Growing peppers

• Peppers need warm weather and lots of sun to grow well. Don’t plant them out until the soil temperature is 65 deg. F. or give them extra protection. (See my tip on the tomato page for surrounding the plant with a temporary “mini greenhouse”.)

• Space individual plants 12 to 18 inches apart.

• Before planting, add some general purpose fertilizer and compost to the soil.

• Yields may be increased by planting peppers in pairs of the same variety.

• For highest yields, provide extra calcium and phosphorus. Garden lime (calcium carbonate), bone meal or ground up eggshells will add calcium to the soil. Bone meal, fish meal, or well rotted manure are a good way to add more phosphorus.

• Peppers do especially well in raised beds or very large containers, where the roots will feel more heat. They grow slowly in cool soil, so it is best to transplant them into the garden when the weather has stabilized.
  If you want to give them a little extra protection at first, see my tip on the tomato page for surrounding the plant with a temporary “mini greenhouse”.

• Place a stake next to each pepper plant (or surround them with a cage). Pepper plants seem sturdy at first, but as fruit develops they get very heavy and are likely to fall over.

• Peppers set fruit best at temperatures between 65 and 85 deg. F.

• Many peppers can be harvested at different stages. See the individual pepper variety descriptions below to get an idea. It’s your garden. Harvest them when they taste good to you!

  PLEASE NOTE: The plants on my farm table have NOT been hardened off. They are straight from the greenhouse.
  You can do one of the following:
  1. Expose them gradually to outdoor conditions over a week
  -OR (as I do)-
  2. Plant them immediately and give them protection from excess sun, wind, and rain for a week or two.

2026

(Descriptions and photos are from the seed company websites unless otherwise noted.)

Purple Beauty

sweet pepper
70-79 days. The Purple Beauty pepper plant grows up to 2 ft. tall and is an early-producing plant that grows well in just about all climates. Being a compact and bushy variety, you can grow these in containers & will light up any garden. The Purple Beauty pepper plant will produce blocky pods that grow to 4" long with thick, sweet flesh. This pod is one of the most beautiful bell peppers out there and will look really pretty in your garden with its striking colors! (Pepper Joe’s)

Satan’s Kiss

medium
80-89 days. For a name that's pretty menacing, these peppers look like such adorable and delectable cuties, but don't be fooled! The Satan's Kiss pepper, also called Baccio Ciliegia Piccante, is a tiny Italian heirloom packed full of surprising heat that will knock your taste buds loose!

These compact pepper plants grow anywhere between 2-3 ft. tall, growing plenty of these tiny, golf ball-shaped 2 inch pods that ripen from green to a purplish red. The name ciliegia piccante means "spicy cherry" in Italian, and that's exactly what they look like! With beautiful colors, you could grow Satan's Kiss as a nice ornamental pepper plant that will look very unique from other plants in your garden.

Satan's Kiss Pepper has a sweet taste with a spicy kick to it. How about a plate of them next to some of our cherry tomatoes? We love these heirloom peppers when stuffed and grilled, but you should definitely try stuffing them with anchovies and mozzarella and then grilling them as they do in Italy. Satan's Kiss is a medium-hot pepper that will be the perfect manageable heat for a party. (Pepper Joe’s)

Mini Chocolate

sweet pepper
80 days. Miniature Chocolate Bell Peppers are small in size but pack a big, sweet flavor. These heirloom peppers originated from Ohio and are perfect for home gardeners, as they can grow in small spaces and offer a wide variety of culinary uses.

These pepper plants stretch up to around 2-1/2 ft. tall. You'll definitely get the most bang for your buck with these seeds, as they produce over 24 peppers per plant! These bell peppers will grow to be 2 inches in size, have thick walls, and change colors from green to nice, shiny chocolate when mature and ready for picking. (Pepper Joe’s)

Purple Tiger

medium
100-109 days. The Purple Tiger is one of our most anticipated rare and exotic pepper seeds, and it’s easy to see why. These plants contain excellent ornamental qualities but bear some one-of-a-kind fruits that can be used in a variety of different ways.

