Peppers
Peppers are categorized in six different groups, and most are classified according to their degree of hot or mild flavor. Mild peppers include bell, banana, pimento and sweet cherry, while hot peppers include cayenne, celestial, large cherry, serrano, tobasco and jalapeno. Bell peppers, measuring about 3 inches wide by 4 inches long, usually have a blocky appearance and several lobes. They are commonly harvested when green; they turn red or yellow when fully ripened. About 200 bell pepper varieties are available. Banana peppers are long and tapering; they are harvested when yellow, orange or red. Another sweet pepper, pimento, has long, conical, thick walled fruit 2 to 3 inches wide by 4 inches long. Most pimentos are used when red and fully ripe. Cherry peppers vary in size and flavor; they are usually harvested when orange to deep red in color. Hot peppers are usually allowed to fully ripen and change colors (except jalapenos). They have smaller, longer, thinner and more tapering fruits than sweet peppers. Yields are smaller for hot peppers. Slim, pointed and slightly twisted fruits characterize the hot Cayenne pepper group. These can be harvested either when green or red and include Anaheim, cayenne, serrano and jalapeno, for example. Celestial peppers are cone shaped, 3/4 to 2 inches long and very hot. They vary in color from yellow to red to purple, making an attractive plant. Tobasco peppers are slender, 1 to 3 inches long and pointed. They taste extremely hot and include chili piquin and small red chili to name a few. Peppers generally require a long growing season and suffer slow growth during cool periods. Therefore, after soil has thoroughly warmed in spring, set out 6 to 8- transplants to get a head start toward harvest. Practice good cultivation and provide adequate moisture. Mulch can help to conserve water and reduce weeds. Common Problems
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