• To not miss anything and get all the information you need to successfully grow chili peppers, check out our Ultimate Chili Pepper Growing Guide

The Scotch Bonnet pepper, also known as the Martinique pepper, is a hot chili (between 150,000 and 325,000 on the Scoville scale) that resembles the Habanero pepper but has a slightly different taste. It is the key chili of Jamaican cuisine that gives Jamaican and Caribbean dishes their distinctive flavor. We love using it in our Jamaican Jerk.

• heat: 150,000 to 325,000 on the Scoville scale.
• plant height approximately 75 cm.
• medium-sized fruit, approximately 6cm long.
• fruit color: Green during growth, Red when ripe.
• genus: Capsicum Chinense.
• ideal germination: between January and April.
• harvest: between September and November.

What Equipment do I need to grow my chili peppers?

To optimize your results, we recommend equipping yourself with:

Red Scotch Bonnet Chili Pepper Seeds.
A closed growing space such as a mini greenhouse.
Coconut pellets, peat or cotton (to germinate the seeds).
Labels (to avoid mixing up your seedlings).
Potting soil (ideally a mix of 50% black peat and 50% blonde peat) or a special flowering potting mix which will also do the job.
Fertilizer for Chili Peppers or Tomatoes, or 5 5 10 fertilizer for the knowledgeable grower.
A water sprayer or a watering can.
Gloves (if you don't like contact with soil).
Pots with a diameter of 7 or 8 cm at the start before moving to 10-liter or larger pots depending on the pepper for repotting

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

How to Germinate my Chili Pepper Seeds?

Growing 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 pepper seeds!

Chili pepper seedlings are generally started at the beginning of the year, between January at the earliest and March for the start of spring. To do so, 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 depth
Place a seed on a coconut 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 the cotton without soaking it, then place your coconut pellet or cotton in a container like a mini greenhouse which will retain heat and humidity, thus providing oxygen. If you use 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 top of your internet router!

Remember to occasionally ventilate your growing space to prevent the appearance of fungi while keeping the soil moist. Once the first leaves appear, you will need to make sure your seedlings get enough sunlight for 12 to 14 hours per day. Once the second set of leaves is well developed, you can then repot them.

Once in a pot, keep your plant near a heat source and exposed to the sun (ideally try to filter the light to protect it from heat spikes).

After the Ice Saints around mid-May, you can move your plant outside and plant your chili pepper 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 Red Scotch Bonnet Chili Pepper?

When watering your Red Scotch Bonnet chili pepper, pay attention to overwatering — too much water can drown the plant and lead to its death. You will simply need to let the soil dry out between each watering to prevent the spread of insects and the 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 (be careful not to overuse this technique, as it would be a shame to let your chili pepper plant die).

How to prepare my harvest properly?

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

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

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

If your chili pepper plant is outdoors, insects will take care of pollinating it and it will then produce peppers. If your plant is indoors, you will need to do this manually — use a clean finger and gently rub it against each flower from one to another.

Feel free to use a bamboo stake or rod to support your plant.

When to harvest my Red Scotch Bonnet Chili Pepper?

To harvest your Red Scotch Bonnet chili pepper, as with others, you need to check its color! This pepper is harvested once it is Red.