Help out a new pepper grower

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Help out a new pepper grower

Posted: 1/15/2011 8:09:04 PM EDT

Okay the seed catalogs are arriving.

I have not, in the past, spent much time on peppers.

But now a kitchen garden appeals to me. Herbs and peppers.

Help me with peppers. I've grown mostly bells. I want to expand.

What should I consider?

I remember my grandfather growing skinny red peppers that he told me not to touch (I was a tiny little one but still remember this).

He obviously had a taste for hot peppers. But peppers are not an area where I"ve spent any time.

It appears to me that a person could spend a lifetime getting to know peppers, almost as one could spend a lifetime getting to know wine.

I have to start reasonably, but I want to start this year.

What should I order?

kitties

Posted: 1/15/2011 9:37:04 PM EDT

[#1]

I noticed in another thread you are in S.C.KY, we must be neighbors, but would have to disagree with comparing our weather to Arkansas. I'm betting if tornado sirens haven't went off there yet they are booting up.

Far as peppers ? Those peppers you refer to are probably cayenne, in my opinion the best of edible hot peppers. They are excellent in any kind of soup,stew,beans or dried and crushed or ground. You can also look up the health benefits from them.

Jalapeno's are also a staple except i primarily grow Mucho Nacho as a substitute due to size and flavor. Add in the hot and sweet bananas and a few habs.

The absolute best crop of sweet and hot peppers i have ever grown were transplanted in mid June, i have never had any luck planting them until a constant soil temperature was reached. In my experience peppers are easily stunted by cool spells and the best production isn't until mid August even with early planting.

Posted: 1/16/2011 5:30:08 AM EDT

[#2]

I hope the OP doesn't mind if I piggyback on the thread, but I'd love it if someone has some advice on bell peppers. My hot peppers always do smashingly well, and I consistently have far, far more than I can ever use. However, the last three years that I have grown bells, I have only managed the occasional green or red the size of a racquetball, and usually nothing at all. They won't set blooms, and rarely do they ever set fruit. When they do, the peppers are tiny and stunted, or go bad before ripening. I don't know what I need to be doing different from the hot peppers to get a decent yield.

Posted: 1/16/2011 7:18:23 AM EDT

[#3]

I grow bell, jalapeno, banana and Hungarian peppers. 90% of them get turned into salsa. I have no tips for growing them as they just seem to need very little attention. The bell peppers will drop blossoms and not set fruit for a while if you have a spell of cool nights. They don't like it.

Like many things in the garden up here, they tend to grind along in June and July, not really setting much fruit. Then they go crazy in August and September.

Posted: 1/16/2011 8:24:35 PM EDT

[#4]

Hots are an obvious choice but you have to like eating them.
Jalepeno, Habanero and Cayenne are good to start with.
Add a Thai and maybe a super hot exotic if you want.

I can give you plenty of Chiltepin and a few Scorpion pepper seeds.
Also Thai Dragon.

A good mild/med bananna or wax pepper is great.
Also Hungarian cherry peppers for stuffing and canning.

Posted: 1/17/2011 4:56:13 AM EDT

[#5]

I grew bell, cayenne, and banana peppers last year. This year, I think I will add to the mix some jalapenos. I would suggest putting a tomato cage over your peppers when you plant them.

Posted: 1/17/2011 5:24:17 AM EDT

[#6]

also, plant your bell peppers as far away from your hot peppers as possible.

ask mrs brd why, she will not eat hot stuff

we got a huge cross pollination thing last year

Posted: 1/17/2011 6:14:18 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
also, plant your bell peppers as far away from your hot peppers as possible.

ask mrs brd why, she will not eat hot stuff

we got a huge cross pollination thing last year

Interesting

Posted: 1/17/2011 2:45:12 PM EDT

[#8]

For those of you saving seeds how do you prevet cross pollination. I grow all types of peppers really well and would like to save some seeds but all the peppers are in a close area i know there crosses. Do you do just one type of pepper a year or buy new seed for each type you want to grow. Like if i got some ghost peppers or something, how do i keep from it from getting crossed.
In a SHTF situation if i have 4 peppers types growing in the end ( over years) am i going to end up with one type of pepper or a steril one that no longer produces?? How do you keep your strain seperate.

