*Not as Rare as it used to be!*
(Capsicum annuum) Stroll past a kitchen window in Serbia in October, and there’s a good chance the smell of roasting red peppers’ll greet you. Across the Balkans, fall is the time for making ajvar. This thick, deliciously rich, tangy, savory spread preserves the peak harvests of peppers and eggplants to be enjoyed throughout the year. The process can take a couple days and often happens in large volumes (one recipe I read started: “Take about 60lbs of ripe red peppers…”). One of the choice varieties of sweet peppers used is known as “Elephant’s Ear” (Slonovo uvo in Serbian) for its impressive appearance. These beauties are some of the biggest, most beautiful sweet peppers we’ve ever grown, 6” long by 4” wide, slightly flattened, and with a pointed tip. Fruits ripen from green to bright red with thick walls and a very sweet flavor. Very reasonable maturity for such a big sweet pepper.
90-100 days. UO

Packet: ~30 seeds

[split]

Growing Info

SOWING:

Indoors, 6-8 weeks before your last frost date.

Transplant out after danger of frost (50+ nighttime temps).

Note: Protect well from the cold!

PLANTING DEPTH:

1/4"

SPACING:

12-24" spacing in rows 24-36" apart.

EMERGENCE:

7-14 days @ soil temp 70-85F

LIGHT:

Full sun

FERTILITY:

Moderate-Heavy. Prefer well-drained, fertile soil with ample phosphorous and calcium (too little calcium can cause blossom end rot) and a pH between 6.5-6.8.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

Pepper seeds germinate very slowly and poorly in cold soil. Keep soil temperatures at 80-90F while germinating, and grow plants at 70F.

After transplanting, use a floating row cover to keep plants warmer during the day and protect them from cold nights. Remove as temperatures increase. Too much heat can cause blossom drop.

Taller varieties benefit from staking.

Harvesting ripe fruit consistently encourages fruit production.

Sweet Pepper, 'Elephant's Ear'