Lemon Spice Jalapeño Pepper Seedlings

Pepper seed requires heat to germinate; it just won't do much in cool soil. So the first trick is to find a spot that is steadily warm; using a heat mat is ideal. Sow pepper seeds at least 6-8 weeks before your last frost date; they mature later in the season than tomatoes, and to get a good crop of ripe peppers requires an early start. Sow peppers about a quarter-inch deep in soil blocks or plug trays. Give them a good ten to fourteen days to germinate. Once up, peppers grow quite slowly when young and, again, require warmth to grow quickly. Peppers should not be transplanted until the weather is settled, usually about two weeks after tomatoes go in. Space them about 18" apart. Row cover provides a warm microclimate for quicker growth. Although most pepper plants stay much smaller than tomato vines, their stems are weak and, when loaded with fruit, they tend to blow over in late summer storms. Peppers like sun, heat, moderately fertile soil, good drainage, and regular irrigation. Unlike regular jalapenos, these are meant to be harvested at full ripeness, when fruit are fully yellow in color.