Rising jalapenos: the best way to get candy warmth

Jalapenos are spicy and delicious peppers that can make any spread, burger or sauce delicious. Growing jalapenos yourself is a great way to always have access to this spicy spice.

Jalapeno peppers are eaten all over the world and enjoyed in different ways. As a staple of Mexican cuisine, they can be roasted, baked and even fried on the grill. They are often diced and incorporated into savory and sweet applications. And they can easily be grown in your garden.

Here's a shocking fact about jalapeño that will take your breath away: These were the first peppers to be on a NASA space shuttle! They accompanied the astronauts on NASA's fifth space shuttle mission in 1982. The report sent back to the producer (who was also an astronaut, even though there was no one on board the mission) read: "Tell Woody, the Jalapenos were excellent!"

All of this may leave you wondering how this proud pepper is grown and cared for. I mean, we all want intergalactic fire, don't we? Well, don't be surprised anymore; We present the cultivation of jalapenos in your own garden!

Good products for growing jalapenos:

Brief instructions on care

Growing jalapenos is fairly easy and very rewarding. Source: EasyPickle

Everything about the Jalapeno

A short, fat jalapeno is called chiligordo. Source: Joshuagarr

What are jalapenos? They are delicious green peppers that have a slightly earthy and spicy taste. They are often used to spice up food and make cucumbers. The botanical name for Jalapenos is "Capsicum annuum var. & # 39; Jalapeno".

This pepper has a variety of other interesting names such as Chili Gordon, Huachinango or Cuaresmeno, which identify different attributes of the fruit. Dried red jalapeno peppers can be smoked to create the smoky heat we call chipotle pepper.

Their name is derived from their point of origin. Mexico has a large, beautiful city called Xalapa, the capital of the Mexican state of Veracruz. The name of this city is sometimes spelled "Jalapa". And the jalapeno probably comes from this city. Mexico is already a leading manufacturer of jalapeno peppers and is widely used in Mexican cuisine. Other regions with strong agriculture are Texas, New Mexico and California.

A healthy jalapeno pepper plant can reach a height of 24-36 inches. Each plant can produce up to 25-30 jalapeno pods. As soon as the pods are ripe, they appear dark green. However, if they remain on the vine for longer, the color changes to purple and then to red.

We all know that these peppers provide nice, aromatic warmth, but how hot are jalapeno peppers? Overall, they have a Scoville heat rating of 2500-8000. This gives them a pleasant feeling of warmth, but not as spicy as other related peppers like Habanero or Ghost Peppers.

The flowers of the jalapeno are white and fairly inconspicuous, but from them the future peppers are made. The leaves are smooth and dark green in color, with some varieties such as the purple jalapeno showing a purple shimmer on both the leaves and the stems. The ripe fruits are between 2 and 4 inches long and first either dark green or purple. As the plant ages, they turn dark and then gradually turn red before drying out.

The root system of jalapeno pepper plants is relatively extensive and requires at least 8 inches of soil depth and up to 12 inches for larger plants. These roots remain rather fine, like that of a tomato.

Plant jalapenos

Healthy plants can produce a large number of peppers. Source: Shapermc

Planting and growing jalapeno pepper is fairly easy. Here is a brief overview of when, where and how these peppers are planted.

When to plant

When it comes to planting a jalapeno pepper from seeds, most people start indoors. The ideal time is usually 6 weeks before the end of frost. In most United States, this happens between January and March. A seedling heating mat can stimulate germination if you start it indoors.

Pepper plants can be transplanted outdoors after the frost, usually after April. Remember that hot peppers are native to Mexico's sunny and hot climates. You need frost-free conditions and warm sunlight. The ideal soil temperature for jalapeno peppers varies between 65 and 80 degrees F.

Where to plant

Are you trying to figure out where to plant your peppers? Look for places in your garden where the sun is full. Paprika is a sun lover and needs a lot of it for the best growth. Once you've identified these parts of the yard, look for one that provides protection from strong winds. This prevents your plants from being damaged or put down by wind.

Growing containers is an option for your jalapeno peppers. You need a container that offers enough space for the best development. Try to use a pot large enough to grow a tomato plant, as your pepper has a similar root distribution and depth.

A little shade in the afternoon is fine for your jalapeno plant, especially during the hottest part of the day. When the sun hits the intense heat periods in high summer, this shade can protect your peppers from tans in the afternoon.

Some people like to offer additional support for heavy-weight peppers. Plan ahead to add an insert when planting the first time so that your plant receives support from the start.

