Rainbow Pepper Plant Reincarnation

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Q: Dear Dave,Much to my dismay, my rainbow pepper plant is dying. I think that I watered it too much. Can I take the seeds from the peppers that are left on the plant, in order to grow a new one? Do you have any other suggestions on how I might be able to get a "start" from the plant …

Artificial Light for Chiles

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Q: Dave,I have 3 potted jalapeño plants that are producing pretty well.  I plan on keeping them indoors over the winter to see if I can sustain a year-round supply of peppers.  What type of light bulb is required and at what wattage?  I have been told that a black light will provide the UV rays but they are generally …

Spider Mites

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Q: Hi DaveI have noticed what looks like small spiders’ webs on parts of one of my plants. I can’t see any bugs near them and was wondering what this is.  Also, I contacted Seed Savers in search of Congo seeds, but no luck there. They say that they don’t and won’t have any.   I did, however, find out that …

Big Jims Too Small

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Q: Dear Dave,I just had my first Big Jim harvest this year and to my surprise, the peppers were only 3 to 5 inches long. The peppers were starting to change from green to red so I’m calling them ripe. Is this due to a lack of water?History:  I live in California; plants get sun from 10:00am to 6:00pm (I …

Soooooo Hot Anaheims

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Q: Dear Dave,I grew Anaheim chiles for the first time this year.  They are soooo hot!  Is there some way to tame them?  What do I do to roast them?Thanks, Sue A: Hello Sue:There is nothing you can do about the heat level except mix them with milder chiles, such as bells. For handling, roasting, and peeling, see:  http://www.fiery-foods.com/dave/fresh_chiles.asp–Dave