Most people who do the paper towel method (though I prefer coffee filters; the roots don't attach themselves like they do with the paper towels) sandwich the seeds in wet paper and put it in a baggie or glass container to hold the humidity. I also wouldn't put the bag in direct sun or it could heat up so much it would kill the seeds. My peppers take about a week to sprout on coffee filters. I then plant them in my containers of seed starting mix and it takes a few more days for them to break the surface and become seedlings. I put them under the grow lights as soon as I get them in containers, though I keep the containers covered with plastic wrap until they break the surface.

The link below is to an FAQ on this subject on this website.

Here is a link that might be useful: The Baggie Method

when u put them in a baggie or glass container how often are u adding water? and would I be able to just put them in a pot with seed starting mix?

You absolutely can just start them directly in a pot with seed starting mix; that's how most people do it.

When I do the baggie method, I wet the paper to start and then just check it every day or so to see if it needs more water. If they are still wet, I leave them alone. If they are dry, I'll run them quickly under the faucet and put them back in the jar. I prefer to use a glass canning jar to a baggie because it's reusable and I can stand the wet filters upright so the roots grow down between the layers.

I should add that my canning jar has a lid on it to keep the humidity up. Sometimes I'll add water once or twice; other times I rarely need to add more. Also, peppers like to be really warm to germinate, so I keep mine on my water heater. A heated seed mat would be good, or any other place in your house that stays really warm (refrigerator, electronic equipment, etc.)

thank you for all the advice. now if I start them in a pot with seed starting mix, do u recommend starting it indoor? or can I put it outside on my porch?

thank you for all the advice. now if I start them in a pot with seed starting mix, do u recommend starting it indoor? or can I put it outside on my porch?

I'm trying ghost pepper this year too. I have one plant, because he is a novelty, not something I plan to harvest. So far he is very healthy, about 3" tall. More squatty than other pepper plants. Attractive leaves. I'm planning on putting mine out in the garden with all the other peppers, but I would imagine a pepper plant would be very happy on a porch in a container. Great conversation starter when having friends over! "Hey Marcus, please stop licking my ghost pepper!"

I grew mine from lil cup starters, then put in 5 gal pot + mir grow and water every week using tomato plant food. this one is maybe 2 month old - in long beach calif. - getting close to flowering.

lil pepper flowers - i hope!

I dunno, but my lil ghost pepper plant likes this food alot! every week, here in long beach california, I keep it moist, but not too much water... but not letting it get dry... dnot know why it likes this combo, but it grew prob 10x the size that i bought as.. which was a lil bitty 4 leaf plant in a 16oz cup, about 2 months ago maybe less... also my tomato plants are off the scale... they like this dumb food!

This lil cherry tomato plant was home depot stupid lil 1.99 tomato plant -less than 12" tall - 2 months later j have way too many lil tomatos - Its off the chart... i give it the same food

I use that tomato food, too. I put some in a spray bottle at full strength for foliar feeding, too.

Hot peppers usually take two weeks to sprout. My ghost peppers did poorly. Few sprouted and those that did were sickly. My Trinidad Moruga Scorpion peppers really took off, though.