trying some new peppers this year

[james622]

Expanding my garden this year making room for some more peppers. I just ordered some Carolina reapers, habaneros, and ghost seeds. I'm fairly new to gardening this will be my fourth year I have done decent with the jalapeno types just wondering if y'all have any tips on growing these?

[imafan26]

The Ghost peppers, do not germinate well unless it is warm. Either use a heat mat or wait until the temperature is 80 degrees. Habaneros are less fussy. You must like hot peppers. These are the super hots.

Pepper gal recommended germinating some of the harder to germinate seeds with potassium nitrate, salt petre. Stump remover usually contains potassium nitrate 1 tsp in a quart of warm water. Soak seeds 4-8 hours before germinating.

[james622]

I love hot peppers lol now the reapers idk bout eating them thanks for the Info I've never used a heat mat before I'll have to give it a try

[pepperhead212]

Welcome to the forum James!

I always soak my pepper seeds overnight in that saltpeter solution mentioned above by imafan26. I have had a 2 oz container of it for over 20 years, as I only make 2 c of it each season, using 1/2 tsp saltpeter. I did a test in the beginning, soaking some with and some without, and most varieties germinated a little sooner with. I also keep my seeds at ~90°, and the germination is much better this way.

You will want to start those superhot seeds earlier than most, as they are much later, as a rule. Even most habaneros are fairly late, with many not ripening until 110 days or later (well into Sept., for me here). I start my superhots around 2-7, while most peppers I start on 4-1, to give you an idea of the difference.

[james622]

Thanks for the tips very helpful

[Mian5]

I'm expanding my garden as well with more peppers. This will be my first year growing in the ground instead of containers.
Jalapeno (new this year) and cayenne are the only hot peppers I'm growing this year. My new mild and sweet peppers are Anaheim, chocolate mini, cubanelle, pimento, horizon orange, sweet banana, and purple beauty.

You will want to start those superhot seeds earlier than most, as they are much later, as a rule. Even most habaneros are fairly late, with many not ripening until 110 days or later (well into Sept., for me here). I start my superhots around 2-7, while most peppers I start on 4-1, to give you an idea of the difference.

Learn something new. This explains why my cayenne peppers ripened later than the other peppers. I'll start these earlier than I originally planned.

[imafan26]

Species can matter too. The anuums are usually faster. The frutescens, chinense and baccatum take a little longer to germinate and like it warmer. On the plus side, they can potentially live a long time.

[Peppery1]

I love hot peppers lol now the reapers idk bout eating them thanks for the Info I've never used a heat mat before I'll have to give it a try

If your heating pad has a massage setting, turn that on too. I tried this out once and now it's the only way I do seed. What has worked best for me is using the massage setting on high during the day and at night putting it on low. There just does need to be some period for the seeds to 'rest' from the high massage in my experience. They come up faster and grow to true leaves quicker combining the heat & massage this way than anything I've ever tried. Guess seeds just like a little massage.

[Peppery1]

I'm expanding my garden as well with more peppers. This will be my first year growing in the ground instead of containers.
Jalapeno (new this year) and cayenne are the only hot peppers I'm growing this year. My new mild and sweet peppers are Anaheim, chocolate mini, cubanelle, pimento, horizon orange, sweet banana, and purple beauty.

You will want to start those superhot seeds earlier than most, as they are much later, as a rule. Even most habaneros are fairly late, with many not ripening until 110 days or later (well into Sept., for me here). I start my superhots around 2-7, while most peppers I start on 4-1, to give you an idea of the difference.

Learn something new. This explains why my cayenne peppers ripened later than the other peppers. I'll start these earlier than I originally planned.

Yes, that was new to me: I've only grown sweet peppers before. Lets me know to set up my hots first (even though I'm going hydro I don't plan on putting it all up at once because I only have so much space for seedlings). Thanks for the tip, that'll help.

[rainbowgardener]

Yes. The only hot pepper I grow is Anaheim chili, a very mild "hot" pepper. But even that one, though not as slow as the Ghosts etc are reputed to be is slower to sprout and grow than bell peppers. I planted those seeds about 5-6 days ago (I'd have to look it up). I have not planted bell pepper seeds yet and will give them at least a few more days before I start them.

