imafan26 wrote: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.