Invest a little bit of money into a budget-friendly indoor seed starting setup that includes a grow light, seedling heat mat, some seed trays, and a sturdy shelf.
In a large container mix your seed-starting mix with warm water until the soil feels moist to the touch but not soaking wet. Transfer the damp soil to your starter trays or small pots banging the tray on a hard surface a few times to remove any air pockets.
For best results, cover your tray with a humidity dome or plastic wrap to keep in the moisture and place it in a warm spot in your home or on a heat mat. If the area is too cool your germination rate will be slower.
It can take some time due to their longer germination rate. Depending on your pepper variety, most pepper seeds will germinate between 7-21 days. The warmer the area, the faster the germination period.
The best way to water seedlings is from the bottom. Do this by placing your seedling tray in a shallow container or sink and let the roots soak up the water from the bottom. Give them enough water that the seedling tray has a bit of weight to it and the top of the soil is moist to the touch.
If pepper seedlings don’t get enough light, they will start to grow leggy and reach for the nearest window. In order to keep them growing thick and compact, it’s best to use a grow light.