Poblano Ancho Grande Hot Pepper Seeds

Start Ancho Hot Pepper seeds indoors 6–8 weeks before your last frost date. Pepper seeds germinate slowly in cool conditions, so if you start them directly outdoors you will lose half of the season. Sow ¼ inch deep in moist seed-starting mix and keep soil temperature between 75–85°F with a heat mat underneath. Germination takes 7–14 days. Once seedlings are up, they need 14–16 hours of light daily, so choose the east facing window, or put grow lights. Move seedlings outdoors only when temperatures stay consistently above 55°F.

Poblano Ancho Hot Peppers thrive in full sun, so make sure your plants get  6-8 hours of direct light per day. Peppers prefer loose, well-draining sandy loam with pH 6.5. Water deeply once or twice a week, around 1–2 inches total, and let the top inch of soil dry slightly between sessions. Mulch around the base to hold moisture and keep the soil temperature from swinging too much. Fertilize every 4–6 weeks with a balanced vegetable formula, then shift to low-nitrogen fertilizer once flowering starts. Plant seedlings 18–24 inches apart, with 24–36 inches between rows.

Stake the plants once they hit around 18 inches. Harden seedlings off for 7–10 days before moving them outside. For fresh green Poblano Ancho Peppers, harvest when the fruits are firm and full-sized. For dried Ancho Peppers, leave them on the plant until they turn fully red, then pull and dry in a warm spot with good airflow.