*NOTE* it's not necessary to keep the soil as moist as seen in these photos at all times. Over watering habits will cause rot of the seed, seedling, or plant. I've just watered before taking photos for the fact I'm starting these outside in a seed starter tray, and high winds have created a rapid drying effect...
Pepper seed need warm soil temps for proper germination! A soil temp of 75-80° is needed, though some will germinate at slightly lower temps( low soil telps dely germination) as long as too much soil moisture isn't present. Too much moisture and low soil temps will cause the seed to spoil and not germinate.
Here, we have a pepper seed, note how flat the seeds are, there is a reason for this by natures design! Peppers are native to environments that receive very little moisture at times, when the rains come, the seed needs to absorb moisture for germination. Providing temps are satisfactory. This example of pepper seed is from my Texas Pete peppers. A type of Tabasco pepper...
Here, the pepper seed has absorbed moisture. Note how round the seed has become. At this stage, depending on the pepper, you may note a slight green tinge to the seed as the seedling begins to form inside. Though this photo is a poor example because the camera wasn't preset prior to the lighting conditions, a slight green tinge is noted. This is the stage where most fail. If too much soil moisture is allowed, or the soil temp isn't satisfactory, or combination of the fore mentioned, the seed will rot. Ideal watering peppers for germination is too slightly water in the seed at the time of planting, repeat the 2nd day, maybe the 3rd if the soil appears to dry quickly, and leave well enough alone, no harm in allowing the soil to dry some at this point on until seedlings are seen, and then no over watering! The seed as shown has absorbed sufficient moisture to sustain germination until sprouting is seen....
if ideal soil germination conditions have existed as noted above, and no sprouting is witnessed by day 14, it's time to investigate. Shown in this photo is a seed that was not viable. Note how the flat seed has slightly swelled from moisture, but folded. This happens because there's no new seedling inside shoving out on the seed membrane...
another example of the above. Note how the non-viable seed has swelled, but collapsed leaving the indention from folding...a seed membrane that has produced will split once the seedling has forced release...
successful germination seen...
finally success!!! Remember, peppers are native to dry environments, don't get excited and over water which often leads to damping off, a detrimental fungus at the soil line that rots the stem allowing collapse. Just a slight watering every now and then will do...
