Quickfire Peppers Bring the Heat!

By Vicki Gee-Treft
Mighty, strong, hot, and quick! What more might one want in a hot Thai-type pepper? A 2022 All America Selections’ (AAS) National Winner, Quickfire Peppers produce plenty of hot delicious fruits on a compact, 6” sturdy plant that is perfect for container gardening. No staking is required. This 1.7” conical pepper has tremendous ornamental value but was bred for its taste and yield. Culinary gardeners will definitely want to give this gem a try in their Thai and other Southeast Asian dishes where a little heat and kick (40,000 Scoville) give the meal some quickfire!
 
Germinate any time of year (spring preferred) in warmth in small trays or pots with good quality, moist compost with an ideal compost temperature of 77-86F. Germination should take around 14 days. Once the seedlings are large enough to handle, carefully prick them out into individual small pots or plug trays and grow in warmth and good light. Continue to increase the pot size as they grow, eventually using up to a maximum of a 6″ pot. The compost should be kept moist but not wet and grown in good light, preferably in a sunny location. The plants will remain very compact (6″ or less), bushy and flower, producing upward pointing fruits very quickly, within 60 days from sowing. The fruits quickly ripen to bright red and should be harvested regularly to ensure the plant continues to flower and produce more fruit. The extremely compact habit and very early fruiting make this variety ideal for growing on sunny windowsills around the home or for containers or bedding outdoors in the warmer months (not frost hardy). Space plants 18” apart.
 
Comment from one AAS Judge: “Hot little buggers. From a home garden perspective, these little plants are right on the money. They almost look like a large ornamental pepper and could probably be used as such in a mixed patio container. The mature fruit had a good flavor and was darn hot.”
 
This prized distinction winner will be planted at the Teaching & Display Garden at the Spooner Ag Research Station and available for your viewing this summer. Photo and additional information credit: AAS (https://all-americaselections.org/product/pepper-quickfire/)

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