Birds Eye Chili Pepper Seeds

Sow Thai Chili Pepper seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before your last frost date 1/4 inch deep in a fertile mix with a pH between 6.0 and 6.8.  Soil temperature should be between 75–85°F, use a heat mat whenever needed, and Birds Eye Chili seeds will germinate in 7 to 14 days. Make sure the mix is evenly moist, not damp, as these seeds have a tendency to rot if they are too wet.

Birds Eye Red Chili seedlings require serious light from the first day to germinate, keep them 14–16 hours under grow lights, or put on the sunniest south-facing windowsill you have.  Anything less results in weak, leggy plants. When planting Thai Chili Pepper seeds outdoors, look for the full sun. Watering is important, but be sure to let the top inch of soil dry between sessions. Drought stress just before and during flowering causes blossom drop. Good drainage and rich soil are as important as frequency of watering. 

Wait until the risk of frost is past to transplant outdoors, spacing plants 18-24 inches apart. Remove the first flower buds to encourage branching before fruiting begins. Feed monthly with a balanced organic fertilizer. Once heavy flowering begins, avoid the fertilizer with high nitrogen content, as the plant will produce foliage instead of fruit. Stake the plants when the fruit clusters appear. Dozens of small peppers on a stem can get quite heavy. The harvest period is 120-140 days from sowing. Start when the fruits change from glossy green to bright red.