Jalapeno

Jalapeno Chilli Seeds

[75 days] Jalapeño peppers are a staple food in Mexico and the American Southwest. These steady producers may take a little while to flower, but once they start they keep on producing throughout the growing season. The plants grow to about 3’ in height and produce blunt-ended fruits with thick, dark green skins that turn to bright red when fully ripe.

The flavour deepens as the peppers ripen and both colours have their classic uses. The green peppers are most often used for roasting, stuffing, pickling and salsas. The gorgeous red peppers are often mesquite-smoked into chipotle, strung on ristras for easy access, or dried and made into a hot chile powder.

Like most peppers, jalapeño’s are self-pollinating—they’re not dependent on insects for fertility, just a little bit of wind.

Note: If you have access to grow lights and a heated propagator you can start sowing your plants in December and January to give you a head start on the year.

Common Questions

How do you know when Jalapeno peppers are ripe? You can tell Jalapeno peppers are ripe when they are 4-6 inches long, fat and have a bright glow to their skin. Jalapeno turn darker green, then black and to red. Jalapenos are ready to be harvested when they are firm and bright green. However, you can leave the fruits until they turn red.

When should I germinate Jalapeno seeds? You can start sowing your Jalapeno seeds in January or February indoors. They need plenty of warmth, so sowing indoors can provide the best start as the weather warms up in the early months of spring. This gives your chilli peppers all summer to ripen before harvest.

What is eating my Jalapeno seedlings? Aphids, worms and whiteflies love eating your Jalapeno's leaves, stems and roots. You can use a mixture of water and dish soap regularly to get rid of all the pests that are attacking your plants!