Ghost Pepper Seeds

Days to Maturity: 110

The hottest of hot peppers. These thin walled and wrinkled peppers are some of the hottest in the world. Ghost peppers are certified by the Guinness World Records to be 400 times hotter than Tabasco sauce and are rated at more than 1 million Scoville Heat Units. Ghost pepper plants love heat and humidity and has a long growing season.

The most common pests you'll find on your peppers are spider mites and aphids, with an occasional borer. You can get rid of them with the use of an organic insecticide or dust. Onions will also help repel aphids. As far as diseases go, peppers tend to be susceptible to the same problems as tomatoes. They can also get fungal infections, which can be treated with a fungicide. Treat your plants as soon as you see a problem.

High temperatures and low humidity can cause pepper plants to lose their blossoms. In turn, cool weather can keep them from flowering. Deep cultivation can also cause blossoms to drop, as it can induce water stress if feeder roots are cut.

Sow indoors at 75 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Start them 6 to 8 weeks before night temperatures remain above 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Seeds can also be sown outdoors when the soil remains above 65 degrees Fahrenheit in early summer. Indoors and out, sow at a depth of 4 times the size of the seeds and expect germination in 10 to 15 days. Plants will bear fruit in 50 to 80 days after sowing.