===== PAGE 1 ===== 2020 # Peppers # Dr. Leigh Whittinghill, Assistant Professor of Urban Agriculture There are many varieties of peppers, including col- ors, shapes, and flavors, including hot or sweet. Think about what your family will use them for before choos- ing the one that is right for your garden. ## Planting • Peppers are best planted from transplants. To start transplants, plant seeds at a depth of 1/4 inch 6 to 8 weeks before desired planting date. • If purchasing transplants, look for plants 6 to 10 inches tall. - Pepper transplants should be planted between May 20 and June 15, May 10 and July 1, and May 1 and July 15 in eastern, central, and western Kentucky. • Transplants should be spaced 12 to 18 inches apart. ## Care and Harvest - Wide plant spacing leaves rooms for weeds to establish, so make sure the bed is weed free when you plant and weed regularly. • Water about 1 inch per week (including rain). Take special care to provide water after flowering starts. - A starter fertilizer can be used when transplanting, and supplemental fertilizer can be given after fruit has set. • Peppers are ready for harvest 65-75 days after the seeds were planted. • Harvest when the peppers are firm. • Harvesting some peppers while they are green will enable the plant to continue flowering and producing. • They can be harvested green, or after turning red, orange, or yellow. These peppers will be sweeter, but may become over ripe quickly if not picked. • Cut peppers from the plant to avoid injury and leave a short piece of stem on the pepper.
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===== PAGE 2 ===== ## Storage and Use • Peppers stored in the refrigerator in plastic bags will keep for 2 to 3 weeks. • Peppers can be frozen after a 3 min water blanch or a 5 min steam blanch for halves or 2 min water blanch or a 3 min steam blanch for rings. - Un-pickled peppers should be canned using the hot pack method with 1 inch of head spaced and processed for 35 min using pressure canning at 10 pounds of pressure. • Peppers should not be canned in quarts. • Pickled peppers can be canned using the water bath method. Follow pickling instructions for processing times. • Pepper skins can get touch when canned. It can be removed placing cut peppers skin side down in a medium heat pan. The skin will blister and can be removed once cooled. ## References Home Vegetable Gardening in Kentucky. ID-128. University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service Markham, B.L. 2014. The MiniFarming™ Bible: The Complete Guide to Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre. SkyHorse Publishing. New York, New York. Stewart, M. 2010. Roasted Peppers with Garlic and Herbs. Everyday Food. https://www.marthastewart.com/314308/roasted-peppers-with-garlic-and-herbs (accessed 19 June 2018) Stewart, M. 2011. Roasted-Red-Pepper Dip. Martha Stewart Living. https://www.marthastewart.com/338397/roasted-red-pepper-dip (accessed 19 June 2018).
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## Roasted Red Pepper Dip By Martha Stewart Preheat oven to 450circF. Place: • 6 large red bell peppers Cut side up on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast until flesh is tender and skin blisters in spots, about 35 min. ## OR Roast peppers over a gas burner, turning until charred all over, about 10 min. Let stand until cool enough to handle, then peel and seed peppers. Pulse peppers in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Add: • 1 cup golden raisins, coarsely copped • 3 tablespoons salt-packed capers, rinsed well and drained • 1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely chopped fresh oregano Pulse to combine. Season with: • Salt • Red wine vinegar Makes 3 cups/ 12 servings. ### KYSU.EDU/AG | @KYSUAG