Jalapenos
Seeds Per Plugs: 1
Light requirement: 15+ hours on – 9< hours off
Watering Schedule: 15 minutes every hour – off for 8 hours
Nutrients: Veg A & B + Bloom A + B (See below)
Yields Per Plant: 15+
DAYS TO MATURITY: 65-70 DAYS
Plant Spacing: 6 inches
Pollination: Give the plant a shake once flowers open
What to Expect- How to Grow Jalapenos
Jalapenos, this has been such a fun one to see grow from seed to harvest! Jalapenos are a fruiting crop and require a little more attention than your traditional leafy greens. This is because we need to manually pollinate the crop and switch nutrients throughout the growing cycle. Let’s go over the basics:
Dead Heading: Growing indoors means you don’t always have the luxury of space. In photo one, you can see that I cut off the top of the plant early on in the growing cycle. You want to do this when you have at least 5-6 leaves growing below the crop’s crown. This encourages the crop to grow bushier rather than taller, which is ideal for a hydroponic system like my ZipGarden (and many others out there).
Nutrients: When starting your jalapeño plants, start with a Veg A & B nutrient. Dry or liquid nutrients will work, just make sure you’re dosing according to the product label. If you’re measuring pH and EC, keep the pH between 5.5 and 6.5 and the EC between 2.0 and 3.5 mS/cm as the plant grows. Once the plant starts to flower/fruit, you want to keep EC above 2.5-3.5 mS/cm. If you’re growing leafy greens in the same system as your jalapenos, lower the EC to 2.0 to accommodate everyone. When you start seeing buds like in photo two, you’ll switch over to a bloom A + B nutrient mix.
Pollination: Indoor, we don’t have the luxury of bugs doing the pollination for us. Jalapeno flowers are both male and female, which makes the pollination easy. Once you have opened the flowers, gently shake your plant once a day. Some of your flowers will come off; it’s okay, they’re the sacrificial lamb, so others can thrive.
Pruning: As your plant continues to grow, I like to remove the leaves closest to the base of the branches.
Your jalapenos are going to be deeper in colour than those we get at the store, and will be exactly as intended- spicy!
Hydroponic Tomato Timeline
DEAD HEADING
PLANT BUDDING
FLOWERING PHASE
HARVEST
Seed Recommendation
- US Growers
True Leaf Market: Jalapeno Seeds- Organic.
- Canadian Growers
West Coast Seeds: Black Magic F1
Troubleshooting & Such
Why aren’t my seeds germinating?
There are several reasons your seeds aren’t germinating. The first is the quality of the seed; try to pick ones you know are fresh and from a reliable source. I linked the ones I used on the first page. Your pods may also be too dry. You want to keep your pods wet, but not soaked. Additionally, you want to make sure your seedlings are getting sufficient light and a consistent temperature between 21 and 25 degrees C.
I have pests! Now what?
First, make sure there are no plants in the soil near your hydroponic system, and limit its exposure to dogs and other pets that frequently go outside. If you can sacrifice the infected plant, the easy thing to do is remove it to save the rest of your plants. Subsequently, use a soap-and-water or hydrogen peroxide-and-water solution on your plants daily. You also want to give your entire system a thorough cleaning before replanting plants in it.
My plant looks discoloured or a bit fried.
If your leaves are discoloured (often yellow), this is typically a nutrient deficiency. Test your pH & EC to see where your levels are. Add pH or nutrient accordingly. If the leaves look crispy, it could also be due to a nutrient deficiency, a pH imbalance, or a lack of water. Check your EC and pH first to rule out nutrient or pH imbalances, then increase water as needed.
Why does my system have Algae?
Almost every hydroponic system has algae. This is bound to happen when you mix water and direct light. There are several ways to reduce algae, including having a dry period where your pump is not running and ensuring your water sources are covered. My ZipGarden comes with 2 drip tray covers for this exact reason: they reduce light exposure to water and limit algae growth in the tray. If you have a ZipGrow system, your wicking strips will get algae on them. It doesn’t pose a risk to the plant’s health or quality.If your leaves are discoloured (often yellow), this is typically a nutrient deficiency. Test your pH & EC to see where your levels are. Add pH or nutrient accordingly. If the leaves look crispy, this is often due to too much light. Your light may be too close to the plant, or are running for too long. Typically, you want your plant at least a foot from the light, and not exposed to light for more than 18 hours.
My flowers are falling off!
Once your plant starts producing quite a few fruits, not all the flowers will pollinate. If you don’t have alot of fruit, and your flowers keep falling, you may need to manually pollinate your plant more frequently, or adjust your nutrients to a lower rate. Use a pH to EC reader to see if your water is in the ideal range.
Things to Remember...
- Make sure your reservoir is large enough to last at least a week without refilling.
- Make sure you have a tool on hand to self-pollinate your tomato plant.
- Vent your seedling before taking the dome off.
- Don’t leave your lights on for an extended period if your pump is off.
- Find a pump that is appropriate for your hydroponic set up.
- Be patient with your plants, they won’t be ready overnight!
The Hydroponic Kitchen Rules to Grow By
- Remember, in hydroponics, there are a dozen ways to get the same result, and there is still so much more to uncover.
Get the Complete Guide
Get the complete guide to growing hydroponic jalapeños at home!
- 3-Page Overview of Growing Hydroponic Jalapẽnos
- Lighting & Watering Requirements
- Spacing, Pollination, Dosing, pH & EC
- Timeline & What to Expect
- Equipment Overview
- Checklists
- Recipe Recommendations
- Troubleshooting & More!
