How To Grow Habanero Peppers
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So you must be into spicy food. You’re going to fit in just fine here at Pepper Geek. We love hot peppers more than (almost) anything! In this article, I’ll share our full guide on how to grow habaneros.
Habaneros are a great starter pepper plant for new growers who love heat. We will cover useful tips and tricks we’ve learned through the years to make sure you get the most peppers off of every plant, and the highest heat level possible!
Habaneros are prolific plants, often producing several dozen peppers per plant. They are also some of the spiciest peppers that most people can tolerate and enjoy, with lots of flavor.
You’re going to love having fresh-picked habanero peppers at home. Let’s get started growing habaneros!
In this article (skip ahead):
- Buying seeds
- Choosing soil
- Choosing fertilizer
- Starting seeds indoors
- Pruning plants
- Transplanting outdoors
- Fertilizing & watering
- Harvesting
1. Buy Habanero Pepper Seeds
If you already have seeds, you can skip to the next step. If not, consider the options before you choose your pepper variety. Different habanero plants will yield very different results!
Some Different Habanero Peppers Options…
- Looking for the classic orange habanero? Grow these bad boys
- Looking for more heat? Try the Caribbean red habanero
- Looking for an interesting color? Try growing the snow white habanero
The main takeaway here should be that there are a lot of different types of habanero peppers. It can be fun to experiment with different varieties and watch them change colors and shape as they grow.
If you’re like us, you’ll grow as many as you can fit in the garden! Or, perhaps more sensibly, you’ll try 2 or 3 types.
Either way, the growing process will be nearly identical. Some varieties may produce better than others, but the plant care should be the same. So rest assured, regardless of which seed type you buy, this growing guide for habaneros will work perfectly!
2. Choose The Right Soil
Most growers want a simple answer when it comes to soil type. While typical potting mix will work fine for most growers (Miracle-Gro or similar), we recommend using two soils when growing from seed.
One soil is used for starting the seeds inside, and another for the rest of the plant’s life outdoors. These two types of soil differ in both nutrient content and texture/aeration qualities. Both are also widely available at home gardening stores.
Soil For Starting Seeds
When starting seeds, you should use a fertilizer-free ‘seed starting mix.’ These are available online, or at your local Lowes or Home Depot. Try this brand from Amazon.
Most seed starter mixes are made of some combination of sphagnum peat moss, coco coir, vermiculite, and perlite. These ingredients combine to make a highly-aerated, moisture-retaining mix perfect for getting seedling started strong. The mixture stays moist and allows young root systems to grow with ease.
The lack of nutrients in seed starter soil means that you will need to begin fertilizing soon after seedlings sprout. This soil is only good for the first 3-4 weeks of your habanero plant’s life. After this, you should move the plants to another soil type.
Soil For Mature Growth Stage
This type of soil is more of a mixed bag (no pun intended [okay maybe]). There are lots and lots of potting soils to choose from. We have tested at least a dozen bagged soils over the years, and our favorite has been this one.
If you have the space for it, I also recommend composting. This can be an incredibly powerful addition to your soil, especially if you’re growing in the ground or in raised beds. But, you can also mix some into your potted plants for slow-release nutrients.
Don’t stress too much about choosing a soil! While soil is a critical component of gardening success, if you buy a few bags of common potting mix at Home Depot and it says “Suitable For Vegetables” on it, your plants should be okay.
3. Get The Right Fertilizer
Fertilizer is another daunting topic for growing peppers. There are many all-purpose fertilizers made to grow any and all vegetables. These will work fine to grow healthy-looking plants, but we want to make sure we actually get peppers!
To ensure our plants grow lots of peppers, we need to follow a fairly simple fertilizer regimen. Nitrogen is essential for developing the young plants into big, healthy plants. However, once the habanero plants begin flowering, we need to make sure not to give them too much nitrogen.
Recommendation: Keep it simple with Fox Farm’s 3-stage fertilizer.
