This variety is the pepper that is pickled for sandwich shops, salad bars, and pizza places all over the U.S. and might just be the most famous pickled pepper around! Also goes by the name friggitello and Tuscan pepper. Greek Golden are thin-walled and very mild, a bit hotter than your standard pepperoncini.
The Pepperoncini Greek Golden pepper plant is a high yielding, prolific plant that matures early, and you can expect to harvest these sweet, tangy peppers around 60 to 70 days. They ripen from green, yellow, to finally red, but they should be harvested when they turn yellow for their delicious flavors that many people favor. Great for containers. An heirloom from Greece.
There are two primary types of pepperoncini peppers – Greek and Italian. The Greek pepper is shorter, sweeter, and less bitter than the Italian variety. The Italian variety grows a bit longer. However, they both offer a similar mild heat.
~ planting ~
Germination: 10-14 days
Germination Temperature: Optimum soil temperatures 75-85ºF. Cooler soil temperatures slow germination time.
Seed Sowing Depth: ¼” deep
Starting Indoors: 8-10 weeks before the last frost. Sow in flats/cells/pots. Provide 75-85ºF soil temperatures. Fertilize the seedlings every 7-10 days with a liquid or water-soluble fertilizer (diluted to ¼ of suggested measurement). Transplant seedlings 18-24” apart after the last frost.
Sowing Outdoors: Not recommended, especially in northern areas
Pinch off early flowers or tiny fruit on any seedlings before placing them in the ground. Plant in fertile soil, amend with compost if needed. It helps to use row cover early in the season, giving the plants extra warmth, especially in the north. Side dress when flowers begin to form.
~ harvesting ~
Harvesting hot peppers is basically a matter of personal preference. Generally, the longer the peppers mature on the vine, the hotter they will taste. Mature peppers, however, signal the plant to stop producing; therefore make sure you harvest peppers frequently. Always use a knife or scissors to remove peppers to prevent damage to the fragile stems.