Posted: 1/17/2011 2:54:26 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Okay the seed catalogs are arriving.
You may be better starting with seedlings the first year. You need to start seeds 10-12 weeks before planting.

Help me with peppers. I've grown mostly bells. I want to expand.
Most all peppers grow the same. Plant at the same time, keep watered and fertilize when required. If your soil is low in calcium add a good amount of bonemeal to help keep BER down. I pick all blossoms off the young plants until they are 12-18" tall in order to give the plant time to get strong enough to hold the peppers. Pick the peppers just as soon as they are ready. You'll get more production from the plants. String up cayannes and let them dry until crunchy. Chop them up and add to stuff as you need. I think we've got about 300 drying now from last season.

It appears to me that a person could spend a lifetime getting to know peppers, almost as one could spend a lifetime getting to know wine.
Peppers are really simple. Not much different than maters. Determine if you want sweet, mild, medium or hot and plant accordingly. My favorites are red and yellow sweet bell, Big Bertha bell, bananna peppers, japalenos, and pimentos. I grow hot hot peppers for my friends that like them, habeneros, etc. I'm thinking of getting some Ghost seeds this year LOLLOL.[XX(]

kitties

Posted: 1/17/2011 3:17:09 PM EDT

[#10]

Geographic separation is required to reduce the chance of cross-pollination.
The alternative is mechanical isolation.
Individual flowers or entire plants can be bagged to control contamination.
Or screened off to reduce the chance of insect cross-pollination.

Posted: 1/17/2011 6:11:23 PM EDT

[#11]

Im in TN and I usually plant Jalapenos, sweet banana, and hot banana peppers. i usually leave some on the plants towards the end of the season to dry. then use those seeds next year. or just leave them on the plant and let them fall on the ground. been doing that for about 5 years now. I always have a good batch of jalapenos come up without planting anymore. banana peppers come back but not as thick as the jalapenos.

Posted: 1/19/2011 2:04:06 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:

also, plant your bell peppers as far away from your hot peppers as possible.

ask mrs brd why, she will not eat hot stuff

we got a huge cross pollination thing last year

I got the same thing with Jalapenos and Habaneros planted next to Tomatoes. We grew some HOT tomatoes that year, but they made excellent salsa.

Posted: 1/23/2011 10:22:34 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:

Quoted:

also, plant your bell peppers as far away from your hot peppers as possible.

ask mrs brd why, she will not eat hot stuff

we got a huge cross pollination thing last year

I got the same thing with Jalapenos and Habaneros planted next to Tomatoes. We grew some HOT tomatoes that year, but they made excellent salsa.

Really? My folks always plant tomatoes right along side the green chile and jalapenos and they've never gotten a hot tomato that I can recall.

Posted: 1/29/2011 10:36:33 AM EDT

[#14]

Quoted:

I noticed in another thread you are in S.C.KY, we must be neighbors, but would have to disagree with comparing our weather to Arkansas. I'm betting if tornado sirens haven't went off there yet they are booting up.

Far as peppers ? Those peppers you refer to are probably cayenne, in my opinion the best of edible hot peppers. They are excellent in any kind of soup,stew,beans or dried and crushed or ground. You can also look up the health benefits from them.

Jalapeno's are also a staple except i primarily grow Mucho Nacho as a substitute due to size and flavor. Add in the hot and sweet bananas and a few habs.

The absolute best crop of sweet and hot peppers i have ever grown were transplanted in mid June, i have never had any luck planting them until a constant soil temperature was reached. In my experience peppers are easily stunted by cool spells and the best production isn't until mid August even with early planting.

I'm in the Bowling Green area.

