Growing Red Hot Sally‘s: Your Complete Guide to These Unique Peppers

Hey friend! Have you heard of Red Hot Sally peppers? They‘re one of my absolute favorites to grow in the garden because of their compact size, delicious sweet-spicy flavor, and eye-catching bright red fruits.

In this complete growing guide, I‘ll share everything I‘ve learned about successfully cultivating these awesome peppers as an avid gardener. We‘ll cover:

An Overview of Red Hot Sally‘s Origins and Uses
Red Hot Sally‘s Growing Habits: Annual or Perennial?
How to Start Red Hot Sally‘s from Seed or Transplants
Caring for Your Plants All Season Long
Troubleshooting Common Pests and Diseases
Harvesting, Storing, and Saving Sally‘s Seeds
Tips to Maximize Your Peppers‘ Flavor, Yields, and Beauty!

Let‘s get growing!

An Overview of Red Hot Sally Peppers

First, let‘s take a quick look at what makes Red Hot Sally peppers so special:

Origins: Red Hot Sally was developed by Petoseed, a specialty seed company based in California. It‘s named after a popular restaurant in Arizona where they were first enjoyed back in the 1990s.
Plant size: These compact bushes grow 1-1.5 feet tall and 1-2 feet wide – perfect for containers!
Fruit shape: The tapering, curved fruits are 2-3 inches long.
Color: Fruits ripen from green to a vivid, glossy red.
Heat level: Mildly spicy at 500-1,000 Scoville units with a sweet, fruity flavor.
Use: Excellent for fresh eating, salsas, salads, sandwiches, garnishes, and more!

The shiny foliage and masses of colorful peppers make them beautiful ornamentals too. No wonder Red Hot Sally won an All-American Selections award for outstanding performance!

Red Hot Sally‘s Growing Habits: Annual or Perennial?

Now for the question you‘re probably wondering – are Red Hot Sally‘s actually perennial plants?

The answer is they are tender annuals in most climates. This means:

They‘ll die back over winter once frosts arrive.
To enjoy their fruits year after year, you need to replant annually.
In zone 9-10, they may perennialize if protected from hard freezes. But even here, their productivity tends to decline after a year or two.

While it would be nice to have perennial peppers, replanting Red Hot Sally‘s each spring as annuals allows you to start fresh with vigorous, high-yielding plants every season!

And because they‘re so naturally compact and fast growing, it‘s easy to grow Red Hot Sally‘s again and again.

According to data from Oregon State University trials, Red Hot Sally‘s take about 60-80 days from transplanting to harvest. So they produce their crops quickly!

How to Start Red Hot Sally‘s from Seed or Transplants

You have a couple options for starting your Red Hot Sally plants each spring. Let‘s compare them:

Starting from Seed

Timing: Begin seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before your last expected frost.

Planting depth: Sow seeds 1⁄4 inch deep in seed starting mix.

Germination: Keep soil evenly moist and at 75-85°F until sprouting.

Transplanting: Move into the garden after all chance of frost, once seedlings have 2-4 true leaves. Remember to harden off first!

Benefits: Seeds are inexpensive. You can choose from the widest selection of varieties.

Using Transplants

Timing: Find transplants at garden centers in spring, or start seeds yourself 6-8 weeks before planting date.

Choosing plants: Select stocky, healthy plants without flowers or fruits set.

Planting out: Transplant 1-2 weeks after your average last frost date, once soil warms to at least 65°F.

Spacing: Allow 12-16 inches between plants, with 18-24 inches between rows.

Benefits: Transplants are faster and less fussy than seeds. You get a head start on growth and fruits!

No matter which way you start them, just be sure to plant Red Hot Sally‘s at the same depth they were originally growing at to prevent transplant shock.

Now let‘s talk about how to take great care of them all season long!

Caring for Your Red Hot Sally Plants

Giving your Red Hot Sally‘s the right growing conditions and care will ensure you get the highest yields of delicious peppers possible. Here are my top tips:

Providing the Right Growing Conditions

Sunlight: At least 6-8 hours of direct sun daily is best. Morning light is essential.

Soil: Well-draining and nutrient-rich, with a pH of 6.0-7.0. I amend with compost.

Water: Give 1-2 inches per week. Consistent moisture is vital, especially when flowering and fruiting.

Temperature: Ideal temps are 70-85°F during the day and above 55°F at night.

Fertilizer: Use a balanced vegetable fertilizer or compost tea every 2-3 weeks. Fish emulsion provides quick nitrogen.

Support: Add cages, trellises or stakes when plants reach 12" tall to prevent breakage.

Caring Tasks All Season

Pinch off the very first flowers to develop. This encourages stronger vegetative growth first.
Check closely for pests like aphids, pepper maggots, and leafminers. Treat ASAP before they get out of control.
Remove diseased or dying leaves promptly to prevent the spread of infections.
Weed carefully, especially around young plants. Their roots are quite shallow early on.
Add mulch to retain moisture and discourage weeds. I like straw or leaf litter.
For containers, turn or stir the soil weekly and fertilize every 2-3 weeks with a liquid feed.
Prune away any crowded, dead or damaged growth to keep plants their most productive.

