This is my first year gardening from seeds. I put some pepper seeds in one of the peet beds I got at Walmart and placed it by a window. My question is do I need to buy a flourescent light for them?

I dont know the answer to that but theres a bug that really likes to eat pepper plant leaves. I didnt manage to produce any last year because of it. I never saw the bug. I would go out there each day and more leaves were gone. Fellow where i bought their replacement plants said they use lanate 1oz per gallon of water. I have some lanate if you cant get it.

I have grow lights now but I started tomatoes and peppers in sunny, south-facing windows for years with good results.
You’ll want to up-pot pellets once the second or third set of leaves start to show. I use red solo cups filled with a homemade mix of potting material. I use an ice pick and poke several small holes in the bottoms for drainage. I grow them out there until they are ready to go into the ground or container. You can reuse those cups many times. I’ll use a sharpie and trim tape to label them if needed.

If they are like tomatoes and you are not getting DIRECT sunlight for 6 hours minimum, (not bright light) then yes, you will need a grow light.


God Bless,
David B.

On que with this guy's thoughts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FiBryH75SY

Yep, the need for grow lights is determined by sun light. I have lots of seed started, sitting on my dining table. It gets south sun through two big windows and I don’t have any grow lights. Starts are doing great.

Go to rural king and buy the cheap 4ft LEDs shop lights that have 5,000k. You don't need grow lights. Make sure they are at least 5,000k or higher and you will be good. They are worth it if you don't get a lot of sun.

I’ve started peppers from seeds in a sunny south window several times, but you’ll have to grow them until they get strong enough to plant outside. They are very easy to break when they’re young.

I use the little paper cups with seed starter potting soil (no big bark chunks) cups in a rectangle clothes basket and water in bottom, wrapped in clear plastic in sunlight. Warm soil germinates seeds better for me.

Peppers usually need a heat pad to get started.