Q.Hot Pepper
What makes a pepper plant produce hot peppers? I have been growing Scotch bonnet pepper for a few years now and in my first attempt I was able to grow some really hot peppers, but since then I have not been able to repeat as in my first year. I noticed that in my first year the weather that summer was really hot and dry. In the subsequent years, the growing seasons have been relatively cool with above normal precipitation. Someone suggested an application of high phospheric acid fertilizer will produce hot peppers. I have tried this, but the results were inconclusive. Your comments would be greatly appreciated.
You've already hit the proverbial nail on the head. Peppers are hottest when grown in hot, dry environments. When you can control the weather, let me know... The only thing I can suggest is growing in containers where you can have more control over soil moisture, and grow in a greenhouse where you can let temperatures get into triple digits. A pepper grown more slowly and 'poor' will have more hot capsaicin oil, therefore, it will be hotter.
