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PM 1888 September 2002
Iowa State University Horticulture Guide
Home Gardening
Peppers
By Eldon Everhart, Cindy Haynes, and Richard JauronPeppers were domesticated in Mexico. As early as6,000 years ago, red peppers were used in tropicalSouth America as a spice to disguise the taste of blandor unpalatable food. Chili peppers are called
chile
inMexico and Central America and
aji
in South Americaand the West Indies. Columbus took peppers back toEurope where they rapidly became popular.Pepper cultivars, which number in the hundreds, areusually classified as sweet or hot. Peppers also vary byfruit shape, flavor, pungency, color, and culinary use.Pickling, grinding, roasting, drying, and freezing caninfluence flavor.All bell peppers belong to the species
Capsicum annuum.
Hot peppers may belong to several other species. The
C. chinense
varieties Habanero and Scotch Bonnet areconsidered the hottest.
Cultivars
Bell peppers are large, blocky, 3- or 4-lobed fruit that taper slightly at the bottom. Most bell peppers are sweet and darkgreen. Depending on the cultivar, the fruit will turn red, yellow, orange, or some other color at maturity.
Sweet peppersSeasonColor at maturityOther
Bell Boy F170–72 daysgreen to redThick-walled fruit. TMV resistantBell Captain F272 daysgreen to redDo well in stressed conditions. TMV tolerantBig Bertha F172 daysgreen to redWidely adapted proven performer. TMV tolerantCalifornia Wonder75 daysgreen to redGood for stuffingJupiter74 daysgreen to redConsistently large size. TMV resistantKeystone Resistant Giant80 daysdark green to redTMV resistantLady Bell F171 daysgreen to redTMV resistantNorth Star F163 daysgreen to redSets fruit under adverse conditions. TMV resistantYolo Wonder75 daysgreen to redAverage size, thick-walled fruit
Pepper typeSizeShapeWallUse
Bell or Sweetlargeblocky, few elongatedthickfresh, cookedPimientolargeheart-shapedthickprocessingAncholargelong, blockythinfreshAnaheimlargelong, thin taperingthinfreshCayennemediumvery thin, taperingthinfresh, dried, processedCubanellelargeirregular, bluntthinprocessed, freshJalapenosmalloblong, bluntthickprocessed, freshOrnamentalsmallslimthinprocessed, freshCherrysmallround, flattenedthickprocessedWax or Hungarian WaxmediumoblongthickfreshTMV = Tobacco Mosaic Virus
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How hot is hot?
The pungency or heat of a pepper depends on seven closely related alkaloids or capsaicinoids.In the early 1900s, Wilbur L. Scoville devised a test to determine the relative hotness of differentpeppers. Capsaicin from a known weight of pepper was extracted with alcohol and mixedin various concentrations with sweetened water. Human tasters were asked to identify thepoint at which water neutralized the hotness. The volume of water requiredfor each sample was assigned a rating in Scoville units—the larger thenumber, the more water needed and the hotter the pepper. A high-pressureliquid chromatography test replaced this technique in the early 1980s, but themeasurements are still expressed in Scoville units. The following peppers arelisted from most hot to least hot, according to Scoville units.
Find it on the thermometer!
Habanero
a
Caribbean Red_______________________100,000–445,000
a
Red__________________________________80,000–285,000
a
Scotch Bonnet________________________80,000–260,000Jamaican Hot_________________________100,000–200,000Chiltepini______________________________50,000–100,000SantakaThaiCayenne_______________________________50,000–70,000Charleston HotPiquin_________________________________30,000–50,000AjiCayenneTabascoThai Dragon____________________________35,000–45,000De Arbol_______________________________15,000–30,000Serrano_________________________________5,000–23,000Yellow Wax______________________________5,000–15,000Jalapeño_________________________________2,500–5,000MirasolCascabel_________________________________1,500–2,500RocotilloSandiaAncho___________________________________1,000–1,500ChilacaEspanolaPasillaPoblanoAnaheim___________________________________500-1,000Big JimNew MexicoCherry______________________________________100–500Mexi-BellPeperonciniBell________________________________________________0False AlarmPimentoSweet BananaSweet Italian
01005001,0002,5005,00010,00020,00030,00040,00050,00060,00070,00080,00090,000100,000200,000300,000400,000500,000
Adapted from
Peppers: Safe Methods to Store, Preserve, and Enjoy.
