Jalapeños

Latin name: Capsicum annuum

🌱 Days to Sprout: 10-28 

😋 Plant food: after true leaves 

✂️ Thin to: 1 plant per yCube

🍅 Days to Maturity: 60-80

💡 Light Zone: Maximum

📏 Plant Size: 2 ft

💚 Care Level: Advanced

This type of chile pepper originated in Mexico. The Spanish were the first Europeans to discover it in the New World, but the Portuguese were the ones who brought it along their trade routes worldwide. Fun fact: Jalapeños were the first pepper to travel into space in 1982 on the Space Shuttle Columbia.

The compounds that gives chile peppers their heat are called capsaicinoids, and higher concentrations make the plant more pungent. The heat is ranked on the Scoville Scale which measures each pepper in Scoville heat units (SHU). Bell peppers are rated as 0 SHU while the world's hottest pepper, the Carolina Reaper, is rated at 2,200,000 SHU. Jalapeños range from 2,500 to 8,000 SHU.

Chiles are great for adding heat to any dish. If desired, remove the seeds and inner membranes to reduce the heat level. Hot peppers are often dried and ground into chile flakes. Jalapeños can also add spice to a variety of dishes, including salsa, tacos, salads, sandwiches, chili, curry, and much more.

💡Temperature: Prefers warmer temperatures (70-85°F).

🐝 Pollination: Peppers require pollination. Flowers develop 4-6 weeks after sprouting. Remove the first set of flower buds that grow to encourage root and foliage development. When the next flowers appear, hand-pollinate them by gently shaking the entire plant, or gently disturb the inside of blossoms with your finger or a small brush.

🫶 Support: We suggest using our Plant Belt to support the plant and its heavy fruit as it matures.

✂️ Pruning: These peppers require pruning. Snip away yellow or brown leaves if they appear, and trim branches to ensure the plant stays within the Gardyn’s light. Check the roots monthly and trim any that are brown or extending past the yPod. 

🔎 Plant Health: Gardyn peppers are prolific producers, even if they show signs of Edema, a harmless disorder. Aphids are a common pest, but you can use our prevention and treatment tricks to keep pests at bay!

🌶️ Harvest: Harvest Jalapeños when they are firm and about 3 inches long. The longer you leave them on the plant, the spicier they get, and their color will change from green to yellow-orange to red. Harvest by cutting at peppers' individual stems.

Jalapeño-Cilantro Yogurt Sauce

Recipe Source: Bon Appetit

Ingredients

• 1 Jalapeño, seeds removed, chopped

• 1 cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt

• ½ cup Cilantro leaves with tender stems

• 2 tablespoons Mint leaves

• 1 tablespoon (or more) fresh lime juice

• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin

• Kosher salt

Instructions

1. Purée jalapeño, yogurt, cilantro, mint, lime juice, cumin, and a generous pinch of salt in a blender until very smooth.

2. Taste and season with salt and more lime juice, if desired.

Our Plant Health & Nutrition Team thoroughly tests each variety we offer to bring you the most flavorful and high-quality plants. We regularly rotate our plant portfolio, so please note, availability varies.