here is a of a few of them

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There are many different ways of germinating seeds I’m going to cover just 2.

Many people as when they should sow their seeds, again its totally up to you and your location, I tend to start mine at the end of January or the beginning of February, this way i end up with lots chills all the way up to the end of October.

One thing to remember is that some seeds take longer to germinate than others and unfortunately some fail to germinate.

Method 1: In a propagator or windowsill greenhouse

There are lots of types of propagator, ranging from cheap unheated ones, to mid range heated ones all the way up to thermostat controlled ones. They all do the same job in more or less the same way, by keeping the chilli seeds at a constant ambient temperature.

I tend to use a cheap heated propagator, more info on it can be found here

Once you have your propagator, seeds and some compost its as simple as 1,2,3….

1. Fill propagator with compost, water it.
2. Place 1 seed in each section a few mm under the surface and label each row.
3. Place the cover on the propagator, place in a light place and turn on (if using a heated one)

Then all you have to do is wait, make sure you keep the soil fairly moist but not too damp, once you have a seedling that is a few cm tall you are ready for part 3 of the Chilli Up North growing guide.

Method 2:  On damp kitchen paper

This method is also quite handy especially if you don’t have a propagator.

1. Firstly dampen some kitchen paper, then put your seeds on the paper and fold it up into a little parcel.
2. Place in  a plastic zip lock back and place in a warm place…the airing cupboard is idea.
3. Check on a regular basis to make sure that the kitchen towel doesn’t dry out and to see if they have germinated.
4. Once your seeds have sprouted, they need to be carefully transferred to some soil, i tend to use cheap plastic drinks cups, filled with compost.
5. Place the new containers in a warm light place. You can also cover the tops of them with bags to form a mini greenhouse.

You are then ready for part 3 of the Chilli Up North Growing Guide.

Germinating Tips and Tricks:

I can’t promise 100% success with germination but the following tips should help improve your chances.

• Don’t sow your seeds too deep, The seed will use all of its energy and die before it breaks the surface of the soil
• Don’t over water, seeds can soon rot if they are too wet, if using a propagator its worth wiping condensation off the lid once in a while.
• Do use fresh compost, old compost is likely to contain bugs or have lost its nutrients.
• If you find your seedlings leaning in one direction either rotate them or place foil behind them to reflect the light.
• Soak your seeds for a few minutes before sowing to help soften the seed. Not too long though you don’t want to rot them

Improving Germination

Some people (and companies) try to speed up the germination process or increase the chances of a successful germination by using chemicals or peeling off the outer seed casing. I’ve never really experimented with either method as i think half the fun is the anticipation of when and how many seeds will germinate. Although i do sometimes soak my seeds in water for a few mins before sowing.

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There are a few things that you need in order to get started these are:

Chilli Seeds

Without seeds you aren’t going to get very far. You can get a huge variety of seeds from the highstreet and an even wider variety from the internet.  Prices vary from pence to pounds depending on where you get them from and which varieties you choose, there is a list of my favourite internet based chilli seed suppliers on my links page.

Once you have got your hands on some seeds the best place to keep them is in an airtight container somewhere cool and dark, this will help keep them “fresher” for longer.

You can also save the seeds from chillis you have grown or bought, the main problem with this is if your plants have cross polinated you are unlikely to get the same chillis next year, having said that it can result in some interesting varieties.

Soil

Everyone who grows chillis has their oppinion on they type of soil that is best to grow chillis in, personally i prefer a good quality compost although some of the own brand stuff from garden centres and DIY shops is great value for money and can always be pepped up with a bit of fertilizer.

Equipment

I could spend all day listing the various bits and bobs you could use but instead ill just give you a quick list of the stuff i tend to use most.

• Pots – Chillis are quite versatile and can be grown in anything from an empty bean can to a large bed or container. I tend to transfer seedlings into little plastic cups until they out grow them and then into a slightly bigger pot before putting them in their final pot, My favourite type of pot is the black florists buckets from the supermarket, bascailly anything goes as long as its got good drainage, ill explain more in the transplanting guide.
• Tools – You don’t really need any tools as such but a trowel and a small “pricking out” device could come in handy when transfering the seedlings.
• Propagator – i find this is the best way to start chillis, you can get lots of different ones i currently have 2 that are shown here
• Bits and bobs – I find it useful to have some labels, canes, string,  plastic bags,  plant ties and something for collecting your havest in.
• Greenhouse - Not essential as you can grow your chillis anywhere warm with plenty of sunlight but if you want to grow them outside then a greenhouse would be handy especially here in the north.

Thats it for part 1,  check out part 2 for all about germination.