PAPRIKA PEPPER (80 days)

Germ 10-14 days
Make paprika powder from mature peppers. Dry them by hanging or in a dehydrator and then crush and grind them with mortar and pestle or food processor. They are also good eaten fresh, with a mildly pungent, sweet flavor. This is the elongated type of paprika, turning from green to bright red. 20 seeds

PLANTING:

Indoors- Start 8-10 weeks before last frost, 1/4” deep with soil temperatures 70-80 degrees. Liquid fertilize seedlings every 7-10 days. Transplant 18” apart when danger of frost has passed and when soil is 65 degrees.

Harvest- Using a sharp instrument, pick first fruits when they reach usable size, this helps accelerate the growth of the other peppers on the plant. Leave some on to mature, to color and sweeten up.

Tips- Plant in fertile, well composted soil, mulch and provide adequate water. It helps to use row cover early in the season giving the plants extra warmth, especially in the north. Side dress when flowers begin to form.