Homegrown Peppers

Pretty Purple Pepper is not only a variety name, but an accurate description of the plant and its fruit!  Let’s talk a little about growing this wonderful pepper variety in the garden.

How Does it Look?

It’s really hard to capture with a photo how lovely both the plant and the peppers are!  The stems are a deep purple-maroon color, and the leaves have a violet sheen to them (which I can’t seem to capture).  And the peppers — they are a gorgeous, glowing purple.

This pepper has been quite hardy in my garden.  It’s faced a near-freeze with grace, and is thriving in a 3-gallon container.  I drop by it at least once a day because it’s a feast for my eyes.

(You can click on the photo for a larger image.)

Germinating the Seeds

I find that germinating seeds for this pepper to be easy.  Even in a cooler temperature than normal, the plant came up within 10 days.  I imagine that if I used a heat mat, that would shorten to 5-7 days.

I germinated this particular plant at cooler-than-normal temperatures as an experiment.  Pretty Purple Pepper sprouted well, but the other seeds had a hard time, and most didn’t germinate at all.

(Here’s more information about germinating hot pepper seeds, if you need a few tips.)

Container Growing

I mentioned that I am currently growing this plant in a 3-gallon container, and it is thriving.  While it would do better in the ground, it’s quite suitable for a lovely container plant on a patio.  Not only is the plant pleasing to look at but it also has purple-and-white flowers.  When the plant has flowers and peppers at the same time, it’s a sight to behold!

Other Hints for Pretty Purple Pepper

As I mentioned, this plant has had some tough conditions.  Not only has it faced temperatures in the 30′s, but it’s also faced extended periods of high winds.  The weather has been dry, and sometimes the soil isn’t as damp as I’m sure the plant would like.  Through all this, Pretty Purple Pepper has sailed on without a problem.

What About Eating Them?

You can certainly eat these peppers, but they are quite hot — my guess is around 40,000 Scoville Units.  I don’t eat a lot of them, because they are so lovely on the plant.  But I reccomend them  in stir-fries and also for a vinegar pepper.  And although I haven’t tried them as such, I imagine they would be good pickled.

I like Pretty Purple Pepper, and it has an ongoing spot in my garden.  I hope you like it too!

Update

Here’s another photo just a couple weeks later of the same plant!

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