VegetablePepper
Jalapeno Early Pepper
Jalapeno Early Pepper lives up to its name, delivering heat and harvest speed in one compact plant. This Non-GMO cultivar produces 3-inch peppers ready to pick in just 60 to 69 days from transplant, growing on sturdy 18- to 24-inch plants that thrive in full sun across hardiness zones 4 through 13. You can harvest them green for a grassy bite or wait for brilliant red maturity, each stage offering its own character in the kitchen.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
4-13
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Growth Stats
24 in
Height
Spacing
12
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
4-13
Size
24in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
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Highlights
The magic of Early Jalapeno lies in its speed without sacrificing the classic jalapeno character. At 2,000 to 8,000 Scoville units, these peppers deliver genuine heat while staying approachable enough for fresh salsas, pizza toppings, and pickling rather than scorching your palate. The compact plant habit and rapid maturation make it especially valuable for gardeners in cooler zones or those impatient for their first peppers of the season.
Common Uses
Early Jalapenos shine in the kitchen where their moderate heat and balanced flavor make them far more versatile than superhot varieties. They're stellar in fresh salsas where their grassy green notes or sweet red flavor balances tomato and cilantro. Slice them onto pizzas raw or roasted, pickle them whole or in rings for nachos and tacos, or incorporate them into cheese dips and cream sauces where their heat won't overwhelm other ingredients.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost date in warm conditions around 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged, and expect germination in 7 to 10 days. Provide bright light once seedlings emerge.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant hardened-off seedlings outdoors after your last frost date when soil has warmed to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Space plants 12 inches apart in rows spaced 3 inches apart, in a location receiving full sun. Handle seedlings gently to avoid disturbing the root ball.
Harvesting
Begin harvesting peppers 60 to 69 days after transplanting. Pick them when they're dark green and about 3 inches long for a grassy flavor and maximum juiciness, or leave them on the plant another 2 to 3 weeks to turn brilliant red and develop sweeter, fuller notes. Peppers will feel firm when gently squeezed. Use a clean knife or scissors to cut peppers from the stem rather than pulling, which can damage the plant. Harvest regularly to encourage continued production throughout the season.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Ecology & Traits
Deer ResistantEdible
Scientific Classification
Capsicum annuum
Family
Solanaceae
Genus
Capsicum
Native Status
L48 (NI)HI (I)PR (I)VI (I)