Your hot peppers need to have a seed-starting soil mixture that supports their nutrition and hydration needs so that pepper seeds turn into seedlings (germinate) and the seedlings grow into strong and healthy plants. This ideal mixture has a combination of materials, which prevents sogginess from water buildup, yet feeds the budding pepper and maintains an ideal soil pH level of between 6.0 to 6.8. Acquire the best soil possible to grow your own hot chili pepper plants.
What to Look for in Pepper Soil
To start off, pick the right product for your purposes. If you’re just starting your pepper seeds, select a “seed-starting soil mix” that will give your chile seedlings the nutrients they need to turn into little plants. Otherwise, if they have surpassed this stage, choose a “potting soil” that meets the criteria below.
Growing your own hot peppers means that you need to provide a soil or soil-free mixture that has the ingredients that are light and allow for air flow. Ingredients that encourage this flow include vermiculite, perlite, sphagnum peat moss (peat) and sand (builder’s sand). A warning about peat moss: make sure that your soil or soil-free mixture is not composed primarily of peat because this organic material is very acidic and is known to effect the growth rate of peppers.
Your mixture must also meet the nutritional needs of your chile pepper plants. Look for organic ingredients, which include composted pine bark, chicken manure, alfalfa, coir and kenaf. Alternately, non-organic mixtures should contain a commercial fertilizer to feed your chillies.
With a combination of the above ingredients in the mixture that you choose, growing your chile peppers will become much more successful. As a side note: many seed-starting mixes that are labeled for orchids contain many of these essential ingredients and are sufficient for germinating and raising your chillies.
Pepper Soil No-No’s
Watch for mixtures that have large chunks of materials because these substances will prevent the airflow that is so crucial to pepper plants. Hold the soil in your hand and make sure that it feels light.
Also, if you open your soil bag and find insects do not put your pepper seeds or hot chillie seedlings in this soil. The adult bugs will eat the nutrients and your growing plants before they have time to grow and chances are that these mature bugs had time to lay eggs in the soil, which will become a nightmare to your seedlings once they hatch.
Lastly, don’t use an older mixture (older than a year) because the fertilizer or other nutritional elements may not be as effective in feeding your growing pepper plants. Buy a fresh bag to give your chillies a healthy start.
Growing Hot Peppers with Organic Mixes
Organic seed-starting soil mixes that are organic do not include pesticides, wetting agents or other chemicals that are synthetic. The absence of this non-natural ingredients gives you the ability to grow certified organic peppers and ensure that your hot chillies are as healthy as possible.
Look at the seed-starting or potting mixture bag to ensure that it says “organic” on it because it if doesn’t, then you can safely assume that it is not. If you purchase your soil from a distributor, check if they will prepare an organic mixture for you.
The source of heat in any type of pepper is the “capsaicin.” If you eat habaneros or grow habanero pepper plants, you know that habanero peppers are one of the hottest peppers available and that even touching the skin can cause a burning sensation. Habaneros have a Scoville heat index of 250,000 to 500,000 units, which measures the level of pepper capsaicin in this variety. Compared to the jalapeno that has just 2,500 units, that is really hot! This powerful alkaloid, found only in nature’s peppers, has many beneficial uses.
Habanero Chili Peppers: Capsaicin Nutritional Value
Although it may not seem like it at the time of ingestion, the capsaicin component produced by nature does not hurt you permanently. Being a very good source of intense heat, habanero peppers also provide vitamins A, C and E. These rich in folic acid and potassium sources, are low in calories, sodium and do not contain carbohydrates. Even better, this pepper contains a slightly fruity flavor and is known to cause an endorphin rush brought on by the capsaicin heat.
Recent Uses of Capsaicin
Currently, many industrial uses exist for capsaicin. For example, capsaicin is utilized in pepper sprays that are found in many self defense retailers. Further, you can find this ingredient in marine coatings, which prevent barnacle growth through environmentally safe methods.
Capsaicin is also available for uses in the home. Your pest repellent sprays often include capsaicin to get rid of garden intruders such as squirrels. Medically, capsaicin encourages circulation and stimulates pain receptor cells to produce endorphins. Even more, this beneficial property is used in various analgesic solutions that cure arthritis.
Capsaicin Safety
For those that love the heat and want to eat habanero pepper (which I’m guessing you do if you’ve come to growhotpeppers.com), just remember that pure pepper capsaicin causes your eyes and nose to run and your lips to swell. Wear vinyl or latex gloves while handling your habaneros and keep the dish soap and milk close by just in case.
Grow all of your own Jalapenos, Habaneros, Ghost Chillies and more with this clear, step-by-step ebook!
Anyone who loves hot sauces or salsas may think of growing the habanero plant. If you are capable of growing tomatoes, habanero peppers can be grown easily, since their conditional requirements are similar.
Origins
The habanero chile pepper is the hottest chile pepper of Capsicum family. The unripe fruit is green, though the mature peppers may be red, orange, pink, white or brown. A mature habanero is around 3 to 6 cm long.
