Hot Peppers

[desertgirl]

I have ordered my seeds, and the quest has begun; to grow a pepper that defeats my BIL (who, by the way, used to nibble on habaneros as a kid while watching Saturday morning cartoons ). I have ordered Chiltepins (for BIL-supposed to be un-holy hot), and Big Bombs (a little heat and a lot of taste for the rest of the world).

What can I do (fetilzizer, watering etc) that will piss these peppers off and give them a bad attitude to kick my BIL's butt?

 

[wifezilla]

I have a chilitepin plant. Those things are SO FREAKING HOT and they are so very very tiny.

I fertilized mine with poopy duck water. Must have made them MEAN MAD

 

[desertgirl]

Glad to hear it!!! He is gonna get it...

 

[Rosalind]

I like to let mine wilt just a little bit before watering them. Seems to intensify the oils. Worked awesome on Thai Dragons.

 

[vfem]

I like to let mine wilt just a little bit before watering them. Seems to intensify the oils. Worked awesome on Thai Dragons.

WoW! So going to do that on my Thai chilies this year... I have them going in pots to use as pretty little decor on the porch. It will allow me better control over watering then Thanks for the idea.

 

[patandchickens]

Yup, I have heard that growing them as dry as possible while the peppers are maturing (without actually harming the plant) will make them hotter.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Rosalind]

That also works on other herbs. Basil, thyme, oregano, lemon verbena, scented geraniums all get more intense with a little wilting once in a while. Just a little bit, you don't want it to really curl up, but if it looks a bit depressed before you water, makes a huge difference.

 

[Kricket]

I apologize for high jacking this thread but I'm frustrated with trying to grow peppers here (east central KS, Zone 5-6) I can my own pickles and I really would like to have some red chili peppers ripe by the time canning starts. The last two years have not been good. They are slow to grow. I have good soil, grass clippings for mulch and water thoroughly once a week. I was told that hot summers make peppers grow better. It has not been really all that hot here. What else should I be doing? I buy the plants rather than start them from seed.

 

[wifezilla]

Wall-o-water might help. Us Colorado peeps have a hard time growing tomatoes because our night time temps are low. The wall-o-water things absorb heat and keep the plant warmer at night.

You can make your own redneck wall-o-water with 2 liter soda bottles. Just fill them with water and encircle your plant with them.

 

[vfem]

Oh yes, they like LONG seasons and hot temps.

My problem is usually just getting them started!

I had to put a heating pad under my seeds this time around and hope they actually germinate!

I think Wifezilla has a good plan. Those wall of waters will help keep heat in and on them longer.