Peppers for our seed orders

[digitS']

Since we are just starting to really get into the seed-ordering mode and since peppers are some of the earliest to be started indoors -- maybe it makes sense to talk about varieties that have done well for us. What peppers grow well in your garden and are especially appreciated in your kitchen?

Honestly, I believe that the climate and soil here is quite suitable for growing peppers - IF there was just a few more weeks in the growing season.

Hots: Perhaps the smaller the peppers, the quicker they ripen. In my garden, having peppers mature enough to dry well seems to be beyond some varieties. Thai hot peppers are on small plants that produce dynamite fruits. I've grown most of the "sub-varieties" and they've all done just fine. Super Chili grows in a similar way, with similar fruit and does fine, also!

Non-bells: I love, love Italian sweet peppers. They seem especially easy to grow and have a wonderful flavor. I grow both Giant Marconi and Marconi every year. If I've got it right - peppers with Caribbean names are also Italian varieties . . . with names like Biscayne, etc. There are 3 that have done well for me!

Bells: In my short-season, cool-night environment, I could just forget about the bells and go with the Italians and be happy. However, there's absolutely nothing wrong with a nice bell pepper and each year I'm, at least, willing to try to get them far enough down the road that they have a chance to sweeten. Peto Wonder has been in my garden for about 10 years - it hasn't failed me yet!

There have been other good ones - how about in your gardens ?

Steve

 

[lesa]

I have never had any luck starting pepper seeds! That is one of the few plants that I always buy from a nursery... I would be interested to know if there is a seed that is easy to germinate.

 

[digitS']

Lesa, the seed may need more warmth than you are giving them.

Days to Germination University of Minnesota

Notice that UM got "No Germination" at all - when the temperature was 50F or below!

I start all of my early seed on the top of my refrigerator where it is above 70 day or night. The containers with planting mix sit in water for several hours and then drain before coming in the house. After seed is sprinkled on the surface, more mix is sprinkled over the seed. The container is then covered until the seed germinates. At that time, I take the cover off and move the seedlings to a sunny window.

Steve

 

[obsessed]

My peppers for this year included

Sweet:
Quadrato D'Asti Giallo
Doux D'espange
Patio Red Macaroni
Thai long sweet

Hot:
Serrano
Jalapeno
Pasilla
Cayanne
Thai Yellow

I did the graph for my square feet garden and it looks like I will have up to 22+ plants. I intend on drying them and roasting the sweets.

 

[Ridgerunner]

We normally use them chopped as flavoring when cooking, grilled and used as toppings on pizza, and in cole slaw. We don't really eat the hot ones.

I don't have any varieties that specifically have stood out here, but I have only grown them two years here. Last summer, especially from early August on, was so wet, cool, and so cloudy we had a greatly reduced amount of sunlight that I don't count it as a typical year for this and refuse to access any variety of anything based on that growing season.

I'll just pick up a few from the University of Arkansas plant sale, which ones just depends on which varieties they happen to have. I do lean toward Anaheims and Valencias, but I am still experimenting with varieties.

 

[HiDelight]

so in spite of my swearing off peppers I want to try again and since I have heard the best tasting peppers grow well when they suffer I want to creat a good environment to help them grow!!!

is this too off topic if I ask? ..what peppers do well in pots? IE what should I order ..I have no problems getting the seeds to grow into huge plants I have a horrid time getting them to give me peppers! ... if you lived where i live what would you grow? ...what do peppers need in pots to succeed? and if I am to try growing peppers in a pot again this year besides sunny spots ...any advice..... they do not do well with my raised beds ..must be a combonation of things like rich soil...rain ..rain and rain

tell me what soil mix please you would put in a pot to get good peppers ? please

 

[HiDelight]

ps I love me some hot hot peppers the hotter the better ..Scotch bonnets are my favorite ..second habaneros ..they are fruity and hot hot!
please advise what should I order to grow in pots and what should I put in the pots to get peppers to grow

thanks again!

 

[digitS']

HiD, I think the 2 I have mentioned are good choices for pots: Thai Hot and Super Chili. I always have a few in pots.

Better forget about those loooong-season habaneroes. I also had one more that stayed in a pot all Summer but it was a gift and the identity escapes me right not . . . but anyway, those 2 are very small plants and that should make container growing easier. And, they are really early to ripen, so your low-light growing conditions may not stop them from providing you with a crop.

I have Jalapeo M each year, like them better than the Early Jalapeo and think they are fine in the open garden. Last year, I planted Jalapa but they got "lost" out there with the others. I think they were some of the nice ones .

Anaheim have been a little frustrating. I liked having Big Chili for about 5 years. I think it is considered an Anaheim. Then, the seed companies discontinued that one and offered Big Chili II. Last year, that was dropped and Biggie Chili was offered (what's going on)! So, I ordered that one and they were out of seed! It would have been nice to have a few. Maybe someone has a suggestion for something different . . . ?

The neighbor had some Serrano and shared with us - those were appreciated .

Steve

 

[ducks4you]

I have never had any luck starting pepper seeds! That is one of the few plants that I always buy from a nursery... I would be interested to know if there is a seed that is easy to germinate.

OM GOSH--I put some of those store-bought colored peppers (that were rotting in my fridge in a pot of soil, stuck them by a window in the basement before I could plant, and got about 50 plants/pepper! Unfortunately, the fruit wasn't very big. But, I wouldn't have composted them, anyway, so it was a win-win for me.

What's the difference between the bells and the non-bells? I love sweet peppers raw and in salads, and I love the bells for stuffed peppers.

 

[obsessed]

hid - I am going to agree with Steve on the short season pepper. That in combo with some early starting and maybe some wall o waters should give you the peppers you need. I even grew peppers in Montana and got a good harvest of Jalapeno and Anaheim. That and drainage is so important. So put them in a pot with some sandy mixture and lace them with nitrogen. They are quite a heavy feeder. This year I had puny pepper until I laced with nitrogen then they got big.