I started a new hobby this summer - I'm trying to grow different varieties of hot peppers.

Thing is, when I start a new hobby, I go all out -- I'm up to 12 different varieties now. (Not a big deal until you realize I live in a second-story apartment with a small balcony - doh!)

I'm wondering if anyone else here has tried growing different varieties of hot peppers, and fans of hot peppers in general.

Here's what I'm trying this first year:

• Habanero (orange)
• Thai Sun
• Cayenne
• Tabasco
• Giant Serrano
• Red Hot Chili Peppers
• Peter Pepper
• Arbol Chilis
• Jalapeno
• Red Hot Cherry
• Hot Banana
• New Mexico Big Jim

The first 6 are seedlings purchased at Wal-Mart a few weeks ago. (It was an impulse buy that started all this!). The next 5 are from seeds ordered online, and I planted like 10-20 seeds of each. The last one are seeds taken from dried Arbol chilis I have in the kitchen just to see if they'd grow, and to make an even dozen varieties.

Here are the six seedlings on May 21:


I hope these work out, and next year will have a better idea how they grow and which work better in smaller spaces. What stinks is I cannot leave them outside until it's 60+ degrees at night, which is still a few weeks away here in NJ.

So, who else likes eating the hot stuff? I know Turnbull is a fan. Anyone else?

There is already a cheech and chong thread :p

Watch out for those habaneros. When I was in New Mexico, they wouldn't even handle them without gloves on. I believe they were the green ones.

Geoff, if you are serious about these peppers, than you know that you must carry a micro pocket knife around with you.


Don Cardi

Last year my husband planted peppers. I think there were some jalapenos, but I'm not sure what other kinds. I know there were red ones. He took a few of those and soaked them in olive oil to flavor it.

I must admit that I cannot tolerate anything hot or spicy. I can't even chew cinnamon gum, forget about eating anything hot. I'm a total weenie when it comes to stuff like that.

Geez, you remind me of my dad, Geoff. :p

He's very much into gardening, and he literally built a greenhouse in our backyard. He's also got little patches of garden both in the back and side yard; I know he's got tomatoes, but I forget what else. My baby cousin was over one day and playing in one of the patches, so my dad and I simultaneously begin to walk around imitating Vito's teasing of Anthony in the garden... My dad's constantly giving away the stuff he's grown and asking me if I want to pick tomatoes.

I need to ask him if he has ever grown or is growing hot peppers. Good luck with this; I'll never understand gardening, but I gotta admire those who do.

The only pepper's I grew were the green bell pepper's in my vegie garden when I lived in Newport News. Good luck Don Geoff, keep us posted how they are doing. I hear the pepper's are good for the immune system.

I love hot stuff (which is why I love Letizia ) and consequently, I've tried quite a few of these peppers. I made some poppers last year that were dynomite, I used the banana peppers and the jalepanos. The banana peppers seem to be mild and sweet. The hotness varied in the jalepanos. I know the habaneros are quite hot. Either way, I had gloves on when I touched my peppers (ha! Partagas).

Turnbull is the resident expert on hot peppers (surprise surprise! :p ), but I think its a wonderful thing, having a garden. I love hot and spicy foods. I put hot sauce on anything you can imagine putting hot sauce on (and probably a few things you wouldn't). I eat dry jalapeño peppers with my pizza, as well. Habanero's, on the other hand, are a little too much. I'll take a bite of one here and there, and sporadically add some to my pico de gallo, but its not often that I use them. One time, my brother bet me $15 bucks I wouldn't eat a whole one. So he gave me the money, and I ate it, and I was suffering for the next 45 minutes. It was absolute agony!

Have a glass of ice cold milk around. Otherwise, your tongue will burn off.

Try a nice cold gallon, and a loaf of white bread, and a trash can, as you will probably puke it all back up!

Well no one said to eat the trashcan, too, silly! [/dumbass]

Hey, if it helps the pain go away... :p

I've got something better...



"Here Lloyd! This helps!"

I especially love mild jalapeño peppers a lot. But peppers in general increase the appetite and if you've heartburn you better stay away from them. I don't have such a good appetite but I can't eat peppers always because after a few straight days of eating various peppers it starts giving me heartburn.
JG, when your jalapeño peppers are ready, I'll break in your apartment and do my ODC thing as well! :p

It's a deal! But you won't have to break in.

Your dad must be pretty young then! :p I can't wait to get a real house and have a real garden or greenhouse!


The problem with growing plants is I get so damn impatient! And hence a tendency to care for them too much... but hopefully they'll make it!

I didn't mean age-wise...so touchy! :p

Shoot, just build yourself a mini-greenhouse on your balcony! You "care for them too much"? Do you sit outside every night with them and sing/talk to them? Just a warning, but that might be "too much"...

So you're saying I shouldn't take them into bed with me then?

Well, my dad does that with his tomatoes, so I don't see anything wrong with it.

:p

Now come on, this would be more fun!

You just want to be able to say that you went to bed with a "hot little pepper." Better yet, "some hot little peppers!"

How quickly an innocent question about gardening degenerates into trash (sighs). Now, I could understand the drift into innuendo if JG had asked about growing zucchini or cucumbers!

Returning to the topic.
JG, I was growing some hot peppers years ago, but it's a long time since I can't eat them, so I have to be satisfied with sweet Bulgarian peppers.
The most important thing about all peppers is that they like moist soil and dry air, at the same time. I have some on my balcony now, BTW.
Good luck!
Oh, and the greenfly loves them...

That's hilarious DJ!

And wash your hands THOROUGHLY before visiting the men's room, otherwise something else will burn off.

I wonder who inspired that bit of advice?

Which happened to my dad a long time ago in a galaxy far far away.

His actually did burn off. Literally.

He's a woman now.

Mick

Aphids love them, too. But misting with dishsoap water (especially under the leaves) seems to have taken care of most of them.

As for watering, from what I've read I'm under the impression they like to be moist (like all plants), but they actually prefer to be on the dryer side than the wet side. I've been watering every few days -- some water once a week. I'll just have to see how it goes, and learn for next year.

I wonder who inspired that bit of advice? [/b][/quote]It wasn't WHO inspired that bit of advice, but more of a WHAT inspired it! I saw that you were "pretty good with the knife!"

Don Cardi

UPDATE

Holy Cow! I must be caring for them pretty well....

When I got the seeds it said, "seeds can take from 10 days to 5 weeks to germinate, depending on the type of peppper." (I almost died seeing 5 weeks!) I planted them on Wednesday and a few broke the surface already in less than 2 days!!

They must really like the warm temperature sitting on top of my gas stove (from the pilot lights).

The plants I already have are probably a bit mad that the seedlings took their spot on the stove. It appears it's warm enough for them to go outside this weekend, but it's supposed to be rainy every day except Sunday.