Sunday, August 28, 2011

Primo Jalapeno 2011

Primo Jalapeno
ordered seed packet from Gurney's for $4.99

From seed catalog...

"Big, vigorous plants pump out high yields of extra-large, 4 and a half in., high-quality peppers! Thick-walled tasty fruits ripen from dark green to fiery red and are perfect for stuffing, baking, or salsas. Excellent disease resistance means even more spectacularly spicy peppers for all your favorite dishes. Approx. 25 seeds per pkt."

{April 4th} Started indoors. Used Miracle Gro Seed Starter Mix in old lettuce container with holes punched in bottom and top. Watered with diluted chamomile tea from below. 18 seeds sown 1/4" deep in room temp of 65 degrees.

{April 15th} First sprouts emerge. (11 days after sown) 15 seeds germinated in all. Put under florescent lights on grow cart Mark made for me. Lights on during day, off at night. Lights a few inches from seedlings.

{April 20th} First true leaves emerge. (16 days after sown)

{April 26th} Potted up into red plastic disposable cups with holes punched in bottom. Used same medium as started. (22 days after sown) Amount potted up: 15 seedlings.



{May 12th} Started hardening off. Day one: Outside 8 hours in 85 degrees.
                                                            
{May 13th} hardening off Day two: outside 8 hours. Left indoors for a while due to cold spell in 40s with wind during day.

{May 31} brought outdoors again, in the 90s during day.  Left out overnight.




{June 5th} Transplanted 12 plants into bed # 6. Have 3 left over. Planted 12" apart.




{July 16th} Peppers don't seem to be growing so I added Miracle Gro general pellets around plants and watered. Seems to have done the trick.  I still need to research fertilizing schedules and types per plant.



Mark has been enjoying jalapenos since about mid July.  He has grilled them, has them on sandwiches, in omelets, quesadillas, on pizza.  I have dried and coarsely ground them to make jalapeno pepper for seasoning dishes. We still need to make some salsa and have jalapeno poppers!

Last year I made some jalapeno jelly, but we still have some leftover. Mark uses that as a dipping sauce for egg rolls.



These jalapenos seem hotter than we've had before.