A vegetable garden would be incomplete without peppers. There is nothing like the complexly spicy and sweet bite of the bright, delicious plant. Though most people opt for the familiar bell pepper, there are a world of options when it comes to growing chili peppers. Martha Stewart just shed light on a novel variety: the Biquinho pepper.
The media mogul took to Instagram to showcase her most recent harvest, revealing the process of preserving the teardrop-shaped chilies. Martha states: 'My tiny sharp/sweet /spicy Biquinho peppers were harvested yesterday before the frost and I pickled them using my own recipe today. Five pints!!'
These mild peppers hail from Brazil, and are named for their unique 'little beak' shape. As Martha demonstrates, they are perfect for anyone who wants to add a touch of whimsy to their vegetable garden. With Biquinho pepper seeds from $8 at Amazon, they are extremely accessible to purchase.
Drew Swainston, master gardener, explains: 'If you are looking for a more unique chilli, biquinho peppers can certainly fit the bill. They are teardrop-shaped fruits with a little bit of heat, but not too much, and the bite-sized peppers are ideal for preserves or topping pizzas.'
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Luckily, growing this unique type of chili pepper is easier than you might think. Act fast though, as the growing season starts soon.
Drew advises: 'Peppers have a long growing season, so start them off indoors in the spring. You can start planting as early as January or February, but you will need additional heat and grow lights if you do so this soon. Soaking chilli seeds can help speed up germination, and you want to give them temperatures around 70°F to guarantee good germination.'
He continues: 'You can grow chilli peppers outdoors in warmer climates, while growers elsewhere often cultivate them in a greenhouse. Keep plants well-watered, and regularly feed them with a tomato fertilizer every week or two once they start flowering.'
Bringing in unique and interesting vegeabltes is just one way to make planting more fun. These additions instantly make your vegetable garden feel like an interesting experiment.
