User Name
Password
 |
|
       |
How to grow Knockout Roses and Herbs How to control Leaf Cutter Ants Pine Trees and Customer Service How to put Tourist Farms on the Map How to control Snakes in the Garden
|
Questions and Answers:Q. My husband loves hot peppers and I am trying to find him seeds for the hottest pepper possible. Can you help? A. Peppers are rated in the Scoville heat units (SHU) that indicate the amount of capsaicin present in a pepper. The scale is based on the amount of sugar water added to a pepper extract that is needed until the pepper’s heat is no longer detectible by five tasters. So, a bell pepper has a rating of zero because no dilution is required to remove the heat, and a solution from a really hot pepper such as a habanera may need to be diluted up to 200,000 times, so the heat scale rating would be 200,000. Pure capsaicin has a rating of 15-16 million. Capsaicin is used by the military as a weapon because it is so irritating to humans. The hotness of peppers can vary due to growing conditions, but growing temperatures over 90 degrees is beneficial if you like your chile peppers hot. Common peppers that we are familiar with fall into the following order from the lowest to highest heat rating: Bell, Pimento, Pepperoncini, Poblano, Ancho, Anaheim, Numex Big Jim, Jalapeno, Chipolte, Hot Wax, Serrano, Aji, Tabasco, Cayenne, Chile Piquin, Thai, Bird’s Eye, Orange Habenera, Chocolate Habenero, Red Habenero, and the hottest of all, Naga Jolokia. In India the Naga Jolokia pepper is smeared on fences and used in smoke bombs to keep wild elephants at a distance. Seeds can be purchased on-line from www.nagaseeds.org. The best food or drink to consume if you overdo it with peppers is ice cream or milk, although they can relieve the burn in your mouth from a hot pepper, they can’t undo any damage to your digestive system. Removing the seeds from a hot pepper before eating takes out a lot of the heat. Q. My salvias are looking ragged. Can I trim them back? A. Salvias can be pruned to shape this time of year to remove spent blooms and encourage a flush of blooms in the fall. You can cut back by as much as one-third or more if there is disease or pests present. My indigo spires salvia got mealy bugs on the leaves and I cut it to 6 inches above the ground and it is coming back just fine. Any time your remove diseased foliage or limbs from a tree or shrub, throw the pruned limbs away, keeping them around the garden or mulch pile will invite further problems. Q. When do I plant pumpkins for fall harvest? A. Pumpkins need 100 days to produce, so plant anytime between now and August 10. Q. Should I be worried that our county commissioners are voting against a burn ban during this terrible drought? A. I would be more worried that my car wouldn’t start on voting day. Q. A few weeks ago you wrote about growing onions and I can’t find a good source for onion transplants. Can you help? A. I’ve found an excellent source for onion transplants. It is: Dixondale farms, PO Box 129, Department WPO8, Carrizo Springs, Texas 78834-6129, 877-367-1015, or www.dixondalefarms.com. Q. My hibiscus plants are looking weak and I’m not sure what fertilizer to put on them. A. The American Hibiscus Society recommends a 7-2-7 or 10-2-4 fertilizer. There are some fertilizers that are labeled specifically for hibiscus. Use the recommended rates, especially if growing in containers, because you can burn them up quickly if you use too much. Click Here to Ask Me a Gardening Question
|
Subscribe to our on-line Newsletter by sending us your E-mail address here.
What are the lastest Landscaping Trends How to Plant Fruit and Nut Trees How to care for Holiday Plants How to care for Mother's Day Gifts What are common Shrub Diseases
|
|
| Feature Articles | Feature Articles | Featured Articles |
| Read all my Articles on E-how.com | Read all my Articles on Gardenguides.com | Read all my Articles on Examiner.com |
 |
 |
 |
| Copyright © 2009. The Big Lump Gardener. All rights reserved. |
| Home | Find an Article | Ask a Gardening Question | Privacy Policy | My Favorites | Blog | Contact Us |