These plants are short and compact, barely reaching 2 ft. in height. Pods will reach around 1” in length and start green before changing to a rare purple color with red stripes, then finally to its mature red color. This change makes Purple Tiger pepper plants a fascinating ornamental variety, but it also has its uses in the kitchen.

The heat levels of Purple Tigers are 2-4 times hotter than Jalapeño peppers. Their chili-hot flavor can be useful to make sauce, cook with other meats and vegetables, or ground up into a chili pepper powder. (Pepper Joe’s)

Marconi Golden

sweet pepper
75-90 days. Italian heirloom. These pepper plants grow around 3 ft. tall and produce these elongated pods that stretch between 6-10" long and 2-1/2" wide! You may want to stake your plant for additional support if the peppers start to weigh it down. Marconi Golden peppers will mature from light green to golden yellow, and they will stay sweet throughout the ripening process. Seed origin: Italy. (Pepper Joe’s)

Shishito Japanese

mild (with the occasional hot one)
60-69 days. Shishito pepper plants are compact, reaching 2 ft. tall, perfect for container growing. This is a prolific plant that spreads out long and is an early producer of many 3-4" long pods. These peppers have very wrinkly skin, thin walls, and an elongated shape. Shishitos will mature from green to red, with a sweeter taste when it ripens to red.

You can expect mild heat with these peppers, but watch out! Shishitos have a Russian Roulette tendency where only one out of every 10-20 peppers will shockingly surprise you with incredible heat! Their flavors are sweet, citrusy, and slightly smoky when enhanced by grilling or sautéing. For a delicious treat, sauté these in olive oil until they begin to blister, sprinkle with sea salt and enjoy! The Shishito chile is the pinnacle of appetizers and is often a popular starter in restaurants. (Pepper Joe’s)

Piccante Calabrese

Moderate heat
70-79 days Also widely known as the Calabrian pepper, Small Red Cherry, or Devil’s Kiss, this is a special Italian heirloom pepper that is used for a variety of culinary uses. The Peperone Picante Calabrese translates to “spicy pepper of Calabria,” which serves the name spicy pepper as it has a heat level of 25,000-40,000 SHUs!

These pepper plants grow to 3 ft. tall and produce small, round, bulbous, hot peppers that grow to at least 2" in diameter. They mature to a bright, glossy red color with moderate heat.

They develop some of the best spice and smoky, fruity notes when left to mature longer, and are picked when they start to show a slightly wrinkled exterior. This is delicious on anything, and we cannot get enough of it! We recommend that you eat it fresh or dried, use it for stuffing with meats and cheese, and to sauté for topping burgers, pizzas, and steaks. A word of caution: the Piccante Calabrese pepper will lose its heat level, about 60%, once you cook them! This is a popular culinary pepper in Southern Italy, and we can understand why!
(Pepper Joe’s)

Marconi Italian

sweet
Marconi Italian Red Peppers are a prolific heirloom that is considered to be the sweetest type of its kind compared to the Marconi Golden and purple varieties. This is a great choice for your garden, bringing a nice pop of red to the rest of your foliage.

The compact pepper plants reach 2.5 ft. tall and produce incredibly long pods. We're not joking - these pods can stretch to as long as 12" and spread 3" across the shoulders, making it one of the largest Italian-type sweet peppers out there! Marconi Italian Red peppers ripen from green to red, with their flavor sweetening as they mature. The shape is similar to a NuMex Big Jim, tapering off to a rounded point.

With its great adaptability and smoky-sweet flavor, the giant Marconi pepper is a great choice to grow and use in the kitchen. These peppers provide the perfect amount of crunchiness and sweetness that make them perfect for cooking red sauce, pasta, salads, and many cooked dishes. (Pepper Joe’s)

Big Bomb

moderate heat
65+ days. Big Bomb Hot Peppers (not to be confused with Cherry Bomb Peppers) are a newer medium-hot hybrid that has a nice flavor and heat that work when eaten fresh, stuffed, or pickled.