Giving your Red Hot Sally‘s attentive care like this really maximizes their health and yields!

Troubleshooting Common Pests and Diseases

While Red Hot Sally‘s are quite vigorous, they can fall victim to some typical vegetable garden bugs and diseases. Watch out for these common problems:

Aphids – Tiny sap-sucking pear-shaped insects that cluster on leaves and stems. They stunt growth and spread disease. Knock them off with a strong spray of water or use insecticidal soap if needed.

Pepper maggots – The larvae of a small fly that burrow into fruits. Prevent by covering plants with row cover fabric until flowering begins. Remove and destroy any infested fruits promptly.

Blossom end rot – Leathery black spots on the bottom of fruits, caused by erratic watering leading to calcium deficiency. Improve your watering consistency to prevent it.

Leaf spot – Small dark lesions on leaves that can cause defoliation. Increase air circulation and avoid wetting the foliage.

Anthracnose – Spotting on fruits, stems and leaves that spreads quickly in warm, wet conditions. Use preventative fungicides and improve air flow through plants.

Spotting issues early and treating them quickly is crucial to keeping your Red Hot Sally‘s healthy and thriving! Always follow product labels exactly for any pest or disease control products.

Harvesting Your Red Hot Sally Peppers

One of the best rewards of growing Red Hot Sally‘s is enjoying the bountiful harvest! Here are some tips and pointers:

Begin checking for ripe fruits about 60 days after transplanting or 80 days from seed.
Harvest peppers once they have fully turned from green to bright red all over.
Use clean scissors or pruners to cut peppers off cleanly without damaging plants.
Check plants 1-2 times per week, harvesting frequently as fruits ripen. This prevents declines in quality.
Leave stems attached and handle the peppers gently to prevent bruising.
Enjoy peppers fresh or preserve them within 1-2 days of harvesting.

In ideal conditions, a single Red Hot Sally plant can yield 50-100 sweet peppers over a season! Proper spacing, staking, and care maximizes your harvest.

Storing Your Peppers for Later Use

You can enjoy freshly picked Red Hot Sally peppers for 5-7 days when stored properly in the fridge. Here are some tips:

Leave peppers unwashed and place in a perforated plastic bag in your crisper drawer. This retains moisture while allowing air flow.
Do not refrigerate below 45°F or they‘ll suffer chilling injury and go bad faster.
Rinse just before eating. Pat dry rather than soak to prevent sogginess.

To enjoy your peppers for months after harvest ends, consider these preservation methods:

Pickling – Immerse washed peppers in a vinegar brine. Enjoy as a condiment!
Freezing – Slice raw peppers and freeze in a single layer on trays before transferring to bags. They‘ll last 6-12 months.
Drying – Use a dehydrator or low oven to dry slices until crispy. Store in airtight containers.

Proper post-harvest storage and preservation lets you enjoy Red Hot Sally‘s long after the growing season ends!

Saving Seeds for Free Peppers the Next Season

Here‘s a great tip for getting more free Red Hot Sally plants – save seeds from your healthiest, top-producing peppers!

It‘s super easy to do:

Allow several ripe fruits to fully redden on the plant before picking.
Remove the seeds and membranes, taking care not to get any juice or flesh on the seeds.
Rinse seeds and allow to fully dry on paper towels or newspaper.
Store dried seeds in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Label with the variety and year.
Viability lasts 2-4 years when seeds are stored properly.
Start seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before your targeted transplant date next spring.

Saving seeds ensures you have free peppers perfectly adapted to your own local conditions. It‘s one of the best perks of growing open-pollinated heirloom varieties like Red Hot Sally!

Looking for ways to get the very most out of your Red Hot Sally peppers? Here are some of my top suggestions:

Select the best fruits for seed saving – This improves traits like flavor and disease resistance over generations.
Use reflective mulch – The light bouncing off increases yields by 20% or more!
Add compost or manure – Rich soil equals bigger, tastier peppers.
Don‘t let plants dry out – Consistent moisture means higher productivity.
Use row covers – Protects from pests, cold temps, and wind damage while boosting growth.
Plant in blocks, not rows – You‘ll get more pollination and thus more fruit set.
Stake or cage plants – Prevents breakage so more energy goes to fruiting instead of regrowing damaged branches.
Harvest frequently – Promotes continuous production and reduces rotting fruits on plants.
Limit nitrogen fertilizer – Too much makes plants focus on leaves instead of fruits.

Try out some of these tricks next time you grow Red Hot Sally‘s. I know you‘ll be thrilled with the results!

Well friend, I hope this complete growing guide gets you excited to add Red Hot Sally peppers to your garden next season!

While they aren‘t true perennials, their compact size, vivid red color, sweet spicy flavor, high yields, and ornamental beauty make them a fabulous choice for containers and garden beds alike.

With the right care and growing conditions, Red Hot Sally‘s are sure to reward you with armloads of delicious peppers perfect for fresh eating, cooking, and preservation. Saving seeds from your healthiest plants ensures you have a free supply adapted to your climate too.

If you have any other questions, feel free to reach out! I‘m always happy to chat gardening. Wishing you a bountiful harvest!