Blot Peppers – Colorful, Sweet, & Productive

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If you love bell peppers, but want to try something a bit more special, blot peppers may be for you. This Eastern European variety goes through a beautiful change in color in the garden, and has delicious sweet flavor.

When I first planted blot peppers, I wasn’t expecting much. I have had too many bad experiences growing “specialty” bell pepper types. However, our plant was successful, despite less-than-ideal growing conditions (more on this later).

So, in this article, I’ll share my experience with growing blot peppers, along with their flavor and uses in the kitchen. Let’s get started!

Blot peppers on plant unripe

Blot Pepper Info

NameBlot, Klyaksa, Blur pepper
TypeHeirloom
SpeciesCapsicum annuum
Heat level (Scoville)0 SHUs (no heat)
FlavorVery sweet, fruity
UsesStuffing, roasting, frying, paprika
LightFull sun or afternoon shade
Plant height2-3 feet
WateringEvenly moist, good drainage
SeedsRare seeds

The blot pepper gets its name from the vibrant blotches of purple, orange, and yellow that they have. They are also sometimes called “blur” peppers since the colors blur together as the peppers ripen.

Blot pepper on plant unripe
Beautiful purple coloration on unripe blot pepper.

Blot peppers are heirlooms, meaning they have a long history of being grown, primarily in Eastern Europe. The plants are compact, yet highly productive, making them a great alternative to growing bell peppers.

In fact, the blot pepper is from the same species as bell peppers, Capsicum annuum. This species is home to incredible diversity, including the striped fish pepper, and countless others.


Flavor and Uses

Thankfully, the blot pepper is not all looks and no substance – it’s delicious! If you’re sick of boring bell peppers, you’ll be delighted by this pepper’s flavor and usefulness.

  • Stuffing – Blot peppers are big enough to make stuffed peppers. I’d recommend slicing vertically so that they can lay flat.
  • Roasting – I love the flavor of a roasted sweet pepper. Blot peppers make delicious roasted peppers in oil, or for adding to sauces and dips. Use them for our delicious roasted red pepper dip.
  • Dehydrating for paprika – Sweet peppers can easily be preserved by drying. Make sure to cure your blot peppers for about a week after harvesting before drying for the best flavor. If you live in a dry climate, air-drying will lead to the best flavor.
  • Fresh – Nothing beats the crunch and nutritional value of eating peppers fresh! Give them a good rinse and enjoy them straight after harvesting.
Ripening blot pepper on plant
Ripening blot pepper on plant.

You can also add blot peppers to your hot sauce recipes, slice them and make quick pickles, or simply freeze them for later. These sweet peppers will not go to waste!


Seeds and Growing

Blot peppers are easy to grow from seed. If you’ve grown bell peppers, you can grow these, too!

  • Plant seeds indoors 4-6 weeks before your last frost date
  • Give seedlings light until ready to move outdoors
  • Harden off seedlings when temperatures warm up, and always avoid freezing temperatures
  • Transplant into a large pot (5 gallons or larger), or into garden beds
  • Side-dress soil with blood meal before planting, and again after the first fruits form
  • Harvest until the plants die back in fall

For a more detailed guide, learn to grow peppers from seed here.

Earlier, I mentioned that our plant was healthy, despite poor growing conditions. Well, our garden plot flooded from too much rainfall. Other pepper plants had rotting fruits, cracked peppers, and heavy disease. However, the blot plant kept upright, yielding a great harvest for such a small plant.

Blot pepper plant with ripe pods

These plants seem to be very resilient to bad weather, so it may be worth growing a few in place of bell peppers for added security!


I am genuinely impressed with the blot pepper! This sweet pepper is easy to grow, and seems better suited for our New England climate than many other bell peppers we have grown in the past. Give it a try this season!

Calvin Thumbnail

Calvin

One of the original Pepper Geeks! When Calvin isn’t gardening or learning more about peppers and botany, he might be traveling new places or playing some music.

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