We searched for this Kale hot pepper for a long time until our cousin, Ayşegül Küçükgöçmen, found the dry pods hanging from the beams at a store near Denizli in late summer.
Large plants of Kale grow loads of large, conical fruits that are flavorful yet very hot and that grow upward in clusters.
Red, mature fruits of this hot pepper are traditionally dried whole to be used for frying later in fall and winter. Very productive. Signature variety of Kale town of Denizli, Turkey.
Our current seed stock was grown by the farmers at The Utopian Seed Project in North Carolina.
Commercially introduced by us
Phonetically pronounced: kah-leh
Packet has min. 20 seeds
- Capsicum annuum
- Full sun
- Planting depth: 1/4″
- Sprouts in 10-14 days
- Ideal growing temperature: 75-95F
- Plant spacing: 18″
- Frost hardy: No
- Growth habit: Upright growth with short or long branches that grow away from the stem
- Growing tips: Start pepper seeds indoors in seedling trays or small seedling pots with seed starting soil that has essential nutrients in it, 6-8 weeks prior to last frost. Keep the soil moist for quick germination. Make sure to keep the young pepper seedlings under good light to have strong plants with sturdy, healthy stems and leaves. Transplant after last frost in well-drained, fertile soil enrichened with compost and other amendments. Feed your pepper plants with liquid fertilizer once every two weeks. Water regularly especially in flower stage. Mulch and always water at plant base to minimize disease. Some pepper varieties are taller than others and may need to be tied to a stake so that fruits don’t touch soil and rot.
Kerime Saglam (verified owner) –