Pepper plants grow about 2 ft. tall with a spread of 20" so they can thrive in containers or in the garden. Big Bomb Plants are known to be very sturdy and tolerant of many growing conditions. Pods will grow around 2" long and have a small, round shape to them. Watch as their colors change from a bright green to a bright red. Expect high yields with these pepper plants!

Big Bomb peppers are thick-walled with a nice mild heat and sweet flavor. They are best used to add some spice to fresh foods like salads, roasted, or grilled. You can also ferment these pickles or use their thick walls to dry them and make nice pepper powder or pepper flakes. Seed origin: USA. F1 hybrid variety. (Pepper Joe’s)

Black Scorpion Tongue

hot
90+ days. Our Black Scorpion Tongue seeds are going on 5 generations of growth and careful selection. It's unclear who provided these ultra rare peppers. But what we do know is that Black Scorpion Tongue peppers have beautiful exotic colors that will shine as amazing ornamental plants in your garden!

Black Scorpion Tongue pepper plants are very beautiful, having dark foliage and growing anywhere from 2-3 ft. tall. Keep in mind to have a plant stake available as the branches could get heavy with many of these 1-2" long tongue-shaped pepper pods. Black Scorpion Tongues will ripen from dark purple, yellow, and orange, to then dark red. In some cases, they have tiger-striped markings in between the ripening stage!

The heat on these small chiles is sizzlin' as the Black Scorpion Tongue comes in at 50,000-100,000 SHUs. They have a hot jalapeño upfront burn before burning your tongue, but their fruity (almost apple-like), floral flavors will be worth the burn. These are productive pepper plants with peppers that are great for pickling, sauces, and salsa. A very beautiful plant that we highly recommend for any-chili-loving home! (Pepper Joe’s)

Pepperoncini Greek Golden

mild
60-69 days. This is a strain from Greece that is somewhat rare and prized by those who want these peppers for pickling or processing. They originate from Italy and Greece, although the Pepperoncini Greek Golden pepper has been popular throughout the world.

The Pepperoncini Greek Golden pepper plant is a high-yielding, prolific plant that matures early, and you can expect to harvest these sweet, tangy peppers around 60 to 70 days. They ripen from green, yellow, to finally red, but they should be harvested when they turn yellow for their delicious flavors that many people favor. The peppers grow to around 4" long and are slightly wrinkled and slender with thin walls.

The peppers are smaller, lighter in color, and sweeter than the regular pepperoncini and comes in a heat level of 100-500 SHUs. They are identical to the banana pepper in terms of flavors, but this pepperoncini brings a little more heat. They are great for sandwiches, pizzas, soups, sauces, garnishes, and to eat as pickled peppers. You may know these peppers as the perfect addition to the Greek salad! We highly recommend eating them when they are pickled. Get this fantastic Greek heirloom today! (Pepper Joe’s)

Italian Pepperoncini

mild
70-79 days. Bring authentic Italian flavor to your garden with our Italian Pepperoncini Pepper Seeds, a beloved heirloom variety known for its mild heat, sweet flavor, and endless versatility. These compact plants grow up to 2 feet tall and produce an abundant crop of glossy, tapered 3–6" pods, perfect for pickling, salads, or fresh snacking.

The Italian Pepperoncini is prized for its smooth, shiny texture and classic pendant shape, ripening from green to vibrant red when fully mature. With its slight heat and rich sweetness, this pepper adds delicious depth to sandwiches, pizzas, antipasto platters, and more.
(Pepper Joe’s)

Pimento

mild
70-79 days. Also known as the Pimiento pepper or the cherry pepper, the Pimento sweet pepper is a red, small heart-shaped pepper with a mild flavor and very little heat. They are sweet and are one of the mildest chile peppers – think sweeter and more aromatic red bell pepper.

