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Growing on the High Plains: Peppers REVEALED!

Would a pepper by any other name taste just as sweet? Or spicy? Or seasoned? On today's Growing on the High Plains, let's tip our caps to the Capsicum, blow a horn for the peppercorn, and find out "what's the dilly" with the chili. Though different as they may be, these three cousins often answer to the same name: pepper.

I'll dish up some history from the spice trade, provide tips for pampering pepper plants, and issue a rainbow of nutritional insight. No matter how you shake it, peppers seem to be full of surprises.
 
"The sun goes up and the sun gets down,
but like the heart of the sun, my heart continues to pound."
—from "Behind the Sun," Red Hot Chili Peppers
 

Years ago Skip Mancini left the rocky coast of Northern California to return to her roots in the heartland. Her San Francisco friends, concerned over her decision to live in a desolate flatland best known for a Hollywood tornado, were afraid she would wither and die on the vine. With pioneer spirit, Skip planted a garden. She began to learn about growing not only flowers and vegetables, but hearts and minds. If you agree that the prairie is a special place, we think you'll enjoy her weekly sojourns into Growing on the High Plains.