Growing Hot Peppers

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

I have been growing hot chili peppers in my garden over the past few years and have had a great experience so far (habaneros, orange scotch bonnets, new mexican reds, jalapenos, red tabascos, etc). But I have been wanting to increase the heat (taste) of my peppers, since I love the burn! Almost everything that I cook is spicy! But I am not the most experienced gardener around, so I need some help. My garden has a drip line, and sprinkler around it so it keeps everything well hydrated which i've figured out is my main issue if I want hotter peppers. The other issue is that when you grow them next to other plants they tend to cross-pollinate with other plants which dilutes the heat. I've figured out the obvious solution for both problems would be to separate my pepper plants from the garden. I've decided that I want to build myself a small raised garden box on the other side of my yard to grow my pepper plants in. The things that I need help with are: dimensions, soil type, and watering suggestions.

Dimensions: I usually grow between 3-4 pepper plants each year in a single row, typically spaced 1.5-2' between stems. I'll probably make my box suitable for 4. Probably go with a 2' x 6' box. At what DEPTH do I make the box?

Soil Type: I have been told the best way to go is with a sand/soil mixture. But I don't have the slightest clue what portions. Gardening soil or potting soil? Fertilizers? here.

Watering: How often should I water the plants? I picked the sunniest part of my yard to place the box.

Anyone on here have any experience with growing pepper plants? What has worked best for you? Suggestions? Thanks in advance!

 

[Edisto_Tiger]

I think beardown is the resident garden aficianado.

 

[outofyourmind]

I had an old farmer tell me years ago that the difference in a hot onion and a sweet onion is the amount of water they get. less water = hotter.


don't know if that holds true for peppers, but thought I would throw it out there.
I think most of it is just the genetics of the pepper plant though.

 

[HuskerInSecLand]

I made raised beds using 5 1"x12" 12 foot planks. Cut one in half to make two 6' pieces and then make a frame 6 x 12 and nail the last two planks horizontally the length of the frame to make a makeshift bench down each side and to hold the box together.

You end up with 4 x 12 growing space and can plant right up to the bench since you have dirt under the benches to root in.

I then laid cardboard inside to kill off any weeds that might sprout through and filled it about 10 inches deep with a 50/50 mushroom and mulch compost mix.

I have two boxes and grow tomatoes and peppers in one and zucchini, squash and cucumbers in the other. Was planning to build a few more but there really isn't anything else I want to plant.

You can make them any size you want but the rule of thumb on raised beds is no wider then you can reach from either side. You don't want to be walking in the box to get to plants.

 

[mrwallace2ku]

Why "build" a box? Waste of good cash on wood and fasteners that could be better spent on soil amendments for your peppers. Just furrow your soil rows to your desired dimensions and plant instead.

 

[HuskerInSecLand]

I built a box because I wanted to.

Why try to make a garden out of rocks?

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

@outofyourmind: Yes the same holds true for peppers. The reason I want to separate the peppers from my garden is because they were receiving too much water in there.

@HuskerInSecLand: Good to know! Seems like common sense not to build it bigger than arms reach, but I wouldn't put it past myself to not think of it! Does cardboard really kill weeds? Don't think that I've ever heard of that! Also, do the pepper plants require a certain depth for their roots? I've been told it depends on what climate you live in. If the plants are in hotter temperatures constantly then they need deeper roots. I guess since I'm in Pennsylvania I won't have a problem with that. I'll probably go 12" depth just to be safe. One final question: since I don't have a compost heap, what sort of soil type would you recommend? (something that I can just buy at the store)

@mrwallace2ku: My yard doesn't contain the best of soils. Lots of rocks and roots running amuk in my yard. I had to excavate and refill just to get my garden in. I don't want to go through all the work to cut up the roots and dig the rocks out again just to move 4-5 plants out of my garden… It would be more worth my time and money to just build a raised box.

Thanks for the responses gentlemen!

 

[outofyourmind]

The box you have isn't huge, but it might be cost prohibitive to use the miracle grow potting soil.
It does work, but damn, that's a lot of bags of that stuff.


Maybe just the .99cent bags of composted manure, but it might be a little pricey to fill it all up.
Well, whatever it is you use, I would go with Bone Meal and Blood meal as fertilizers. The best stuff I ever used. It's organic, breaks down fast and makes things go wild with growth. Only drawback is if you have dogs or cats, they cant seem to stay away from it once it's down.

 

[HuskerInSecLand]

The card board just keeps anything from growing below it. It can be anything newspapers tarp anything. Your sitting the box on untilled ground so it has grass or weeds or whatever growing. YYou need to smother them.

As for the compost I get mine for $60 bucks for a full sized pick up bed full.
We have mushroom farms here and they grow one crop in compost and then get rid of it. You can buy it, no pun intended, dirt cheap. I get mine at a nursery where they mix it 50/50 with a wood mulch compost. Works great. As for watering I water once a week if it doesn't rain and it stays moist.

