AJI DE JARDIN, Pepper Seeds ,Capsicum annuum, edible ornamental peppers Caribbeangardenseed

Aji De Jardin Chilli Seeds. The Aji De Jardin is a truly magnificent addition to any garden, balcony or plant pot. The Aji de Jardin belongs to the Capsicum Annuum family of plants. It has striking purple/green foliage with beautiful and striking purple flowers. The plant is a medium – large size plant, so good for the garden and suitable for pots. It does have a tendency to grow very vertical in our experience, so definitely a plant that would suit topping and cutting back to generate a more bushy growth.

Pods on this plant are teardrop shaped and grow facing upward (facing heaven), ripening from purple to orange and ultimately a lovely dark red. The pods create a lovely spectrum of those colors while fruiting throughout the season, which does give this plant huge ornamental/esthetic appeal. Pods do have flavor and heat, so this variety is not just ornamental and definitely can be used for culinary applications.

Pods have a typically annuum style heat and burn. The heat on the ripe pods is around 7,000 – 15,000 SHU. The burn is a nice peppery and lingering burn and weighted towards the back of the throat. Ripe pods are soft to the touch and have a soft texture to them when fully ripe, although the skin has a tendency to be a little tough. Pods have a medium thickness that is soft and not crunchy as one might expect. The aroma from the pods is herbaceous with a faint fruitiness. The flavour of the pods is peppery with a hint of tomato. All in all actually a very pleasant chilli that could be used fresh for salsas and in cooking. These pods would also lend themselves to drying and would create a really super chilli powder or flakes in our mind.

Sow seeds indoors ¼” deep. Peppers germinate best in warm soil, so gentle bottom heat may be helpful until seedlings emerge. Wait to transplant outdoors until soil is warm.

Sow seeds indoors ¼” deep. Peppers germinate best in warm soil, so gentle bottom heat may be helpful until seedlings emerge. Wait to transplant outdoors until soil is warm.
Pepper varieties come from tropical humid regions. The temperature, moisture, and air circulation all play a role in growing plants from seeds. Too little heat, too much moisture, and lack of air circulation will cause poor results. Do not use jiffy peat pots, plugs, or potting soil as the soil becomes too dry or too wet, which can lead to disease and fungus. We have experienced disease and low germination when using these types of products. Use Organic Seed Starting Material for best germination results.

Peppers often like to take their sweet time germinating. They can be up in a week, and some will take almost a month. Even with paper towel germination testing, they can take long. I am not sure why, but it is a normal occurrence. So plan and make sure you start them early enough! Also, remember they like heat to germinate so make sure you have a heating mat or something to keep the soil warm. Placing them up on top of the fridge often works too since it is normally warmer up there.

Growing Peppers:

Peppers, like tomatoes, grow in well-drained fertile soil. Almost all peppers have the same requirements for successful growth. Plant them in good, well-drained, fertile soil – and make sure they get lots of sunlight and a good inch of water per week. In many ways, they mimic the same requirements needed for growing great tomatoes.

At Planting Time:

We plant all of our peppers with a good shovel full of compost in the planting hole, and then give them a good dose of compost tea every few weeks for the first 6 weeks of growth. We also mulch around each of our pepper plants with a good 1 to 2″ thick layer of compost.

Growing Hot Peppers in Containers
Peppers can be grown all year long in containers. It is suitable for apartment dwellers and gardeners who live in cool regions where the number of growing days are limited. Many pepper enthusiast grow peppers in pots so they can have fresh peppers all year long. It’s best to use 5 gallon containers so the roots do not get too over-crowded

Soil Requirements:
Requires fertile soil in a well drained location in the garden. Apply much and grass clippings, or straw around base of plant.

Water Requirements:
Water well with soaker hoses during dry and hot spells.

Fertilizer Requirements:
Use RootBlast, Vegetable Alive, and Slow Release Fertilizer when transplanting outdoors. Apply Miracle Gro every two weeks.

Harvest Tips:
Harvest hot peppers when they are fully mature using a garden scissor so you don’t damage the plant. Pick peppers as they mature to encourage new buds to form.