Posted: 1/29/2011 10:37:45 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:

I grow bell, jalapeno, banana and Hungarian peppers. 90% of them get turned into salsa. I have no tips for growing them as they just seem to need very little attention. The bell peppers will drop blossoms and not set fruit for a while if you have a spell of cool nights. They don't like it.

Like many things in the garden up here, they tend to grind along in June and July, not really setting much fruit. Then they go crazy in August and September.

Waldo, what are the Hungarians, and why do you grow this selection?

Do you just like the mix in the salsa? Or do you like them for other stuff and like these flavors, or what?

Posted: 1/29/2011 10:40:57 AM EDT

[#16]

Quoted:
Hots are an obvious choice but you have to like eating them.
Jalepeno, Habanero and Cayenne are good to start with.
Add a Thai and maybe a super hot exotic if you want.

I can give you plenty of Chiltepin and a few Scorpion pepper seeds.
Also Thai Dragon.

A good mild/med bananna or wax pepper is great.
Also Hungarian cherry peppers for stuffing and canning.

Ah, this must be the Hungarians that Waldo was talking about?

I like bold flavor, but I do not like heat which overpowers flavor. Heat for its own sake, I have not much use for.

I'm interested in the different FLAVORS of peppers. I know bells pretty well, and I know their flavor changes substantially from the green to red stage. I've recently used some green chilis and jalapenos in Hank's chili (fantastic recipe, btw) and have been trying to taste each pepper separately so I get to know the flavor and heat levels. This recipe also calls for Anaheims, but I never can find those when I need them, only when I don't.

Posted: 1/29/2011 10:41:44 AM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:

Quoted:
also, plant your bell peppers as far away from your hot peppers as possible.

ask mrs brd why, she will not eat hot stuff

we got a huge cross pollination thing last year

Interesting

Indeed.

I'll have to study up on that a bit.

Posted: 1/29/2011 10:45:45 AM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Okay the seed catalogs are arriving.
You may be better starting with seedlings the first year. You need to start seeds 10-12 weeks before planting.

I think so too, but the kinds and types of seedlings available around here is just sorry. If I want any different kinds, I'll have to grow them from seed.

Help me with peppers. I've grown mostly bells. I want to expand.
Most all peppers grow the same. Plant at the same time, keep watered and fertilize when required. If your soil is low in calcium add a good amount of bonemeal to help keep BER down. I pick all blossoms off the young plants until they are 12-18" tall in order to give the plant time to get strong enough to hold the peppers. Pick the peppers just as soon as they are ready. You'll get more production from the plants. String up cayannes and let them dry until crunchy. Chop them up and add to stuff as you need. I think we've got about 300 drying now from last season.

Good info. Thanks!

It appears to me that a person could spend a lifetime getting to know peppers, almost as one could spend a lifetime getting to know wine.
Peppers are really simple. Not much different than maters. Determine if you want sweet, mild, medium or hot and plant accordingly. My favorites are red and yellow sweet bell, Big Bertha bell, bananna peppers, japalenos, and pimentos. I grow hot hot peppers for my friends that like them, habeneros, etc. I'm thinking of getting some Ghost seeds this year LOLLOL.[XX(]

Okay the ghosts are downright scary from what I've heard. Why pimentos? Just for eating, or for pickling? Or what?

kitties

Posted: 1/29/2011 10:47:24 AM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
Im in TN and I usually plant Jalapenos, sweet banana, and hot banana peppers. i usually leave some on the plants towards the end of the season to dry. then use those seeds next year. or just leave them on the plant and let them fall on the ground. been doing that for about 5 years now. I always have a good batch of jalapenos come up without planting anymore. banana peppers come back but not as thick as the jalapenos.

Interesting. I may try letting some go to seed then. We'll see how they do up here.

Sorry for the string of posts y'all. I've been kinda brain dead with work and not thinking gardening. Just remembered this thread.

I appreciate everyone's input!

Posted: 1/29/2011 10:49:14 AM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
Hots are an obvious choice but you have to like eating them.
Jalepeno, Habanero and Cayenne are good to start with.
Add a Thai and maybe a super hot exotic if you want.