As for roots mine have never gone deeper than the bed.

 

[HuskerInSecLand]

Here is a picture of one of the boxes the first year.

 

[beardown07]

Only water when leaves start to show signs of wilting.

Use compost or other soil mixtures that are balanced. Most bagged soil is super high in nitrogen, and you don't really want that with peppers. Nitrogen is for the vegetation, not the buds...too much, and the plant will focus solely on leaves.

Add Sulphur. Search the net for dissolved Epson salts mixtures, and spray it on the soil and foilage twice a season.

And as previously mentioned, they will cross pollinate. The most important thing is to not plant them next to milder peppers....not so much other vegetables.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Good info everyone! Thanks!

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Last year's plants kicked ass! Ended up canning over 60% of the yield. Ate as much as I could but 6 plants were too much for my wife & I. I ended up growing 1 habanero, 2 jalapeno, 1 orange scotch bonnet, 1 jamaican yellow mushroom, and 1 Thai hot. Used a mixture of compost & soils as many of you recommended!

Gave a lot to coworkers, neighbors, family, etc. Probably going to dial it back to 2-3 plants this year since I still have plenty leftover.

Anyone else on here growing hot peppers?

 

[outofyourmind]

I'm going to try 1 maybe 2 plants of some kind of hot peppers. It will be next to a couple of tomato plants that do well in a flower bed that I have. I just water them with the sprinkler system.

out of the 4 kinds of peppers that you planted, which one was the hottest and how big do the peppers get??

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

I'm going to try 1 maybe 2 plants of some kind of hot peppers. It will be next to a couple of tomato plants that do well in a flower bed that I have. I just water them with the sprinkler system.

out of the 4 kinds of peppers that you planted, which one was the hottest and how big do the peppers get??

The orange habaneros. The peppers grow to about 2-3" (~1-1.5" width). IIRC the yellow mushroom & orange scotch bonnets have higher scoville units but they didn't taste as hot to me. If you're lookin for the hottest then try to find the jolokia peppers. I haven't tried to grow those yet, only because the stores/nurseries I buy from were all sold out before I could get my hands on them. And I'm far too lazy to germinate my own seeds.

Just remember to dehydrate them as much as possible. I found that waiting until the leaves start to wilt before watering made for the hottest peppers. Watering them with a sprinkler system on a regular basis will cut down the heat. I'm sure you already knew that, but just thought I'd mention it.

 

[outofyourmind]

Just remember to dehydrate them as much as possible. I found that waiting until the leaves start to wilt before watering made for the hottest peppers. Watering them with a sprinkler system on a regular basis will cut down the heat. I'm sure you already knew that, but just thought I'd mention it.

I was thinking that getting the hottest pepper I could, but overwatering it, it might still be really hot, but I wouldn't have to put it somewhere else, and it would grow lots of them.
Don't know if it works that way, but I'm going to try it. I know, It's crazy talk.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

I was thinking that getting the hottest pepper I could, but overwatering it, it might still be really hot, but I wouldn't have to put it somewhere else, and it would grow lots of them.
Don't know if it works that way, but I'm going to try it. I know, It's crazy talk.

I found the plants tend to grow more peppers when placed next to tomato plants... So you're not crazy. Probably has something to do with the flowers getting pollinated faster since the Bees love tomato plants. I'm no biologist, but it makes sense. I've tried growing them separate from my garden and the plants didn't grow as tall nor did they produce as much. But I did start using compost, so that could be the reason as well?

 

[Tin Man]

Grew "sport peppers" one year. One plant, next to the tomatoes. Used some of the harvest to make pepper vinegar sauce. Used a few in food prep. Gave the rest away. Went to a share the harvest food pantry, and one of the regular volunteers took all that I had, swapping his own home grown veggies for my donation. Said he liked the flavor. I couldn't tell him anything about what I did other than sticking the plant in among the 'maters.

I'd grow more peppers, but the missus doesn't like the hot varieties, and I can't seem to grow the sweet ones worth a damn.

 

[outofyourmind]

I found the plants tend to grow more peppers when placed next to tomato plants... So you're not crazy. Probably has something to do with the flowers getting pollinated faster since the Bees love tomato plants. I'm no biologist, but it makes sense. I've tried growing them separate from my garden and the plants didn't grow as tall nor did they produce as much. But I did start using compost, so that could be the reason as well?

I just use bone meal and blood meal when I plant, then do the miracle gro every couple of weeks. My tomato plant responded to this great. Got hundreds of tomatoes off 1 plant last year.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

I just use bone meal and blood meal when I plant, then do the miracle gro every couple of weeks. My tomato plant responded to this great. Got hundreds of tomatoes off 1 plant last year.

Never needed miracle gro or any chemicals. My soil mixed with compost grows a ridiculous amount of food off any plant. You should try composting to rid yourself of paying for chemicals/fertilizers.