Hot Pepper Long Red Chilli Cayenne Capsicum annuum. Named after the French Guiana city of Cayenne, cayenne pepper plants are related to bell peppers, jalapenos and other peppers with just a touch more heat than the latter.
On the Scoville scale, cayenne pepper is rated at 30,000-50,000 units — spicy, but not so much it will knock your socks off. This Capsicum genus is in the nightshade family of Solanaceae.
The Long Red Cayenne chilli pepper is a long and thin pepper that produces unbelievably high yields. Mature red are wrinkled with a mixture of straight and curly fruits.
125 mm long and 12mm thick fruits are FIERY HOT, often curled and twisted. Great for drying, processing, or sauces. Use fresh or easily dried for winter use. Harvest starts about 70 days after plants are set out.
Growing Long Red Cayenne Chilli Pepper
Indoor Sowing: Mid Winter, Late Winter and Early Spring.
Direct Sowing: Not Recommended.
- Peppers take a long time to grow large enough from seeds to produce mature fruit, and they require a fairly long growing season.
- The best way to get a good crop is by planting the seeds indoors 8-12 weeks before your average last frost date.
- Soak your seeds overnight in warm water to help them germinate faster.
- Sow the Pepper Seeds about 1/4-inch deep in a moist sterile potting mixture.
- Mist the potting mix with water daily so it stays moist, or seal the pots in plastic bags so they don’t dry out.
- For best germination, keep the soil between 23 and 26 degrees Celsius.
- The pots won’t require light until the seeds sprout.
- Peppers typically require 14 days to germinate, but they may take as few as seven or as many as 30 days or longer to sprout.
- After the seeds have germinated, place the pot on a light windowsill or in a heated greenhouse.
- When they are 2.5cm tall prick out seedlings, moving each into their own 10cm pot. Make sure the roots are well covered and the leaves are just above the surface of the compost.
- Water and place in a light spot indoors.
- While plants are still growing indoors, move into 13cm pots filled with general purpose compost when roots begin to show through the drainage holes in the base.
- When plants are about 20cm tall, or before if they start to lean, stake with a stick.
- Pinch out the tops of peppers when they are about 30cm tall to encourage lots of branches.
- Plants are ready to go when all danger of frost has passed.
- Either plant directly into the ground, spacing them 45cm apart or transfer them to 22cm pots to give them plenty of space to grow.
- Make sure you water regularly, especially in hot weather and feed every two weeks with a general purpose liquid fertilizer. Feeding should start when the flowers first appear and should continue until the fruit have been harvested.
Medical Disclaimer
Information is for educational and informational purposes only and may not be construed as medical advice. The information is not intended to replace medical advice or treatment offered by healthcare professionals.