Organic Big Jim Pepper Seeds

Big Jim pepper was developed in 1975 by the Chile Pepper Institute at New Mexico University. This cross between New Mexican chiles and a Peruvian pepper is a staple in New Mexican cuisine, where it is regularly harvested green for roasted green chiles. Individual peppers vary in heat from 500 (mild) – 3000 (medium) on the Scoville scale.

This New Mexico chile pepper is large and meaty, holding the world record for the largest chile pepper pod at 13.5″ long! These vigorous plants will require support as they become loaded with their large fruits.

The average tapered pods on a Big Jim pepper are 7–9″ long and 2″ wide at the shoulder, with just the right amount of mildly spicy flavor for making one of our favorite dishes — chiles rellenos!

Planting by Zones

Zones 9-10

• Peppers are a warm-season crop in Zones 9 and 10. You can plant them in the spring through late summer. Many pepper plants can perennialize in Zones 9 and 10, but their production will diminish drastically.

Zones 2-8

• Start inside 8 weeks before the last frost. Use a seedling heat mat to ensure the soil is warm enough for quick germination. 

Planting Pepper Seeds

• In Zones 9 and 10, you can direct seed or transplant your pepper seeds. We recommend you start them in early spring in starter pots and transplant them out.
• Peppers need warm soil to germinate. A seedling heat mat will ensure the soil is warm enough for quick germination if you start seeds in starter pots. If you are planting outside, make sure the soil is at least 80°F.
• To direct sow, plant seeds in debris-free, well-worked soil that has been deeply watered. Cover with 1/4″ of finely sifted soil. The minimum night temperatures should be no less than 60°F.
• If planting seeds in starter pots, plant seeds into thoroughly moistened high-quality seed starting mix. Place seeds on top of the soil and cover with 1/4″ of finely sifted soil.
• Once the seedlings have germinated and are 1–2″ tall, fertilize regularly with an organic liquid fertilizer, such as fish emulsion. You can plant them in the garden at 3–4″ tall.
• Space plants at least 12″ apart.

Growing Peppers

• Peppers are easy to grow once you get them established.
• Mulching heavily around your peppers will help with weed suppression and moisture retention.

Harvesting Peppers

• Harvest peppers often to encourage more production. Cut fruits from their stems; do not pull.
• Big Jim peppers are regularly harvested green for roasted green chilies but can be left to mature longer. Fully mature peppers will turn red.

Growing Peppers in Containers

• Peppers make excellent container plants. Make sure your container is at least 20″ deep. Provide support for the plants to grow up. Keep in mind containers will dry out faster because they have more surface area and less soil to hold onto moisture. Mulch heavily on the top layer of soil in the pot to keep the soil from drying out or heating up too much.

Southern California Pro-tips.

• Mulch heavily around your plants to ensure the soil does not dry out or heat up too much.
• When growing bell peppers, shade cloth can help to diminish sun scald that can scar the skin of the peppers.

Companion Flowers/Crops

• Interplanting flowers with peppers will make your garden beautiful and reduce pest issues. Marigolds look stunning when interplanted with pepper plants. You can also grow zinnias, zinnias, and cornflower.

Additional Learning Resources

• New to starting crops from seeds? Please watch our Seed Starting Presentation to learn the basics!
• Learn about growing all our crops on our YouTube page!
• Having pest issues? Check out in-depth information for pests that can be an issue to peppers at the UC Integrated Pest Management site.

Although we think there’s no such thing as too many, you may wonder what to do with your abundance of peppers. Drying and grounding peppers for custom seasonings is a simple way to preserve your harvest. If you are new to this technique, try our Drying Cayenne Pepper Seeds, which have long, thin walls that dry easily. Learn more about Growing Peppers from Seed in our Garden Wisdom Blog.