Question
I also enjoy starting my plants from seed, but have always had a very hard time starting any type of hot peppers from seeds.  Any tips??

Answer
Hi Jeff,
Thanx for your question.  I start several thousand pepper plants from seed each year.  The key to success is warmth.  The room in which I start the seeds stays at around 80癋/27癈.  The seeds take a lot longer than tomatoes, to germinate.  Usually, about 20 days but sometimes sooner.  The warmer it is the quicker the seeds germinate.  Keep the soil uniformly moist but not soggy and I start them underneath a 40-watt flourescent shop light (about 48"/1.2m).  Once the seeds germinate and have their first set of true leaves, I gently prick them out of the growing tray and plant them in individual cells.  Start fertilizing them with fish emulsion or a 12-12-12 balanced fertilizer every 10 days.  Make sure to keep them about 8 inches underneath the shop light.  When transplanting them outdoors after all danger of frost, put them in the shade for about 10 days to acclimate them to the outdoors before planting in full sun.  Peppers need 8 hours of direct sunlight and do best in warm conditions.  They may abort or drop blossoms when sustained temps exceed 90癋/32癈).  I hope this helps.
Tom