Before we get started we would like to say that there is no fail safe method that will guarantee germination or success. Mother Nature is not a guaranteed thing and sometimes for inexplicable reasons germination will not take place. We experience this too from time to time. Usually it has to do with temperature or growing conditions. If any one of the criteria for germination is not met, germination does not take place. In the same token we have had seeds that did not germinate this way and once thrown into soil, seeds suddenly start germinating.

We need to point out that we are providing this article and method as it is a recognized method of germination. We are not guaranteeing that this method will provide germination for you. We are not endorsing this method for success over and above any other method. Nor will we accept responsibility for germination not taking place. This method is as a guideline and help resource only. It is a method we have used and it has worked for us.

When is the best time to grow Chillies.

In South Africa our chilli grow season ranges from first weeks of October until first weeks of May (weather depending). Unfortunately chillies will go dormant and even die off if exposed to winter temperatures - in particular sub-zero temperatures. This having been said, chillies require minimum temperatures above 10⁰C to grow and thrive. They generally enjoy as much sunshine as they can get and prefer very hot climates.

Some growers with the facilities, will grow their chillies through winter indoors (called "overwintering"). And it is good practice to start germination of seeds a few weeks before the last frost.

1. What you will need

• Jiffy® 7C (40x50mm)

• Seedling Tray(s) (6 Cell recommended)

• Water (Spring Water or Rain Water recommended)

• Pencil

• Gloves

• Ice cream Stick(s)

• Heating Pad (Optional)

• 2 Litre Ice Cream Tub or Similar

Please note that for your convenience we do sell many of the items in this list. Please see the bottom of this page for products available for purchase.

1) Pre-soaking Seeds

This is a must as far as we are concerned to achieve optimum results from your seeds. We pre-soak all our seeds and we would never miss pre-soaking our seeds. Many growers do not pre-soak their seeds, but we highly recommend pre-soaking seeds as we have experienced the benefits first hand. We highly recommend you first pre-soak your seeds before proceeding to this article!

We will not cover pre-soaking seeds in this article, but you can read our article on how to Pre-soaking My Chilli Seeds.

2) Jiffy® 7C Pellets

As far as we are concerned, this is the best medium for germinating your chilli seeds. It is super convenient to use and has excellent properties to ensure germination of your seeds yields the best results. We will not cover the details on using Jiffy® Pellets here, but you are welcome to read our article on Jiffy® Pellets Instructions.

Place your Jiffy Pellet discs in a six cell seedling tray. We recommend these as the Jiffy Pellet fits perfectly in the cells provided in a 6 cell seedling tray.

3) Soaking Jiffy® 7C Pellets

Take your 2 Litre Ice Cream Tub and fill with Spring or Rain water. 5cm deep should do the trick. Now lower the Seedling tray with the Jiffy® 7C Pellets in the Ice Cream Tub that is filled with water.

You will notice the dehydrated pellets suck up the water and expand. Once fully expanded, the top of the Jiffy® 7C Pellets will look moist.

Take the seedling tray out of the Ice Cream Tub and allow to drain off excess water for about 5 mins.

Pour out excess water from the Ice Cream Tub and set aside for future use.

4) Planting Seeds

Take the pencil and make a hole in the centre of the top of the Jiffy® 7C Pellet. This hole should be between 5-7mm in depth. No deeper. Planting seeds deeper will run the risk of seeds rotting in the medium.

Place one seed in each hole and cover lightly with medium from the pellet.

5) Label, label,label

Make sure to label each planted seed as you go. Use the Ice Cream Sticks and pencil to label. Tuck the marked Ice cream Stick next to the Jiffy Pellet in question.

6) Final Set Up

Once the seeds are all planted in the seedling tray and labeled, place the seedling tray in the (now) empty Ice Cream tub. Close the lid on the Ice Cream tub and write the date on the lid of the ice cream tub. This will allow you to monitor how long the seeds have been germinating for.

Place the Ice Cream tub on a heating pad running at 28-32ºC. Test the temperature of your heating pad before placing seeds on it to ensure heating pad is not running hotter than 32ºC!

7) Set Up Location

You will need to place your Germinating Seeds in a spot in the house where they do not get direct sunlight. Being on a heating pad, direct sunlight will spike temperatures in the Ice Cream tub and potentially cook your seeds. So, make sure no direct sunlight will hit the Ice cream tub during the course of the day.

8) Monitor & water daily

We check on our germinating seeds early morning and late evenings. Being a sealed container, moisture is retained and evaporation is reduced, but the Pellets will still need spraying once they start drying out.

Use a spray bottle with water to mist Jiffy Pellets daily as needed. It is important to note that this can be tricky to gauge for the inexperienced grower. Jiffy Pellets will should never dry out completely and should never be over saturated. As an indicator, note the colouration of the Jiffy Pellets. Dry Jiffy Pellets are light brown in colour, while saturated pellets are dark brown in colour. Also, you will not that the tops of the Jiffy Pellets are visibly moist and moist to the touch when moisture is present. You have to monitor this very closely. Pellets should never be glistening with moisture (over watered) & should never be dry.

9) 14 Days on average

As a rough guide line, seeds take ±14 days to germinate. But, can also take as long as 30 days to show signs of life. In the case of Wild Chilli Seeds, this can take several months to materialise.

You will know that your seeds have germinated when you see a "Hook" break the surface of the Jiffy Pellet. It can take a few days for the "Hook" to fully rise above the surface of the pellet, in which case you will see a full seedling materialise with it's first two sets of leaves.

Congratulations!