Caliente – An ode to the pepper « Anarchy In The Garden

Caliente – An ode to the pepper

By Adriana Friday July 16, 2010

You know you’re Mexican when you’re not only monocropping pepper plants in your modest home garden but in your community garden plot as well. Count ’em, 24 plants!

Since when did tomatoes become the darling of summer? Hogging all the glory. From TomatoMania to Tomatopalooza to Miss Hot Tomato. I kid you not. There’s even a dude that has dedicated his whole life to the tomato. I’m looking at you Steve Goto! And I bow down to you.

I’m sticking up for summer’s illegitimate crop – the pepper.

Capsicum – is a warm season crop and is divided into two categories, Sweet Peppers and Hot Peppers. My people call hot peppers, chiles.

Peppers require 6 to 8 hours of full sun. Like tomatoes, pepper seeds should be sown 8 to 10 weeks before the average last frost. Don’t sweat it if you didn’t sow seeds. You can still get your pepper on! Visit your local independent nursery and purchase transplants.

Long Beachers, I recommend purchasing seedlings from my home away from home, H&H Nursery in Lakewood, CA. Owner Jeff Shibata is super nice as are his daughters Cindy and Janice. Assistant Manager Sandra Romero and fellow horticulturist Kim are dolls and very helpful.

Southern California, we’re just starting to feel the heat so get those transplants in the ground or in a container and when you do, space about a foot apart. Container depth for peppers should be 14-16 inches.

Don’t forget to feed. I recommend a balanced liquid fertilizer like compost tea, worm tea, or Sea Magic Organic Growth Activator.

Sweet Peppers and Chiles growing in my garden:

from Territorial Seed Company – Miniature Chocolate Bell. Also growing: Golden Star, California Wonder, Early Jalapeno.

from Botanical Interests – Ancho/Poblano Pepperoncini Greek.

from Renee’s Garden – Pizza My Heart, Southwestern Chile Trio, Orange Fogo, Red Demon.

from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds – Anaheim, Pasilla Bajio, Serrano Tampequino.

Iggy Kilmister – My garden sidekick.

Because it wouldn’t be complete without a little punk rock. Have I mentioned my major crush on the Ramones? I would marry all of them, even Republican Johnny Ramone.