PEPPER HOT - CAYENNE

  Organic Hot Pepper Cayenne

        10 Seeds Pack    

Red cayenne chile peppers are native to South America, specifically to French Guiana, which is located on the northeast coast, and have been cultivated since ancient times. The pepper was then spread throughout South and Central America and into the Caribbean via trade and immigration, and in the 15th and 16th centuries, it was introduced to Europe and Asia via Spanish and Portuguese explorers. 

Red cayenne peppers range 30,000-50,000 SHU on the Scoville scale 

Botanically classified as Capsicum annuum, are elongated, ornamental pods that belong to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. 

Long Slim Red Cayenne is a very productive plant, it is upright-growing and reaches about 60cm in height. The plants are covered with long, thin peppers which mature from emerald green to a scarlet red in approximately 70 days. Producing an abundance of very wrinkled fruits that grow 12 to 15cm (5 to 6in) long, the fruits have thin flesh. Red cayenne chile peppers are elongated and slender, averaging 10 to 15 centimetres in length and 1 to 3 centimetres in diameter, and have a straight to curved, conical shape that tapers to a pointed tip. The skin ripens from pale green to bright red when mature and is waxy, glossy, smooth, and rippled. Underneath the surface, the flesh is thin, pale red, and crisp, encasing a central cavity filled with orange-red membranes and a few flat and round, cream-colored seeds. Red cayenne chile peppers are sweet and have a slightly tart, acidic, and smoky flavour with a pungent, intense heat.

    PLANTING & GROWING

Soaking needs to be done at least a few hours before planting, and preferably overnight. To prevent damping off when starting seeds indoors, it’s essential that you disinfect all of your pots, plastic grow trays, seed cells, and seedling tray covers before you reuse them. 

Can grow in plant containers in your balcony garden or inside near a sunny window. If you don’t have a suitable garden spot, try a container instead.  A pot that’s at least 8 inches wide and it has drainage holes. Due to sensitive roots, repotting is best avoided. Instead, make sure you choose a suitable growing container for your seeds right from the start.

Hot Pepper prefer Well-drained, light, moderately fertile soil, high in organic matter. 

Seeds can be stated, in trays or modules, from January to March at a temperature of 18 – 21 degrees C. When some true leaves have formed pot up into 8cm pots in

good quality organic compost.  If growing in the ground or a raised bed, peppers should be planted around 40-60cm apart in a row, or 1 per square foot in a denser polyculture planting scheme – though these spacing suggestions are just guidelines and spacing can differ depending on your specific approach.  Once the plants have established, it is better to water heavy and infrequently, allow the top inch or so to dry out in between watering. 

Chilli plants are self fertile and will generally pollinate themselves. However, if you want to give them a helping hand to ensure that lots of fruit are set indoors, use a cotton wool bud to gently sweep the inside of the flowers, spreading the pollen as you go. The flower's petals will drop off as the green middle part of the flower starts to swell slightly. This is the chilli pepper beginning to grow. 

Chillies will take a few weeks to develop and a further couple weeks to turn from green to red. Harvest any time after they are fully developed. Use scissors to snip the fruits so you don't damage the plant. 

Good companion plants for chili peppers are dill, parsley, basil, rosemary, marjoram, petunias, marigolds, nasturtiums, lettuce, beans, peas, cucumbers, chard, chives, spinach, shallots, spring onions, garlic, onions and leeks.

You should avoid planting chili peppers with mustard greens, kohlrabi, cabbage, fennel and apricots.

Do not plant in same spot more than once every 4 years.