Even if I didn’t love Caribbean shrimp, Greek salad, fajitas, black bean soup with sherry-steeped aji limon, jalapeno poppers, and fresh-out-of-the garden salsa, I’d grow hot peppers. They’re beautiful; they make striking additions to a sunny border or container. And hot peppers, perennial shrubs in frost-free climates, contain Vitamins C and A, potassium, calcium, and magnesium, which are good for the heart. The heat comes from capsaisin, an alkaloid produced in the whitish interior membranes of the fruit. Measured in Scoville Heat Units, it ranges from zero for sweetpeppers through 1,000 for a mulato Ancho (poblano), 3,000 for a jalapeno, 60,000 for a Thai hot pepper, 300,000 for habaneros, to 1 million for Naga jolokia, though it’s all a ballpark estimate since capsaisin varies slightly with growing conditions. A hot, bright growing season jacks up capsaisin production while a cool wet one dampens it.
Ten years ago, varieties were limited. Today, the offerings look like an explosion in a confetti factory and range from mild to incendiary. Bolivian Rainbows, small with gorgeous multi-colored fruits, are like little blast furnaces, while similar-looking Aurora is on a par with jalapenos. Twelve-alarm Scotch Bonnets and habaneros are bright yellow, orange, and red, as are Hungarian Hot Wax peppers, which are much less ferocious. For ornament without heat — a potential hazard for small children and animals who munch indiscriminantly — there is Burpee’s ‘False Alarm,’ a very mild jalapeno type that turns from dark green to bright red.
Peppers are space-efficient and easy to grow. They need only warm, well-drained organic-rich soil and plenty of sun. If mulched, they can withstand drought. Too much humidity can breed disease and corn borers, which can go into the fruit. Row covers early on help prevent borers, which arrive as flyinginsects; BT (bacillis thuringis) helps get rid of an infestation.
Hot peppers produce pickable fruits in about 70 days, though it may take longer for complete color development. Be sure to wear gloves while picking and working with super hot varieties. (And don’t rub your eyes!) If you get an over-spicy mouthful, milk (not water) or red wine helps put out the fire.
JALAPENO POPPERS: Halve jalapenos lengthwise. Scrape out membrane and seeds. Dip in thin tempura (flour, plenty of Adobo seasoning, beer) and fry. Stuff while hot with a cool mix of half low-fat cream cheese, half shredded cheddar, and LOTS of fresh cilantro.
Johnny’s Selected Seeds
www.johnnyseeds.com
Harris Seeds
www.harrisseeds.com
Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds
www.rareseeds.com
W. Atlee Burpee Co.
www.burpee.com
Trade Winds Fruit
www.tradewindsfruit.com
Write a Letter to the Editor on this Article
We encourage readers to offer their point of view on this article by submitting the following form. Editing is sometimes necessary and is done at the discretion of the editorial staff.