With all that said, they’ve often been spicier since they’re stressed from growing in poor soil.
Temperature
Jalapenos don’t just taste hot, they like it hot, too. The temperatures should be consistently above 60°F at night and above 70°F during the day.
When it climbs above 100°F, the plants can become stressed.
I like to stick some shade cloth over them during these times, but sometimes I just make sure the soil remains moist and they generally do fine.
Since I live in a region with cool summers, I sometimes have to fake the heat. I use plastic tunnels and black mulch around my plants to help raise the temperature.
Watering
Peppers in general are easy when it comes to water – they like evenly moist soil. It should feel like a well-wrung-out sponge at all times, but not soggy.
The soil shouldn’t feel dry, either. However, if you want to try and stress the plants to make the fruits a bit spicier, go ahead and reduce water as the peppers are maturing.
As a rule of thumb, add water when the top inch of soil dries out.
And be sure to water at the soil level, not on the foliage. Damp foliage can attract fungal issues.
Fertilizing
Jalapenos are hungry plants. It’s best to keep them fed throughout the growing season using an all-purpose food.
Down to Earth All-Purpose
My favorite product is Down to Earth’s All-Purpose mix. It comes in one-, five-, and 15-pound boxes at Arbico Organics.
Cultivars to Select
Since most of the chilis that are grown commercially are used for processing rather than fresh eating, breeders have followed their demands for a more predictably mild chili.
Jalapenos have always been a bit unpredictable, with one plant giving you mouth-searingly hot and another offering bland fruits.
Breeders have been working to create a consistently mild fruit for commercial needs.
If you’re someone who prefers heat, look for an heirloom or a modern cultivar bred for it. If you prefer a milder jalapeno, you’ve got some great options.
Here are a few cultivars to get started:
Early
‘Early’ is my favorite for two reasons.
The first is that it’s spicy! Depending on the growing conditions, it is rated between 2,500 to 8,000 on the Scoville scale.
The second reason is that the fruits mature quickly, which is important if you live in a region with precious few hot days, which these peppers prefer.
‘Early’
The petite green fruits are ready in 65 days, though you’ll need to wait a few more weeks if you want to allow them to turn red.
This particular hottie was bred in Jalapa in the state of Veracruz, Mexico.
You can find seeds available at Botanical Interests.
Gigantia
‘Gigantia’ is one of the largest jalapenos out there, with each fruit growing over five inches long.
If you like to stuff or grill your peppers, this is the perfect choice. Not only are they huge, but they have thick walls as well.
‘Gigantia’
It takes about 70 days from transplanting for the fruits to mature to green and a few weeks more for them to turn red.
They can be anywhere from 2,000 to 6,000 on the Scoville scale.
You can find seeds in a variety of packet sizes at True Leaf Market.
Megatron
The name of this jalapeno takes me right back to my childhood when all I wanted was a Transformers toy for Christmas.
And true to its namesake, this pepper is a big one! Despite its chonky size, it’s ready early in about 65 days for green fruits.
‘Megatron’
It’s also as tough as Megatron, able to withstand tobamovirus and bacterial leaf spot.
As for the heat, it lands firmly in the center of the jalapeno scale at about 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville units.
You can pick up packets of 10 seeds at Botanical Interests.
NuMex Lemon Spice
Brought to us by the Chile Pepper Institute in New Mexico, ‘NuMex Lemon Spice’ stands out from the pack because the ripe fruits are bright yellow.
The flavor has just a hint of citrus, matching its lemon-yellow hue.
You can enjoy the peppers young and green or let them mature to their sunny yellow color, when they’ll have a moderate 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville Units of heat.
‘NuMex Lemon Spice’
They’ll be ready for harvest in about 70 days after transplanting.
You can find ‘Numex Lemon Spice’ seeds available at Botanical Interests.
Purples
I’m such a sucker for deep purple veggies. It’s completely visual.
I just like the color, but they also contain pigments called anthocyanins, so they’re healthier for you than your average greenie.
‘Purples’ requires patience because it takes 75 days from transplant before you can harvest the young fruits and even longer for them to turn deep purple.
‘Purples’
But if you can manage the wait, you’ll be treated to gorgeous mild to medium heat – 2,000 to 8,000 SHU.
You can find seeds available in a variety of packet sizes at True Leaf Market.
TAM
‘TAM’ was bred by Texas A&M (hence the name) to be mild, mild, mild. The plant is high yielding with lots of medium-sized peppers that lack heat but have oodles of jalapeno flavor.
‘TAM’
They’re ready in about 70 days for green peppers, with a Scoville Heat Unit rating of about 1,500, which is similar to a poblano. This, of course, can vary.
If mild is your jam, you can find seeds available at True Leaf Market.
Managing Pests and Disease
The good news when it comes to pests is that most herbivores like deer and rabbits do not tend to munch on chilis.
The exception is birds, as they aren’t sensitive to the capsaicin in hot peppers.
If you want to avoid birds eating your harvest, just toss a net over your plants as the fruits are ripening.
Insects are another issue entirely. There are many that feed on jalapenos, including aphids, armyworms, various beetles, cutworms, weevils, spider mites, and thrips.
Our guide to pepper pests will walk you through how to identify and control common insect annoyances.