Growing peppers offers a vast choice, with thousands of varieties ranging from mild sweet peppers to extremely hot ones like ghost peppers. The time required for peppers to mature varies significantly with heat level; sweet varieties can be ready in 60 days, while hotter types like ghost peppers may take 100 to 120 days. The capsaicinoids responsible for heat develop throughout the growing period, so timing the harvest is crucial to achieve the desired spice level. Once ripeness is reached, the capsaicinoids start to decline, so harvesting at the right time is essential for maximum flavor.
The hotter a pepper is, the longer it will take to reach maturity, with sweet peppers ready in as little as 60 days and ghost peppers up to 120 days.
Capsaicinoids, the compounds that make peppers hot, accumulate as the pepper grows; allowing it to mature can increase its heat before harvest.
Harvesting hot peppers at peak ripeness is crucial, as the heat compounds decline after that point, resulting in a milder flavor.
With 4,000 to 50,000 pepper varieties, growing your favorites means understanding the relationship between spiciness and growth time.
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