Growing Chile Peppers
So, is growing chile peppers any different than growing bell or sweet peppers? Overall growing is the same, but there are some special considerations for hot chile peppers. And the hotter the pepper, the more important these differences become.
What’s the Scoville Rating of the Pepper?
You should be aware of the Scoville rating of your chosen peppers. The what rating? If you’re not familiar with it, check out the about chile peppers post to find out about the Scoville scale. Then come back here and read on!
The reason you need to know about the general Scoville rating is that the higher the Scoville, the warmer the peppers like it! This includes everything from germination to growing weather.
I personally have noticed a difference in temperatures for germinating seeds for non-chile peppers versus the hot ones. And also within the peppers based on their heat. My sweet pepper seeds almost always germinate faster than the chiles. In fact, I’m seeing it right now, with the latest batch of seeds (sweet and chile) that I am germinating. So far, it’s just the sweet/bell peppers that have popped their head above soil.
So growing chile peppers starts with warmer germination temperatures. If you want information about a way to keep the growing medium warmer than usual, check out the growing peppers in Florida post.
Growing Chile Peppers – Containers or Garden?
Most chile peppers don’t grow terribly large, so are fine for growing in containers if that’s your wish. The peppers that seem to always grow larger for me are the jalapeno peppers, so if you grow them in a container, make it a larger container. When happy in the garden, I’ve had jalapenos grow over 4 feet tall. Let me tell you — that was a lot of jalapenos!
Now here’s something anecdotal. In my experience, the hotter the pepper, the shorter the pepper grows.  It doesn’t mean a shorter pepper isn’t just as prolific as the larger peppers, though. In fact, the very hot chile peppers like Bolivian Rainbow (which I grow for ornamental and eating purposes) bears smaller peppers but tons of them! But these peppers rarely grow more than about 20 inches tall.  This isn’t a hard and fast rule, though — there are some habaneros that can grow 3 feet tall.
I’ve just ordered some bhut jolokia seeds, which happens to be the hottest pepper in the word these days (1,000,000+ Scoville). So I’ll see if they need even warmer soil and weather conditions. And I’ll see how tall they grow, compared to my average-sized habaneros.
Chile Pepper Weather
Keep in mind that chile peppers originated in Central America, so you know they love hot weather. And interestingly, some hot peppers like habaneros and scotch bonnets can live as a perennial in a climate with warm weather year ’round.
The farther north you grow them, the more hours of direct sunlight your chile pepper plants need. (Here in South Florida in the summer, I make sure they get morning and afternoon sunlight, but have dappled shade mid-day; our sun is strong!)
So keep your chile pepper seeds warmer during germination (up to 95 degrees for the hottest peppers), although 85 tends to be the best overall temperature. Make sure you plant your peppers in a very warm area of your garden with plenty of sunshine, but which still has good air circulation. Give them some fertilizer (I prefer organic fertilizers) and keep the soil damp, but not wet.
Then, enjoy the harvest of your chile peppers!
Pepper Questions
Here are some frequently asked pepper questions. Peppers are pretty easy to grow in general, but you may still be wondering about a few things before you plant your peppers.
Pepper Frequently Asked Questions
Are peppers easy to grow?  Yes! Most pepper varieties will grow and produce delicous fruits for you. If you have a short growing season or lots of cloudy days, however, you should stick with the tried and true peppers like a sweet banana pepper or perhaps the feisty jalapeno (both are known to be prolific). If you have a longer growing season with plenty of sunshine, you can grow almost any variety.
 So how do I grow peppers? Here’s a post on germinating pepper seeds that gives information on how to grow those great-tasting peppers from seed!
What kind of insects or diseases are possible?  Here is the lowdown on insects and diseases that could come to pay a visit on your peppers. Wherever possible, I’ve suggested organic (or at least chemical-free) solutions.
Can I grow peppers is a greenhouse? Â Sure! The key to deciding the varieties that would be best are 1) the size of your greenhouse and 2) the warmth and sunlight your greenhouse receives. Most pepper varieties take up relatively little space, so greenhouse conditions are more of a determining factor.
When should I plant peppers?  It really depends on your climate! For example, in South Florida, the Spring and Fall are our prime pepper-growing times, with Summer also being good for the chile peppers. Here’s a general rule of thumb; start your seeds indoors at 6 to 8 weeks before your last expected frost for a main-season planting. For more detailed information, check out the planting pepper seeds post.
How do I make chile powder? Â Chile powder (or more specifically, ground dried hot pepper) is very easy if you have a dehydrator, but you can still dry them in an oven or in a warm dry place! First, pick your peppers and make sure they are clean and dry. Place them in your dehydrator in a single layer and dry them until they crack when you try to bend them.
No dehydrator? Place the peppers in a single layer in a warm oven, with the door slightly cracked (about 200 degrees). It will take a long time, though, depending on the size of the pepper! Check every few hours and remove when dry. After the peppers are dried (by any means), crush the peppers (seeds and all!) with a mortar and pestle.
One final note; if you are dehydrating a very hot variety of pepper (habaneros, scotch bonnet, etc.), you may want to wear gloves, eye protection and a face filter while you are crushing the dried peppers. Yes, I’m being serious; these peppers are hot and if you’re at all sensitive, the fine pepper dust can wreak havoc with your eyes and lungs.
Oww! How can I cool down my mouth (and cool down the pepper)?  Check out the chile pepper post for some tips on cooling down that hot sensation!
