Q: Dave, I am going to grow green chile and sell it. I live in the NW so I need to grow them in greenhouses. I want to grow the green chile I grew up eating. I am from Tularosa, New Mexico. What specific resources do you recommend to find those precise seeds? I need to train my self on …
Late-Planted Chiles
Q: Dear Dave,I have around 8 varieties that I plan on growing this year—all of them have growth cycles below 85 days. The problem I see is that I may have started germinating inside them too late—first week of April. I have lots of sprouts and they are all doing really well. I plan on not moving them outside until June …
Organic Solution to Whiteflies?
Q: Dear Dave,I have a lot of hot pepper plants, and I’m trying to find out the best way to get rid of whiteflies. I’m having a hard time. Is there an organic way?–Gordon A: Hello Gordon:You can wash the plants with insecticidal soap, but really there is no organic solution to this problem. Everyone wants an organic solution, but …
Labuyo Chile
Q: Hi Dave,In The Philippines we have what is called in Tagalog "sili labuyo," or labuyo chili if you will. The fruits as well as the leaves are used in cooking. The chilis themselves, if I can recall, are similar to pequin or Tabasco chilis: 1/4 to 1 inch, and colors ranging from green to red. Also, when a chili …
Hexane Extraction
Q: Dave,I have quite an involved question on capsaicin. Can you tell me an exact way of extracting capsaicin from the habanero? You wrote to one guy, “Hot red chile peppers are dried, ground, and pelletized. They are treated with hexane, a petroleum distillate that acts as a solvent, and the result is oleoresin capsicum, a thick, reddish oil. The …