It is not necessary to soak pepper seeds prior to planting them, but you certainly can to help encourage faster germination. Simply place pepper seeds in room-temperature water for up to 24 hours to soften the seed coat and break dormancy. However, it is most important to keep them moist and warm – pepper seeds like warm soil for best germination, so we advise you to keep them moist at 80-90˚ F for the best results. We usually start pepper seeds indoors on a seedling heat mat to ensure fastest and most successful germination. And, be patient! Pepper seeds can take anywhere from 7-21+ days to germinate, so don't give up on them and keep them warm.
Here are our top tips for starting peppers from seeds »
