First Time Growing Hot Peppers

[anthocyanic]

Howdy!

This year I decided to try my hand at growing some hot peppers. We've grown excellent sweet peppers every year, so I figured why not! Ordered up some long thin cayenne, Caribbean Red habanero, Carolina Reapers, and a new heatless habanero called a habanada. We potted on all our peppers, sweet and hot, several weeks ago. We ended up overwatering all the peppers a bit and got some yellow new leaves. We've let them dry up a lot since then and have only watered them when they are bone dry. All the sweet peppers, and all the cayenne peppers greened up very nicely quickly when we changed our watering habits. The habaneros are starting to come around, too. The habanada and Reapers, however, not so much. They are so dinky and pale yellow. Slightly greener than before but not much. They've all been fertilized with espoma garden tone, epsom salt, crushed egg shell, green sand, compost, and some of our luscious organic soil from the garden. This mix performed admirably for the sweet peppers and all our tomatoes. Just these two are giving me fits. (Ironically, the world's hottest pepper and the world's least-hot hot pepper )

Any ideas what they need to be happy?

[dmforcier]

Why on God's green earth are you doing Reapers? If you eat one you'll never do it again.

Sounds to me that you just dumped a few "solutions" onto your seedlings. Depending on what you started them in (you don't say) they generally don't need fertilizer or amendments this early ... err... how early are we?

Some more facts, please. And pics.

[HudsonValley]

Just curious -- are you growing them in containers, or in-ground? You wrote "mix"... If containers, how's the drainage? Also, for container growing, I generally have better luck with liquid ferts, as opposed to granular ones like Garden Tone. I don't grow anything hotter than habaneros, so perhaps others can weigh in.

[cloz]

I tried Carolina Reapers last year. Plant got about 3' tall and was just starting to bloom when first frost got them. Had a couple of peppers the size of peas on them at that time. I think I would have to start them in December under lights to have enough time for them to ripen. Probably because too many trees blocking the sun on my garden.

Cloz

[guruofgardens]

Originally Posted by dmforcier

Why on God's green earth are you doing Reapers? If you eat one you'll never do it again.

Sounds to me that you just dumped a few "solutions" onto your seedlings. Depending on what you started them in (you don't say) they generally don't need fertilizer or amendments this early ... err... how early are we?

Some more facts, please. And pics.

Second that. They are slow growers, don't like to be overwatered, fertilize very weakly at first, and be patient. Next year you'll have great info to use. Refer to the experts here. They love to help.

[Worth1]

Whatever you do don't get one in your eyes.
Habanero are bad enough.
Worth

[MikeInCypress]

But after you get them in your eyes you can really see clearly!!!!!

MikeInCypress

[ako1974]

I agree there may be too many nutes in the mix for your young pepper plants.

For my sweet and hot (and super-hot) seedlings, I just do a weakened fish fert ever two weeks after they grow their true leaves. I germinate them in February, so it winds up being 5ish doses before they go in-ground or in the pot. In-ground I just add fish fert every two weeks, and it works perfectly. For container peppers, I give them a bit more oomph - I can't remember off the top of my head what I add, but it isn't complex. I have it written down (thankfully) and it works well every year.

Some peppers come around at different times. From what I've seen, Ghost peppers grow profusely, but take a bit to fruit. Habs take a bit less.

[dmforcier]

Originally Posted by HudsonValley

I don't grow anything hotter than habaneros, so perhaps others can weigh in.

No practical difference between habs and superhots, other than the capsaicin level. Habs are good practice if you want to move up in heat.

[Gardeneer]

My highest in heat level are : Bhut Jalokia, Scotch Bonnet, Chinese 5 color, Nemex Sunset (?).
But my main interest is in mild ones like Jalapeno, Fresno, Cayenne, Poblano.
Also have bunch of sweet mini bells, Shisheeto, and Pepperoncini.Those are the one I eat fresh at any stage and use them in cooking as well. The hot ones are just for sauce and powder.

[dmforcier]

Nemex Sunset (?)

'Numex' Sunset, named for the Chili Pepper Institute at New Mexico State Univ. Many popular varieties have been developed there.

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by dmforcier

'Numex' Sunset, named for the Chili Pepper Institute at New Mexico State Univ. Many popular varieties have been developed there.

I googled. And there is variety called "Newmex Sunset".
Its final color is red.
I have grown Newmex Twilight in the past. Which starts as purple and finally get red.

[dmforcier]

Perhaps someone did mis-spell the name but it is not correct. NMSU itself names them "Numex".

https://chile.nmsu.edu/seeds

[EPawlick]

Originally Posted by anthocyanic

Howdy!

The habaneros are starting to come around, too. The habanada and Reapers, however, not so much. They are so dinky and pale yellow. Slightly greener than before but not much. They've all been fertilized with espoma garden tone, epsom salt, crushed egg shell, green sand, compost, and some of our luscious organic soil from the garden. This mix performed admirably for the sweet peppers and all our tomatoes. Just these two are giving me fits. (Ironically, the world's hottest pepper and the world's least-hot hot pepper )

Any ideas what they need to be happy?

My reaper just started flowering. This is the second year I've grown a Carolina Reaper and last year it was slow growing too.

With the latest heat, how's yours doing?

[ScottinAtlanta]

Superhots do take a little more care, and seem to yellow more easily before finally getting going. I think it is a root issue. Be careful with the water, ensure full sun, go easy on the ferts, and you will lose about 10% in any case.