Tabasco Pepper Seeds - Hot Tabasco Chile Pepper Heirloom Garden Seeds

Tabasco Pepper Seeds - Hot Tabasco Chile Pepper Seed Plant Basics: Germination: 10-14 days
 Harvest: 75-90 days Plant Size: 12-18in wide x 6-18in high Plant Depth: 1/4 inch Spacing: 18in plants; 24in rows Sun: Full sun 8+ hours Yield: 2in thin peppers The Tabasco pepper is named after the southern Mexican state near Guatemala and Belize, and is native to Central America. Tabasco plants are dense, bushy, compact and prolific. I plant mine in the southern most row of my garden where they won't be shaded by other plants. However, they are excellent in patio pots or hanging containers. These plants are beautiful- covered in peppers that turn from green to yellow, orange and purple, then finally a deep red. This is a great plant for beginners! Growing Instructions: 1) Direct sow: In spring after last frost date or threat of frost has passed. Plant seeds directly into soil at 1/4 inch deep. Keep soil moist but not overly wet. (The surface of the soil can dry out but shouldn't dry out deeper than 1/4 inch. Alternately, the soil should not be "muddy" or have any standing water.) After seeds germinate, then them to desired spacing, or around 18 inches. 2) Transplant: *Recommended* (especially in northern areas and other areas with shorter growing seasons) Start seeds indoors in spring around 6-8 weeks before last frost date. Planting 1/4" deep in starting mix in container or tray. Cover the container or tray loosely with plastic to retain moisture. Place in a warm spot (80 degrees+ is ideal. Placing heating mats under plants helps speed up germination time.) After seeds germinate, remove plastic covering and continue to keep soil moist but not wet. Grow lights are a good addition at this point, especially if seedlings do not receive a lot of direct sunlight. Keep plants as close to grow lights as possible but not closer than 2-3 inches. (Soil will dry out quicker under the grow lights.) Move plants to larger containers after they've grown 2 sets of true leaves. At this point, I like to use a tabletop fan pointed at the plants help prepare them for outdoor conditions. About 1-2 weeks before you plan to transplant outdoors, start to harden the plants off by placing them outside. Start in the shade for an hour or two and extend the time each day, gradually exposing them to more sunlight, until they can be left outside for several hours in direct sunlight. Transplant after threat of frost has passed and soil temp is around 60-65 degrees. Early Planting Tips: Remove any blossoms that form before transplanting and any that emerge in the first several weeks. (Even if it's SO difficult to make yourself do this!) The plants will acclimate to their new environment better and use resources to grow stronger and fuller and produce a much larger harvest mid and late season. I like to mulch around the plants with about an inch of mulch, leaving a couple of inches diameter around the base of the plants. (We use grass and leaf clippings for this, but anything garden-friendly will work.) Covering the ground between the plants with tarps, cardboard, or similar will help keep the soil warm if temperatures still get cold at night. If frost is possible after transplanting, cover plants with sheets or tarps not heavy enough to damage branches or leaves. Eating: Tabasco peppers are the base for the infamous Tabasco hot sauce. They are excellent in hot sauces, both fermented and not. They can also be dried or dehydrated for spices, or thrown into dishes that need spiced up. We like to pickle them whole for year-round snacking. Scoville rating: 30,000 - 50,000 shu All of our seeds are: •GMO Free •Open Pollinator •American grown FREE SHIPPING - orders of $35+ $3.99 flat-rate shipping on all orders under $35. Additional growing instructions, tips and recipes on our website. Growing information provided for informational purposes only. Please message with any questions.