If you just can’t get enough of hot peppers, why not try growing some at home.
You can grow them from seed starting indoors in the winter, or you can buy some pepper plants and put them in the ground after the final frost of spring. Peppers need a lot of sunlight, but it’s possible to grow them in containers as well as raised beds.
Paprika peppers
Paprika peppers are mild and sweet. They can grow up to about three feet tall, or you can choose a smaller plant and grow it in a container. Usually a paprika is dried, then used to make a powder.
Jalapeno peppers
Jalapenos are well known, plus they’re easy to grow. They vary in heat. Typically, you harvest them when they’re green, but if you want a sweeter and milder jalapeno pepper you can wait until they turn red. They also work well if you want to grow your peppers in containers.
Hatch chile peppers
Hatch chile peppers are famous in New Mexico, but they can grow in other places too. They range on the Scoville Scale from relatively mild to about 10,000 SHU. The great thing about hatch chile peppers is that you can eat them fresh from your garden, roast them, or wait until then turn red and turn them into an enchilada sauce.
Cayenne peppers
Cayenne pepper plants don’t get very tall, plus they also grow well in containers. They mature about 70 days after you plant them.
Scotch bonnet peppers
If you want to turn up the heat, try growing scotch bonnet peppers. They grow on fairly small plants, so they also work well if you want to use containers. The great thing about the scotch bonnet is that its plants are high yielding. You don’t have to grow very many to end up with lots of peppers.
