• To not miss anything and get all the information to succeed in your pepper planting, check out our Ultimate Chili Pepper Growing Guide

The Aji Rico Pepper is a very special hybrid pepper that has won several awards in competitions. It's a pepper of the Baccatum species that has a rapid maturity phase (approximately 75 days after transplanting). It's a pepper with a lemony taste that can be consumed both green and red and works wonders in cooking. Moreover, it's ideal for growing in Europe as it's more resistant to cold than other peppers. Rated between 1,000 and 5,000 on the Scoville scale, it's a very mild pepper. The plant can reach 90cm in height and its fruit is harvested once red.

• heat level: 1,000 to 5,000 on the Scoville scale.
• plant height: approximately 90 cm.
• medium-sized fruit, approximately 5cm long.
• fruit color: Green during growth, Red at maturity.
• genus: Capsicum Baccatum.
• ideal germination: between January and April.
• harvest: between September and November.

What Equipment Do I Need for Growing My Peppers?

To optimize your results, we recommend equipping yourself with:

Aji Rico Pepper Seeds.
An enclosed growing space such as a mini greenhouse.
Coco coir pellets, peat, or cotton (to germinate the seeds).
Labels (to avoid mixing up your seedlings).
Potting soil (ideally a mixture of 50% black peat and 50% blonde peat) or special flowering potting soil, which will also work.
Fertilizer for Peppers or Tomatoes, or 5-5-10 fertilizer for those in the know.
A water sprayer or watering can.
Gloves (if you don't like the feel of soil).
Pots with a diameter of 7 or 8 cm at first, before using 10-liter pots or larger depending on the pepper for transplanting

To make your life easier, we offer our mini greenhouse for growing your peppers.

How to Germinate My Chili Seeds?

Planting Chili Peppers is a process that requires patience and some knowledge, but don't panic, we'll explain everything you need to know to germinate your chili seeds!

Chili seedlings are typically started at the beginning of the year, generally between January at the earliest and March for the beginning of spring. To do this, you'll need the equipment listed above.

You then have 2 options:
Plant your seed directly in a pot full of potting soil at a depth of half a centimeter
Place a seed on a coco coir pellet or on a piece of cotton.

In both cases, once the seed is in place, you'll need to spray enough water to moisten the soil or cotton without soaking it, then place your coco coir pellet or cotton in a container like a mini greenhouse that will retain heat and humidity, thus providing oxygen. If you're using a flower pot, you can simply stretch plastic wrap over it and make small holes with a toothpick to oxygenate the plant.

The ideal is to maintain a constant temperature of 28 degrees. You can store your container behind a sunny window, on or near a radiator, or on a heating mat or heating pad designed for this purpose.

OUR TIP:

Place your mini greenhouse on your internet router!

Remember to ventilate your growing area from time to time to prevent the appearance of fungi while keeping the soil moist. Once the first leaves appear, you'll need to be careful to give your seedlings enough sunlight for 12 to 14 hours per day. Once the second set of leaves is well developed, you can then transplant them.

Once potted, keep your plant near a heat source and exposed to sunlight (ideally try to filter the light to avoid heat stress).

After the Ice Saints around mid-May, you can move your plant outdoors and plant your chili in the ground if you wish, or leave it in a pot and place it on a balcony, a windowsill, or even along a wall, preferably on the south side.

How to Water My Aji Rico Pepper?

When watering your Aji Rico pepper, be careful not to overwater. Too much water can drown the plant and lead to its demise. You simply need to let the soil dry between each watering to prevent insect proliferation and drowning of the plant.

Once the plant is well developed (once your plant reaches about thirty centimeters), you can cause water stress by stopping watering the plant for several days before resuming watering (however, be careful not to overuse this technique, as it would be a shame to let your pepper plant die).

How to Properly Prepare My Harvest?

Once your pepper plant is in place, here are our tips to optimize your future harvest:

When your pepper plant reaches a height of 15 to 20 cm, you can pinch the top of the stem (without breaking it), which should allow the plant to grow bushier and produce a little more.

If flowering is early for one of your plants, remove the first flowers to prevent them from demanding too much energy from the plant.

If your pepper plant is outdoors, insects will take care of pollinating the plant, which will then produce peppers. If your plant is indoors, you'll need to do this manually: take your clean finger and rub it lightly against each flower, from one to another.

Don't hesitate to use a bamboo stake or rod to support your plant.

When to Harvest My Aji Rico Pepper?

To harvest your Aji Rico pepper, as with others, you'll need to watch its color! This pepper is harvested once it turns Red.