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

The Chicken Hat pepper is a new Baccatum variety in the Aji family, known for its exceptional flavor. It has thick, almost juicy flesh, ripens from green to orange and can reach 8 cm long when mature. It has a moderate heat level. Ideally, germinate the seeds between January and March. The plant is sensitive to frost, so keep it in a pot indoors until the risk has passed.

• heat level: 120,000 on the Scoville scale.
• plant size approximately 90 cm.
• medium-sized fruit, approximately 8 cm long.
• fruit color: Green during growth, Orange at maturity.
• species: Capsicum Baccatum.
• ideal germination: between January and March.
• harvest: between September and November.

What equipment for growing my peppers?

For the best results, we recommend having the following on hand:

Chicken Hat pepper seeds.
An enclosed growing space, such as a mini greenhouse.
Coconut coir pellets, peat or cotton (to germinate the seeds).
Labels (so you don’t mix up your seedlings).
Potting mix (ideally 50% black peat and 50% light peat), or a flowering potting mix, which will also work.
Pepper or tomato fertilizer, or 5-5-10 fertilizer for those in the know.
A spray bottle or watering can.
Gloves (if you don’t like getting soil on your hands).
Pots 7 or 8 cm in diameter to start with, followed by pots of 10 liters or more, depending on the pepper, when it’s time to repot.

To make things easier, we offer a mini greenhouse for growing your peppers.

How to Germinate my Pepper Seeds?

Growing 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 pepper seeds!

Pepper sowing is done at the beginning of the year, generally between January at the earliest and March for the beginning of spring. To do this, you will need the equipment listed above.

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

In both cases, once the seed is in place, you will 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 are 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 designed for this purpose.

OUR TIP:

Place your mini greenhouse on your internet router!

Remember to air out your growing area from time to time to prevent the appearance of fungi while keeping the soil moist. Once the first leaves appear, you will need to make sure 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 in a pot, 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 pepper in the ground if you wish, or leave it in a pot and place it on a balcony, a window sill, or even along a wall, preferably on the south side.

How should I water my Chicken Hat pepper?

When watering your pepper, be careful not to overwater it. Too much water can drown and kill the plant. Simply let the soil dry out between waterings to help prevent insect infestations and waterlogging.

Once the plant is well established (at around 30 cm tall), you can induce water stress by not watering it for several days before resuming. Be careful not to overdo it, though—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 will 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 should I harvest my Chicken Hat peppers?

As with other peppers, check the color to know when to harvest! Pick this pepper when it turns orange or red, depending on your preference.