I’ve got seeds of a new and unusual pepper variety I would like to share with some willing and able gardeners. I’ve been saving seeds from a rogue pepper plant I grew in 2009. The seeds for that plant came from a packet of Yummy pepper seed I purchased from Totally Tomatoes in 2009. Here’s the story as I know it so far.
original Yummy mini bell pepper
Yummy is an open pollinated mini bell pepper that is orange and sweet when mature. But in 2009, I grew two Yummy plants and one of them was quite different. The peppers from that rogue plant grew long and narrow, like an Anaheim type pepper. At first I thought I had mislabeled the seedlings. But then the peppers started turning orange, unlike any chili pepper I had ever grown. And one taste confirmed their difference – they were very flavorful, but also quite hot! I’m not Wilbur Scoville, but I am calling those peppers at least as hot as a Serrano, maybe hotter when grown in the heat of summer.
Happy Yummy pepper is turning orange on the plant
So I saved some seed from those 2009 peppers, quite a few really. And I planted two seedlings from them in 2010. Both of them were the same as their parent – long, orange and hot. Sadly, I did not save seed from the 2010 peppers.
This year, I started some of the same seed from the 2009 rogue plant, and planted two of them again. One produced the same peppers I am calling ‘Hot Happy Yummy’. But the other plant didn’t ripen any peppers until this fall, and those peppers have no heat whatsoever.
unripe Happy Yummy pepper
It is possible that the lack of heat is due to the cooler temperatures of fall. But I’m thinking not. Even our fall ripening jalapenos and serranos are still quite hot this year. So it could be that this variety is still highly variable, making some hot and some sweet plants. At any rate, I saved seed from this ‘Sweet Happy Yummy’ plant. Are you still following along?
ripe Happy Yummy pepper
So now I have seeds from the original Hot Happy Yummy, which were saved in 2009. They should be still viable next year, but I will include more of them to compensate for possibly lower germination. And I have seeds from the Sweet Happy Yummy which I saved in 2011. These have never been planted before, and who can say what they will produce.
I have packaged the two types separately, and I’m willing to share them with ten (or so) gardeners who are willing to grow and report on them. All I’m asking is that you be willing to save seed and share with others (including me), and that you give recognition for where you got the seed originally. My hope is that we could possibly stabilize the variety so that it reliably produces hot peppers, or sweet peppers. I just don’t have the room to grow a large number of these peppers myself in any one year, but I am hoping that with outside help it will be possible.
Happy Yummy seed collection
Both the Hot and Sweet Happy Yummys produce very flavorful peppers that are fairly thick walled, about 4 to 5 inches long, and orange when mature. We have really been enjoying the sweet ones this fall. But of course there is no guarantee as to what kind of peppers these seeds will produce, or if they will produce at all. Consider that my official disclaimer!
So, if you are interested in growing these peppers, leave a comment here and I will get back to you via email. You can grow one or both of these peppers yourself, or give plants or seeds to others to grow.
Local gardeners (you know who you are) can also participate by getting plants from me next year if you’d rather not start the peppers yourself from seed. Just let me know so I can start plenty of seeds. We can work out the details on getting the plants to you later.
Hopefully we can have some fun growing these different and yummy peppers!
Fun! Look forward to seeing how this turns out for Happy Yummy. Happy as in Happy Acres?
Yes!
I would be very happy to participate in the Happy Acres Hot Happy Yummy and Sweet Happy Yummy pepper growing experiment!
Oh, I’d love to participate if you still have seeds available!
If I lived in a better pepper growing climate I would jump on this opportunity as they sound very interesting . Unfortunately, growing peppers is actually just short of miraculous in our region so I am not a good test garden for growing out and increasing the seed base. I am hoping you report back on how this progresses though.
Dave,
I’m willing to give them a try too.
How long do these average to maturity?
We had a great year for peppers this year, but last was poor. Who knows what next year will hold. But we enjoy both hot and sweet peppers.
Ooh, good question. I would say 80-90 days to orange color.
This year was so-so for peppers, but better than last year. 2009 was a banner year for us. This is another good reason to share the seeds, since peppers can be tricky for us to grow some years.
I would love to grow some! Either from seeds or starts. I’ve never started my own peppers/tomatoes and was thinking of giving it a go next year. They are the only two veggies I don’t start from seed myself. I started eggplants from seed this year and they did well, so, I was thinking I may take the big plunge with peppers next year too.
If you can do eggplants from seed, then tomatoes and peppers should be easy!
Ooh…I’d love to be in on this little experiment!
I would be interested in trying this seed. We have a high tunnel, so I could extend the season some. I love how beautifully thick walled they are.
I always love to play with rogue plants too. I got one from a tomatillo plant one year and it was so much nicer than the regular one. Normally I’d jump on the bandwagon, but I don’t even know if I’m planting peppers next year. I can’t eat any of the solanums right now. I’m hoping by next year this problem goes away and I can plant and eat them again.
Daphne, if your solanum problems go away we can work something out next year.
Hi Dave,
I’d like to try your seeds and I’ll share them with my son in North Carolina and we’ll see how they fare there. But, if I have trouble with the seedlings next spring, I’d like to be able to beg a couple ‘plants’ off you next summer. Have you ever heard of Padron peppers from spain. They are fun to grow it’s like Russian roulette on hotness. A friend gave me a few seeds this fall, but they look way to dried up to sprout next year but I will try to start them no matter what shape they’re in.
Read…Originating from Galicia, Spain, also called the “Pimiento de Padrone” pepper. Little sweet chili size peppers often fried whole. Horned shaped about the size of a habanero pepper they are an heirloom pepper of Spain and very relished there. Every 10th or so will be extremely hot making for a fun game of culinary roulette. If left to ripen red they will be quite spicy, but they are most often used green. To get them just right pick when they are about the size of large olives. Toss the peppers, seeds, stems and all, into a hot skillet with olive oil. The tiny peppers are blistered first on one side, then the other, before being salted and plated for serving. Provides a very spicy and wonderful paprika if ripened and dried.
Carla, we can do the seeds now and if you have problems I should have some extra plants next spring/summer. It will be great if your son can try them – the more the merrier!
Funny you should mention the Padron peppers. I heard about them from Michelle and her From Seed to Table blog and I put them on my 2012 ‘things to try’ list. You might be surprised with those seeds you have. I’ve seen some pretty shriveled seeds germinate. Do you have s heating mat? I always use one below my pepper and eggplant seed trays and it really helps with germination.
Thanks Dave for the pepper seeds!
I would like to try them, but next year Dan and I will be heading west for the summer, so I will pass. I’d love to try them in the future, though!
I think spreading the seed love is a good idea, I have lots of seeds from my habit, and won’t be using many next year… thanks for the germ of an idea!
Ali, with any luck we will still be growing those Happy Yummys in 2013. If I could get away for the summer I would too!
I would have loved to participate but I suspect our quarantine laws will put a stop to that idea….I haven’t come across a hot orange variety before so its really interesting that you have been growing them.
You are probably right, it might be tough to get seeds to Oz. With any luck though, my wife and I hope to get there soon, 2013 perhaps. I’ve been once before, and we would both like to go together.
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