Jalapenos are the most popular chili peppers in the world. It is a fruit of the Capsicum pod type measuring between 2500 and 8000 Scoville Heat Units. It is a medium-sized pepper. Americans use jalapeno peppers in many spicy dishes like Salsa, Jalapeno Swiss burgers, Bacon Jalapeno, and many others. These tasty peppers are cultivated in the home or garden. it is easy to plant peppers but it takes little care and maintenance. In this article, you will learn about how to grow jalapenos peppers from the seeds.
How to cultivate Jalapenos peppers? 
Jalapeno peppers (Capsicum Annuum) are native to Mexico and belong to the nightshade family Solanaceae. They are the perfect option for containers plantations in the yard. If you want to get fresh jalapeno peppers you should try to grow jalapeno in your home. Keep reading the article, you will find the basic information regarding growing peppers from the seeds.
Jalapenos know-how
| Botanical Name | Capsicum Annuum |
| Family | Solanaceae |
| Common Name | Jalapeno Pepper |
| Origin | Mexico |
| Plant Type | Perennial (Grown as an annual plant) |
| Bloom Time | Summer |
Basic Requirements for the Plantations of Jalapenos
If you want to grow these peppers from seeds, you should have a seed tray or containers, soil, water, and essential nutrients before planting. Make sure to buy seeds of suitable jalapeno variety for your area. An inappropriate variety may lead to loss of your effort and your plant may fail at all. There are the following steps that will help you about growing jalapeno peppers from the seed.
Types
If you are a home grower or a hobby gardener we’d recommend you to research first in the market which varieties are promising. Because it often happens that a potential seeds type has some other name that you’re not aware of. But, the following four varieties can easily be grown across the United States of America or European countries.
- Fresno Chile:
- Seniorita:
- Sierra Fuego:
Getting Jalapenos peppers Seeds
You can find Jalapeno Peppers seeds online or at a garden or agricultural store in your area. Otherwise, you can collect seeds from the mature crops from the garden of your hobby friend. This can become a good barter deal if you also offer some different jalapeno or pepper seeds to your friend. Usually, the seeds collected from the mature peppers have a better ability to germinate. Therefore you can manage seeds from the mature pepper plants or the below list:
Soil and climate for Jalapenos Plantation
Jalapeno peppers require loamy, well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter to grow well. Therefore, mix the organic matter into the soil to increase its fertility and drainage. On the other hand, jalapeno peppers thrive well in a warm place and require a temperature between eighteen to twenty-seven oC. Enough warmer temperatures also affect the crops during plantations. Therefore, it is best to grow jalapeno indoors for some days.
When to Plant Jalapenos Peppers?
You should plant the jalapeno peppers seeds indoors about six to eighty weeks before the last spring frost which means From March to April the pepper nursery plantation starts. Fill the seeds tray or containers with soil rich in organic compost and spread the seed on it. Moreover, cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil and water them thoroughly to keep the soil moist. Select a dark place for the seed tray and use a small amount of filtered light until the seed sprouts. Regular watering is necessary until the seeds get germination. Look out for the seedlings after one to two weeks. Moreover, when the plants get 2 to 4 leaves, it is necessary to transplant them in larger pots or soil.
How to Transplant Jalapenos?
They love a sunny spot to thrive well and bear a lot of fruits. These peppers can grow in the ground and container. But before transplanting, mix organic compost into the soil to maintain its fertility and drainage. Moreover, If you want to grow jalapeno peppers in the ground then prepare the row about two to three feet apart. Place the seeds in rows about fourteen to sixteen inches apart. So, cover the seeds with a thick layer of soil. Anyhow, water them to maintain the soil moisture.
On the other hand, you can transplant seedlings in larger pots but they take a lot of care. Choose a large pot and fill it with rich soil. Plant the seedling to where the soil is nearly up to the leaves and water them thoroughly to keep the soil moist. Moreover, choose a warm and sunny place for the container.
Fertilizer Requirements of Jalapenos
Fertilization is not required if the soil is healthy and packed with nutrients. Otherwise, you can use balanced fertilizers or organic water-soluble fertilizers to increase the soil texture. Moreover, you can add more organic compost to the soil to increase its drainage during watering.
Problems with Jalapenos Peppers
It is important to understand that, these peppers are susceptible to diseases and pests. Therefore, keeping pepper plants well-watered and your garden area clean of rotting debris will help to keep pest problems to a minimum.
Pruning
Pruning is not generally required but if you notice the suckers around the base of plants, trim them off. however, plants will use their energy for fruiting after pruning. Moreover, use sharp scissors to snip off the suckers.
Harvesting of jalapenos peppers
So, when the jalapeno peppers pods turn light green to dark green and then red colors, it is the best time to harvest them. However, if you want maximum heat, they should be harvested when they are about 4 inches long. Snip off the peppers with a scissor or pruner and use them in your kitchen to check their taste. Young and immature peppers will not have such heat and taste. Keep harvesting to promote new fruiting sets on the plants.
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