How Long Does It Take for a Bird's Eye Pepper Seed to Sprout?

Bird's eye pepper plants (Capsicum annuum glabriusculum), also called chiltepin peppers, have an interesting need: They germinate best when they are eaten by birds and pass through the bird's digestive system. That's not practical in your home garden, but there are ways to prepare the seeds to make germination more successful without the birds' intervention, helping them sprout in a week instead of a month. These peppers can grow as perennials in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 through 11 and as annuals in every zone.

Getting Started

Bird's eye peppers have a long growing season, so they need a head start for the biggest yield. By starting them indoors, you control the germination conditions while giving the seeds the time they need to germinate and turn into seedlings before planting time, which is typically right after the last frost of the spring.

Preparing for Germination

Bird's eye pepper seeds have a hard time germinating on their own. They have a tough coating that is difficult to break down under normal soil conditions. Instead of relying on birds, soak the seeds before planting them to facilitate germination. If you use plain water, soak them for six hours, or mix one part bleach with nine parts water and soak for five minutes. Soaking the seeds softens the tough coating so the sprouts can emerge.

Sprouting Times

After preparing the seeds for germination, it can take about a month for sprouting to occur if soil temperatures are lower than 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Heating up the soil to between 80 and 90 degrees speeds up the germination time considerably, sometimes shortening it to as few as six days. Placing seed trays on heating pads works, but you can also put the trays on top of the refrigerator for gentle heating, which can cause the seeds to germinate in 10 to 20 days.

Time to Maturity

When you see the green sprouts appear, wait until they have four or five leaves before placing them outside. Acclimate the plants slowly, leaving them out for longer each day until you're sure the threat of frost has passed. It takes about 150 days for the plants to mature, but they continue producing fruit until the first frost of fall.

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