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Peppers to grow in Minnesota?

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  • Peppers to grow in Minnesota?

    Hi All!

    Talking with a friend tonight, she offered to grow some peppers for me in her garden. She has a huge garden, and is incredible with it. Minnesota farmland.

    Anyway, I'm trying to decide on what I'd like and how many.

    Some background first.. Region is southern Minnesota, decent summers that don't usually get too hot. Mostly into the mid to high 70s with some 80s and a few 90s, some times. The land is good farmland that is well drained. There are some critters around, mostly small things like rabbits, squirrels and such. An occasional coyote, some deer. Of course, their dogs run free.

    My goal this time is just to get my feet wet with the processing after. She can grow more next year, or help me set up my own garden here in town. Actually, another friend has offered to till up my back yard and help this year. I think I'll wait a year, though.

    My choices so far, are jalapenos for ABTs and 'a la mexicana' type meals. Cayenne peppers to grind to replace the crushed red peppers and powder I buy at the store. Maybe a habanero for some extra kick here and there.

    Some extra questions, here. Can the jalapenos be sliced, dried and rehydrated at a later date and still look/taste somewhat good? They'd be dried with seeds intact. If I chose to smoke them, considering the temp of our summers, could they dry enough that way or smoke, then dehydrate?

    I'd also like to find a pepper about the same size as jalapenos with no heat. My goal here is to make some ABTs without heat for people that are deathly afraid of the jalapenos. Any ideas for that?

    I'd like to try some others, but I'm not sure what will work best in this climate. The growing season will last until September, then frost could be a problem in October. I'm not really looking for incredible amounts of heat, though that's not a bad thing. I would like a nice variety for experimentation under the skilled hands of a master gardener. Any ideas would be most welcome.

    Thanks for the help.
    Jerry aka 5lakes

  • #2
    I was pretty happy with the serannos Smokin' Lee gave me a couple years back. Even got one potted and still alive waiting for (ahem) Spring....

    Good flavor, good heat and pretty hardy.
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    • #3
      I have grown several different peppers in the past with GREAT results.
      About 5 years ago, I had more long green chiles than I could use.

      I grow Japs every year. Last year I messed up my germination routine and had a crap harvest and the previous year, as you know, was just a bad growing season in S. Mn.

      This year I have paprikas, long greens, japs, habs, cayennes along with bells.

      I am going with Reimer seed company this year. They have a no heat Jap.
      for you. http://www.reimerseeds.com/fooled-yo...t-peppers.aspx

      Another great place for GOOD seeds is http://www.chilepepperinstitute.org/

      Your habanero can be grown in MN with good success. Best thing to do with them is to grow them in BIG pots or 5 gal buckets with drainage and bring them inside in the late fall after cutting them back. They will come back bigger the next few years as they are a perennial. Same thing with Cayenne.

      Get your seeds ordered SOON and start them indoors. I started mine today.
      Those Jiffy trays work great for starting seeds indoors. The kind with the little discs that look like checkers. Each tray holds 72. Set in a nice sunny location and transplant to larger 4" containers when time, then transplant to garden after the last frost.
      The habs, cayenne, japs will benefit from our hot humid Summer. (heat units)

      As far as drying out the japs, talk to ALX about that, he will give you some good ideas on that. We just pickle ours and use them on nachos
      https://youtu.be/ZcqprrIlbcIli

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      • #4
        Thanx guys. I ordered some of the Fooled You jalapenos. They will be perfect for later.
        Jerry aka 5lakes

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        • #5
          I live up in St Cloud. I have grown/attempted all kinds of peppers over the years. Japs, cayenne, hungarian, banana, are no problem. There is one called "salsa" chile that grows like mad in our climate. Something tells me it came out of the U of M. Its med heat, fleshy, and goes good in salsa. Either get started plants, or start them yourself asap. For whatever reason, I have never had good luck with Bell peppers, and most Mexican types. Just not the right growing season/temps/daylength here.
          Once you go Weber....you never call customer service....

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          • #6
            After dehydrating any pepper can be rehydrated in warm water etc..I rehydrat alot of my chile peppers when making sauces...







            I would suggest like mentioned a pickled and canned jalapeno if you want a less mushy texture then rehydrated.I have frozen them as well..My rehydrated peppers are almost always put in blender with other goodies etc...

            I cold smoke a variety of peppers a few hours and then dehydrate...Many ways to do it....I dehydrate probably 90% what i grow for powders used by our comp team(chile,bbq) and of course home use...

            Never grown as far north as you all...Even here i try to put out close to 1 foot tall plants by may 1st to get a jump...My season over by mid-late october...

            Like tood and rich mentioned overwintering in pots is great option to get a jump on season....Especialy slower growing/maturing peppers...

            Took me trial and error over 30 years as i had nothing to go on when i started in this region concerning chile peppers...Having folk who grow in your region will be a big plus...

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            • #7
              I grew some hots last year. i am getting away from some and concentrating on peppers that are mild in heat or good flavor. I do have some seeds that I would like to get rid of.

              If anyone is interested, send me a pm with a list of what you are looking for and I will see what I have.
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              • #8
                I might be wrong and some one please correct me if so.I think youu can string them up and hang them to let them dry
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                • #9
                  Originally posted by Jimh View Post
                  I might be wrong and some one please correct me if so.I think youu can string them up and hang them to let them dry
                  I tried stringin for years and gave up many moons back...Humidity..lack of dry climate...They can dry them on roofs in ChefRob land...

                  If you try drying peppers outside that climate on string..make sure you open em up and look for the white mold etc.inside..especialy long ,thick walled peppers...talk about opening a can of hurt..

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                  • #10
                    Had great luck with japs and a smaller fruited early bell peppers. best crop i have ever had. 2 5 gal buckets full of japs on 5 plants. oh and this is in southeast nodak.

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Norm70 View Post
                      Had great luck with japs and a smaller fruited early bell peppers. best crop i have ever had. 2 5 gal buckets full of japs on 5 plants. oh and this is in southeast nodak.
                      Sweet....Another thing i would add to thread is i grow every variety at least two seasons before i make final judgement on what grows best in my area etc...

                      i have prolly grown 200 plus variety of peppers and tomatoes and anything else over many decades...From prolly every well known and not well known seed company....

                      I never felt one year was good test,but if i dont like taste etc...then i ditch em...

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