Is this the correct way to seed pepper?

[andy2019]

I have a cayenne pepper plant and I just got a bunch of seeds from it yesterday and I'm drying them right now, probably 2 weeks for it to completely dry. I have a plastic egg carton and I'm planning to reuse it for planting pepper seeds. I'll do the following things to it, can you let me know if I'm doing it right or not please

1. I'll punch a small hole at the bottom of each egg holder in the carton for drainage
2. Fill it with soil and put the seed in (1/2 inch deep). The egg carton has a cover so I'll put the cover on so it's like the seed is in a greenhouse because it will be hot in there.
3. Water the carton and check it every week to make sure that the soil is moist. If not then give it some water just enough so the soil is moist

I have two questions

1. Should I punch a hole at the top of each egg holder so there's air ventilation or it's okay to have it completely sealed?
2. Given my zone, the weather can go down into the low 50s at night now, can I put the egg carton outside in my backyard where it will have sun during the day?

Thanks

 

[Tetters]

I think it would be a lot easier to use a flower pot. Put the compost in and water the compost well. Sow the seeds and cover very lightly with compost , or grit, or vermiculite. Cover the pot with a plastic bag, and put an elastic band round it to keep it on. It will then self water your seedlings when they germinate. Leave this on a window ledge indoors out of any direct sun.

once your seedlings have true leaves (the second pair) you can prick them out into their own individual pots.

 

[andy2019]

I think it would be a lot easier to use a flower pot. Put the compost in and water the compost well. Sow the seeds and cover very lightly with compost , or grit, or vermiculite. Cover the pot with a plastic bag, and put an elastic band round it to keep it on. It will then self water your seedlings when they germinate. Leave this on a window ledge indoors out of any direct sun.

once your seedlings have true leaves (the second pair) you can prick them out into their own individual pots.


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Do you open the plastic bag every week to check to see if the soil is still moist or not? If not then add water?

 

[Tetters]

If the plastic bag is secured with an elastic band, and the compost is watered previously this should water itself until the seedlings appear. After that keep them damp by putting the pot into a tray of water to draw up what moisture they need and remove the bag so the little plants can breathe. Be careful not to overwater, as this is when it`s easy for them to 'damp off' (too much moisture results in fungus)
(I know, it just happened to some of my own seedlings )

 

[headfullofbees]

1/2 inch is too deep; 1/4 inch is better.
No holes wanted in top, keeps humidity high, very much a plus.
A plant pot in a sealed clear poly=bag is easier, but yo should be okay.

 

[andy2019]

Thanks. Do I need to replant new cayenne pepper plants every year? I have one cayenne pepper plant from last year and it still have fruits on it so I don't think cayenne pepper plants are annual right?

 

[SeniorCitizen]

My late MIL taught to water seedlings from the bottom so the soil around the seed isn't disturbed. That method also works on larger potted plants by not disturbing the root system. When she had a hundred African Violet plants to water, watering 20 plants at a time in a tray allowing the water to be absorbed from the botton is much less labor intensive too.

 

[Tetters]

Thanks. Do I need to replant new cayenne pepper plants every year? I have one cayenne pepper plant from last year and it still have fruits on it so I don't think cayenne pepper plants are annual right?

All plants in this family are tender perennials, more often grown here in UK I think, as annuals, because it is so easy to lose them during very frosty weather - (we lost ours)

 

[Chuck-D]

I would use a paper egg carton , they hold up surprisingly well and are biodegradable so you can cut a way the sections and plant carton and all and never have to actually touch the delicate seedling its self .
If protected from temp below 35 degrees F Cyane peppers can live 3-5 years .