Let's Get Cooking!

Some basic culinary chiles, hot and sweet, along with my favorite basils to pair with tomatoes in your kitchen.

CUSTOM GROWN CHILE PLANTS

If you don't see the pepper plant --sweet or hot-- that you want, please call Laurel to order custom-grown plants. Easy as 1, 2, 3. Let us grow it for you! 310 534 8611

Our organically grown chile plants and basil plants become available in mid to late April, 2009.

All of our Chiles and Sweet Peppers are ideal for growing in containers. See Growing Tips and Garden Products  for our Smart Pots.

To grow peppers, which I call chiles, sweet or hot, please be sure your night temperatures remain steadily above 55º and the soil is warmed to at least 55º before you plant out your chiles. They will not thrive in cold weather but will do very well in hot weather with daytime temperatures of  65º and up.

75º to 85º degree days are optimum to give you fabulously healthy plants and the finest fruit production ever!

Sweet Peppers

(Shipping of sweet and hot peppers begins mid April 2009)

California Wonder   SOLD OUT FOR 2009 ($4.95) 75 days. California Wonder is still the most popular old time heirloom bell pepper of all. These classic fruits are 4 lobed, about 4-5" long and 4" wide, with thick crispy walls and sweet taste. Ripening from deep green to bright red, they produce abundantly all season, can be picked green or red, and are very disease resistant. 

  Golden California Wonder SOLD OUT FOR 2009 ($4.95) 65 days. This bell ripens to golden-yellow, really sweet, thick-walled and meaty with a bountiful production. Square shaped fruits are 4-5" long and wide, and grow upright on robust plants. Just beautiful; great for eating fresh, cooked or stuffed.

  Orange Sun   SOLD OUT FOR 2009 ($4.95) 70 days. This deep sunset-orange bell pepper is 5" long and 4" wide. With thick walls and incredibly sweet flavors it makes a gorgeous rainbow presentation, fresh or cooked, or displayed with the other bright colored bell peppers. 

 Sweet Baby Bells in Four Colors

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These scrumptious little 1½" bell peppers are appearing in better markets nationwide. Cute, crunchy, fresh and sweet and picked fresh right from your garden, the flavor and textures will be exponentially better than the ones you'll find on market shelves. This pepper also comes on a gorgeous chocolate color. 

They all start green and ripen to their true colors. Great for containers, you can plant all 3 in one 20 gallon Smart Pot. See Growing Tips and Garden Products  Each plant is $4.95. We ate all of them after I took their photographs.

    Green Baby Bell which ripens Red  BABY BELLS ARE SOLD OUT FOR 2009($4.95) All of the Baby Bells start green and ripen to their true colors. As the fruits begin to mature, pick some when green and leave others to ripen to red.  You will have both colors on the plant.

 Red Baby Bell Pepper  BABY BELLS ARE SOLD OUT FOR 2009($4.95) Order the green one, it ripens to a brilliant red. Sweet and crunchy, a real delight for fresh eating , stuffing or sautéing.

 Yellow Baby Bell Pepper BABY BELLS ARE SOLD OUT FOR 2009($4.95) Pretty peppers ripen from green to bright yellow; some are almost orange. Crunchy, juicy and sweet, wonderful in combination with our other 3 Baby Bells.

Chocolate Baby Bell ($4.95)   BABY BELLS ARE SOLD OUT FOR 2009 (No photograph yet, it is this GORGEOUS chocolaty brown color when ripe!) This miniature bell pepper starts out green and ripens to a gorgeous chocolate color when ripe. Sweet, enchanting and scrumptious. Very prolific and makes a stunning combination with the green red and yellow Baby Bells.

Hot Peppers

Order now for April shipping.

Heat levels: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

The number in each description highlighted in red indicates hotness according to my personal experience. #1 is very mildly spicy. Chiles at #5 or higher are for chileheads and other adventuresome gardeners.