How to plant

If you start the seeds indoors beforehand, sow them between ½ and ¼ inch deep. Cover with a light layer of loose, damp earth. Keep the soil moist and cover the plants to moisturize until the seedlings are about 2 inches tall, then gradually introduce more air until they have adapted to a lower humidity. Before planting your seedlings outdoors, gradually adapt them to your climate by suspending them daily for longer and longer periods.

Place your plants at least 12 to 14 inches apart when you transplant them. This gives them enough space to spread their roots.

maintenance

Red jalapenos are called chipotle peppers when smoked and dried. Source: Upereter

Growing jalapeno plants in your garden? If so, here are some important plant care tips you should know.

Sun and temperature

Jalapeno peppers love the full sun and need at least 8 hours of sunlight every day. They tolerate penumbra conditions, but really need as much full sunlight as you can get. If you need to grow them in a penumbra, try choosing a place that gets shade during the hottest part of the day.

Since they are native to hot and sunny climates, the ideal temperature is around 70 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. The plants are not frost resistant at all and can show signs of cold damage as soon as the temperatures drop below 40 degrees.

Water & moisture

The best time to water these pepper plants is in the morning. This allows the leaves to dry out during the day. Avoid water gathering around the base of your plant as this can cause problems for your plant. Make sure the floor wicks away excess moisture easily!

Provide about 1 inch of water a week in hot weather. Most of the time, it's okay to keep the soil evenly moist. You can use a water hose or water at the base of your plants.

The ideal humidity for pepper plants is between 50% and 70%. A greenhouse or humidifier can help maintain humidity. If you are in a less humid environment, do not worry because your plants will also tolerate less humidity. Just make sure you have enough water to drink.

ground

Your soil should be well drained, loamy and extremely rich in organic matter. The jalapeno plant loves rich and fertile soils!

If possible, aim for a soil pH between 6.0 and 6.8. While tolerating slightly acidic or slightly alkaline conditions, neutral conditions are ideal. If you are unsure, use a pH test kit to determine your average soil pH.

Fertilize

To get your plants off to a good start, make sure they have plenty of nitrogen right after planting. This will boost the plant's initial growth. It is okay to incorporate a slow release fertilizer before planting the seeds.

Give another small dose of a balanced fertilizer two to three weeks after germination. When flowers form, it's time to plan an option for flowering and fruiting. Therefore, switch to a 5-10-10 or 3-5-5 fertilizer. This stimulates flowering and fruiting rather than leaf growth.

Fertilize regularly during the summer to maintain production, and then lose weight as you approach autumn.

clipping

Take a close look at every growing pepper plant. If it has suction cups or stems that appear too thin but are much healthier and thicker, you can pinch off the suction cups to promote more strength in the rest of the plant. This also enables better pepper production.

In autumn, when the weather gets colder, pepper production will cease. Remove the plant at the end of the season so that you can prepare the bed for a future harvest.

Propagation

The easiest way to grow jalapeno peppers is from seeds, as described in the planting section above.

However, it is also possible to grow jalapeno peppers from cuttings. Choose a healthy branch and cut 6 to 8 inches from the top. Dip the cut end in water, then in the root hormone and put it in a pot of moistened potting soil. Remove all but a few sheets from the cutting tip and place them under a plastic cover to maintain humidity. Pay attention to your cut like any other style.

Harvest and store

Harvest peppers to the desired level of ripeness! Source: hepp

Are you trying to figure out when to pick jalapeño peppers? Don't worry, we'll tell you when to harvest jalapenos too!

harvest

Peppers have different stages in which they can be picked.

The earliest peppers have a nice, even medium to dark green color. You should feel firm. This is your traditional jalapeno type, ready to use raw or cooked. Purple jalapenos naturally have a rich purple color instead of green.

Next we have the next level of maturity. When the pepper ripens on the plants, it gradually begins to turn yellow and then red. Once the color is completely red, this is the "Huachinango" level. It should still feel firm, but not quite as firm as the green shape.

At any time you can come across a "Chiligordo", also known as fat jalapeno pepper. These are ideal for filling with cheese as poppers!

To harvest, use a pair of clean pruning shears to cut through the stem about half an inch above the end of the pepper. Do not pull the peppers out of your plants as this can cause damage.

storage

Fresh peppers can be brought straight to your table from the garden. But what if you want to keep it and reach it later?

Put your peppers in a paper bag and put them in the sharper drawer of your fridge. Stored in this way, they will last a few days to a week after harvesting from the garden.

If you have red jalapeno peppers that you don't use immediately, you should dry them for long-term storage. Thread a sewing needle and sew directly through the end of the stem, right where it is attached to the pepper. Hang them to dry in a cool, dark place with lots of airflow. Once they're completely dry, you can keep them whole, smoke to turn them into Chipotles, or grind them into a chilli powder.

