This article will explain how to get started in growing peppers and the fundamentals of what you are going to require. We are going to be starting our peppers indoors so we will need to make arrangements. To grow seeds, we need seeds, soil, water, some form of light and heat. To add to this we need a dedicated place to grow them. This is a long process but once it gets going, I will show you how you can have it so it takes care of itself.
Let’s get by the real basics here. For a seed to become a plant it needs heat, sunlight, soil and water. If any of these elements are missing, the plant will suffer. Each must be in balance with the plant’s needs. Too much heat, the plant will need more water, not enough water, the plant will wilt. Too much water the plant will rot. If the soil is too firm, the plant can’t spread it’s roots. If it is too cold, the plant will not even germinate (turn from seed to sprout). It is that basic, and also that important.
Of course to get started I would suggest purchasing, or recycling some form of containers to hold the soil that we will be starting our seeds in. The seedling trays usually 36 or 72 cells per tray work good but remember the smaller the container, the quicker you are going to have transplant them. I am going to be using the 36 cell containers to start. You can also use any plastic take out tray, or even old ice cube trays that you pick up at a yard sale; anything thing that will hold soil.
Next you will need some soil. You can go organic, and purchase any organic mixture from your local Home Depot; you can use the chemically treated seed starter varieties, or you can use a couple of gallons from the backyard. Most commercially available mixtures will have a mixture of dirt, sand, and filler. The dirt has the nutrients that your plant will draw from, the sand helps keep the soil loose so the fragile roots can grow into it, and generally, the filler is used to retain moisture. Whatever you choose, will work as long as it is not pure clay. It must be loose. If this is your first time, and you really aren’t interested in keeping it organic and, all you want is to produce peppers for personal consumption: I recommend Miracle Grow seed starter, you will get a good start on a great plant. Next year you can take the hobby further by trying a different mixture (maybe your own?).
Do not under any circumstances, use peat pellets. There are many reports that something in them hinders the growth or even germination of the seed. Bad news – just avoid them altogether.
There are three more things you now need to worry about, we have seeds, we have containers and we have soil. Coming up next we need a source of light, heat and we need space.
–Jay
Written by Jay
Nick Lindauer founded Hot Sauce Blog in 2004, making it one of the internet's very first hot sauce review sites. After 20+ years of tasting, reviewing, and attending every major fiery foods event in the country, he's back behind the keyboard covering the hot sauce world he helped build.
14 responses to “Makin’ Habaneros – Part III: When a Mommy Pepper meets a Daddy Pepper!”
Jay, you are like a young budding Jim Campbell (no pun intended).
You can start the first big crop in Ontario!
New item At JJ’s
Bacon Salt To Hit Stores – 2/6/08
Today, a bacon sensation is hitting 31 Community Markets stores throughout the state of Ohio; Bacon Salt, the porky brainchild of creators Justin Esch and Dave Lefkow, is a fat free, zero calorie, vegetarian, Kosher, gourmet seasoning salt that makes anything and everything taste like bacon. The product comes in original, peppered and hickory flavors and is an easy way to perk up any food from party mix and popcorn to salads to steak and mashed potatoes with the mouthwatering taste of bacon minus the messy and artery-clogging attributes of frying actual bacon. Esch and Lefkow are unleashing the power of bacon in Ohio just in time to celebrate National Snack Food Month (February) and maybe even make some vegetarians go hog-wild!
Esch and Lefkow got their start last year when both were bringing home the bacon from their jobs at a small technology company when their mutual cravings for meaty flavor turned them into “bacontrepreneurs.” With the winnings from an America’s Funniest Home Videos” contest, the partners created Washington-based J-D’s Down Home Enterprises to turn out their tasty product For more information on their venture or to buy online, visit http://www.baconsalt.com. Esch and Lefkow will bring forth the bacon flavor as soon as possible!
Thanks Bret. I just ordered the sampler pack online.
I can’t believe they won money for that video….nothing happened but he hit the ball toward him? But I guess when they put tha laught track in the background on the show it turns funny?!?
Can’t wait to try this stuff out. I love salt. I love bacon.
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Thanks Anthony (I think) I just enjoy growing and love sharing what I know!
–Jay
P.S. Sorry I don’t know who Jim Campbell is :S
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I don’t know if I would admit that out loud Jay!
Just kidding – Jim is probably one of the world’s greatest resources for anything pepper related. He is also a Guiness World record holder and one heck of an incredible guy.
I don’t think the hot sauce industry would be where it is today without his hard work and dedication.
So let me get this straight, I need to use good soil, the right amount of water and light, possibly use Miracle Grow or some other organic mixture, but when do I add the Baconsalt?
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I will have to look that up thanks Anthony!
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When you harvest and roast your peppers I would presume 🙂
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Jay,
Here is Jim’s website: http://www.wildpepper.com/
If you like spicy bbq, I would say it is one helluva bbq sauce, plus he also has some very tasty hot sauce like Rookie Orientation. He does know his peppers if you want a resource he is the man to ask about growing them.
I got my order from Pepper Joe today!
I have now in my possession the following seeds (15 of each)
– Golden Habanero
– White Habanero (a personal favorite, hundreds of little peppers from one plant)
– Pumpkin Habanero
– Spicy Mustard Habanero
– Pepperoncini (The perfect pickling pepper)
As always with Pepper Joe orders, you get free seeds; This time I got Pimento Peppers (Those red things in green olives) and Long Red Slim Cayennes
Just have to wait for my Bhut Jolokias to come to the door (with my new Chili Pepper Institue T-Shirt) and I am all set.
How is everybody else’s orders or purchases coming?
–Jay
I got white habaneros and pumpkin habaneros from pepper joes, along with those free seeds you described. I’m wondering if i’ll have enough room on my porch to grow all this stuff!
My order is in and the plant are a go under lights…toned it down a bit this year only 144 plants with 12 varieties tried a new seed supplier this year, tired reimer
Peruvian yellow habs
Pakistan number 1 ( whatever these are )
Limon
Joes round ( like cherries ) these are for the smoker
Frenso
Earbob
Aji red pumpkin
Belize sweet habs
Filfilihind ( from Iran )
Little white hots
Morron De Fabrica
Thought I would try something different this year
Jay
Are you going to post Part IV? I was hoping to plant this stuff this weekend.
One other question.. instead of starting my seeds in one of those cell trays.. what about just starting them in a 16 oz plastic cup? That way, I figure i’ll only need to transplant once (to a 5-gallon pot come May)
Pepper Guy – It doesn’t really matter what they are started in as long as the soil isn’t contaminated with chemicals or ‘bad’ oragnics (molds, bacteria, etc.) that would affect the seedlings.
Graham – Best of luck with your Peruvians. I have tried two years in a row to get good germination on the Peruvian White habaneros and both years have been dismal. The first year I had a 0% germination and this year, even being started by a professional at the local plant nursery for me, only about 10% germination and they are quite straggly still. Everything else that I’ve purchased from Reimer has been quite good at germination and producing very healthy plants.
Misc – To those who are growing Bhut Jolikia (or any of the other names the variety goes under) for the first time and/or have never tried eating one: They are HOT. Go get some regular pepper spray and spray it into your mouth and you’ll get an idea of the heat. They do smoke and dry very well, though! For those interested, I’m growing Goat’s Weed, Spicy Mustard, Takanotsume, and Bhut Jolokia (2nd Year). The garden is having to share a lot of space with lots of other plants this year.