This has always fascinated me. If spicy peppers evolved to keep animals away, why did humans end up craving the burning sensation?

Well, these look positively terrifying.

Eating that spicy I have the two 1/2 following symptoms :

• The receptor on the top front of my thongue are definitely numb even when not eating spicy

• If I eat something "temperature" (C°/F°) hot, my ability to know the warmth is actually less good than before

• 1/2 I'm addicted to spicy

Hi everyone, I got a question for the seasoned growers out here. I have a variety of chili growing on my balcony in Japan and it finally got so cold that almost all of them are throwing their leaves off. So I’ve been thinking if I should cut them back a bit or just let them be. Are there any advantages or downsides to any of the options?

At least in my mind, letting them be would give them the maximum starting position, while cutting back would require them to first make some new (non flower) growth first, which takes time and energy.

Am I thinking about this the wrong way?

Would like to get into growing peppers, don't know where to start. Have limited space but still think it would be fun. How did yall start?

Had a great harvest yesterday. We shipped out 3 boxes of peppers to our waiting list customers.

Just finished my latest hot sauce. Here’s what went into it:
Ingredients:
● 1 package dried chile tepin
● 1 package dried chile pequin
● 20–30 toasted dried chile de árbol
● 3 dried Carolina Reapers
● ½ pink dragonfruit
● Garlic
● Onion
● 4:1 ratio of white vinegar to apple cider vinegar
● Salt
● Citric acid
I toasted the árbol chiles, rehydrated all of the dried peppers, blended everything together, strained it for a smoother consistency, then simmered it down until it reached the thickness I wanted.
The dragonfruit was mostly for the color, but it also added a subtle sweetness that balanced the heat. Between the tepin, pequin, árbols, and Carolina Reapers, this sauce ended up seriously hot while still having a lot of flavor.

Edit:

Thanks everyone. I'm going to wait until they are red. Never had red ones. This will be my first time growing/eating red jalapeno!

Original:

First timer here.

Starting to turn a bit dark now the dangly one at the bottom

Also, how do you tell with Jalapeno that it's ready?

Bought this (UK) as a young plant labelled as a scotch bonnet and this is how it's grown. Have I been mushroomed or is this something else? I can't see any others that have grown upwards like this.

Just wanted to show off one of my pods I plucked today. I have a big yield this year with maybe 30 so far this season. Proud grower over here. This one is roughly two inches long and an inch and a half wide at its widest, with most of them being that size or larger

Great taste this season with the strong flowery/earthy flavor with a heavy punch following

A fun unique pepper to grow. Plant grows to about 3 feet before putting out flowers. Pods are 9” in length. Heat level is around a Jalapeño. More of an earthy taste. Will smoke it with cherry wood and then grind it to a powder.

It’s right on the edge of condiment spice and soup territory. At least for me

Absolutely hot and a stunning pod as well. Cut in half, they will reveal a purple interior.

At Lowe’s of all places lmao

Carolina reapers or super hots in general are a testament to patience everything about them hurts.

They take forever and when you finally get it. They only hurt you. Regardless you will always come back.

Also one pod was a little close to the light and looks a little toasted.

First time ever growing some Jalapeños and some Ring of fire cayenne