Seed storage

Seeds must be stored dry and cool. If you don’t sow the seeds you purchased in this shop immediately upon receipt, an appropriate storage must be ensured. This is the only way to maintain the quality of the seeds and their ability to germinate over a longer period of time.

Place the airtight seed packets, as received, in an airtight box and add some desiccant. Store them in a refrigerator and avoid opening the box repeatedly until you’re ready to use the seeds. When you open it, new humidity enters the box. As the humidity increases, the risk of a reduction in the quality of the seeds increases.

If some seeds are removed from the airtight sealed bags, the remaining seeds should then be sealed airtight again. Zip lock bags are very practical, but they’re not recommended for seed storage as they can’t be sealed airtight.

Germination

The germination of chili and tomato seeds is very similar. The main difference is that tomato seeds germinate at room temperature around 22 degrees Celsius (72° Fahrenheit), and chili seeds at around 28-29 degrees Celsius (82-84° Fahrenheit).

We recommend the following setup for both tomato and chili seeds:

In a thermobox (Styrofoam box) with a heating mat, the heat can be ideally stored during the germination process and very little energy is lost (energy efficient). Semillas uses polypropylene boxes with a volume of 50 liters.

A heating mat with a thermostat is required for each grow box. Like that you can keep the temperature inside constantly at 28 degrees Celsius (+/- 1 degree) or 82° Fahrenheit. Semillas uses heating mats from Lerway.

It’s important that the temperature inside never rises above 30 degrees Celisus (86° Fahrenheit) for a long time, as seeds would be overheating and useless then. At a temperature below 28 degrees Celsius (82° Fahrenheit), the germination process takes longer or may be stopped completely. This information refers to the germination of chili seeds. Tomato seeds germinate best at room temperature (around 22 degrees Celsius or 72° Fahrenheit).

Both tomato seeds and chili seeds can be germinated directly in the potting soil. In both cases, it’s recommended to pre-treat the seeds (soaking) to ensure the best germination success. In the case of all Capsicum chinense and Capsicum pubescens varieties, pretreatment is essential, as without it your seeds may not germinate at all. The Semillas team recommends soaking in a 1% saltpeter solution (1g saltpeter to 100ml distilled water) for 24 hours immediately before sowing.

On the internet soaking the seeds in tea is often suggested. This is definitely not recommended as tea is not sterile. Hence, bacteria can easily grow on the surface of the seeds. In the moist environment of the growing soil, your seeds can start to rot then (recognizable by the brown discoloration of the seeds). Then the seeds die.

In order to eliminate larvae and other pests in the growing soil as much as possible before sowing, the soil can be slightly steamed in the oven before sowing. In order to do this, put them on a baking tray, moisten them with water using a spray bottle and put them in the oven at 65 degrees Celsius (150° Fahrenheit) for 20-30 minutes. Pour boiling water (e.g. from the kettle) onto an additional baking tray in advance so that the oven is filled with steam before the soil is added to steam. Allow the soil to cool completely before preparing it for sowing.

Mix two parts of the cooled potting soil with one part vermiculite (for an optimal drainage later). Add the substrate mixture to your small growing pots and fill them about two-thirds full. Gently press the soil down with a small glass.

Use tweezers to carefully distribute the pre-treated seeds on the growing soil in the pots, leaving as much distance between them as possible. Label the pot immediately with the name of the variety to avoid later confusion. Fill the pot with about 2-3 more tablespoons of substrate and press the soil lightly again with a glass.

Place the pots in a container filled with warm water. Wait until the surface of the substrate turns dark and the soil in the pot is completely soaked. In the meantime, top up with water from below if necessary. Then place an appropriately cut glass plate on each pot and carefully place them in their prepared grow boxes with heating mats (set to 28 degrees Celsius or 82° Fahrenheit). In the case of tomatoes, it’s sufficient to place the pots in a dark place at room temperature. Alternatively, a grow box without a heating mat can also be used.

Check the temperature inside the boxes using an additional thermometer in case the heating mat’s thermostat fails or is defective.

Tomato and chili seeds germinate in the dark and in peace. During the germination process, try to not constantly opening the grow boxes or even lifting the glass plates on the pots. Seeds from Semillas are of high quality. Under ideal conditions – as described in this guide – you should achieve germination rates of at least 90%. Interrupting the germination process reduces this rate.

Seedlings

Tomato seeds usually germinate after a few days. For chilies, the germination time varies greatly depending on the variety. While some will come to the surface after only a few days, others can take several weeks. Wild varieties in particular have a very long germination period. In these cases it’s particularly important to make sure that the temperature is constantly at the same level and that the soil never completely dries out. Drying out of the soil usually ends the germination process and thus also the further development of the seedling.

If the soil is well soaked before being placed in the grow box and a glass plate is placed on the pot, there is a greenhouse effect formed under the plate. This is usually sufficient to keep the relatively small amount of soil constantly wet over the required period of time. If necessary, you can carefully pour in some warm water from below.

As soon as a large number of seedlings hit their heads on the glass plate, they must be moved to a cooler place. You now remove the glass plates and place the seedlings under a grow lamp at room temperature. Semillas uses an LED full spectrum grow light from the Sonlipo brand. Most of the time, the shell of your seeds will come off automatically when the head of the seedling pushes up through the soil. If this isn’t the case, you can carefully wet (spray) it to soften it. Then you carefully squeeze the edge of the seed together with your thumb and forefinger and pull it very slowly and carefully down from the leaves.

If the seedlings stay in the warm box without light for too long at this stage, they will begin to shoot up, become leggy and fall over. Moving to a cooler place with special light ensures a slow and vigorous – and therefore healthy – growth.

