Tabasco Pepper (85 Days)

Heirloom. The Tabasco Pepper was imported to the US from Tabasco, Mexico in 1846. Eventually, it made its way to Avery Island, Louisiana where the McIlhenny family used it in a hot sauce that has become so renowned that the word “Tabasco” is now used as a synonym for hot sauce. Plants are over 1’ tall and covered with 2” long tapered fruit.  20 seeds     PLANTING Caspsicum frutescens Germination: 10-14 days Germination Temperature: Optimum soil temperatures 75-85ºF. Cooler soil temperatures slow the germination time. Seed Sowing Depth: ¼” deep Starting Indoors:  8-10 weeks before the last frost. Sow in flats/cells/pots. Provide 75-85ºF soil temperatures. Fertilize the seedlings every 7-10 days with a liquid or water-soluble fertilizer (diluted to ¼ of suggested measurement). Transplant seedlings 18-24” apart after the last frost. Sowing Outdoors: Not recommended, especially in northern areas How much does a packet plant: 20-25 foot single row   Harvest: Use a sharp instrument to cut the peppers from the plant. Pick the first fruits when they reach usable size, this helps accelerate the growth of the other peppers on the plant. Leave some peppers on the plant to mature so they can change color and sweeten up. Tips: Pinch off early flowers or tiny fruit on any seedlings before placing them in the ground.  The Tabasco Pepper should be planted in fertile soil and amended with compost if needed. It helps to use row cover early in the season, giving the plants extra warmth, especially in the north. Side dress when flowers begin to form.