I can give you plenty of Chiltepin and a few Scorpion pepper seeds.
Also Thai Dragon.

A good mild/med bananna or wax pepper is great.
Also Hungarian cherry peppers for stuffing and canning.

Hurtz, tell me about the Chiltepin. What are they like?

Posted: 1/29/2011 10:50:45 AM EDT

[#21]

Last year I grew some Cayenne peppers for the first time. I started out with 12 hills that I planted from seed. I kept them watered and got NOTHING. I bought two plants from the nursery and they took right off. They were so loaded with peppers that I had to use twine to keep the branches from breaking under the weight. I wound up with more than 1,100 peppers from these two plants.

My lessons learned from one year of growing them:
1. Start with plants, either bought plants or grow my own and transplant, which is what I will try this year.
2. Make sure they stay watered. I went about a month over the summer and did not water them, and also did not receive much from them. Once I started back watering, I started getting plenty of peppers again.
3. I will use twine this year BEFORE I have branches break off. The plant that had a big branch break off wound up maturing later than the other one. I did not get as much from that one.

Good luck.

Posted: 1/29/2011 11:05:30 AM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
Last year I grew some Cayenne peppers for the first time. I started out with 12 hills that I planted from seed. I kept them watered and got NOTHING. I bought two plants from the nursery and they took right off. They were so loaded with peppers that I had to use twine to keep the branches from breaking under the weight. I wound up with more than 1,100 peppers from these two plants.

My lessons learned from one year of growing them:
1. Start with plants, either bought plants or grow my own and transplant, which is what I will try this year.
2. Make sure they stay watered. I went about a month over the summer and did not water them, and also did not receive much from them. Once I started back watering, I started getting plenty of peppers again.
3. I will use twine this year BEFORE I have branches break off. The plant that had a big branch break off wound up maturing later than the other one. I did not get as much from that one.

Good luck.

Thanks. You're the second (I think) in this thread to suggest using support. We never did that in our gardens growing up, and never had any breakage that I remember under normal weather conditions (whatever the heck "normal" is in Kentucky

) but I think I'll do this just for grins and see how it works. We always started with transplants, and that's my preferred method. I really don't want to start seeds indoors early because I have no dedicated place to do it, no room for trays, and there's a cat issue. We'll see. I might be able to order transplants from somewhere if I look around.

kitties

Posted: 1/29/2011 11:25:18 AM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
Thanks. You're the second (I think) in this thread to suggest using support. We never did that in our gardens growing up, and never had any breakage that I remember under normal weather conditions (whatever the heck "normal" is in Kentucky

) but I think I'll do this just for grins and see how it works. We always started with transplants, and that's my preferred method. I really don't want to start seeds indoors early because I have no dedicated place to do it, no room for trays, and there's a cat issue. We'll see. I might be able to order transplants from somewhere if I look around.

We're in the same boat for different reasons. Usually buy locally grown hybrid bell peppers and plant them out in rows. They're really pretty hardy and don't require too much except regular water and good sun.

Posted: 1/29/2011 11:52:49 AM EDT

[#24]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Hots are an obvious choice but you have to like eating them.
Jalepeno, Habanero and Cayenne are good to start with.
Add a Thai and maybe a super hot exotic if you want.

I can give you plenty of Chiltepin and a few Scorpion pepper seeds.
Also Thai Dragon.

A good mild/med bananna or wax pepper is great.
Also Hungarian cherry peppers for stuffing and canning.

Hurtz, tell me about the Chiltepin. What are they like?

Extremely hot with a good strong smoky flavor.
Tiny, pea-sized and smaller. Also called "bird's eye" peppers.
Native to Mexico and SW U.S. Grows wild.
Forms a small bush covered in 100's of little peppers.

I grow mine in buckets and overwinter them indoors.
Hard to start, low and long germination. Can be 12 weeks.
But they are hardy, can be grown as a perennial and readily self seed.

IM me. I'll send you some.

Posted: 1/29/2011 1:06:40 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:

Waldo, what are the Hungarians, and why do you grow this selection?

