Ep. 256 From mild to wild: Exploring hot peppers | #GoodGrowing
About this episode
This episode explores the world of hot peppers, discussing their cultivation, heat levels, and culinary uses with Dr. Jack McCoy.
Love them or fear them, hot peppers bring the heat to gardens and kitchens alike. Join us as we dive into the spicy world of peppers with Dr. Jack McCoy. Learn about what makes peppers hot, why some people love to eat them, how to grow them, ways to use your harvest, and more! Watch us on YouTube: https://youtu.be/llkA3W2adiY Skip to what you want to know: 00:28 – Welcome. Do we like to eat hot peppers? 03:33 – Jack, tell us about what you are currently teaching/working on at U of I. 04:48 – Student Sustainable Farm at University of Illinois 10:19 – Jack, how did you get into hot peppers? 13:22 – Why is there so much interest in hot peppers? 17:04 – Why are hot peppers hot? Why did they evolve to be hot? 20:08 – How do capsaicin levels relate to Scoville units? 23:47 – Which came first, hot or sweet peppers? Are they all the same? 25:53 – How do we grow peppers? 30:05 – Suggestions for starting pepper seeds indoors 33:15 – Do peppers need any kind of special fertilization or irrigation routines? 34:18 – Is there anything that happens during the growing season that affects the pepper's heat? 39:44 – What pests do we need to watch out for? 44:31 – Do we need to protect ourselves…
People in this episode
Host: Chris Enroth
Guest: Dr. Jack McCoy
Topics covered
- hot peppers
- gardening
- capsaicin
- Scoville units
- cooking
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: University of Illinois
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