Presented by Matt Shofner Pepper Propagation Presented by Matt Shofner

Step 1: Materials Seed Starting Tray: comes with seed tray, watering tray and humidity cover. Quality Seed Starting Mix: sterile soil, preferably organic. Heat Mat with Thermostat (recommended) Normal germination time for exotics 3-6 weeks, 7-10 days with heating mat at 86 degrees

Step 2: Planting 1. Moisten planting medium (soil) and fill seed tray cells. Plant 1-2 seeds per cell 1/8” deep. 2. Mark cells if planting more than one variety per tray. Place humidity cover in place and keep out of direct sunlight until seeds sprout. 4. Once your sprouts break the surface of the soil, get your grow lights on. Hang lights 1-2 inches from top of seedling. 3. Place covered tray on heat mat, setting thermostat for 86 degrees. There are many different types of grow lights. Be sure to follow manufacturer guidelines. Seedlings can be grown on windowsills, but the plants tend to be spindly, weak, and may not survive transplanting. Yet another option is a greenhouse.

Set 3: Transplanting Transplanting to containers: If you start seeds in flats, transplant when seedlings are still very young. Watch for the emergence of the second pair of true leaves and transplant soon after.  Fill the containers with soil mix. Carefully dig out seedlings. A tablespoon or narrow trowel works well for transplants. Hold each seedling by one of the leaves, not by (or around) the stem: You could crush the tender stem, or if you grasp the stem tip, you could kill the growing point and ruin the seedling’s further growth. For very young seedlings, poke small holes into the soil mix with a pencil. For larger seedlings, hold the plant in the pot while you fill in around the roots with soil. Firm the soil gently with your fingertips.  

Step 4: Hardening Off Begin 7 - 10 days before your transplant date. Place plants in a sheltered, shady spot outdoors. Under a tree or even on your back porch is fine. --Leave them for 3-4 hours and gradually increase the time spent outside by 1-2 hours per day. Bring plants back indoors each night. After 2-3 days, move the plants from their shady spot into morning sun, return them to the shade in the afternoon. After 7 days, the plants should be able to handle sun all day and stay out at night, if temperatures stay around 50 degrees F. Keep an eye out that the soil doesn't dry and bake the plants, if the weather is warm. After 7 -10 days your plants are ready to transplant. Try to do so on a cloudy day and be sure to water well after planting. Young, pampered seedlings that were grown either indoors or in a greenhouse will need a period to adjust and acclimate to outdoor conditions, prior to planting in the garden. This transition period is called "hardening off". Hardening off gradually exposes the tender plants to wind, sun and rain and toughens them up by thickening the cuticle on the leaves so that the leaves lose less water. This helps prevent transplant shock; seedlings that languish, become stunted or die from sudden changes in temperature. Hardening off times depend on the type of plants you are growing and the temperature and temperature fluctuations. So be flexible when hardening off your seedlings and be prepared to whisk them indoors if there's a late freeze and snow.

Step 5: Planting In Your Garden To transplant into the garden, wait until: last frost date for your zone has passed, the soil temperature is around 65 F, night time temperatures are above 50 F, and your seedlings are hardened. Peppers are warm season crops that grow best at temperatures of 70-80 F during the day and 60-70 during the night. Ideally, transplant on an overcast day or an evening. If days are hot and sunny, provide temporary shade for the first few days. Choose the Right Site Plant peppers in full sun, in fertile, well-drained soil. Peppers like a pH of 6.5-7! Planting in partial shade will reduce yeild and lengthen the time required to produce and ripen fruit. Plant Your Peppers and Water In Generally, allow 12-18 inches between stems, and 24-36 inches between rows. Crowding peppers too much will result in tall, spindly plants. Dig a hole for each plant that is a bit larger than the root ball of the plant. Hold the plant by the root ball (not the stem) and place in the hole. Set the plants slightly deeper (up to an inch) than they were grown in the container, and more if they are leggy. Fill in the hole with garden soil, then press firmly around the plant base to form a slight depression or moat around the stem to accumulate water. Water deeply. Check plants daily for the first week and water at first sign of wilting. During the growing season, water deeply on a consistent schedule, preferably in mornings, to supply moisture to a depth of 6 inches. Be careful to avoid overwatering. Avoid shallow, frequent watering which will encourage shallow roots. Many people have good results with watering every 5 days to one week unless plants are in containers, which dry out quicker than garden soil. Decide on Mulch The best choice for mulching peppers is to wait until roots have grown deep (around the time of flowering) then mulch plants with a heavy layer (3-4 inches) of organic mulch. This delay allows time for the soil to warm considerably, and the plants to establish deep roots. Mulch helps retain soil moisture, prevent some soil-borne diseases, and reduce or eliminate weeds. Fertilize after about 6 weeks when plants are beginning to flower. Use organic fertilizers.

Raised Bed Gardening My preferred method for raised bed gardening is to first remove the sod grass. Next, I line the edges with landscape timbers and add organic topsoil, composted manure and peat moss in equal parts. Some gardeners also add expanded shale (shown in my hand below), which helps keep soil aerated. For space efficiency and high yields, it’s hard to beat a vegetable garden grown in raised beds. Raised beds can improve production as well as save space, time, and money. They also are the perfect solution for dealing with difficult soils such as heavy clay. In addition, raised beds improve your garden’s appearance and accessibility. We keep a large composter going all year. All garden waste from gardening, mowing and pruning as well as organic household waste is composted. Note: it is not a good idea to compost meat, dairy, or feces from carnivores. Our composter provides enough organic content to keep 2 raised beds rich in organic compost and mulch year-round. One reason raised beds are so effective for increasing efficiency and yields is that crops produce better because the soil in the beds is deep, loose, and fertile.  The quickest and easiest way to make a raised bed is simply to add lots of organic matter, such as well-rotted manure, compost, or shreddedleaves to your garden soil. In the process, mound up the planting beds as the organic content of the soil increases. 

Exotic Peppers SHU (Scoville Heat Units) Left: Bhut Jolokia (Ghost Pepper), 1 million SHU Jamaican Hot Chocolate: 400,000+ SHU Left: Douglah, 1.2 million SHU Right: Thai Chili, 300,000 SHU

Exotic Peppers SHU (Scoville Heat Units) Moruga Scorpion: 1.2 million SHU Butch T Scorpion: 1.5 million SHU Carolina Reaper, the hottest pepper in the world!! 2.2 million Scoville Heat Units!!