Do you just like the mix in the salsa? Or do you like them for other stuff and like these flavors, or what?

They are Hungarian hot wax or hot blocks, you'll see them labeled both ways, but are the same thing as far as I can tell.

Yes, it's pretty just for the salsa mix. I can some of the banana peppers by them selves, same with the jalapenos. The really hot stuff doesn't like me, so I don't grow them.

I just think making salsa is a great way to use and preserve lots of stuff grown in the garden at one time, in one jar.

Posted: 1/29/2011 1:34:26 PM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:

Quoted:

I noticed in another thread you are in S.C.KY, we must be neighbors, but would have to disagree with comparing our weather to Arkansas. I'm betting if tornado sirens haven't went off there yet they are booting up.

Far as peppers ? Those peppers you refer to are probably cayenne, in my opinion the best of edible hot peppers. They are excellent in any kind of soup,stew,beans or dried and crushed or ground. You can also look up the health benefits from them.

Jalapeno's are also a staple except i primarily grow Mucho Nacho as a substitute due to size and flavor. Add in the hot and sweet bananas and a few habs.

The absolute best crop of sweet and hot peppers i have ever grown were transplanted in mid June, i have never had any luck planting them until a constant soil temperature was reached. In my experience peppers are easily stunted by cool spells and the best production isn't until mid August even with early planting.

I'm in the Bowling Green area.

Close enough i'm between BG and Glasgow. In another thread you mentioned having a hard time finding pepper plants. There is alot of amish around Glasgow that grows plants and i've always had good luck with them. Last year i bought some Banana Bill pepper plants from one group and they reached about three and a half feet tall and the peppers were excellent. I'd highly reccomend this variety and can give you directions to the greenhouse if you'd like.

By the way i think i canned upwards of 40qts and 45pints of these and there is no tellin how many we ate fried or raw.

Posted: 1/30/2011 7:32:26 AM EDT

[#27]

+1 on the cages, all my peppers go into small 42" ( i think) tomato cages or they just collapse under the weight of all the peppers. we have had great success with them, give away buckets full to parents and neighbors.

Posted: 1/30/2011 11:20:19 AM EDT

[#28]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Hots are an obvious choice but you have to like eating them.
Jalepeno, Habanero and Cayenne are good to start with.
Add a Thai and maybe a super hot exotic if you want.

I can give you plenty of Chiltepin and a few Scorpion pepper seeds.
Also Thai Dragon.

A good mild/med bananna or wax pepper is great.
Also Hungarian cherry peppers for stuffing and canning.

Hurtz, tell me about the Chiltepin. What are they like?

Extremely hot with a good strong smoky flavor.
Tiny, pea-sized and smaller. Also called "bird's eye" peppers.
Native to Mexico and SW U.S. Grows wild.
Forms a small bush covered in 100's of little peppers.

I grow mine in buckets and overwinter them indoors.
Hard to start, low and long germination. Can be 12 weeks.
But they are hardy, can be grown as a perennial and readily self seed.

IM me. I'll send you some.

I would love the smoky flavor probably. I figure they're so hot I couldn't use enough of them to get the flavor in a dish though.

How do you use these?

Posted: 1/30/2011 11:22:24 AM EDT

[#29]

Quoted:

Quoted:

I noticed in another thread you are in S.C.KY, we must be neighbors, but would have to disagree with comparing our weather to Arkansas. I'm betting if tornado sirens haven't went off there yet they are booting up.

Far as peppers ? Those peppers you refer to are probably cayenne, in my opinion the best of edible hot peppers. They are excellent in any kind of soup,stew,beans or dried and crushed or ground. You can also look up the health benefits from them.

Jalapeno's are also a staple except i primarily grow Mucho Nacho as a substitute due to size and flavor. Add in the hot and sweet bananas and a few habs.

The absolute best crop of sweet and hot peppers i have ever grown were transplanted in mid June, i have never had any luck planting them until a constant soil temperature was reached. In my experience peppers are easily stunted by cool spells and the best production isn't until mid August even with early planting.