The 2 foot tall plants will produce aamazing yields of great-tasting peppers that grow to 3-4" long and will ripen from green to a deep red. Make sure you harvest red Pimento peppers for the best flavor. Growing Pimento peppers will be one of your favorite plants to grow because this thick-walled fruit grows well in any climate, and they are great for a variety of culinary uses.

Pimentos are great for stuffing, roasting, snacking, stuffing inside the center of green olives, the classic cheese spread, and even garnishing on a martini! These round fruits stay fresh longer than most produce, which means you can enjoy the zesty flavor and crispiness for an extended time. (Pepper Joe’s)

Numex Sandia

mild
70+ days. Like most NuMex varieties, this pepper was produced from the original heirloom Sandia Hot using plant selection techniques by New Mexico State University. The NuMex Sandia Pepper, developed in 1956, is a gorgeous mild variety that is made easy to grow and useful in the kitchen.

The small pepper plants can grow anywhere from 2-3 ft. tall and produce long, pendant-shaped pods. Some of these peppers - which can grow up to 9" long - are curved, with smooth, shiny skin. NuMex Sandia peppers will ripen from green to red, with heat that may intensify as they mature.

These peppers have the great flavor of an Anaheim pepper: a mild, fruity sweetness, and is an eatable flavor that can be counted on for versatility in the kitchen! It’s also hotter than the original Sandia Hot, but we’re not complaining…  (Pepper Joe’s)

Cherry Hot

medium
80-89 days. Do you have a passion for pickling and preserving flavorful hot peppers? Look no further than the Red Cherry Hot Pepper! Also known as Cherry Bomb peppers, this popular variety is beloved for its cherry-like shape and unforgettable flavor.

The compact pepper plants grow to a convenient 2.5 feet in height and yield plentiful 1-2 inch long, thick-walled pods. They start as vibrant green and gradually ripen to a rich, luscious red. We recommend harvesting them at their reddest for the most irreplaceable flavors. Frequent harvesting not only enhances flavor but also boosts your plant's yield.

Our Red Cherry Bomb peppers are a culinary delight, and it's no wonder they're so popular! The Red Cherry Hot Pepper offers exceptional flavor, versatility, and ease of growth, making it a must-have for any pepper enthusiast, striking a perfect balance between medium heat and a delightful sweetness. Its fleshy and juicy nature makes it ideal for pickling in vinegar, stuffing, or enhancing various dishes. When you need a hot pepper with substance, this is the one. Slice them into salads, stuff them, or use them as a garnish to elevate your meals.  (Pepper Joe’s)

Sweet Heat

mild
55-60 days. Looking for that sensationally-sweet bell pepper taste with just the right amount of heat to go with it? Look no further than the Sweet Heat pepper! The flavor is comparable to the Italian Pepperoncini - sweet and sugary but with a mild spiciness, you don't normally get with most bell pepper varieties.

Regarded as one of the earliest producers of fruits, these plants are compact and bushy and produce high yields of 4" long red bell peppers. Watch as these fruits mature from green to vibrant red. While these peppers would look great in any garden, they can also work in containers, hanging baskets, and on your patio.

You can eat Sweet Heat peppers at either the green or red stages of maturity. They are a great choice for grilling or for making homemade salsa. You can also eat these fresh or use them in salads. (Pepper Joe’s)

Alma Paprika

mild
A sweet, prolific, multi-use pepper that can be eaten fresh, pickled or dried. Plants are loaded with thick-walled peppers that develop just a hint of warmth. The 1–2 inch fruit start out creamy white and then turn to orange before finally turning shiny red. Harvest red for most uses. (Territorial Seed)

Reviews from TerritorialSeed.com:

Excellent sweet paprika pepper

We have been growing Alma Paprika on the farm for 9 years. It consistently produces an excellent quantity of beautiful baseball-sized peppers on 2'+ tall plants For northern climates, anticipate 90 days to ripen after transplant. For best results, have good organic fertile soil and make sure to water regularly. Will produce until frost if row-covered when temps drop below 50. Grows well in containers that can be moved indoors near season end to get the last of those beauties.

