Aug 2, 2019 4 min read

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Written by Washington County Master Gardener Coordinator Laura Delach

Peppers are a must for a great salsa. Once you have made fresh salsa you will never again buy store-bought salsa. Homemade salsa is quick and easy to make – first, some information on growing peppers.

Peppers come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors, from sweet bell peppers to hot jalapenos that will light up your mouth. Peppers are relatively easy to grow with just a few tips.

Peppers grow best in a well-drained site that gets at least eight hours of sunlight a day. Peppers need very fertile soil, so add lots of compost when preparing your ground before planting. Too much nitrogen in the soil leads to lots of green leaves and not many peppers. If your soil is lacking in phosphorus, add some rock phosphate or bone meal before planting. It is a good idea to test your soil every couple of years to see precisely what nutrients are needed.

If you start your seeds indoors, you have to sow seeds eight to 10 weeks before planting them outside on Memorial Day or when soil is at least 65 degrees. They take a little longer to start by seed than tomato seeds do. Peppers don’t like to be overwatered, and they hate standing in wet soil. After the flowers on your plants have turned into baby peppers, side dress with a balanced organic fertilizer, such as compost, around the base of the plants.

Peppers are sometimes affected by early blight, a leaf spot disease. You can identify blight by the dark concentrically ringed spots that form on the leaves of the pepper. Cut off any infected leaves and apply mulch or straw to the ground beneath the plant to prevent spores from splashing up off the soil surface. It is best to water by hand at the base of the plant rather than with a sprinkler. That will help to control early blight. If you do get it, spray compost tea or Bacillus Subtilis to prevent the disease from spreading. Apply this early in the day so that foliage will dry rapidly. Pick peppers as needed or when they get to the size wanted but make sure to harvest all peppers before the first frost.

Here is a delicious healthy salsa recipe made with fresh ingredients.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons finely chopped onion

2 small cloves garlic, minced

3 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeds removed, chopped

2 hot chili peppers, serrano or jalapeno, finely chopped (for a milder version, use poblano or bell peppers)

2 to 3 tablespoons minced cilantro

1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons lime juice

salt and pepper

Preparation:

Put chopped onion and garlic in a strainer; pour 2 cups boiling water over them then let drain thoroughly. Discard water. Cool.

Combine onions and garlic with chopped tomatoes, peppers, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. Refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours to blend flavors.

Makes about 2 cups of salsa.

Don’t forget to buy some corn or tortilla chips to eat with your salsa. Salsa is also good on scrambled eggs, omelets and tacos. It makes a low-calorie lunch on a baked potato. Enjoy!

Penn State Extension Master Gardener Program is a volunteer program that supports Penn State Extension’s educational programs in consumer horticulture. The 2019-2020 Master Gardener training in Washington County will be held at the Washington County Extension office on Thursday evenings starting Oct 3. The training consists of 13 required sessions plus three optional sessions. The fee for the 2019-2020 New Master Gardener Training is $200. Trainees will receive a Penn State Master Gardener Training Manual at the beginning of the training. If you are interested, please email Laura at lkd@psu.edu or call 724-207-2001.