Bananas.org - View Single Post - A thread for hot pepper-a-holics...

The Hollyberry Lady · 10-20-2009, 12:53 PM

I would like to share some simple and easy-to-understand information for new people just learning about gardening and particularily about growing hot peppers...

: )

What a variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and flavors of peppers that are available to home gardeners! Decide from short and chunky, long and skinny, cone-shaped, round, or crumpled - in nearly all shades of the rainbow. Choose flavors from mild and sweet to sizzling hot and pungent. Use them cooked by themselves and with other foods, or in salads and appetizers.

As garden plants, peppers are easy to grow, and well worth the lack of effort! Besides a sunny location, fertile soil, ample moisture, and protection from strong winds, peppers also like warm days, and slightly cooler nights.

Hot peppers thrive when daytime temps are between 21 & 29 degrees celcius (70 and 85 F). If night temps fall below 16 C (60 F) or stay above 24 C (75 F) blossoms often fall and fruit-set can be poor. However, this can depend on the variety as well.

With flavors from mild to searing hot, hot peppers range in sizes. They are used for making sauces, for pickling, eating fresh, freezing, and for making dried seasonings.

You can select some varieties by degrees of hotness; for example, there are 'Anaheim Mild' and 'Anaheim Hot' varieties. For a really hot pepper, try 'Habanero' ~ it is said to be 50 times hotter than 'Jalapeno'.

Some hot peppers, such as 'Hungarian Wax Hot' and hot cherry peppers, look just like their sweet counterparts. Read labels carefully at planting time to avoid confusing hot and sweet peppers, or you'll be in for a big surprise at harvest time!

: o

Many small-fruited varieties look appealing and charming stuffed into containers, and provide an abundance of colorful fruit, prolific bloom, compact habits, and tasty edible goodies! What more could you ask for in a plant?!!!

To harvest all kinds of peppers, cut them from the plant with pruning shears.

Type of Vegetable: Annual; warm season

Edible Parts: Fruits

Best soil: Fertile, well-drained, pH 5.5-6.8 (but you don't have to be fanatical)

When to plant: (all year, if you're like me!) For Summer crop, set out plants in Spring (1 week or more after last frost, when temps have warmed. Sow seeds in flats indoors 6-8 weeks before you intend to set the plants in the garden.

How to plant: Set out plants 6"-24" apart, depending on size of plants at maturity, in rows spaced 1-3' apart.

Yield: 5-18 pds. per 10' row!

Care: Keep soil moist, especially during flowering and fruiting. Wed regularily.

Pests and diseases: Aphids, armyworms, corn borers, mite, and white fly.

When to Harvest: 60-95 days after setting out plants, but some much sooner. Pick when full size and still green, or wait until they turn yellow or red for richer and hotter flavor.

How to Store: Keep cool and damp for 4-6 weeks. To preserve, can, freeze or dry.

: )

P.S. 1st picture shows my "Explosive Blast" indoor ornamental/edible pepper plant - just starting to ripen up for me since last week. 2nd shot shows ripening Aurora fruits I will be having for dinner tonight...

10-20-2009, 12:53 PM	#294 (permalink)
The Hollyberry Lady The Hollyberry Lady 's Photo Gallery Find me on the map! Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 15,161 BananaBucks : 1,318,964 Feedback: 1 / 100% Said "Thanks" 12,042 Times Was Thanked 11,326 Times in 5,311 Posts Said "Welcome to Bananas" 102 Times	Re: A thread for hot pepper-a-holics... I would like to share some simple and easy-to-understand information for new people just learning about gardening and particularily about growing hot peppers... : ) What a variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and flavors of peppers that are available to home gardeners! Decide from short and chunky, long and skinny, cone-shaped, round, or crumpled - in nearly all shades of the rainbow. Choose flavors from mild and sweet to sizzling hot and pungent. Use them cooked by themselves and with other foods, or in salads and appetizers. As garden plants, peppers are easy to grow, and well worth the lack of effort! Besides a sunny location, fertile soil, ample moisture, and protection from strong winds, peppers also like warm days, and slightly cooler nights. Hot peppers thrive when daytime temps are between 21 & 29 degrees celcius (70 and 85 F). If night temps fall below 16 C (60 F) or stay above 24 C (75 F) blossoms often fall and fruit-set can be poor. However, this can depend on the variety as well. With flavors from mild to searing hot, hot peppers range in sizes. They are used for making sauces, for pickling, eating fresh, freezing, and for making dried seasonings. You can select some varieties by degrees of hotness; for example, there are 'Anaheim Mild' and 'Anaheim Hot' varieties. For a really hot pepper, try 'Habanero' ~ it is said to be 50 times hotter than 'Jalapeno'. Some hot peppers, such as 'Hungarian Wax Hot' and hot cherry peppers, look just like their sweet counterparts. Read labels carefully at planting time to avoid confusing hot and sweet peppers, or you'll be in for a big surprise at harvest time! : o Many small-fruited varieties look appealing and charming stuffed into containers, and provide an abundance of colorful fruit, prolific bloom, compact habits, and tasty edible goodies! What more could you ask for in a plant?!!! To harvest all kinds of peppers, cut them from the plant with pruning shears. Type of Vegetable: Annual; warm season Edible Parts: Fruits Best soil: Fertile, well-drained, pH 5.5-6.8 (but you don't have to be fanatical) When to plant: (all year, if you're like me!) For Summer crop, set out plants in Spring (1 week or more after last frost, when temps have warmed. Sow seeds in flats indoors 6-8 weeks before you intend to set the plants in the garden. How to plant: Set out plants 6"-24" apart, depending on size of plants at maturity, in rows spaced 1-3' apart. Yield: 5-18 pds. per 10' row! Care: Keep soil moist, especially during flowering and fruiting. Wed regularily. Pests and diseases: Aphids, armyworms, corn borers, mite, and white fly. When to Harvest: 60-95 days after setting out plants, but some much sooner. Pick when full size and still green, or wait until they turn yellow or red for richer and hotter flavor. How to Store: Keep cool and damp for 4-6 weeks. To preserve, can, freeze or dry. : ) P.S. 1st picture shows my "Explosive Blast" indoor ornamental/edible pepper plant - just starting to ripen up for me since last week. 2nd shot shows ripening Aurora fruits I will be having for dinner tonight...