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Growing Jimmy Nardello Peppers in the Vegetable Garden

To grow your peppers, prepare your seed starting trays and plant the seeds. Start the process about 6-8 weeks before your last spring frost date. Prepare your trays with either a well-draining soil or a seed starting mix like Minute Soil Coco Clair. The seeds should be planted about 0.25 inches deep. Make sure the soil stays moist, but don’t overwater your seeds. You can stick your pinky into the soil to see if it is dry below the surface. If it is, then give your plants a little water, but make sure you don’t overwater them. Plant the seeds in this soil in a seed starting tray and keep it in a very warm area, somewhere around 80-90 F. You can use a grow light to keep this area warmer. The seedlings should emerge within 7-10 days. After they are a few inches tall, you can plant them in the garden or in planters! Make sure to cover the roots completely as you are planting the seedlings. Space them about 12-18 inches apart and space rows 2-3 feet apart. Try to choose an area of your garden that has not been used for other nightshades recently. Make sure you aren’t planting hot and sweet pepper varieties close to each other to avoid cross-pollination.

Keep a close eye on your peppers throughout the growing process to make sure they are healthy and growing correctly! You should be watering them consistently. The soil should be moist beneath the surface, but make sure not to overwater them. You can stick your finger in the soil to see how the moisture levels are beneath the surface. You can add mulch around the base of your plants to help keep the soil moist and suppress weeds. To help your plants grow, you can try giving them fertilizer full of phosphorus and calcium. Be sure to follow the instructions on your fertilizer and not over-fertilize them. You can also try companion planting - plant some marigolds and basil alongside your peppers to attract pollinators and keep the pests at bay. Make sure to support the plants with stakes or trellises, which will help them grow upright and will support the plant as they grow fruit. Keep a close eye on your peppers to make sure that they aren’t suffering from any pests or diseases, and address any issues immediately.

Harvesting Jimmy Nardello Peppers

These peppers are full size when they’ve grown long and slender, and grow to about 6-9 inches long. They will be a bright red, and they should have a somewhat glossy sheen. They’ll be ripe somewhere between 80 and 90 days after transplanting. When the peppers have grown to their full size and color, you can harvest them with garden shears or a knife by cutting off the peppers, leaving a small stem on the pepper. Be sure to be gentle with the plant so you don’t damage the plant and it can keep producing fruit. Because this is a sweet variety, try not to harvest them too early, because they won’t have their full sweet flavor. Also try to avoid leaving them on the plant for too long, because overripe peppers might be a little bit bitter. Store them in a cool and dry place.

About Jimmy Nardello Pepper Garden Seeds

The Jimmy Nardello pepper originated in the small Southern Italian coastal town of Ruoti. Over 100 years ago, Giuseppe Nardiello and wife Angela grew this sweet frying pepper. Giuseppe and Angela decided to move to America, and in 1887, they set sail from Naples, landing in Naugatuck, Connecticut. They took their prized seeds with them to plant in their new home garden. The couple had 11 children, the 4th being named Jimmy, for which this pepper was named!

These peppers are traditionally used in Italian cuisine. They have very low heat levels, between 0-100 Scoville Heat Units. They’re often fried, but can also be grilled or roasted, and can even be eaten raw in salsas and salads.

These plants can be grown in large pots, greenhouses, or garden beds, but should not be grown in hanging baskets.

Tips From Our Gardeners

"Jimmy Nardello peppers are sweet, crisp and light when eaten raw. Jimmy Nardello has long been considered one of the best frying peppers because their fruity raw flavor becomes creamy and soft when fried. When Jimmy Nardello turns from deep green to fire-engine red, fry them just like Giuseppe did, in olive oil with fresh garlic and serve with your favorite entree. Don't forget a glass of Sonoma County wine!"

- Chelsea Hafer, True Leaf Market Writer

Other Resources

• Scoville Heat Scale

Jimmy Nardello Pepper Seeds Per Package:

• 250 mg packet - Approximately 35 Seeds
• 0.25 oz - Approximately 840 Seeds
• 1 oz - Wholesale - Approximately 3,360 Seeds
• 4 oz - Wholesale - Approximately 13,440 Seeds
• 1 lb - Bulk Seeds - Approximately 53,760 Seeds

Non-GMO Jimmy Nardello Pepper seeds are available for Fast Free Shipping on qualifying orders.