Please note that chile heat can vary according to climate, soil conditions, taste buds and watering technique

Anaheim   SOLD OUT FOR 2009 ($4.95) This old-time classic New Mexican Chile is moderately spicy, with deep green fruits, eventually ripening to red 7-8"long fruits, about 2" wide. Very smooth, fleshy and meaty with a mild sweet-hot flavor combination. These plants got the name "Anaheim" when a farmer, Emilio Ortega who was sheriff at the time, brought these seeds to the Anaheim area of Southern California in the early 1900's. It has become a well-loved classic. This versatile chile can be roasted and peeled and used in recipes, or stuffed to make great chiles rellenos. Heat level:  Mild 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Hot 

   Ancho San Luis aka Poblano aka Pasilla, (Ancho when dried) SOLD OUT FOR 2009 ($4.95) 75 days. This is the really big Ancho, also called Poblano and Pasilla, a rare variety. With very high production and uniform size, This big fat chile full-flavored chile is my favorite for rellenos, grilling and drying and grinding into chile powder. Not really hot, it has a discernable spiciness but not a burn. Thick fleshed, dark green triangular shaped fruits are 5½" long and 3½" wide and ripen to a gorgeous red. Heat level:  Mild 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Hot 

Bolivian Rainbow  SOLD OUT FOR 2009($4.95) 75 days. This beautiful ornamental chile has variegated green and purple foliage and purple blossoms. The fruit ripens in a profuse rainbow of color: lavender, purple, bright yellow, orange, and finally to red, with all stages of color on the plant at once.  The fruits are 1", cone shaped, grow upright on 2-3 ft. plants. Nice and hot, quite edible, but are mainly grown for their stunning beauty. They make a striking show when pickled in a glass jar. Bolivian Rainbow is a popular gift plant which puts on a spectacular fiesta in your garden. Heat level:  Mild  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10  Hot  

Jalapeño      SOLD OUT FOR 2009 ($4.95) 70 days. Hot, thick walled peppers, 3" long and about 1 ½" wide. My absolute favorite for pickling and salsa and Jalapeño Poppers, this classic chile is a slightly milder version of the very hot Jalapeño but still quite hot. Ripening from dark green to a beautiful red, they are just delicious with the very distinctive classic jalapeño richness. My absolute favorite for nachos with jalapeño en escabeche and stuffing green or ripe and sweet. Heat level: Mild  1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10  Hot

Joe E. Parker Nu Mex  SOLD OUT FOR 2009 ($4.95)  65 days. This fine old New Mexico-Anaheim type chile is my favorite for roasting and frying. Very productive and rich-flavored, the 8" long 2" wide fruits grow abundantly on an upright plant 2-3 feet tall. Among the largest of the Anaheim types. Heat level:   Mild 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10  Hot  

Serrano SOLD OUT FOR 2009 ($4.95)   75 days. This well-loved hot chile is a staple in Southwest US and Mexican cooking. The 2¼" long and ½" wide fruits are shaped like candle flames, ripening from dark green to a spectacular red. The plants are beautiful, lush, erect and full. Prolific and perfect for salsa and for adding a great flavored heat to any dish. Heat level:  Mild 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10  Hot 

Basil Plants

Easy to grow in containers or in the garden, basil is known as the tomato herb. It is an ideal companion in salads and fresh or cooked tomato dishes.

  Genovese Sweet Basil (pron: Jeh-no-VAY-zeh) ($4.95)   My favorite for Caprese Salad and for pesto--rather my favorite for the last few decades to harvest leaves for my wonderful 82 year old mom so she'll make pesto. "Hi Mom, surprise! I brought you a big bag of fresh picked basil leaves!"  Wonder if she's caught on yet? Mom's is the finest pesto I've ever had--a perfectly balanced combination of ingredients. Basil leaves, lightly toasted pine nuts, fresh grated parmesan, olive oil and garlic. No single flavor overpowers the others. I think Mom needs some basil leaves....

there making it among the prettiest herbs in your garden.

Basil Fine Verde, aka 'Little Mouse Ear Basil' SOLD OUT FOR 2009 ($4.95)     The little mouse's ear shaped leaves on this dark green ball-shaped compact plant are among the most rare and aromatic of the basil leaves. Used in gourmet dishes as a sprinkled-on seasoning, of few leaves of Basil Fine Verde lend a distinctive aroma to the finest dishes. This much-sought-after variety is a gourmet delight. The plant stays small, about 2 feet and grows well in large containers.

Thai Basil  SOLD OUT FOR 2009 ($4.95) Here is a much sought after basil which has hints of citrus and mint. The beautiful leaves are green near the bottom of the plant taking on a purple hue at the top. This is among the most flavorful of the culinary basils.

310 534-8611  Homepage: www.heirloomtomatoplants.com