Thought to have originated in Cuba, the habaneros are indispensable components in the Yucatán peninsular cuisine. Each year at least 1,500 tons of peppers are harvested there. Other regions that they are known to grow in include Costa Rica and Belize, as well as US states like California, Texas and Idaho. No matter their origins, you can grow these peppers in your own location.
Optimum Growing Conditions
Though habaneros prefer hot weather, too much sun exposure can cause damage to these nightshade family members. When growing habanero peppers, it is important to understand that they thrive well under a good morning sun with a soil having ideal pH of 5 or 6. Water the habanero plants only when dry because too much watering can cause the peppers to taste bitter or even die out.
Habanero bushes may be sown directly in the ground, or can be grown in containers and live for several years in pots.
The habanero, a perennial plant, can produce flowers and fruits for several years if cared for properly. In temperate climates, it is considered an annual plant, which grows dormant each winter and is replaced the following spring.
In tropical as well as sub-tropical regions, this plant produces fruit year round as long as the growing conditions are favorable.
Scoville Rating
The habanero chile pepper is around 100 times hotter than the jalapeno. The red savina habanero pepper, a cultivar of habanero pepper and once certified as the “World’s hottest spice,” is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. Habaneros usually rate between 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville units. When growing the habanero plant, attempts have been made by many to breed habanero peppers selectively and produce heavier, hotter and larger chillies.
It’s always best to learn about the key factors before growing chillies so that you can successfully cultivate them in your indoor or outdoor garden.
The best season for growing hot peppers is during the summer months from June to September. Hot peppers require dry, warm weather and soil that is adequately rich in potassium and nitrogen. Several varieties like hot jalapenos and sweet bell peppers can be harvested in either fully ripe or green conditions. These varieties are sensitive to frost.
Results to Expect When Growing Pepper Plants
The hotness of chili peppers depends on the capsaicin compounds present, which is based on the variety as well as the growing conditions. The bell peppers are the least hot, followed by varieties like peperoncini, poblano, jalapeno, cayenne, serrano, thai, habanero and scotch bonnet.
Cooking Chili Peppers
Even if you have a knack for growing pepper plants, make sure to wear rubber or plastic gloves and never touch your face when cutting hot peppers. In case you prefer not to wear gloves, make sure to thoroughly wash your hands using water and soap before you touch your eyes or face because hot peppers are very capable of burning skin and eyes.
For cooking purposes, rinse the whole chili pepper. Proceed to cut off the stem and deseed the core; however, if you really enjoy the fire, leave a few or all of the seeds in.
Minerals & Vitamins
It is a fact that chili peppers are richer in vitamin C, when compared to citrus. Red chili peppers are also very high in Iron, Potassium and Vitamin A and E.
Storage
Storage of leftover chili peppers needs special attention and care in order to maintain its freshness. Make sure to store your chili peppers for no longer than a week in your vegetable drawer. Additionally, you can even freeze peppers whole in a freezer bag for winter storage.
With practice, you can master the art of growing and cooking hot chili peppers.
The hotness of various peppers is measured using the Scoville Heat Index. The current hottest pepper is the bhut jolokia, but habanero peppers, rocoto and the scotch bonnet are also at the top of this scale. At the bottom of this scale, you’ll find sweet bell peppers and cherry peppers, while red cayenne peppers, Serrrano peppers and yellow hot wax peppers fall in the middle.
Types of Chili Peppers
There are several types of peppers that are local to regions around the world including the American Southwest, Mexico, Asia and India. Peppers are very popular ingredients in spicy dishes, whether fresh or in dried or frozen form. Peppers have been prominent among cooking ingredients for over sixty centuries, with more than 400 varieties found in the world today.
Even a small amount of habanero can cause burning for over an hour if you are unaccustomed to eating very spicy food. The first thing one notices about this type of pepper is the heat, but soon after a pleasant plum, delicate apple or tomato-like flavor follows making it all worthwhile.
The term chipotle peppers does not denote a type of pepper, but instead names a process used for drying chili peppers. Jalapeno peppers are typically the variety used for this purpose and are smoke dried to produce the earthy, smoky taste of the chipotle.
Jalapeno peppers are hot and rich. The red types appear during the fall, while the green ones appear during late summer. Canned jalapeno peppers are not as hot as fresh ones.
Chili peppers are rich sources of nutrients including vitamins A and C. For example, two ounces of a chili pepper may actually contain more vitamin A than twice the dose recommended per day.
Tips for Storing and Consuming Home-Grown Chili Peppers
Chilies should be ideally firm, solid and unblemished with an even coloring. Chili peppers have a very good shelf life and can be stored in any plastic bag in the refrigerator. Wear surgical gloves when handling hot peppers. Take care to not to touch your eyes or any sensitive body part after you handle hot peppers.
Chili peppers that have been whole dried should be clean, shiny and unbroken. Store such peppers in a dark, cool place in a sealed jar along with the other spices. For reconstituting dried chili peppers, keep them immersed in hot water in a bowl until they become soft.
A major percentage of the heat in your favorite hottest pepper is found in the veins and seeds so leave those parts in to enjoy the fire! Otherwise, if you must tone down the heat, remove these parts before you eat the chili pepper. Further, if you still need to quench the spice in your mouth, drink milk or eat yogurt or bread.