[imafan26]

I seem to have more problems with the sweet peppers than the hot ones. The sweet peppers just don't last that long. I am lucky to get 3-5 peppers before they die. I have not been able to grow the minis at all.

I have grown chocolate bells, yellow bells, purple bells, anaheim, Banana, Hungarian wax, thai hot, thai dragon, hot thai, cayenne, Trinidad Scorpion, Bhut Jolokia, Hawaiian tabasco, cubanelle, Korean, Czechoslovakian Black, pablano, espanola, Fushimi sweet, bird peppers, and jalapenos. I have had less luck getting the mini bells to grow, so far but I have some seeds left and I will try again. I have some other pepper seeds I have bought but just haven't had the time or space to try them. I have to be careful not to plant too many unknown ones at the same time since my labeling could use improvement and I have to be able to tell the peppers apart.

The only Jalapeno I used to like was Biker Billy, it is big and has good flavor and one of the hotter ones. I am growing a local variety now called Wailua pepper which is a jalapeno that so far has consistent heat but it is maybe around 4000-5000 scoviles. It is also the only jalapeno that has survived multiple years (going into it's third year now). I have been disappointed with some of the other jalapeno's, especially the ones sold in stores. Early is a very mild jalapeno on the lower end of the heat scale. Jalapeno M is supposed to be hot, but I have had multiple plants with the same issue, inconsistent heat levels on the same plant with one in 5 peppers being hot and the others not.

[Peppery1]

I seem to have more problems with the sweet peppers than the hot ones. The sweet peppers just don't last that long. I am lucky to get 3-5 peppers before they die. I have not been able to grow the minis at all.

I have grown chocolate bells, yellow bells, purple bells, anaheim, Banana, Hungarian wax, thai hot, thai dragon, hot thai, cayenne, Trinidad Scorpion, Bhut Jolokia, Hawaiian tabasco, cubanelle, Korean, Czechoslovakian Black, pablano, espanola, Fushimi sweet, bird peppers, and jalapenos. I have had less luck getting the mini bells to grow, so far but I have some seeds left and I will try again. I have some other pepper seeds I have bought but just haven't had the time or space to try them. I have to be careful not to plant too many unknown ones at the same time since my labeling could use improvement and I have to be able to tell the peppers apart.

The only Jalapeno I used to like was Biker Billy, it is big and has good flavor and one of the hotter ones. I am growing a local variety now called Wailua pepper which is a jalapeno that so far has consistent heat but it is maybe around 4000-5000 scoviles. It is also the only jalapeno that has survived multiple years (going into it's third year now). I have been disappointed with some of the other jalapeno's, especially the ones sold in stores. Early is a very mild jalapeno on the lower end of the heat scale. Jalapeno M is supposed to be hot, but I have had multiple plants with the same issue, inconsistent heat levels on the same plant with one in 5 peppers being hot and the others not.

What's the flavor like on the Czechoslovakian Black, Fushimi sweet and Wailua? I ran across those online today & was thinking about buying seed. Jalapenos are OK, but I much prefer Serranos, which have more heat and a more intense flavor. Best way I like jalapenos is to roast them off with a little grill seasoning (I use a special goat BBQ seasoning--may sound funny, but if it can make a goat taste good, it'll make anything taste good is what I always say--but most any grill seasoning will work) and oil. Then I freeze them & use them to season anything from tacos to green chile pork or carne asada. They're also great just split in half roasted as above for about 10-15 minutes, then stuffed with a good pepperjack and roasted about 10-15 minutes more, depending on how done you like your peppers. (Anywhere from 400 to 450 in the oven works just fine with time adjustments of course.)

I've had better luck with mini peppers since I switched over to hydro: about the easiest gardening I've ever done & cheapest too with the right set up.

[applestar]

...off to research GOAT BBQ seasoning...
(I've never even heard of it. Wow.)

[Peppery1]

You may want to search for B.B.Q. Cabrito Seasoning from Ralph's. (Cabrito means goat.)

Tell 'em the person who ordered two cases a few months ago sent you. LOL. No, I don't use it much. (Don't worry: you can order less.)