3 / 10
Pepper Red Impact F1
Although beloved for their taste and attractive colors, Lamuyo-type peppers can be difficult to grow. This national winner could change that. “No more garden struggles to get a thick-walled sweet red pepper,” Blazek says.
Red Impact boasts an upright and tidy habit, plus built-in disease resistance. The fruit is thick-walled and sweet even when green, maturing to a dark red, highly uniform shape and size. Best of all, plants are productive. “The judges raved about the productivity and yield on this variety,” Blazek says.
Pepper Red Impact grows 28- to 36-inches tall and 16- to 24-inches wide in a sunny location with evenly moist, well-drained soil and neutral to slightly acid pH. It matures 90 days after sowing.
4 / 10
Pepper Cayenne Wildcat F1
This award-winning cayenne pepper features extra-large, two- to three-ounce fruits with nicely formed fleshy walls thicker than the fruit of comparison peppers. It offers a strong and compact even growth habit.
“The eight-inch fruits are straighter than traditional cayenne fruits, with a great smoky flavor and peppery sweetness,” Blazek says. These cayennes have a mild heat level, reaching just 500 to 1,500 Scoville units.
Pepper Cayenne Wildcat grows 36- to 42-inches tall and 8- to 12-inches wide. It does best in full sun and evenly moist, well-drained soil with neutral to slightly acid pH. Maturing 105 days after sowing, this regional winner did particularly well in the Southeast, Southwest and Mountain regions.
5 / 10
Pepper Jalapeno San Joaquin F1
San Joaquin promises to make growing jalapenos easier. It’s a determinate jalapeno, setting most of its fruit in a short window of time — about 50 fruits per plant.
“A determinate jalapeno pepper means you can get a higher yield all at one time, for those who want to preserve their harvest,” Blazek says. “No longer will you have to hoard peppers until you get enough to make salsa or pickled peppers.”
Along with canning, pickling and salsa, San Joaquin also makes delicious roasted stuffed jalapenos. Judges loved the flavor of the thick-walled fruits, which have just the right amount of heat — between 2,500 and 6,000 Scoville units.
Pepper Jalapeno San Joaquin grows 30 inches tall and 24 inches wide. It likes full sun and well-drained, fertile soil with slightly acid pH. This national winner matures 60 days after transplanting; growing from seed is not recommended.
