"Doe Hill" Sweet Orange Pepper

Capsicum annuum

Gorgeous orange pre-1900 heirloom from the Doe Hill area of Highland County, Virginia. Excellent for short season. Exceptionally sweet, one of the sweetest we’ve ever tried, thick walls, crispy, juicy, delicious raw, super early to bear. An adorably squat little lobed pumpkin of a pepper, a delight to harvest! Makes for a very festive stuffed pepper plate!

Growing Instructions:

Sow indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost.

Transplant as soon as the last chance of frost has passed being sure to add plenty of rich compost at time of planting. We also recommend to do a fall or spring cover crop of of peas or other annual legumes to fix nitrogen in the growing space.

Plant spacing: 12-18 “ apart

Row spacing: 18-24 “ apart

Mulching Peppers is a good idea, however mulching in mid spring will keep soil temperature cooler and may slow growth. Mulching can be done once soil has warmed.

Make sure soil pH is between 5.8 and 7.0. If plant needs a growing boost, water with nitrogen tea or compost tea a few times. If trace minerals are inadequate, sprinkle a small amount of woodash or azomite in each planting hole.

Harvest:

“Doe Hill” peppers will begin ripening within 75 days from transplant. Sweetest when fully orange. With a frost advisory, pick all you can off of the plant, maturing peppers will ripen off of the vine. Some lesser mature ones may not ripen completely.