Red Biquinho Sweety Drop Pepper Seeds

Sow Sweety Drop Pepper seeds indoors 7-9 weeks before your last frost date. Plant them a quarter inch deep in a light, well-draining seed starting mix, not garden soil, which packs down and cuts off oxygen from the roots. Temperature is the key factor for Pepper seed germination, which demands a steady 80-90°F. A heat mat under a seed tray is the most reliable method for achieving this temperature. If you get this right, you'll have sprouts in 7-10 days. Without a heat mat, you might wait three weeks for seedlings.

Once seedlings have emerged, they require strong light, 14-16 hours under grow lights or an unobstructed south-facing window. Weak light during seedling development results in tall, floppy growth that never regains strength after transplanting. Plant seedlings outside when frost risk has passed, nighttime temperatures are above 55°F, and space them 18-24 inches apart in well-drained, pH 6.0 to 6.8 soil. Water generously once or twice a week, rather than a little every day. Biquinho Peppers are drought-resistant once established.

Harden seedlings off over 7-10 days before putting them in full sun. Feed monthly with a balanced fertilizer once the plant starts flowering; too much nitrogen before that produces lush growth at the expense of fruit set. The fruits should be fully red and firm when picked. The more you pick, the more it produces. In zones 9-11, the plant will resprout the following year if you hard-prune it back after the growing season.