Ancho

SKU: PP643
Ancho's broad-shouldered tapered peppers are 10-13cm (4-5") long with a rich and mild flavour. In its fresh form (called poblano) these peppers are a very dark, glossy green and roasted and stuffed for chili rellenos. Read More

Exposure Full-sun

Matures in 80 days

Season Warm season

Seed type OP ?

Average Seeds Per Gram 105 ?

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Ancho

Product Details

Heart-shaped poblano peppers are 10-13cm (4-5") long with a mildly pungent and slightly sweet taste. In its fresh form (called "poblano") Anchos are a very dark, glossy green and are used roasted and stuffed for rellenos (remove skin after roasting). When reddish-brown and dried (called ancho) it is used to make chili powder and mole sauce. Ancho pepper seeds produce plants with lots of high quality, dark-green peppers that turn red. Plants are fairly large, so if you'd like to grow in containers, provide ample root space in 5-gallon or larer pots. Milder than jalapenos at 1,000 - 2,000 SHU's.

Quick Facts:

    • Mildly pungent and slightly sweet taste
    • Dark, glossy green peppers that ripen to red
    • Open-pollinated seeds
    • Matures in 80 days

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All About Ancho

Latin

Latin
Capsicum annuum, C. baccatum, and C. chinense
Family: Solanaceae

Difficulty

Difficulty
Moderately difficult

Season & Zone

Season & Zone
Season: Warm season.
Exposure: Full-sun

Timing

Timing
Peppers need plenty of time to mature before they will bloom and set fruit. Start indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost date, and grow under bright lights. Transplant only when weather has really warmed up. Night time low temperatures should be consistently above 12°C (55°F) before hardening off pepper plants and transplanting outdoors. Soil temperature for germination: 25-29°C (78-85°F). Seeds should sprout in 10 – 21 days.

Starting

Starting
Sow indoors 5mm-1cm (¼-½”) deep. Keep soil as warm as possible. Seedling heating mats speed germination. Try to keep seedlings at 18-24°C (64-75°F) in the day, and 16-18°C (61-64°F) at night. Before they become root-bound, transplant them into 8cm (3″) pots. For greatest possible flower set, try to keep them for 4 weeks at night, about 12°C (55°F). Then transplant them into 15cm (6″) pots, bringing them into a warm room at night, about 21°C (70°F).

Days to Maturity

Days to Maturity: From transplant date.

Growing

Growing
Soil should have abundant phosphorus and calcium, so add lime and compost to the bed at least three weeks prior to transplanting. Mix ½ cup of balanced organic fertilizer beneath each plant. Though peppers will tolerate dry soil, they will only put on good growth if kept moist. Harden off before planting out 30-60cm (12-24″) apart. Five gallon containers also work well, but require good drainage and regular irrigation. Using plastic mulch with a cloche can increase the temperature by a few degrees. Pinch back growing tips to encourage leaf production. This helps shade the developing fruits and prevents sun-scald in hot summers.

Harvest

Harvest
Fruit can be picked once it is firm and has reached desired size, however, sweetness can increase dramatically as the fruit ripens. If you pick the peppers when they are still young/green, the plant will keep producing more fruit. Fruit that sets after late August will not usually develop or ripen. Pull out the entire bush just before the first frost and hang it upside down in a warm, dry place to ripen hot peppers. 

Seed Info

Seed Info
In optimal conditions at least 65% of seeds will germinate. Usual seed life: 2 years.

Diseases & Pests

Diseases & Pests
To prevent rot and wilt, plant in well-drained soils and follow a strict 4-year crop rotation.

If cutworms are a problem, use paper collars at the plant base. Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV): young growth is malformed and leaves are mottled with yellow. To prevent it: wash hands after handling tobacco (including Nicotiana), before touching peppers. Control aphids, which spread the disease.

Companion Planting

Companion Planting
Pepper plants make good neighbours for asparagus, basil, carrots, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, oregano, parsley, rosemary, squash, Swiss chard, and tomatoes. Avoid planting them next to beans, Brassicas, or fennel.

More on Companion Planting.
Read more About Peppers.

How to Grow Hot Peppers

Step 1

Timing

Peppers need plenty of time to mature before they will bloom and set fruit. Start indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost date, and grow under bright lights. Transplant only when weather has really warmed up. Night time low temperatures should be consistently above 12°C (55°F) before hardening off pepper plants and transplanting outdoors. Soil temperature for germination: 25-29°C (78-85°F). Seeds should sprout in 10 – 21 days.

Step 2

Starting

Sow indoors 5mm-1cm (¼-½”) deep. Keep soil as warm as possible. Seedling heating mats speed germination. Try to keep seedlings at 18-24°C (64-75°F) in the day, and 16-18°C (61-64°F) at night. Before they become root-bound, transplant them into 8cm (3″) pots. For greatest possible flower set, try to keep them for 4 weeks at night, about 12°C (55°F). Then transplant them into 15cm (6″) pots, bringing them into a warm room at night, about 21°C (70°F).

Step 3

Growing

Soil should have abundant phosphorus and calcium, so add lime and compost to the bed at least three weeks prior to transplanting. Mix ½ cup of balanced organic fertilizer beneath each plant. Though peppers will tolerate dry soil, they will only put on good growth if kept moist. Harden off before planting out 30-60cm (12-24″) apart. Five gallon containers also work well, but require good drainage and regular irrigation. Using plastic mulch with a cloche can increase the temperature by a few degrees. Pinch back growing tips to encourage leaf production. This helps shade the developing fruits and prevents sun-scald in hot summers.

Step 4

Germination

Days to maturity: From transplant date.

In optimal conditions at least 65% of seeds will germinate. Usual seed life: 2 years.

Step 5

Harvest

When the fruit is large and firm it is ready to pick. Or wait for the fruit to ripen further turning red, yellow, brown, or purple. The sweetness and vitamin C content go up dramatically as the fruit changes colour. If you pick green, the total numbers of peppers harvested will increase. Fruit that sets after late August will not usually develop or ripen. Pull out the entire bush just before the first frost and hang it upside down in a warm, dry place to ripen hot peppers. 

Tips

Disease & Pests

To prevent rot and wilt, plant in well-drained soils and follow a strict 4-year crop rotation.If cutworms are a problem, use paper collars at the plant base. Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV): young growth is malformed and leaves are mottled with yellow. To prevent it: wash hands after handling tobacco (including Nicotiana), before touching peppers. Control aphids, which spread the disease.

Companion Planting

Pepper plants make good neighbours for asparagus, basil, carrots, cucumbers, eggplant, endive, oregano, parsley, rosemary, squash, Swiss chard, and tomatoes. Avoid planting them next to beans, Brassicas, or fennel.

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