Help out a poor, teary-eyed Jalapeno growin' rookie...

[COgarden]

I recently developed a fairly serious addiction to jalapeno peppers. I love the flavor and, contrary to the subject of this post, I'd like to find a pepper thats a little hotter than the pickled jalapenos I get at the grocery store. In the past the only hot peppers I've grown have been habaneros which did awesome here. Sliced 'em, toasted 'em, ground 'em, ate 'em. Amazing flavor but way too hot!

What I'm looking for is sort of a Jalapeno support group for those who don't want to ever give up the addiction. Please support my twisted, selfish, newfound need for all things jalapeno.

This will be my first year growing jalapenos. My experience with habaneros tells me to start seed early relative to tomatoes, but plant out late. Habbys planted in containers were much more productive than those planted in the ground. Will these same lessons apply to jalapenos for growing in zone 5?

I've gotten seed for: Jalapeno M, Mucho Nacho Hybrid, and Purple Jalapeno. Are any or all of these a bit hotter than the typical grocery store pickled jalapeno?

A few questions regarding the care and feeding of the pet Jalapeno plant:

1. What size container? ("height X "diameter)
2. What kind of potting medium?
3. How moist should I keep the soil?
4. What kind of fertilizer? alot?, some?, or none?

Well, Mischka, I think I've earned the award for most questions in a single post!

Kurt, Founding Member of JARU (Jalapeno Addicts, Recovery Unlikely)