How to Grow a Piquin Plant

Chile pequin is another name for cayenne pepper.

The pequin plant (Capsicum annum) or cayenne pepper, which is an annual pepper used to spice dishes up while cooking. This plant can grow up to 1 1/2 feet tall with a spread from 1 to 2 feet and is considered well-behaved in the garden. Whether you want to grow a pequin plant for cooking or for strictly ornamental purposes, growing a pequin plant is a task even a novice gardener can handle.

Things You'll Need

• Seeds
• Small, indoor containers
• Well-drained soil
• 5-10-10 fertilizer

Instructions

1. Sow the seeds of the pequin plant indoors six to eight weeks prior to the last frost of the spring.

2. Reduce the growing temperature from the 75 to 80 degree Fahrenheit range to the 65 to 70 degree range after the seeds have germinated, which takes between seven and 10 days.

3. Choose a location to plant the seeds with well-drained soil. This plant can grow in sun, shade or partial shade.

4. Fertilize the soil prior to planting the seeds with 5-10-10 fertilizer using 3 lbs. per 100 square feet of soil.

5. Plant the seeds in rows with 12 inches of space in between and space rows 3 feet apart.

6. Water soil to ensure the top 6 inches of soil are moist and repeat when the top layer is becoming dry.

References

• Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center: Capsicum annuum L.
• Cornell University: Pepper, Ornamental
• Clemson University: Pepper