I'm in the Bowling Green area.

Close enough i'm between BG and Glasgow. In another thread you mentioned having a hard time finding pepper plants. There is alot of amish around Glasgow that grows plants and i've always had good luck with them. Last year i bought some Banana Bill pepper plants from one group and they reached about three and a half feet tall and the peppers were excellent. I'd highly reccomend this variety and can give you directions to the greenhouse if you'd like.

By the way i think i canned upwards of 40qts and 45pints of these and there is no tellin how many we ate fried or raw.

Okay I'll try to remember to get that address/directions from you when planting time comes.

We have a lot of Amish around here too, and I know where they all are cuz I carried their mail, but they sell about two varieties (both hybrids) of tomatoes, and one or two of peppers––both bells.

Not a lot to choose from for transplants.

Posted: 1/30/2011 11:33:20 AM EDT

[#30]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Hots are an obvious choice but you have to like eating them.
Jalepeno, Habanero and Cayenne are good to start with.
Add a Thai and maybe a super hot exotic if you want.

I can give you plenty of Chiltepin and a few Scorpion pepper seeds.
Also Thai Dragon.

A good mild/med bananna or wax pepper is great.
Also Hungarian cherry peppers for stuffing and canning.

Hurtz, tell me about the Chiltepin. What are they like?

Extremely hot with a good strong smoky flavor.
Tiny, pea-sized and smaller. Also called "bird's eye" peppers.
Native to Mexico and SW U.S. Grows wild.
Forms a small bush covered in 100's of little peppers.

I grow mine in buckets and overwinter them indoors.
Hard to start, low and long germination. Can be 12 weeks.
But they are hardy, can be grown as a perennial and readily self seed.

IM me. I'll send you some.

I would love the smoky flavor probably. I figure they're so hot I couldn't use enough of them to get the flavor in a dish though.

How do you use these?

I use them for Tex-Mex cooking. That's the suitable flavor cuisine.
The trick is to pretty much ignore that they are tiny and just count them as say 1/2 of a Hab. or equal to a Jal.
They dry superbly and freeze well. The heat comes on fast but fades to a slow burn.
I have a big bag of dried ones that are getting a little old and I'll probably grind those up to make flakes.

This variety makes a great ornamental.
And if you don't get a freeze it will grow outdoors as a perennial.

Posted: 1/30/2011 11:36:44 AM EDT

[#31]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Hots are an obvious choice but you have to like eating them.
Jalepeno, Habanero and Cayenne are good to start with.
Add a Thai and maybe a super hot exotic if you want.

I can give you plenty of Chiltepin and a few Scorpion pepper seeds.
Also Thai Dragon.

A good mild/med bananna or wax pepper is great.
Also Hungarian cherry peppers for stuffing and canning.

Hurtz, tell me about the Chiltepin. What are they like?

Extremely hot with a good strong smoky flavor.
Tiny, pea-sized and smaller. Also called "bird's eye" peppers.
Native to Mexico and SW U.S. Grows wild.
Forms a small bush covered in 100's of little peppers.

I grow mine in buckets and overwinter them indoors.
Hard to start, low and long germination. Can be 12 weeks.
But they are hardy, can be grown as a perennial and readily self seed.

IM me. I'll send you some.

I would love the smoky flavor probably. I figure they're so hot I couldn't use enough of them to get the flavor in a dish though.

How do you use these?

I use them for Tex-Mex cooking. That's the suitable flavor cuisine.
The trick is to pretty much ignore that they are tiny and just count them as say 1/2 of a Hab. or equal to a Jal.
They dry superbly and freeze well.
I have a big bag of dried ones that are getting a little old and I'll probably grind those up to make flakes.

This variety makes a great ornamental.
And if you don't get a freeze it will grow outdoors as a perennial.

It sounds really awesome.

We always get hard freezes. It gets below zero pretty much every winter here at least once. Sounds like I might have trouble germinating it though.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Help out a new pepper grower

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