Golden Cayenne Pepper (Capsicum annuum) Scoville heat units: 30,000 to 50,000 (hot)

Cayenne Long GOLD Thin Pepper (70 days)

Light: Full sun
Fruit size: 4 to 6 inches long
Matures: 85 to 95 days
Plant spacing: 12 to 18 inches apart
Plant size: 18 to 24 inches tall
Scoville heat units: 30,000 to 50,000 (hot)
If you like cayenne peppers, you're going to love their golden cousin. This hot pepper develops beautiful, smooth-skinned golden fruits that really add eye appeal to the garden. Like a traditional cayenne, fruits pack the heat--but not when they're small. Peppers need to develop some size (4 to 6 inches long) before heat develops. Use Golden Cayenne to flavor Creole and Cajun cuisine, or to spice up Southwestern dishes. You can substitute golden cayenne in most dishes calling for serrano, jalapeno, or habanero peppers. Dry fruits and grind to create a pretty golden chili powder (but be sure to protect eyes and hands). Easy to grow and tolerant of hot, humid weather, Golden Cayenne produces peppers all summer.

Instructions
Planting

Starting From Seeds

1
Spread newspaper over your work surface.

2
Fill the peat pots with starting medium or potting soil to about an inch from the tops of the pots. Set the pots on a tray.

3
Moisten the soil and the pots with water. Allow time for the water to drain through and then pour out the water that collects in the tray.

4
Place four seeds in the center of each pot and cover with a thin layer of soil.

5
Put the tray of peat pots into a plastic bag and seal it. Place the bag of pots in a warm location out of direct sunlight. The optimum temperature for germination is 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

6
Check the pots daily. When the seedlings emerge, remove the bag.

7
Place the seedlings in a sunny, south-facing window. Use fluorescent lighting if you don't have enough window space. Place the seedlings as close as possible to the fluorescent tube.

8
Clip out the weakest or smallest seedlings when they are about 3 inches tall, leaving only one seedling per pot.

9
Water once a week or as often as necessary to keep the soil moist but not soggy. Always pour off any water that collects in the tray. Water with half-strength liquid fertilizer every other week.


Transplanting
10
Harden off the transplants by setting them outdoors in a shady location for only a couple of hours at first, gradually lengthening the time outdoors and amount of sunlight over a period of seven to 10 days.

11
Dig a hole, using a trowel, large enough to accommodate the peat pot. The soil level in the peat pot should be level with the surrounding soil.

12
Tear off the upper part of the peat pot away so that it doesn't extend above the soil level. This prevents the peat pot from wicking water away from the roots of the plant. Set the pot in the hole.

13
Fill in around the peat pot with soil and firm gently with your hands.

14
Plant the next and each additional plant 12 inches from the previous plant. Water thoroughly once all seedlings are transplanted.

Peppers first come in green. Cayenne peppers are not fully ripe until they are a deep red color. They can still be enjoyed when green, but they will not have reached their full capacity of spiciness. If you prefer a more mild pepper, harvesting early is good for you.