Green pepper, chilies, or jalapenos are essential parts of our food. Our meal is incomplete and tasteless without it.
But how could you feel if you go to the store to buy some pepper and the answer is that there is a shortage of jalapenos?
You feel annoyed about thinking of making food without it. To avoid such an awkward situation, you have to plan about growing jalapeno pepper at home.
Don’t worry! It is very easy.
First, we will explain jalapeno seeds in detail.
What are Jalapenos?
Jalapenos are the spicy hot chili that belongs to the pepper family. These are a good source of vitamin A, Vitamin C, and folate. They are healthy as they are cholesterol, sodium, and saturated fat-free. Their growing process is steady because once the plant starts to produce, it keeps on producing throughout the growing season.
It can be grown in a variety of colors such as green, red, purple, and sometimes yellow. The pepper is 3 inches in height and produces dark green thick fruit that turns red when fully ripe.
Jalapenos are self-pollinating plants and do not depend on insects for fertility. They are mostly used for stuffing, pickling, and even in each kind of food.
Usually, they grow annually, but could not survive in winter and cold temperatures as it causes the plants’ death.
Now we discuss jalapenos planting, caring, harvesting, and diseases in detail.
Table of Contents
Can We Grow Jalapenos From Seeds
The most asked question is that Can Jalapenos be grown by seeds?
Due to the lack of information about plants, some of us could not answer it satisfactorily. The short answer is that yes, we can grow jalapeno pepper with the help of seeds as well as the plant.
Though it does not take a lot of time it will need great care and attention. But in the end, you will get a superb result as the new plant will be unique in shape and color.
Moreover, each new plant that grows from seed is considered an evergreen plant. Seeds can survive in any type of soil after germination.
Normally, Jalapeno seeds found in the middle of the pepper plant. They are small but could be found easily.
How Long Jalapenos Take To Grow
The time for Jalapeno’s growth depends upon the length of the growing season and your caring process. The plant starts to bear fruit two to three months after transplantation.
Seed germination takes time of 2-3 weeks. They will become mature within 75 days.
However, it also depends on the type and planting zone of the plant. It is a warm-weather crop like all other varieties of pepper. You shouldn’t transplant it outside until spring. During this time, both air and soil temperatures have warmed.
After successful fertilization of pepper seeds, you can see full-size green developed pepper within 55 days. Sometimes they referred to as unripe fruit but you can cut it from the plant and left the others to ripen longer.
It may need a maximum of 150 days to produce red chili with more heat.
Planting Jalapenos
Have you ever plant Jalapenos in your garden? No…Don,t worry!
It is very easy to grow Jalapeno pepper at home. It sounds pretty great to have such a hot pepper at your own home ground.
You can choose the way of planting it which you like the best.
Let, start with the process of growing jalapenos in the yard.
Where To Plant
First of all, you have to select the perfect location to plant Jalapenos. Find out the place for it in your yard that provides the full exposure of the sun.
Jalapenos are the sun-lovers and need a lot of heat for good growth. Be careful about the high winds as they will damage or knock down your plant. So, identify the place that will also provide some shelter.
How To Plant
After selecting the place, you have to know the method to plant it. Get some high-quality seeds to start the process. Be sure about the variety of plants as it is very important.
Sow them between ½ and ¼ inch deep in your garden and cover them with a light layer of moist soil. Keep the soil damp and cover the plant to provide humidity until it grows 2” tall.
Make the distance of 12-14” while seedling as it gives them enough space to spread their roots.
4 Easy Steps to Planting Jalapenos In A Container
If you have no enough space to plant such a summer crop in your lawn or backyard, don,t worry! We have a practical solution for it.
Yes… Container gardening or harvesting in pots is another way to enjoy growing your desired plants.
Anything is possible, you just need a small place, required sunlight, and a few pots and containers.
Let,s read how…
There are four easy steps discussed below to do pepper germination.
Step 1: Planting Seeds
- Take the desired number of containers to plant seeds. It must have a drainage hole in the bottom.
- Now fill the pot with soil, water it thoroughly, and allow the excess of water to drain away.
- Plant 2-3 seeds in a pot deeply ¼ inch. You can plant some extra seeds as few of them don,t germinate. Don’t forget to use safety gloves to avoid irritation caused by the seeds of spicy chilies.
- Cover them with fertilizer soil and place it in a warm location of 75-80 F with low light. Keep it moist and the plant starts to germinate in 14-21 days.
- If you find that the soil is drying out quickly, wrap a piece of plastic loosely over each container. This will act as humidity shelter and increase moisture level with the help of climate.
- By using this method, seeds will germinate successfully and quickly. You can use a seedling tray as well as a spare soda bottle or recycled container.
Here is the complete guided video of planting jalapenos in a container or seedling pot.
Step 2: Care and Transplanting Plants
Find some seeds sprout…. Wao! It’s looking awesome….
