Row by Row Episode 187: Gardening With Hot Ones - PEPPERS - How to Grow and What To Avoid
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
It's about to get heated! Hoss is gonna sweat! It's all about peppers tonight! What types of peppers are there, what is the science behind the heat, how should you grow and what should you avoid? Be sure to check out the podcast or video for ALL the hotness!
Facts About Peppers
Peppers contain only 20 calories per 100 grams, making them low-calorie and healthy. They are a great source of Vitamin C, Vitamin A, and Vitamin B6. They also contain vitamin E, vitamin B2, vitamin K, folate, potassium, manganese, magnesium, and phosphorus.
One pepper contains as much as 300% of your daily requirement of Vitamin C!
Spiciness measurement. There are the SHU scale or Scoville Heat Units. Which was named after American pharmacist Wilbur Scoville, who first invented it in 1912. SHU varying from 0 for bell peppers to 3,200,000 SHU for some extremely hot peppers.
Types of Peppers
Capsicum annum: (AN-yoo-um) Most common, various shapes and flavors. Almost all sweet and have thicker walls. Ideal for sauces. Bell, cayenne, jalapeno, banana, Poblano, pimento,
Capsicum frutescens: (froo-TESS-enz) Often used as ornamental peppers, typically colorful, small, mid to intense heat levels.
Tabasco Pepper: great for hot sauce or pepper sauce, 90 days
Serrano Pepper: Slightly hotter than jalapeno
Capsicum baccatum: (bah-COT-tum or bah-KAY-tum) Best for drying. Spicy, fruity flavor, generally disease resistant.
Mad Hatter Pepper: Originating from Bolivia and Peru, the Mad Hatter has been widely adapted to grow easily throughout most of the U.S. and matures from green to bright red
Capsicum chinense: (chi-NEN-see) Habanero-type, thin-walled. Fruity flavor, heat dispersed throughout pepper. Hottest species
Ghost Pepper: One of world’s hottest peppers 1,000.000 Scoville units
Helious habanero pepper: Hybrid, Intense heat with citrusy flavor
Chocolate Habanero pepper: 425,000-577,000 Scoville heat with a hint of smoky flavor
Habanero Orange Pepper: chile pepper with a sweet fruity flavor that packs intense pungent heat.
Capsicum pubescens: (pew-BES-enz) Most Unique, meaty, juicy apple-shaped fruit with black seeds. From South America