Peppers

pepper plants

Peppers are generally classified as sweet or hot, with the most common sweet peppers being large, blocky bell, banana, and Italian roasting varieties. Hot peppers vary in shape and size as well as degree of hotness. Heat level is measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHU), which ranges from about 1,000 SHU for Anaheim peppers to well over 1.5 million SHU for specialty hot peppers like the bhut jolokhia (ghost) pepper or Carolina Reaper.

Common hot peppers include Anaheim, jalapeno, serrano, and habanero peppers. Some peppers, such as paprika or cayenne, are commonly grown to be dried and ground into chili powders for seasonings rather than for fresh eating.

Peppers can be eaten either when the fruit is full-sized but immature or when it changes to its mature color. A variety of colors from green to red, yellow, orange, purple, white, and brown (dull purple) are available.

When possible, select varieties that have a compact, bushy growth habit that will withstand wind and heavy fruit set without breaking branches. For colored peppers, look for varieties that have vigorous foliage growth that will provide good shading to the ripening fruit to prevent sunscald. Large-fruited, sweet, bell peppers produce relatively few fruit per plant. If high yields are desired or space is limited, smaller fruited sweet peppers or Italian roasting peppers may be a better choice. Most home gardeners find that 1 or 2 plants of a particular type of hot pepper are sufficient to meet their needs unless a large volume is desired for food preservation purposes. Para información en español, visite este sitio web.

How to Grow

If starting peppers from seed indoors, plant the seeds 6 to 8 weeks before the desired transplant date. Mid-May is a safe time to plant peppers in most of Kansas. Planting large, overgrown plants that have already started to flower will reduce the overall productivity of the plants. The rate of germination and transplant growth will vary widely depending on the type of peppers and the warmth of your growing area. Heat mats will provide faster, more consistent germination, especially for hot pepper varieties.

Peppers are usually set as transplants in the garden and should be planted 1 to 2 weeks after setting tomatoes. Peppers exposed to cold temperatures early in the season will often drop their fruit, resulting in a large, unproductive plant. It is better to wait to plant if the soil and air temperatures are still consistently below 55°F. Set plants 1 to 2 feet apart in rows 2 to 3 feet apart. Another option is to plant a staggered, double row in a 2-foot-wide bed. This is an efficient option if you have limited space or are looking for a high yield of a sweet pepper variety. Many hot peppers produce a larger, more sprawling plant and may require more space. Plant 3-4 pepper plants per person for fresh use and an additional 5-10 plants for pickling, canning, drying, or freezing. Expect 75 pounds of fruit per 100 feet of row depending on variety.

Sunlight: Peppers need full sunlight in order to be productive. Provide at least 8 hours of light for the most production.
Watering: Water is required in dry periods. Even, consistent watering is preferred as peppers can develop blossom end rot, a brown leathery patch at the base of the fruit
Soil and Fertilization: Avoid over-fertilizing peppers which encourages excessive foliage growth and delays fruit set and maturity. Side dress each plant with 1/4 tablespoon of (21-0-0) fertilizer, 4 and 8 weeks after transplanting or when the first fruit start to set. Place the fertilizer 6 inches to the side of the plant and irrigate it into the soil.
Pests and Diseases: Aphids and cutworms can be an issue with peppers. Wash aphids off with a garden hose and apply an insecticidal control if the population gets high. If you have cutworms the stem of the plant will be cut off at ground level. If you have had issues with cutworms in the past you can gently wrap the stems with aluminum foil buried slightly in the ground. Blossom End Rot can be an issue on peppers. While blossom end rot is a caused by a calcium deficiency the main issues is soil moisture during the early growing season. The best cure is to maintain a consistent soil moisture level during the early growing season when plants are rapidly growing. Blossom end rot typically only impacts the first set of fruit and clears up after that.

Harvest and Storage

multicolored pepper fruit Harvest fruits when they are the desirable size, with firm, thick walls. Regular harvests will keep the plants producing more. Carefully pick or cut peppers from the plants. Avoid pulling on the fruit as you can easily break the plant. Peppers that have begun to turn color may continue to turn after harvest. Hot peppers produce an oil that will penetrate the skin and cause discomfort if you get it in your eyes or other sensitive areas of the body. Use rubber gloves to harvest very hot peppers. Peppers will store for 1-2 weeks if held at 50-55ºF. Fruits are subject to chilling injury so do not store for long periods in the refrigerator. Peppers can be preserved for longer use through several methods. For information on canning peppers click here. For information on freezing peppers click here. For information on dehydrating peppers click here.

Recipes

Peppers are a wonderful main course or addition to many recipes. They can be served raw, cooked, steamed or even baked depending on the recipe. Bell peppers are an excellent source of vitamins A and C. One raw pepper provides more vitamin C than one cup of orange juice. Because cooking can destroy some vitamin C, you will get the most benefit from peppers if you eat them raw.

Omelet Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients	Directions
2 bell peppers, halved and seeded 4 eggs ¼ cup skim milk 2 Tbs cheddar cheese, shredded ½ cup vegetables, diced 1 Tbs bacon, crumbled 1 Tbs chives, minced Salt and pepper to taste	Preheat oven to 400 F. Halve bell peppers creating a bowl and remove seeds. Place in a baking dish. Combine eggs and milk in a bowl. Pour mixture evenly between the four halves. Add diced veggies and top with cheese. Bake 35- 45 minutes or until eggs are set. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with bacon crumbles and chives.

Recipe Source: North Dakota State University Extension

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Ingredients

Directions

1 pound lean ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
1½ tsp garlic, minced
2 bell peppers, diced
14.5 ounces can petite diced tomatoes
15 ounces can tomato sauce
14.5 ounces can low sodium beef broth
2 cups water
2 tsp Italian seasoning
2 cups brown rice, cooked

In a large stock pot cook ground beef and drain any fat if needed.
Add the onion and sauté until softened.
Next add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
Add the bell peppers to the pot and cook for 2-3 minutes.
Finally add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, beef broth, water and Italian seasoning to the pot.
Stir mixture together and bring to a simmer.
Cook for 15-20 minutes or until peppers are tender.
Stir in rice and season the soup with salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe Source: North Dakota State University Extension

Peppers and Zucchini

Ingredients	Directions
4 bell peppers (green, yellow, orange and/or red) 4 baby zucchini 3 Tbs olive oil 1 tsp minced garlic black pepper to taste	Clean the peppers and cut into 1-inch pieces. Quarter zucchini lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces. Heat the oil and sauté zucchini for 4-5 minutes, until lightly browned and barely softened. Stir in the garlic, cook 30 seconds, then add the peppers. Season with pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Recipe Source: The University of Maine Extension