Pepper Seeds - Hot - Birdseye Chili
120-129 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum. Birdseye Chili Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, deer resistant, hot pepper with hot heat levels. 50,000 to 100,000 Scoville Heat Units. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Birdseye Chili peppers are a popular hot pepper used in Asian, African, and Spanish cooking. They are green when immature, and become red when fully mature, although both colors of pepper are usable. ~4,000 seeds/oz.
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Growing Birdseye Chili Peppers in the Vegetable Garden
To grow your Birdseye Chili 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. Plant those seeds about 0.25 inches deep into the soil and keep it nicely moist, but don't drown them! A handy trick is to stick your finger into the soil - if it feels dry, give the seeds a drink, but if it's wet, wait for a bit for the soil to dry out. Keep your peppers in a warm spot, ideally between 80-90 F, and if it's a bit chilly, a grow light can be a great help for helping your seeds germinate. Once the plants are about 6-8 inches tall, you can start the process to harden them off by moving them to a cooler area, around 70 F, to prepare them for being outside! Choose a nice sunny location in your garden or in pots for your plants. You should plant the rows about 2-3 feet apart, and the individual plants should be about 12-18 inches apart. Make sure to cover the roots completely!
Taking good care of your plants will ensure that you end up with a great harvest of Birdseye Chili peppers! Make sure to water them consistently. Sprinkling mulch around the base of the plant can help retain moisture and can also help with suppressing weeds. 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. 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. Keep an eye out for pests or diseases and make sure to address them immediately if you see signs.
Harvesting Birdseye Chili Peppers
As they mature, Birdseye Chili peppers will turn from a green to red. This variety will be ready for harvest about 120-140 days after transplanting. Since these are hot peppers with some heat, they're tasty both when fully ripe or premature - as they ripen, they’ll become a bright red color. To harvest the pepper, you can cut the stem with garden shears of a knife. Make sure to be gentle and not damage the plant so it can keep producing fruit! Because this is a hot variety, make sure you wear gloves and wash your hands immediately after harvest.
About Birdseye Chili Pepper Garden Seeds
Birdseye Chilis are native to Mexico, but have been cultivated across Southeast Asia.
Birdseye Chili peppers are a popular hot pepper used in Asian, African, and Spanish cooking. They are green when immature, and become red when fully mature, although both colors of pepper are usable.
These peppers need some support, so they’re not a good fit for hanging baskets. They grow well in garden beds, greenhouses, or raised beds.
Tips From Our Gardeners
"Birdseye Chili peppers can be eaten fresh or cooked, and are often dried and stored or ground into chili powder."
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- Chelsea Hafer, True Leaf Market Writer |
Other Resources
Birdseye Chili Pepper Seeds Per Package:
- 500 mg packet - Approximately 90 Seeds
- 0.25 oz - Approximately 1,250 Seeds
- 1 oz - Wholesale - Approximately 5,000 Seeds
- 4 oz - Wholesale - Approximately 20,000 Seeds
- 1 lb - Bulk Seeds - Approximately 80,000 Seeds
Non-GMO Birdseye Chili Pepper seeds are available for Fast Free Shipping on qualifying orders.
=======Basic Info
| Latin Name: | Capsicum annuum |
| Pepper Type: | Hot - These peppers all have some heat and usually rank at least 100, but usually 500 or more on the Scoville scale and have heat ranging from mild to extremely hot.. |
| Birdseye Chili Pepper Color: | Red, Yellow |
| Birdseye Chili Pepper Flavor: | Spicy with hints of sweet citrus, garlic, and onion |
Growing Info
| Hardiness Zone: | 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 Technically a tender perennial, but commonly grown as an annual. Perennial in zones 10 and 11. |
| Days to Maturity: | 120-129 (from transplant) |
| Days to Germination: | 7-10 |
| Seeding Depth: | 0.25 inch |
| Plant Spacing: | 18-24 inches |
| Row Spacing: | 24-36 inches |
| Plant Height: | 18-30 inches |
| Growth Habit: | Upright |
| Soil Preference: | Well-draining, loose (sandy loam), slightly acidic (6.5 pH), and moisture retaining. Too much nitrogen in the soil may lead to more foliage production and less fruiting, similar to tomatoes. Peppers also need sufficient amounts of phosphorus and calcium. We recommend using a balanced fertilizer for the best results. |
| Temperature Preference: | Warmer (70-85 F). During high heat, foliar and flower development slow or pause until temperatures return to the preferred range. |
| Light Preference: | Full Sun |
Other
| Direct Sow: | No |
| Start Indoors: | Yes. Start Indoors 6-8 weeks before your last spring frost date. Harden off and transplant when seedlings are 6-8 inches tall. Bury the stem slightly deeper than the root ball. Avoid planting hot and sweet peppers right next to each other, as they can cross-pollinate, potentially affecting the flavors of your harvested peppers. |
| Pepper Pollination: | Peppers have perfect flowers (male and female parts) and will self-pollinate. However, wind and pollinator activity may increase success rates of fertilization and fruit production. |
| Plant Width: | 18-24 inches |
| Deer Resistant: | Yes |
| Scoville Heat Units: | 50,000 to 100,000 |
| Heat Level: | Hot - 30,000 to 100,000 on the Scoville Scale. Example Cayenne & Tabasco. |
| Growth Speed: | Late - Ready for harvest around 91 days or more from transplant. |
| Germination Temperature: | 80-90 F |
| Pests and Diseases: | Peppers are commonly susceptible to cutworms, aphids, flea beetles, bacterial spot, Phytophthora, sunscald, and blossom end rot. To avoid or reduce problems with pests and diseases, stick to a regular watering schedule (drip irrigation is preferred), plant into well-draining soils, and utilize practices such as crop rotation. When taking pest control measures, consider utilizing integrated pest management principles by using mechanical removal, biological control, and other cultural practices before turning to chemical agents. |
| Garden Size: | Greenhouse, Garden Plot, Raised Bed |
| Pepper Use: | Sauces, soups, and seasonings |
| Climate Tolerance: |