Question
Mike- What preparation should be done to the seeds of a Bell Pepper in order to plant them in May or June?  I have a nice garden here in Colorado, but understand that the seeds take a while to get ready for planting.  Also, can I prepare my own seeds, or should I buy ready to go seeds?

Answer
I grow bell peppers every year from seed and never do anything special to the seeds. Some gardeners will nick the seed with sandpaper, while others will soak the seeds in tepid water for 4 hours before planting. I find this is beneficial for larger seeds, such as sunflowers. But I've never seen a difference in germination times by taking these measures with pepper seeds. Instead, I adjust my planting times by sowing them indoors 6 weeks prior to my last expected frost date to compensate for the 14-21 day germination period.

In regard to propagating from your own seeds or from those purchased from a seed company, I definitely would purchase them. First of all, they are relatively inexpensive and have been tested by the grower for optimum germination. Secondly, seeds grown from your own plants will not necessarily inherit the same traits as the parent plant. Hybrids are grown from two different parents and are isolated by breeders for the characteristics described on the seed packet. You should only propagate your own seed if they are harvested from heirlooms or open-pollinated varieties. The majority of seed sold today are hybrids.

I hope this answered your question. Please write again if I can ever provide assistance.

Regards,

Mike