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.