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Pepper Growing basics

John S.

John S.

I've resolved to attempt to grow some peppers this year, and really don't know where to start. Anybody have good suggestions for a good how-to reference for a beginner with no experience growing anything?

Also, tips for keeping the plants alive over winter in a cold-weather local would be greatly appreciated.

Finally, I'm looking for suggestions on where to buy seeds. I'd really like to grow chocolate habs, since they're not locally available. I might try fatalli peppers as well, or perhaps cayennes.

Any helpful tips for a newbie are appreciated!
 
Hey John,
you might want to buy one of those 72 cell starter trays and read through the directions. some use peat pellets, but I prefere the miricle grow starting soil. you need to germinate the seeds, again everyone has their own method, I prefer wet paper towels in a warm dark place ( on top of your water heater) until they start to sprout then plant them in the starter tray and you will need to keep the temp up and lights and use the dome that comes with the tray to keep moisture in. I could go on but there is a start.

over wintering plants, I have 9 plants on a table in front of a picture window, I live in Wisconsin so the climate can't be to much different than yours. I actually have a fatalii that has a few 2" pods on them now and the plants are quite branchy and will need pruning come closer to spring, but I am hoping they will all be great 2nd year producers come summer.

as far as seeds, I don't buy them anymore but if your doing habs or fatalii's you want an early start because of the long growing time, and the season in you zone is shorter than desired. I have always had good luck with cayennes and other annuums in my shorter season.

Good luck growing,
Marv
 
fatalliman said:
Hey John,
you might want to buy one of those 72 cell starter trays and read through the directions.

Marv
Click to expand...

Where can you get those things? I need to get some seeds started.
 
John - Since your new at growing, it may be easier to skip a few steps and buy seedlings. Go to http://www.chileplants.com/ - they are great with shipping the seedlings and they do seem to have chocolate habs.

Only downside is that the minimum order is 12 - but I guess it's not such a bad thing to have 12 chile pepper plants!
 
Chuk,
Wally world, home depot anywhere they sell garden supplies usually have the starter trays

I bought plants from chileplant.com about 5, 6 years ago and they were very healthy plants, red savina, fatalii and koloska paprika, they all produced well and you do pay for them a bit spendy IMOO.

John you also might want to talk to a green house, sometimes they will grow seeds you provide, I am doing that this year for some that I want numerous plants of, being not having enough time to grow seedlings from start, but still want enough plants to grow.

ML
 
Ditto on chileplants.com They have such a HUGE variety of plants that it's hard to decide which ones to get or how many of each! Good luck this year.
 
Oh well, if that doesn't bite.

I just logged onto Chile Plants... chose a bunch of pepper plants I'd love to have delivered.

"No international orders on live plants".

They don't sell seeds and all of the fresh chiles this year are being used for research.

Grrrrr

T
 
Tina Brooks said:
Oh well, if that doesn't bite.

I just logged onto Chile Plants... chose a bunch of pepper plants I'd love to have delivered.

"No international orders on live plants".

They don't sell seeds and all of the fresh chiles this year are being used for research.

Grrrrr

T
Click to expand...

I'm not that far underneath the arctic circle. For a nominal fee, I can be persuaded to be a middleman/courier. hehehehe
 
Be careful Celt, today it's just chili plants, who knows, tomorrow the Peppermaster cartel may be utilizing you for mule runs to the Bahamas for goat peppers. I would hate to have to hide THEM from customs! :P :shock:
 
Somehow you make mule runs to the Bahamas for peppers sound like a bad thing!

Celt... I may just take you up on that offer.

Ya know, the banning of importation of live plants into regions is to protect the crops of the region. These peppers are anything BUT native to Canada.

T
 
Just as long as I don't have to hide entire plants in my digestive tract inside prophylactics.

I have a good repore with a supplier of chile pepper plants - and I like visiting Canada (as it is almost a stone throw away from me).

Just a thought for ya.
 
Tina Brooks said:
Ya know, the banning of importation of live plants into regions is to protect the crops of the region. These peppers are anything BUT native to Canada.

T
Click to expand...

Actually, hiding goat peppers in personal cavities to get by Customs may be fun for some, but man, THAT'S rough!

Now Tina, you understand the reasoning for banning foreign horticulture into your area, this is a good thing. Your method however, reminds me of Dr. Evil, regional takeover via introduction of foreign species (kind of like the Canadian Goose, named after Dr. Canada of the Audobon Society of course). Perhaps you can take another angle. Get one of your Canadian Ice Chickens and fill it with chili seeds. Think of it, when it poops, it will be pre-fertilized.
 
Chile seeds from a plant that's been injected with beer and peanut DNA? Then fertilized by one of those nasty Canadian Ice Chickens with the Asian Bird Flu? Sounds like the makings of a reaaaally bad B movie or a dangerous batch of hot sauce. A chile plant that rears up and hisses at ya when someone gets close, then gets you drunk and gives you a deadly flu when you do eat them. If you do happen to survive, the cholesterol from the peanut DNA takes over and clogs your arteries. :lol: :lol: Muuuuahh-ha-ha!
 
Now John, you stay out of this, Celt is willing to smuggle me some red savinas among other Canadian rarities.

Celt... There's a home-cooked Bahamian meal in it for you. And if you're a camper, we've room for a tent or camper in the back yard.

John... bring your turkey frier.

T
 
Tina Brooks said:
Now John, you stay out of this, Celt is willing to smuggle me some red savinas among other Canadian rarities.

Celt... There's a home-cooked Bahamian meal in it for you. And if you're a camper, we've room for a tent or camper in the back yard.

John... bring your turkey frier.

T
Click to expand...

In this cold? Camp Out? Geeeeez. LOL

Feel free to send me a message so we can sync our watches and primary target.
 
I don't know Celt, you have to hide chili's in your nether regions attempting a Midnight Express-type delivery past Customs, taking the chance of them opening up all along the way, to then get a hot meal and thrown to the polar bears in her back yard. Hmmm, and she wants me to bring my turkey fryer. That'll be good, we'll both be stuck outside in sub-zero weather in an old tent with a really smelly fryer that will alert predators of all shape and form within a 5 mile area that we are ripe for the eating. Tina, are you starting up a type of Texas Chainsaw Massacre theme park or something? :lol:
 
Fwiw, the people I want to get the plants from, don't ship until April. It's plenty warm up here that time of year.

Hmmm... Chilihead party at my place!

T
 
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