Pepper, Jalapeno M

Grow thick-walled green-to-red Jalapeno M peppers for salsa, pickling, and fresh meals.

Thick-walled fruit for the kitchen

Jalapeno M produces compact peppers about 2 3/4 inches long and 1 inch wide. The thick walls give you plenty to chop for salsa, slice into pickled rings, or stuff for a hot appetizer. Fruit starts green and turns red as it matures. The plants reach maturity in roughly 75 days. Pick green peppers for the familiar jalapeno look in salsa, or leave some on the plant to ripen fully and develop their mature color.

Start peppers in warm weather

Pepper seedlings dislike frost and cold, wet ground. Start seed indoors late in winter or set transplants outside after the soil and nights warm. Choose a sunny bed with well-drained soil and steady moisture. Set plants about 18 to 24 inches apart in a row so leaves can dry after rain and fruit is easy to reach. Water during dry periods, especially once flowers and young peppers appear. Mulch helps steady soil moisture and keeps weeds from crowding the plants.

Pick green or let fruit turn red

Cut peppers from the plant with pruners or a clean knife rather than tugging on the branches. Harvest green fruit for fresh chopping and pickling. Leave selected peppers to turn red if you want fully colored fruit. A pepper plant can carry flowers and fruit at once, so check it regularly and remove ready peppers without crushing nearby growth. Keep the harvest dry and cool until you are ready to wash and prepare it.

Use the whole crop

Jalapeno M fits a small batch of salsa or a jar of refrigerator pickles. Dice a little into beans, eggs, or cornbread batter when you want a sharper bite. For a simple stuffed pepper, halve the fruit lengthwise and remove the seeds before filling. The thick walls hold their shape while cooking. Keep gloves nearby if you are sensitive to hot pepper juice, and wash the knife and cutting board after handling.