You can also freeze whole or chopped jalapenos for later use. Since freezing breaks the cell walls in pepper, this is usually best for peppers that you want to use for cooking. The texture becomes a little softer after thawing.

If you want a milder taste, remove the seeds before use. These seeds carry a lot of heat!

Some people use a pressure scanner with a recipe tested to make their jalapeno crop. Look for tested and safe recipes for a reliable and safe method.

Troubleshooting

Jalapenos can face a number of pest or disease problems. Source: h080

The cultivation of jalapenos is usually quite simple. However, there are still some issues that you may encounter.

Growing problems

Occasionally, the green leaves of your plant roll down. This is usually a reaction of the plants to temperature or weather conditions. If you water them evenly and stay alert, you should see them get better as the conditions improve.

If the foliage is lush and green, but it's easy do not produce Your plant may need a phosphorus boost for you.

Small plants that can start to bloom while still small be atrophied if allowed to produce fruit. Pinch off early flowers to make your pepper plants grow larger.

Pests

There are a number of pests that attack your jalapeno pepper plants. Let's go through this list.

Suction pests like Aphids or Thrips are a constant problem for most gardeners. A good preventive measure is to regularly spray neem oil on all leaf surfaces and on the flowers.

Many moth larvae also call the shrubby pepper leaves at home … or at least for dinner. Some of them are Beet army worm, the Omnivorous leafroller, Pepper beetle, and the Corn catchy tune (also called tomato fruit worm). Most larvae or caterpillars use Bacillus thurigiensis (BT) as a spray or powder to keep them at bay.

Different forms of Flea beetle are known to chew a "pothole" pattern of holes in leaves. Use organic pesticides like spinosad or pyrethrin to prevent them.

Leafminers Chewing striking zigzag patterns into your leaves can cause serious foliage damage over time. Remove and destroy any leaves that show signs of leaf miner infestation. Neem oil can scare them off and Spinosad can kill larvae that have not yet entered the leaf.

In the end, Spider mites are a pervasive problem for most gardeners. Use a double strategy against this by treating leaves and flowers with neem, but also releasing useful insects into the garden. You may also want to apply useful nematodes to your soil to deal with mite larvae.

Diseases

Many different diseases can also destroy your jalapeno plants.

You can meet early when seeds are sprouting Attenuation. This is usually caused by Pythium or Rhizoctonia fungi in the soil. Make sure you start the seeds in a new, sterile starting mix.

Fusarium wither is related to the fact that it is a different mushroom shape. While it can also have a dampening effect on seedlings, it is most likely that root rot or stem rot will cause severe wilting.

Various microbial vaccines have been shown to be effective against Pythium, Rhizoctonia and Fusarium fungi. A product like MycoStop can help slow the spread of these ground-based fungal pathogens.

Two forms of the plague, southern plague and Phytophthora plagueare pretty common too. Both are also transmitted from the ground and both are caused by irrigation. The Phytophthora plague is caused by water splashing on plants where the southern plague is excessively moist. Make sure you pour with a suction hose at floor level. Don't let it float.

Some forms of Bacterial stain occur in Jalapeno and can be fatal. Spray a copper-based fungicide weekly at the first sign to prevent it from spreading. Remove badly damaged leaves to prevent the spores from spreading. If an entire plant is infected, remove and destroy it.

Finally, that Cucumber mosaic virus is spread by pests such as thrips and aphids. There is no cure for this virus. It causes the leaves to stain and plant growth may be stunted. While fruits from infected plants are still edible, they may not be as good as fruits from healthy ones. It is best to completely remove highly infected plants to protect others from transmission of viruses by pests. Use pest control strategies to keep insects away!

frequently asked Questions

Jalapenos are ripe when they turn medium green, but can get very dark. Source: Orange Brompton

Q: How long does it take to grow Jalapenos?

A: Most grafts bear fruit within 75-85 days, but some early varieties can produce faster.

Q: How many jalapenos do you get from a plant?

A: A healthy growing jalapeño pepper plant can produce up to 25-35 jalapeños in one season.

Q: Can you grow jalapenos from peppers bought in the store?

A: Growing a jalapeno plant from seeds bought in the store is possible, but not guaranteed. Many of those sold in supermarkets are hybrids and their seeds do not necessarily breed properly. It's worth a try, but don't expect big harvests from a jalapeño grown this way!

The green thumbs behind this article:
Lorin Nielsen
Lifetime gardener