University of California publication 8004. 1998. The completepublication is available at http://anrcatalog.ucdavis.edu/.
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Planting
Pepper plants grow best in warm, well-drained soilsof moderate fertility. The plants are not particularlysensitive to soil pH, but best results are obtainedin the 6.0 to 6.8 range.Peppers are a warm-season crop and need a long seasonfor maximum production. Temperature has a large effecton the rate of plant and fruit growth and the develop-ment and quality of the red or yellow pigments. Idealtemperature for red pigment development is 65–75
°
F.Above this range the red color becomes yellowish.Below it, color development slows dramatically andstops completely below 55
°
F.Pepper plants can be purchased at garden centers orstarted indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the intended outdoorplanting date. Transplant peppers into the garden afterthe danger of frost is past. In central Iowa, May 15 isthe suggested planting date. Gardeners in southern Iowacan plant one week earlier, while those in northern areasshould wait an extra week. The last practical date forplanting peppers is approximately June 20. Water plants thoroughly after transplanting.
Spacing
Space plants 18 inches apart in rows24 to 30 inches apart.
Estimated yield
Average yield with good management practices shouldbe approximately 80 pounds per 10-foot row.
Fertilizing
It is generally safe to apply 2 to 3 pounds of 5-10-5per 100 square feet to the garden area where pepperswill be planted. Conduct a soil test for specific P andK recommendations.After transplanting, feed the pepper plants with a starterfertilizer solution. Dissolve 2 tablespoons of a 5-10-5fertilizer in a gallon of water, then pour 1 cup of thesolution at the base of each plant.
Potential problems
Blossom end rot
Water-soaked areas that develop near the blossom endof the fruit characterize blossom end rot. The affectedtissue desiccates, becoming brown and leathery. Affectedfruit may ripen prematurely. Secondary fungi andbacteria may colonize the dead tissue, causing it to turndark and rot. Blossom end rot is caused by a calciumdeficiency in developing fruit. It occurs in fields withlow or moderate soil calcium levels. Fluctuating soilmoisture due to over watering or drought, high nitrogenfertilization, and root pruning during cultivation also cancause blossom end rot.
Poor crop
Blossoms of sweet bell peppers are sensitive to tempera-ture extremes. Flowers will drop off when night tem-peratures are below 60
°
F or above 85
°
F. Maximum setof sweet bell peppers occurs between constant tempera-tures of 60–70
°
F. Temperature tolerance for sweet bellpeppers varies with cultivar. Hot peppers usually set wellin warm weather. An adequate moisture supply duringflowering and fruit set also is important. Mulching helpsconserve soil moisture.
Sunscald
The heat of the sun may burn the side of the fruitexposed to the sun. Initially, a soft, light-colored areadevelops on the fruit. Later the area dries, becomingwhite and paper-like in appearance. The risk for sun-scald can be reduced by controlling leaf diseases thatmay defoliate the plants, and by lightly fertilizing plantsto promote growth.
Harvest and storage
Hot peppers and bell peppers can be harvested in theimmature green stage or when fully ripe. They can beeaten fresh, used in sauces, pickled, frozen, or dried.Bell peppers are usually harvested when large and firmin the immature green stage. They also may be allowedto fully ripen to red, yellow, orange, purple, or othercolors. Fully ripe bell peppers are slightly sweeter andhave a higher vitamin content than do the immaturegreen peppers.Fresh peppers may be stored for up to 3 weeks in cool,moist conditions (45 to 50
°
F. and 85 to 90 percentrelative humidity).
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