February: Starting the Season Indoors (Again)

The seeds arrived. The seed trays are out. The chilies and bell peppers are now sitting in their propagation trays on the windowsill, covered with a clear plastic dome to keep the humidity up. We're doing this again.

What I Did Differently This Year

Last year my chili seedlings germinated fine but were very slow to get going. After some research, I think the issue was soil temperature. Chili seeds want warmth to germinate well — ideally around 25°C — and my apartment in February sits at maybe 19–20°C. That's warm enough for germination eventually, but it's slow.

This year I put the propagation tray on top of the cable box, which puts out a small but consistent amount of heat. It's not a proper heat mat, but it keeps the tray a few degrees warmer than the ambient room temperature. The first seedlings appeared in four days this year versus nearly two weeks last year. I'll take it.

Seed Compost vs. Regular Potting Mix

I also switched to proper seed compost this year. Regular potting mix has too many nutrients for tiny seedlings — it can actually inhibit germination and cause root burn on very delicate new roots. Seed compost is finer, lower in nutrients, and retains moisture evenly. Small change, but I think it's made the early stages smoother.

Indoor Plant Update

The first signs of spring are starting to show on some of the indoor plants. My Monstera has a new growth point swelling at the top, and the Philodendron Brasil has put out its first new leaf of the year. Both are small signs, but after months of nothing happening, seeing any new growth feels like good news. The feeding season is still a few weeks away, but I'm starting to get the liquid fertilizer out of the cupboard in anticipation.