Especially at the beginning of the year during the sowing period there isn’t enough natural light. So this is why the use of a grow lamp is essential. The supposedly high initial investment is definitely worth it. Plants that are not provided with enough light right from the start are often very sensitive later on, fall over easily and are more quickly attacked by fungi or insects (lice, whiteflies, etc.). Modern grow lights, like the one recommended above, imitate natural daylight, they have dimmers, timers, and day and night modes.

In the case of tomato seedlings the situation is similar. As soon as they touch the glass plates, they must be placed immediately under artificial light to avoid a leggy growth and ensure they they’ll be healthy.

If the plants aren’t grown in a greenhouse with high humidity, it’s recommended to regularly spray the air with water. A fan can also be switched to a low level. The air movement, which imitates the natural wind, helps the plants to develop vigorously from the start. Caution: this is not intended to imitate a storm, but to simulate a light breeze. The fan has the positive side effect of additionally cooling down the growing area. Grow lights generate a lot of heat – often too much. Make sure that the day and night temperatures during this phase are ideally between 18 and 22 degrees Celisus (65-72° Fahrenheit).

Since the greenhouse effect in the pot is lost by removing the glass plates and a lot of heat is generated from above by the artificial light, the seedlings must of course be watered regularly. To promote healthy rooting, water from below. So place your pots in a bowl and add a little water whenever the surface of the substrate begins to dry. Under no circumstances should the soil dry out completely at this stage. However, the plants must not be left with wet feet either. Regular checks are therefore essential. The water used should not be heavily chlorinated or too hard either.

Remember during the entire cultivation process: this is about imitating and professionalizing cultural conditions from nature.
The closer your set-up is to natural processes while eliminating disruptive factors, the higher your chances of success.

The state of the art and the experience of decades of cultivation are used to improve these processes – and thus create an ideal state that surpasses that of nature. The result should be some healthy, strong plants with lush, dark green leaves. The stronger your seedlings, the greater the chance that they will develop well as large plants, once they’re taken outside and exposed to real natural conditions (including weather and pests).

Separation

Once the small plants have developed their second pair of true leaves, seedlings can be separated. Just as in nature: only the strongest survive. At this stage, you should continue to cultivate those plants that have already proven to be the strongest and healthiest at this point. In addition, you should not separate in the blazing sun or on a particularly hot day, as you don’t want to stress the plants unnecessarily.

Separate the root ball with both thumbs so that the plants with roots are lined up next to each other in your hands. Then you begin to carefully remove them from the outer sides of the bale. The best ones are further cultivated in 1L (2.6gal) pots or placed directly in the final pots. Depending on the variety, Semillas works with 10 and 30 liter (2.6-8gal) pots. Now two parts of peat growing substrate are mixed with one part of vermiculite. After being separated, the plants must be watered directly.

Only put your plants outside when night frost is no longer expected. Both hot peppers and tomatoes need a lot of light and warm temperatures for an ideal development. If these conditions are not met, the plants may be able to survive, but they won’t continue to develop healthily and deliver the desired harvest results. Sometimes it’s advisable to leave the plants in the protected indoor area for a little longer to avoid suffering irreversible setbacks. If there is frequent rainfall and there is a risk of hail damage, you should definitely place your plants in a protected, if necessary covered, location. Strong winds can also be a problem. In addition, direct sunlight should be avoided, otherwise the plants will suffer from sunburn. Use shading to prevent this.

Fertilizer

Growing substrates are usually pre-fertilized, so there is no need to fertilize in the initial phase of the culture. About two to three weeks after germination, it’s recommended to add a liquid complete fertilizer to the irrigation water according to the instructions. This fertilizer should have a balanced ratio of N-P-K (nitrogen – phosphorus – potassium) or be slightly more potassium-focused. Nitrogen values ​​that are too high lead to rapid and undesirable length growth. Fertilize again every 1-2 weeks depending on the growth of the plants. Avoid over-fertilization.

In the later period of the culture, it’s recommendable to add slow-release fertilizers such as Osmocote or Basacote to the substrate. Capsicum chinense species in particular need calcium for a healthy leaf development. You can mix bone meal into the surface of the substrate.

Once the plants have reached a decent size, switch to a fertilizer with a little more phosphorus in order to achieve strong flower setting. At this stage you shouldn’t add too much nitrogen, otherwise the plants will grow very large but won’t produce any flowers.

The Semillas production team uses, among others, Hakaphos Verde from Compo Expert (15-10-15).

Further cultivation

Depending on the growth and requirements of the respective variety, the plants can be placed in larger pots. It’s recommended to use at least 8 liter (2gal) pots, with the exception of some ornamental chili varieties that can be grown in 2 liter (0.5gal) pots in a bonsai style. If you want to generate a large yield and have enough space available, you should prioritize the pot size and use containers with a volume of 30 liters (8gal) for vigorous varieties. Tomatoes should always be grown in large containers to generate ideal harvests.

Planting hot peppers in the open garden is only recommended in very mild areas and with robust varieties. In areas with lots of rain and cold weather you need to protect the plants with a polytunnel, otherwise there will be considerable delays in growth or your plants will stop developing at all. Tomatoes are generally a little more resilient. But again, growing in large containers is an advantage as they allow you to better control the supply of nutrients (efficient cultivation). When growing in the open garden you usually have significantly higher irrigation losses.

Your cultivation success is crucial for the Semillas team. If you have any further questions on the topic, please send an inquiry using the contact form in this shop. Don’t forget to include your order number so that the staff can refer directly to the products you purchased.