Good hot pepper for growing indoors

macmex

macmex

Hey folks, 
 
I have a question for you. One of my daughters lives in Alaska. She's thinking of growing some kind of hot pepper indoors, under lights, as conditions are kind of cold much of the year. I just mailed her some dried Chile Rayado and Murupi Amarela pods but these plents get kind of large, especially Murupi Amarela. Do you know of a variety which has good culinary qualities but doesn't get too large? I'm thinking she might set up some LED lights and grow one or two plants in 5 gallon containers.
 
George
 
I think a Fatali might do well. They can get big,
but in a smaller container they stay compact
with a little pruning. I had a Fatali bonchi that
lived for 5 seasons. Produced pods, too.
 
Also my JA Red Habanero and Yellow Scorpions
did well in three gallon pots, staying quite small
for chinenses.
 
I've grown many varieties indoors, particularly chinense, and with few exceptions they've been manageable when kept in smaller containers (I do soil grows, not hydro).  With the root run of a 5g container the plants may get pretty big, but by scaling back to a 3g, as Paul says, or even smaller depending on how little head space one has, most will keep in check.  They're are still some varieties I'd avoid, particular ones with large internodal spacing.  Unless your daughter's space is quite limited, I'd expect the varieties you shared with her would probably do fine, especially given the light penetration depth of LED's.
 
Clavo would do just fine; quite compact & bushy plant that produce too many pods anyway!!
 
I'll look Clavo up.
 
Manzano! Wow! I've seen them in the sierra growing up and over garden gates, probably 18' long!
 
How about Small Thai Orange SSE? Grows rather compact in my experience and produces hundreds of hot pods
 
Take a look at Apache. I've had one growing in the living room on an end table in a 1/3 gallon pot for a couple of years now. Too cold, not much light, small pot, regularly neglected. It somehow carries on and regularly flowers. If I actually tried to pollinate, it would have peppers year round. Fruits have some serious zing for a dwarf.
 
fishhead said:
Take a look at Apache. I've had one growing in the living room on an end table in a 1/3 gallon pot for a couple of years now. Too cold, not much light, small pot, regularly neglected. It somehow carries on and regularly flowers. If I actually tried to pollinate, it would have peppers year round. Fruits have some serious zing for a dwarf.
Click to expand...
Wow, that is a beauty. Now I want that on my growing list too :)
 
I have good success with the PI 322717 indoors. It's half wild or wild chili. May be a bit harder to find seeds. It grows compact, a lot small pods. Good aroma its good as dried or fresh, also some acidness. Quite hot chili and i think it's over 150K SHU. Already trimmed my plant for winter so it takes couple months until it starrt to do pods again. I can't trade seeds yet. My plan is also in future ttrying to gross it with something else to get bigger pods. 
 
Thanks! I have a chiltepin once, which grew in small little mounds. It was very good, just a little laborious when it came to harvest.
 
Any of the clustering types such as Thai Red, are super easy, compact, rather productive, and versatile (can be used green, red, dried, and as powder). they also have decent but not overwhelming heat.
 
I've grown chili plants in the cold states of the upper midwest of USA, from my experience Thai chili's are king for growing ! So easy to grow & are hardy, you don't need a 5 gallon bucket for Thai's, 1 gallon bucket will work or less (for dirt, since hydro is different)
I've grown orange Thai's, red Thai's, regular Thai's, & ? another Thai.....The Orange Thai I like the best out of all the ones I've grown, size & productivity with good heat & taste still along the lines as any thai chili.
 
I don't know anything about the chilis you've mention (OP)
 "For Me" I always had a problem growing Chinese varieties outside, they'd produce ok but not many would ripen, then would have a fungus issue inside the pod like it was 50/50 if they had or not, even on the same plant.That's with even starting seeds in January & kind of harden off & being 6 inches plus before real season outside.
I'll agree Thai chili's are not the flavor kings of the world compared to Chinese varieties. Though Thai's do pack a decent punch for spice plus compact & hardy to cooler temps !
Depending on the variety (under colder temps, not prime growing conditions like southerns) the plant would range from 1 FT - 2 FT & would be PACKED FULL of chili pods ! Which these pod's can range from 1 inch to 2 - 3 inches, little less than pencil size diameter.
 
fishhead said:
Take a look at Apache. I've had one growing in the living room on an end table in a 1/3 gallon pot for a couple of years now. Too cold, not much light, small pot, regularly neglected. It somehow carries on and regularly flowers. If I actually tried to pollinate, it would have peppers year round. Fruits have some serious zing for a dwarf.
Click to expand...
This Apache is compact! I like it already  :) I just started to grow it indoors, under some cheap flood lights. 
 
10 cm (4") tall.
 
Looks happy enough.
Here is my 2 year neglected overwinter.
Maybe I'll put it outside this year, maybe not...

gJSYnO9.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top