If you want to keep it to one fertilizer, use a well-rounded fertilizer, such as Miracle Gro Organics all season. After the plants begin flowering, reduce to 1/2 strength fertilizer, typically around mid-late June. This will allow the plants to focus more energy on fruit production instead of producing more leaves.
4. Start Seeds Indoors
Starting seeds early allows your habaneros, which grow naturally near the equator, to have a longer growing season. Waiting until April or May to start pepper seeds could result in underdeveloped plants, lower yields, and unripe peppers come harvest time.
When To Start Habaneros Indoors
Use our simple chart to determine when you should be planting pepper seeds indoors. All you need to know is your USDA growing zone (or equivalent), and you can find roughly when to start your seeds.
For Northern hemisphere gardeners, you can plant seeds anywhere from February to April. For hot peppers, we recommend starting seeds 8 weeks before your plants will be moved outdoors (last chance of frost). This date will depend mostly on your hardiness zone.
If you live in a warmer climate, you may be able to move your plants outside earlier. The longer the growing season, the better for peppers!
How To Sow Pepper Seeds Indoors
Planting seeds is pretty simple. However, there are a few steps that should be taken to give the seeds the best possibility of germination.
Seed starting supplies:
Seed starting tips:
- Use fertilizer-free soil.
Habanero seeds contain enough nutrients to germinate and grow to about 1-2
inch tall plants. I have had the best luck using ‘seed starter mix’ for germination. Here is one recommended soil. - Pre-moisten soil.
Before planting, thoroughly moisten and mix your seed starter soil. The mix should stick together when squeezed, but not drip water. This will enhance the soil’s ability to absorb water in the future.
- Use bottom-water seed trays.
The best method to water seedlings is to bottom-water. This means that you are filling a tray of water, then the water is absorbed from the bottom through holes in the containers, keeping the soil moist.
Watering frequency will depend on the humidity of your environment. Check the surface moisture of your seed trays and water if the soil feels dry. Keep the soil moist, not soaked!
- Plant 2+ seeds per container.
If you’re just growing a few plants, you want to make sure that your seeds sprout. By planting 2 or more seeds per container, you increase the chances of successful germination. If both seeds sprout, you simply pluck away one of them when they reach 1 inch in height.
Plant seeds at a depth of 1/8-1/4 inch for ideal germination. Any deeper, and the seeds may struggle to surface properly.
Tip: If you have limited seed quantity and want to conserve seeds, you can ignore this step. Just plant one seed per container to avoid wasting seeds. - Keep the soil warm and moist.
During germination, the soil temperature should be at 80-90°F. Peppers come from very warm climates, and the heat significantly speeds up germination.
We use a heated propagation mat and a thermometer to keep conditions consistent. However, if your indoor temperatures already satisfy these ranges, no need to worry!
Never let the soil dry out before sprouting. Spray the soil daily and keep the seeds covered with a humidity dome (or similar) to keep humidity locked in. - Consider lighting.
While window light is good, to get the most out of your plants, you’ll want some sort of lighting setup.
Habanero Germination Time
Different pepper seeds will have different germination times. For habanero peppers, seeds will typically germinate within 7-10 days under ideal conditions. Provide warm (~80°F), moist soil with plenty of air circulation for the quickest germination.
We have had some of our habaneros sprout within just 4 days when using our seed heating mat! If you are having trouble germinating your habanero seeds, refer to our guide to fast germination here.
Use Grow Lights!
I highly recommend using a grow light of some kind to start any type of seedling indoors. Without adequate lighting, young habanero plants may become tall and lanky, with weak and leggy stems. Read our article about the best grow lights for peppers here.
Our habaneros live the first 2+ months of their lives indoors, and window sunlight alone just doesn’t cut it. This early stage of growth is critical for determining the hardiness of your plant throughout the whole growing season.
By introducing some artificial light, you can ensure the young seedlings photosynthesize as much as possible. You will notice considerably healthier-looking plants when using a grow light vs using window sunlight.
