Ghost & Trinidad Scorpion Peppers - starting indoors

[Extraly1]

Has anyone ever grown these extreme hot peppers before?

I'm going to try them this year and would appreciate any suggestions for growing them like when to start them in doors, how big/ when they should be to transplant, etc.

I don't have a great set up so I'm going to have to start them on a window ledge that gets a lot of sun, don't have any way to heat the soil from underneath, will be using pots to grow them in on my patio once outside, and plan on watering them with warm water to do what I can to keep the soil warm. Also, I am in Pennsylvania just outside Philladelphia but I'm not sure what "Zone" that is considered to be in.

I'm the ultimate amature gardiner but want to do my best here.

[2cents]

I've never grown anything hotter than a standard HAB.
Mine sits in the ground under a window A/C and get some water drip most days.

Try starting the seed tray near a heat duct/vent till they pop out of the ground, then move to the window for the benefit of the light.

[JLudin]

I have a post on here somewhere about starting both of these. Everything I have read says they usually take 35-50 days just to germinate. I soaked the seeds 24 hours before planting and kept constant bottom heat on them and had them come up in 9 days. I also had about a 95% germination rate. They exploded out of the soil, but once I took the heat pad away, they are very slow growing, which is to be expected. They are about the same height they were a month ago but the stems are much thicker and doing great.

I started my seeds (along with cajun tabasco, yellow datil, and several other hot pepper varieties) on December 19th. I'm glad I did too because it does take them a while to get going. Once they get actual sunlight though I'm sure they will take off, just like a habanero plant will.

[JLudin]

[url]https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=41734[/url]

Here is the thread I started a while back.

[applestar]

Most peppers and hot peppers benefit from -- meaning basically essential -- bottom heat when started from seed and continued through seedling stage.

There are a number of ways besides the horticultural heating mat and heating cables. I think if you search the forum you'll find many suggestions that have been made over the years. I personally remember posting a few.

Most basic includes putting them on the refrigerator near the back and top of the water heater, medical heating pads, a metal shelf with an incandescent lamp underneath, aquarium heater, reptile/chicken lamp, Christmas lights as well as the heating vent or steam heat radiator. It IS best if the heat is constant though.

If gou've never grown plants from seed, I would recommend also growing some easy ones (like tomatoes) for control to monitor if you are doing everything else correctly.

Zone: https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=42109

[vebyrd36]

I typically place them on the fridge or top of the heater, either way I have had good results. My husband is growing some now that are a couple years old. He overwinters them in the house.