How to Grow Tabasco

Starting the Seeds

• 1

  Fill six-cell pack containers with germinating potting soil. Level the soil with your hands so it is even with the rim of the packs. Cell pack containers are sold in most garden supply stores, in catalogs and online.

• 2

  Sow one seed in the center of each cell. Cover the seeds with a fourth inch of potting soil. Tamp the soil lightly so the seeds have good contact with the soil.

• 3

  Water the soil thoroughly. Use a spray bottle to moisten the top. Fill a plastic tub with 2 1/2 to 3 inches of water, and then place the cell packs inside the tub. The water level should not go above the rim of the cell packs. Leave the cell packs in the water until the soil is visibly wet. Check every 10 to 15 minutes.

• 4

  Remove the cell packs, and place them on a drainage rack to allow the excess water to drain from the bottom. When the cell packs are done draining, place them in a tray for easier carrying.

• 5

  Cover the seeding cell packs with clear plastic. The plastic helps the soil retain moisture so the seeds will germinate.

• 6

  Place the tray holding the cell packs in a warm location like the top of the refrigerator. You can also place them on top of a heat mat set at 70 degrees.

• 7

  Check the soil every day for moisture. The soil needs to be kept moist but not soggy. Water when the soil is dry. The seeds should germinate in about 10 days.

• 8

  Remove the plastic when the seeds have germinated, and move the pepper plants to a sunny window. They need bright light and warm temperatures to thrive.

Preparing the Garden Site

• 9

  Use a tiller or garden fork to dig up an area that gets full sun at least six hours a day. Amend the soil with 3 inches of compost to lighten and improve the drainage. Level the soil with the back of a garden rake. Remove any sticks, rocks or dirt clods.

• 10

  Harden the pepper plants one week before you put them in the ground. The daytime temperature should be at least 70 degrees. Find a protected area like by a tree or on your patio or deck, but do not place them in direct sunlight. Take the plants outdoors, and leave them for an hour the first day. Continue taking them outside every day, increasing the exposure time an hour each day over seven days.

• 11

  Use a trowel to dig planting holes that are the same size as the root balls of the pepper plants. Space the planting holes 18 to 24 inches apart.

• 12

  Remove each tabasco pepper from the nursery pot, being careful not to disturb the root ball. Insert the root ball in the planting hole, and firm the soil around the root ball with your hands.

• 13

  Water the soil thoroughly, to a depth of 6 inches. Keep the soil evenly moist by providing an inch of water each week to your peppers. When the weather is over 80 degrees or if there has been a lot of wind, water more often. Insert your finger into the soil up to the first knuckle. If the soil is dry, it is time to water.

• 14

  Lay a 3-inch layer of mulch around the pepper plants. Mulch helps the soil stay moist and controls weeds. Pull up weeds as you spot them. Weeds rob the pepper plants of moisture and nutrients.

• 15

  Fertilize with time-released fertilizer after the plants have set fruit. Mix and apply according to label directions.

• 16

  Inspect the plants for aphids and white flies. If you notice these bugs, spray all areas of the plants with an insecticidal soap. Mix and apply according to label directions. Do not spray the plants with the insecticidal solution when the sun is shining on them. The leaves could burn. Repeat as indicated on the label directions.