Peppers
Garden Clippings for May 29, 2021
Some like them hot. Others won’t touch hot peppers with a ten-foot branch.
Peppers are the only vegetable with a huge range of tastes. Tomatoes for example, no matter the variety, all taste like tomatoes. Ditto for beans, cabbage and corn. But peppers range from the easy-to-eat sweet bell pepper to the impossible to digest Carolina Reaper.
There is a pepper for all tastes. Sweet green California Wonder and Better Belle continue to be most popular and perfect for the veggie tray, salad bar or cooked up in a stir fry. Sweet Big Daddy, Orange Blaze and Red Knight do not taste much different but are prettier in yellow, orange and red.
Home grown sweet peppers are tastier than those bought from the produce aisle because greenhouse peppers are grown with the single objective to grow as fast as possible in the shortest time. The result are peppers filled with water.
Peppers are easy to grow as long as they get lots of heat and sunshine. Pick a spot in the veggie garden that will not get shade from other garden plants. Peppers look tidy as they grow, so do not be afraid to plant them in the flower garden.
Peppers are not keen on wet feet, so avoid planting them in a low spot with heavy clay soil. Mix manure, compost or any organic matter in the soil to achieve rich nutrient-filled garden soil.
Peppers do not like cold soil. Planting peppers in the end of May will work just fine but they will not begin growing until soil warms up. Planting anytime in June will achieve the same results. Peppers need just over two months before they are ready for harvest.
Since peppers are heavy feeders, they will benefit from any all-purpose garden fertilizer mixed with the soil prior to planting.
Peppers perform best when planted in the garden, but those whose gardens are on the deck or rooftop can grow them in containers provided the pot is big enough, has good drainage and receives lots of sunshine.
At harvesttime, use a scissor or sharp knife to help remove peppers from the vine. It is okay to pick peppers early, but you will find they are tastier and more nutritious when fruit is mature.
Do your research before going buying going to the greenhouse to buy started pepper plants. You will find peppers for salsa, peppers for eating fresh, and peppers to add to your favorite foreign dish.
Hot peppers have a range of spiciness, measured in Scoville heat units. Carolina Reaper boasts a high rating of approximately 2,000,000 units. Trinidad Scorpion is not far behind at 1,500,000.
For those with a low heat tolerance level, try Jalapeno (3,000 to 4,000) which often accompanies a tray of nachos at the local restaurant. My favorite pepper is Yellow hot Banana which at just over 5,000 units, gives a flavour boost to Thai stir fry dishes and home-made pizzas.
