Product Description

Some of the foremost horticulture and food experts in America have joined forces to produce the first chile pepper book specifically for gardeners. This indispensable guide teaches the history of the chile, the science behind their heat, why people keep coming back for more, and the remedies used to cure the diseases and pests afflicting chile pepper plants. Amateur and experienced gardeners alike will learn to grow many different varieties, indoors and out, and will be able to cook up a fiery feast using their homegrown chiles. The beautiful color photographs make species identification easy, and the list of seed retailers is a handy reference for every gardener.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #815950 in Books
• Published on: 2001-12-31
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 112 pages

About the Author
Beth Hanson was managing editor of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden's 21st Century Gardening series and a contributor to The Brooklyn Botanic Garden Gardener's Desk Reference. She lives in Tarrytown, New York.

Customer Reviews

Okay, but not about growing peppers per se.....
I bought this book used because I wanted to compare the BBG CHILE PEPPER book with other pepper books and the price was right. I have a confession. I never eat peppers. I can grow anything that smacks of capsicum, but I don't even like the smell of green peppers on pizza. Okay, I make chili and do it the right way with several tablespoons of ground chili pepper, and I eat plenty of Asian food including various dishes with pepper, and I love Salsa, but I avoid items on the menu with the little chili pepper (Szechewan, "hot" Thai) and I no longer eat Black Pepper because it makes me sneeze. My son-in-law pops whole peppers in his mouth - right off the plant, and the hotter the better. He scoffs at Scoville units, and he's teaching the bolder of my granddaughters to engage in the same crass behavior. I know that Capsicum helps relieve pain, so he should feel no pain this summer. I prefer my Capsicum in tablet form or as an ointment.

I grow peppers because they are so pretty and easy to grow. I place them in clay pots and line the driveway. I take the tall purple and black varieties and lace the perennial beds. I use them as the "fill" in potted arrangements. Peppers make great accent plants, and they can handle drought in hot summer. In fact, they love drought. Apparently, the more drought the better the pepper. The BBG CHILE PEPPERS monograph includes a section on growing `Small Chiles and Ornamentals', but it's very short, lacks photos and is not terribly helpful for those who would like to enhance their garden plots. I found Rosilind Creasy's EDIBLE PEPPER GARDEN more helpful.

The BBG CHILE PEPPER book is filled with recipes for main dishes, pepper dishes and salsas and vinegars, and shows you how roasted peppers should look before you whip them into a salsa.

I like the book because it is short and to the point with lots of photos. As a gardener, I find it more cook book than anything else, although it includes the inevitable section on pests and diseases. I am always puzzled by this, because the least of my concerns with peppers are pests and diseases. In fact pepper can be used as an insect deterrant.