For a straightforward, cheap setup, try these clip-on LED lights from Amazon. If you use this clip-on light, keep it very close to your plants when they sprout, about 4-6 inches away from the leaves.
For a more efficient light with a natural color, spring for one of these on Amazon (this is one of the lights we use). If you use a brighter light like this one, you should keep it farther from your pepper seedlings to avoid light burn. This light requires 12-18″ of distance from the plant foliage to avoid burns.
5. Transplant Habaneros Outdoors
Transplanting is the process of moving your plants from a smaller container to a larger one. This usually takes place twice during a habanero plant’s growth, but can also be done just once if the seedlings are started in larger containers (such as 3-4″ pots).
To transplant, fill a larger pot with pre-moistened potting soil, dig out a trench deep enough to fit your plant’s entire root system, and carefully move the entire plant to the new pot. Then, cover the root system with fresh soil and compact gently. Water immediately to ensure the roots have plenty of moisture.
Read our full guide to transplanting here.
When To Transplant Outdoors
Once you are ready to transition, be sure you harden off your plants before moving outdoors 100%. This is the process of gradually acclimating your plants to the outdoor climate (wind, direct sunlight, etc.).
Move your plants outdoors permanently as soon as the weather is warm overnight (ideally above 55°F) and the risk of frost has passed. For us in the Northeastern US, this happens around May 15th.
Planting Habaneros in Pots
If you are planning to grow your habaneros in a pot, make sure you choose one that is big enough. Though habaneros are small peppers and will grow in any sized pot, they prefer to have at least 3-5 gallons of space for better yields.
6. Fertilize & Water Regularly
Poor watering routine is one of the most common causes of pepper problems. Over-watering or under-watering can cause stress to habanero plants.
Watering Tips:
- Make sure your soil drains well
- Watch for hot and dry weather and water more often as needed
- Don’t water if the soil is already damp near the surface
- Use mulch to conserve moisture
A habanero plant’s soil should be moist, but not soaked. A simple check with your finger will be enough to test moisture levels. As you grow more plants, you will develop a keen eye for a thirsty plant, and for one that doesn’t need watering.
Tip: Allowing your habanero plants to become dry between watering can actually produce hotter peppers. This is called ‘stressing’ the plants and is used by professional growers to get more heat. But be careful not to over-stress them and cause damage.
Fertilizing & Keeping Nitrogen In Check
Plants need nutrients to grow, so be sure to provide them as needed. If you use seed starter mix, I suggest fertilizing about 1 week after the plants sprout. However, don’t over-feed seedlings! They don’t need much while they are so small, so make an extra-diluted batch until the plants are larger.
If you’re using nutrient-rich potting soil, avoid fertilizing until the plants begin fruiting. This is usually when nutrients begin running low for habaneros, and a supplemental fertilizer is needed.
However, too much nitrogen can be a bad thing for habanero plants. Once flowers begin to develop, less nitrogen is needed, but more potassium can be beneficial, so be sure to read the NPK ratio on your fertilizer and opt for one with a ratio around 2-1-3 (2% nitrogen, 1% phosphorus, 3% potassium).
We have had success with Fox Farm’s 3-stage fertilizer system, but you can also use an organic option with a proper nutrient ratio.
7. Harvesting Habaneros
Harvesting habaneros is easy. The clearest sign of a ripe habanero is the bright orange color. They turn from green to orange in most cases, but if you grow any of the other varieties of Habanero, you may be looking for a different color.
How long until habaneros are ripe?
The typical grow time of habaneros from transplanting outdoors to harvesting is around 90 days or longer. This is longer than many other pepper types, which is another reason it’s so important to plant seeds early. Learn more about harvesting habaneros here.
Tip: When the risk of frost is approaching at the end of the season, you can prune away any unnecessary branches to encourage the last remaining peppers to ripen.
8. Get Ready For Next Year!
Success! With your fiery hot peppers ready for picking, all that is left to do is use them!