Great Paprika!

This is my third year and two things learned. I germinate mine indoors in early February to be set out the first week of May. I now grow at least 8 plants. Peppers are small and slow to ripen but these are so meaty and make the best paprika ever! I thought paprika was just used for coloring on potato salad but with these you get wonderful flavor with the color!

Megatron

medium heat jalapeño

65 days. This jalapeño certainly lives up to its name! The extra-large, 4 ½ inch peppers have thick, firm walls, with mega shelf life and disease resistance. Strong, healthy, compact plants will produce a bumper crop of peppers over an extended harvest window. F1 hybrid variety. (Territorial Seed)

Szentesi Cherry

hot
75 days. Classic Hungarian hot pepper with a rich flavor. Heat is high but not too extreme. Round, red cherry shaped fruit are about 1” wide and deep red when ripe. Relatively thick walls for a hot pepper make this a great variety for hot sauce, stuffing, or drying for spicy paprika. Of our hot pepper offerings, it is one of the best for pickling whole. Early to ripen and productive in our climate. Our friend and collaborator, chef Tim Wastell of Portland, Oregon, made a delicious fermented, seedless hot pepper sauce with Szentesi Cherry for the 2015 Culinary Breeding Network Variety Showcase. A great alternative to Cherry Bomb, the Semenis/Monsanto hybrid. We originally sourced this variety from a Hungarian seed company while traveling as the Seed Ambassadors Project in 2008. Aka Szentesi Cseresznyepaprika in Hungarian. The variety originates in Szentes, a town in south-eastern Hungary, an area famous for growing amazing paprika. Expected Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) range: 8,000-15,000. (Adaptive Seeds)

Pizza Pepper

mild
80 days. Jalapeño type. If you like the flavor of hot peppers but no so much fire, Pizza Pepper will be a hit. It is the heaviest, most thick-walled pepper we have ever seen. This means big pepper wedges with just a hint of zing. The 3 to 4 inch pendulous, cone-shaped peppers on 14 to 18 inch tall plants are most flavorful when green, and sweetest when red. Early and prolific. Open pollinated. (Territorial Seed)

Takara

mild shishito
60 days. Shishitos are quickly rising to the top ranks in popularity for their tasty, mild spice and snackability. Takara produces richly flavored, 3 inch long, light green peppers that ripen to red. Early and productive, the compact, well-branched, spreading plants provide heavy harvests of uniform, slender, bite-sized peppers with sturdy stems. We love Takara lightly tossed in oil, blackened on the grill, and tossed with a bit of coarse sea salt. (Territorial Seed)

Chilhuacle Negro

hot
With its strong notes of cocoa, tobacco, and dry fruit, followed by a chocolate and sweet raisin aftertaste, this very rare landrace chile is the cornerstone of Oaxacan cooking. Moderately spice with fruity aroma and flavor. Plants grow 2 to 3 ft tall. The blocky, smooth skinned chiles maintain their original shape and do not wrinkle or become brittle as they dry. Transitions from a vibrant green to a deep, attractive brown, often bordering on black, as it matures. The interior reveals a deep purple hue. Left on the plant until it takes on a leathery texture, the fruit is then harvested for final drying, a process that imparts the deep, rich, signature flavor these chiles are known for. Open pollinated variety. (Terroir Seeds) Seed provided by neighbor Marydee.

Velociraptor

Hot
65 days green; 85 days red ripe. New! Extra-early, prolific habanero pepper with classic shape. Easy-to-harvest open plants with exceptional fruit-set. The bright cherry-red fruits avg. 2 1/2 x 1 1/2" and are borne on large 30" tall plants. Compared to Hot Paper Lantern, Velociraptor produces higher yields of shorter, broader fruits with a more traditional habanero shape. F1 hybrid variety. (Johnny’s Selected Seeds)

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