You waged a winning battle against marauding pests. You warded off nasty diseases. You watered, pruned, fertilized, and propped those vines up.Now it’s harvest time, and
23.06.2023 - 00:47 / gardenerspath.com / Kristine Lofgren
How to Plant and Grow Hot Peppers Capsicum spp.From the gentle heat of a banana pepper to the searing, sinus-clearing pain of a ‘Carolina Reaper,’ there’s a hot pepper for everyone.
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With a huge variety of different hybrids and cultivars to choose from, these members of the nightshade family, Solanaceae, are available in a wide range of heat levels to suit (almost!) every palate.
They’re gorgeous, too.
From the pale lemony hues of the ‘White Ghost’ to the deep burgundy ‘Chocolate Devil’s Tongue,’ there are purple, red, green, yellow, and orange varieties that will add ornamental charm to your garden or patio.
If you’re ready to add hot peppers to your garden planner, let’s dig in.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
If you live in Zones 9 to 11, you can grow peppers as short-lived perennials. The rest of us grow them as annuals. Peppers can’t even stand a hint of a freeze.
Ready to turn up the heat?
What Are Hot Peppers?Many hot peppers available today originate from Capsicum annuum, including the popular jalapeno, cayenne, and the sweet bell pepper.
There are five other Capsicum species commonly cultivated: C. baccatum, which comprises the Aji peppers; C. assamicum, which includes ‘Ghost’ and other super-hots; C. chinense, such as habanero peppers; C. frutescens, the popular tabasco chili; and one of my personal favorites, C. pubescens, the manzano or rocoto chili.
Selectively bred over the years, and thanks to their ability to cross-pollinate, there is a huge range of different cultivars and hybrids to choose from, and pepper aficionados are creating new and exciting varieties every year.
The shape of the pods can vary widely:
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