Re: [CH] Habaneros (new to planting)

Brent Thompson (brent@hplbct.hpl.hp.com)
Wed, 23 Oct 2002 15:49:18 -0700 

> 1) Do habaneros produce peppers all year long if you keep them in the
> propper conditions?

Yes.  Proper for habanero includes higher temperatures and higher
humidities than for other species of domesticated chiles.

> 2) Do you have to dry the seeds before replanting them?  Or can they be
> planted fresh, or even in an over-ripe habanero?

no.  yes, yes.

> 3) What happens to the plants if left outside for a winter?  Will they
> grow back?

dead dead dead.  no.  (These answers do not apply if the winter your
habanero plants are subjected to never includes temperatures as low as 50
degrees F.)

> 4) Are the green habaneros any good?

yes, in fact superior to ripe ones for most uses, many of us believe
(including people in Yucatan, where habanero are the native, ancient
chile).

> 5) Do the red/yellow varieties taste different?

maybe a little, but basically not -- on the other hand, as with all chiles
or other fruits or vegetables, if you like one type, you should try more to
see if you really do prefer certain types over others.

> 6) Do I need to do anything to help pollination when the plants are
> indoors and don't have bugs to help?  

yes.  My experience has been that all varieties of Capsicum chinense set
fruit very very poorly indoors, no matter what perverted tricks I try.
This is in contrast to all other species, especially Capsicum baccatum,
which sets fruits all by itself, even alone in a closed room with "no" air
circulation (and fruits of most types of Capsicum baccatum taste better,
too, but that's a topic of several previous discussions).

> 7) Are there any good jelly recipes out there without SO MUCH sugar?

Jelling in jelly is controlled by the pectin.  Normal pectin requires a lot
of sugar.  Low-sugar types of pectin require less sugar, but depend upon
calcium to jell.  I once saw a box of Pomona Universal Pectin which is a
low-sugar type of pectin and it included a packet of calcium additive for
fruits that are low in calcium -- a class of which surely pepper jelly is a
member.

On the other hand, you could always use hotter chiles to result in less
sugar per unit-heat portion.

 ---   Brent