I’m in zone 5b and want to focus on peppers this year. I’ve not had much luck growing from seed. Any tips? I have a heating mat this year which I’ll try.
I’ve grown chickpeas in the past and will try again this year. They taste very different from canned when green and fresh from the pod and boiled like edamame.
Start them soon! Peppers are SLOW to germinate and need a consistently warm spot to do so, so the heating mat will help!
Soaking the seeds for a few days prior to planting helps, as does pre-sprouting in damp paper towels.
I planted mine a week ago and so far nothing - but that’s normal. I moved my lighted grow rack to a warmer part of the house, and that has given me better germination the past two years.
More ideas: https://growhotpeppers.com/germinating-pepper-seeds/
The above link is about hot peppers, but it applies to sweet peppers, too!