Plenty of Peppers!

Today I spent an hour planting the rest of the peppers.  I only mention that it took an hour, because I was somewhat amazed it took that long.  Granted, I did have to employ a few extra steps, but sitting there doing the work must have made the time fly.  At any rate, I now have seven varieties of pepper, including the habañeros, planted.  The six I planted today include four varieties of hot pepper: Hungarian Wax (or Hot Yellow), Long Slim Cayenne, Early Jalapeño, and Red Peter Peppers; and two varieties of sweet: Fat 'N' Sassy Red Bell Pepper, and Rainbow Bell Pepper Mix (includes seven different colored hybrid peppers).  


My extra steps today involved labeling each pot so that I know which plant is which.  Having grown peppers last year from a variety pack that held five types of peppers in one packet, I now know that not only are the seeds indistinguishable, but the plants look amazingly similar as well.  That leaves you waiting and wondering what the heck you planted until the fruits form, and then it is too late to plant more.  If you enjoy surprises, you can always get a variety pack or go without labels, but I sort of like to know what I have growing!  It just depends on whether or not you plan on using ALL the seeds in a pack or not.  Had I needed (or had room for) 50 hot pepper plants, I would have been able to plant all the seeds.  Then labels would not have mattered much.  But I have no idea what I would do with that many peppers, and most backyard gardeners don't.  So if you are thinking of a variety pack because you want at least one of everything in it, then you might be better off buying each individually.  I know it is saving me a lot of grief this year!