Jalapeño

Light

  • Full Sun
    • 8 Hours of direct light

Hardiness

  • Zone 11

Water

  • Requires 1 - 2 inches of water per week. Water when the top 1” of topsoil is dry.

  • When initially transplanting, make sure the pepper is getting ample water until the root system has fully developed (3 - 5 weeks)
  • Once roots have established, water every other day or as needed based on the climate
  • Peppers require more water when they start producing fruit
  • Place mulch around jalapenos to help retain moisture and keep the soil cool

Container

  • Perfect for the garden or a 2 gallon pot

Transplanting

  • Plant between April 1st - June 1st (when nighttime temperatures are regularly above 60F)
  • Dig a hole 6-8 inches deep and 10-12 inches wide. Place the seedling in the middle and aerate the soil around the hole thoroughly 

Spacing

  • Between Plants: 14 - 24 inches
  • Between Rows: 30 inches

Size

  • Height: 1 - 4 feet
  • Width: 6 - 12 inches

Harvest time

  • 65 - 80 days

Soil

  • Loose and well-drained soil composition:
    • ¼ compost or humus
    • ¼ loam
    • ¼ drainage and aeration material (perlite or vermiculite)
    • ¼ water retaining material (peat moss, coco coir or other wetting agent)
  • Preferred pH: 5.8 - 6.8

Fertilizer

  • Fertilize when initially transplanting with 10-10-10 NPK (dry fertilizer only), compost or with aged manure
  • Fertilize with 5-10-10 NPK when peppers start blooming

Taste

  • SHU rating of 2,500 – 8,000. Has a bitter and grassy flavor

Friends

  • Plant next to basil, coriander, onions, spinach and tomatoes

Foes

  • DO NOT plant next to beans and kohlrabi

Rotation

  • DO NOT plant peppers, tomatoes, potatoes or eggplants at the same location where peppers were planted last year

  • Consider planting any of the following where you planted peppers the previous year:
    • Carrot (Umbelliferae) - celery, carrots, parsley
    • Legume (Leguminosae) - peas, beans, lentils
    • Mustard/Brassica (Cruciferae) - broccoli, cauliflower, kale, cabbage, brussels sprouts, turnips, radishes
    • Sunflower (Compositae) - lettuce, artichokes
    • Cucurbit (Cucurbitaceae) - pumpkins, melons, squash, gourds, cucumbers
    • Allium (Amaryllidaceae) - onions, garlic, leeks
    • Goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae) - spinach, Swiss chard, beets

Tips

  • Peppers like to grow in pairs to provide shade for one another.
  • Use garden stakes to help support pepper plants that are leaning over.