Now, it is time to care for your plant a lot. You will be caring for them until they are ready to transplant outside. Let’s discuss some important points to keep the young plant healthy:
- Once the seeds start sprouting, move them towards the well lighted and warm area. They will not be exposed to a temperature lower than 65 F.
- The seedlings will need to light for about 14-16 hours per day. If you have no natural light and heat available, you can use artificial lighting to supply a good amount of light and heat.
- The soil must be moist but not to overwater it. Jalapeno roots will be damaged if the soil becomes waterlogged.
- It must be noted that there is no need for more water to maintain the moisture levels of indoor plants. If you water them 1-2 times weekly, it should be fine.
- Transplant the seedling within 14 days from the planting cup 3 inches deep in the flower pot.
- After 35 days, transplant them 3-5 inches diameter flower pot.
- Final transplanting starts after 60 days, which is about 5-11 inches flower pot.
Step 3: Caring for Young Plants
After successful seedling, you have to take great care of the young plant if you are planning to transplant it outside. It is best to prepare them to grow outdoors. During their stay outside, you will have to provide them enough sunlight, fertilizer, and water. You have to look at the process of caring given below:
- Before moving the plants outside, you will have to harden them off. It means the process of exposing plants gradually to the conditions outdoors. This is critical for the health of a plant.
- Keep the plant at a place where it will get a good amount of sunlight. Remember that a growing plant needs at least 8-10 hours of direct sunlight daily.
- Jalapeno plants also need moist soil. Water regularly to satisfy their moisture needs but avoid overwatering.
- Choose high-quality fertilizer to get the best results of growth. Usually, you don,t have any need to fertilize plants during the first month of planting outdoors.
- At first, fertilize peppers with half of the recommended dose. Increase the amount of fertilizer until you harvest your first pepper.
Step 4: Harvesting Jalapenos
Finally, you have reached your destination. Now it’s time to get a reward for your efforts. It’s an amazing sight to look at your first plant ripen with your eyes.
Do you want to increase the productivity of your plant? Shhhh…. come close…it’s a secret…
You can do it by picking up the chillis during their green stage.
It is a trick. This will force the plant for more blossoms that mean more fruit for you.
Now, enjoy the fruits of your hard work.
Where Can You Buy Jalapeno Seeds?
Do you want to buy seeds from the store? If yes, then it is very easy.
Some of us feel it is easy to plant ready seeds instead of getting them from peppers.
So, you can purchase them from a grocery store easily. But be sure about the quality of seeds as it is very important.
We recommend Heirloom sweet and hot pepper seedto get the best jalapenos at home.
Related Articles: Read our Hydrangea Seeds Guide.
What Types Of Pests Can Infect Jalapeno Plant
If you are planning to germinate jalapenos at home, you must be aware of the diseases, problems, and pests related to this easily grown plant. So, don’t skip it and read carefully:
Beetles
Jalapenos are mostly attacked by different types of beetles such as flea and pale striped beetles. A beetle can cause a great infection for pepper plants when they are seedling. To protect seedlings, use row covers, and compost. Sticky traps can also be helpful to eliminate beetles.
Worms
Varieties of worms such as cutworms, tomato worms, wireworms, and beet armyworms can bring destruction to the jalapeno pepper plant. Wireworms and cutworms create troubles during the seedling stage.
You can control these worms by picking them by hand or attracting beneficial insects to eat them.
This worm killer is best to save your jalapeno plant.
Aphids and Mites
You often notice some greenflies wandering on plants. These are Aphids. The situation becomes more critical when they start spreading viruses. Microscopic mites are also problematic issues for jalapeno plants.
Insecticides can also be useful to avoid such pests. Lacewings and ladybugs prove beneficial as they eat aphids and mites.
Viruses
Do you aware of the viruses attacked on the pepper plant?
Cucumber mosaic, tobacco etch, potato, and pepper mottle viruses are mostly found in Jalapeno plants. It is difficult to control them as insecticides do not work. They can cause plant death.
The best method to avoid the virus is to take care of your plant properly. This liquid also helps you to stop these viruses to spread out.
Pathogenic Diseases
Pathogenic diseases are disorders that are caused by external infectious agents and can damage all roots and stems of plants immediately. Bacterial spots and powdery mildew are the most common of these diseases. In some cases, it is difficult to control them.
To get the best option to kill them, consult your nursery expert.
Final Words
Hopefully, you enjoyed this informative content about jalapeno seeds. Through this, you will learn all about jalapeno seeds.
To sum up, we can say that jalapeno seeds are easy to grow and need a little bit of care. You can grow pepper seeds in your backyard but if you have no big space, you can plant them in containers or pots.
Planting should be done with artificial seeds but natural seeds are the best directly get by pepper.
Sometimes, we face a shortage of green pepper as it is affected by diseases, pests, and viruses.
So, avoid wasting any food plant. Take the quantity only you need. You can also store it properly if the storage is needed.
Do you find this article interesting and explanatory, share it with other fellows. Read with great care and stay connected.