- 12 habanero pepper recipes
- Try dehydrating habaneros here
- Save your habanero seeds for next year here
Habaneros are truly some of the best hot peppers to grow in the home garden. I hope you have a bountiful harvest of fresh habaneros this year. Good luck, and feel free to share your thoughts on how to grow better habaneros in the comments below.
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.
DOES IT HELP GERMINATION IF YOU NICK THE SEEDS
Yes but usually isn’t necessary for peppers. If your seeds are older than 1-2 years or you’re having issues with germination then it might be worth trying.
Great article I followed most of what you have here the only real difference was with the fertilizer I used a 10-15-10 at full strength every 7 days for the first 2 months of the season then switched to every 14 days for the next 1.5- 2 months then stopped with the fertilizer. By this time the plants were huge 18-20” tall with canopies 35” across and LOADED with fruits. I only watered every 2-3 days. The plants got full sun from sunrise until about 3 pm they were shaded in the most intense part of the late afternoon sun. At the beginning of the season I pinched the flowers off until the plants got some size to them about 12” tall, then let the flowers set. I planted them at the end of May and had my 1sr harvest of 18 ripe peppers on August 12, my 2nd harvest of 40 peppers August 20th, 3rd harvest of 56 peppers August 26th, 4th harvest of 145 peppers September 2nd, 5th harvest of 88 peppers September 9th. That’s 347 peppers !! From 3 plants. I will probably have one or two more picks. I’m thinking I’ll probably be looking at 400 peppers total this year. The plants have actually started flowering again! unfortunately I won’t have the season left to set more fruit. My plan is to overwinter my best 2 plants in the house since I live in grow zone 4 and can’t leave them outside. I have high hopes for them next year.
Wow! That’s a really impressive harvest from 3 plants. Glad we could help in some way. Hope you made something tasty with your habaneros. Best of luck with overwintering!
Is growing habanero during winter hard?
It can be, but if you keep the temperatures up where they should be (~70°F), give plenty of light and nutrients, then you can definitely do it.
Buying seeds can be expensive. I bought a nice ripe habanero from the supermarket for 24¢, ate it and planted the seeds. I got 20 sprouts. Now I need to look for a scorpion pepper. I saw them, can’t remember where. Bountiful gardening everyone.
I live on Guam where it’s hot all the time and we get a lot of rain. The local people love their hot stuff, and so do I. I bought some habos from the store, dried them, and planted the seeds, only one began to grow.
Well, either plant more seeds, or take really good care of that one plant! It could be that the seeds dried during germination. Also, if your habos were green, the seeds could have not been fully developed in the pod.
I’ve never grown habaneros before. I’ve had some amazing Jalapeno plants. They grew huge and bushy. But my habanero plant seems like it’s stunted. It hasn’t grown in about 2 weeks. Not sure what I’m doing wrong.
When topping the pepper plant, can’t you place the cutting in some water to generate a second plant?
What type of insect do affect habanero.
Also what is the cause of wilting leaves after fruiting and also cause of dropping of green leaves.
Aphids, thrips, and various mites can affect pepper plants. Use a diluted neem oil spray for a fairly effective solution. As for wilting, you may have sun scald, or insect damage can also cause this if it is severe.
Hey guy,
I got these ghost peppers and they are growing great! Tall, bushy and lots of flowers… but not making any pollen. None of the flowers are producing pollen, I’ve dissected many flowers, there’s nothing. Thoughts? Please help
MF
Hey there,
We had this issue with a few of our superhot pepper varieties this year (especially reapers). Since other, similar varieties did very well under identical conditions, we had to assume it had to do with the plant variety itself.
However, there are some environmental causes for low productivity. These include watering too frequently, abnormally high temperatures and too much nitrogen in your fertilizer. Once pepper plants start to produce flowers, we switch to a less nitrogen-rich fertilizer to encourage fruiting [like this].
Hope this helps,
-Calvin
thanks, it’s likely the water. They and my other seranos are suffering from edema
I’m just starting habanero farming