Pepper, Chili Pepper 'Golden Greek Pepperoncini'

You’ve likely eaten many pepperoncini peppers in your life, whether you’ve realised it or not. In pickled form, they are common in, or on many meals, including some favourites like pizzas, salads, and sandwiches. In Italy, Pepperoncini peppers are often found on antipasti platters with cured meats, pickles, and olives and they are an essential ingredient in Greek salads and kebabs.
The 'Golden Greek' strain is from Greece and is smaller and lighter in colour than the regular pepperoncini, with the same thin walled, slightly wrinkled shape and mild flavour. They are a favourite for pickling, packed in jars and stored in olive oil. Homemade jars of the golden peppers look more like the commercial product. Mild, tasty and crunchy, they bring many foods to life.

Pepperoncini peppers barely nudge the pepper scale, they are much closer to a bell pepper and sit next to the pimento pepper in terms of hotness. At only 100 to 500 Scoville heat units, they are probably best described less in terms of ‘heat’, more of a ‘slightly sweet tang’, especially when pickled.
Pepperoncini originally hail from Europe, specifically Italy and Greece both countries have deep ties to this variety. They go by many names. The most common variation is peperoncini (one less p), but the Italians also call it friggitello or a common general pepper name: peperone (not to be confused with the sausage pepperoni). In English, it’s often referred to as the Tuscan pepper, the Greek pepper, or the Sweet Italian pepper.

The pepperoncini plant is a bushy, annual variety that grows to a height of about 100cm (3ft) tall. The peppers it produces are tapered, wrinkled along their length, blunt and lobed at the ends. They are usually harvested at 5 to 8cm (2 to 3in) long, while they are still sweet and yellow-green. When allowed to mature, the peppers turn bright red and grow stronger in flavour.

Storage of Seeds:
Store seeds away from children, sealed in their packaging in a cool, dry, dark place, or in a fridge. Never store them in a freezer as the sudden temperature drop is likely to kill them. Don't leave the seeds in direct sunlight as the heat generated may kill them.

Sowing: Sow from mid February to mid June
The temperature, moisture, and air circulation all play a role in growing plants from seeds. Too little heat, too much moisture, and lack of air circulation will cause poor results. Do not use jiffy peat pots, plugs, or potting soil as the soil becomes too dry or too wet, which can lead to low germination, disease and fungus.
Fill small cells or trays with a good sterile seed compost and sow the seeds on the surface. Just cover with a fine sprinkling (3mm) of soil or vermiculite.
Keep the compost moist - don't let the top of the compost dry out (a common cause of germination failure) If you wish, spray the surface with a dilute copper-based fungicide.
Cover the pot or tray with plastic film or place in a heated propagator, south facing window or a warm greenhouse.
The ideal temperature is around 18 to 20°C (65 to 72°F).

Cultivation:
When the seedlings have produced their first pair of true leaves they can be potted on into individual 7 to 10cm (3-4in) pots. Use good quality potting compost and mix in some organic slow release fertiliser. Pot the chilli on again before it becomes root-bound.
Water the seedlings regularly, but don't let them become waterlogged as this encourages rot. Don't let them dry out as they rarely recover at this stage. Water the soil, not the foliage. Once the plants have established, it is better to water heavy and infrequently, allow the top inch or so to dry out in between watering.
Seedlings should be grown in good light, but should not be exposed to direct sunlight from late spring to early autumn. Weaker sunlight from autumn to spring is unlikely to do them harm. Once seedlings have put on some growth they need lots of light. Growing them under a grow-light produces excellent stocky plants, as will a warm sunny windowsill. Adult chilli plants need lots of light. However, more than 4 hours or so in hot direct sunlight will dry them out quickly.
Acclimatise to outdoor conditions for 2 to 3 weeks before they are moved permanently outside. Plant them into rich moist soil. Flower do not form and fruit will not set if the temperature is much below 17°C (62°F) for most of the day, so wait until June/July for best results with outdoor planting.
After the first flowers appear, feed every one or two weeks with a half-strength liquid tomato feed. You could also add some Seaweed extract to the water once a week.

Pollinating Flowers: (optional)
Blossoms will appear singly at first, then in bunches, followed by ripening fruit. Chilli plants are self fertile and will generally pollinate themselves. However, if you want to give them a helping hand to ensure that lots of fruit are set indoors, use a cotton wool bud to gently sweep the inside of the flowers, spreading the pollen as you go. The flower's petals will drop off as the green middle part of the flower starts to swell slightly. This is the chilli pepper beginning to grow.

Harvesting: Harvest in 85 to 95 days
The peppers will take a few weeks to develop and a further couple weeks to turn from green to gold. Harvest any time after they are fully developed. Use scissors to snip the fruits so you don't damage the plant. Do not leave them on for too long, as delaying after the chili is ready for harvest will result in a decline of further yields.
A little note: to control the heat, remove the seeds and the membrane on the inside of the pepper before adding to your favourite recipes; chopping it very, very fine will more evenly distribute the heat throughout the dish.

Storage:
After being roasted and peeled, Peppers can be preserved by either canning or freezing. Store in an airtight container will suffice for several months.

Warning:
Be careful handling these chilli seeds as they can cause a painful burning sensation. We recommend you wear nitrile or latex gloves to protect your hands and avoid touching your face while sowing, harvesting or handling these peppers.
When finished, dispose of the gloves then wash your hands thoroughly. Do not touch sensitive areas, rub your eyes, or visit the bathroom (ouch!) before washing thoroughly. Handle hot peppers with extreme caution, keep out of reach of children and immature adults.

Etymology:
Pepperoncini originally hail from Europe, specifically Italy and Greece both countries have deep ties to this variety. They are known by many names. The most common variation is peperoncini (one less p), but the Italians also call it friggitello or a common general pepper name: peperone (not to be confused with the sausage pepperoni). In English, it’s often referred to as the Tuscan pepper, the Greek pepper, or the Sweet Italian pepper.
Chilli terminology is confusing; pepper, chili, chile, chilli, Aji, paprika and Capsicum are used interchangeably for chilli pepper plants in the genus Capsicum.
The word Capsicum comes from the Greek kapto, meaning 'to bite' (a reference to pungency or heat). In Mexico a Capsicum is called a Chile pepper - Chile enthusiasts around the World often use the spelling Chile.

Overwintering:
Many people are unaware of the fact that pepper plants are perennials. We typically plant the seeds, reap the benefits of our labour and then let the plants die off when the cold weather hits. However, with a little effort, you can over-winter your pepper plants and have a more fruitful harvest the following year. Over-wintering your plants will bring you a number of benefits. While everyone else is planting seeds in the spring, your plants will have a head start with well-established root systems and stems. The harvest will come much sooner and last much longer, producing much more that a first year plant would.
At the end of the growing season, when the temperature begins to drop, pepper plants will become dormant. They are finished producing flowers and pods for the year and require much less sunlight and water. This is the time to begin the over-wintering process.
The first step for over-wintering your pepper plants is to cut them back drastically, leaving only a short stem. This may seem a bit harsh, but it will make your plant concentrate its energy on re-growth, rather than trying to sustain older, un-productive vegetation. Re-potting your plants in a smaller container will also help your plant reserve its energy for hibernation.
The most important step is to place your plants in a warm area that will give them the best chance of surviving the winter. Most of us don’t have a greenhouse, so a sunny windowsill will work well. If the temperature inside is comfortable to you, chances are your plants will enjoy it as well. Continue to water your plant, but do so much less often. The soil should be moist, but not damp as this will promote the growth of mould.
If you are successful in over-wintering your pepper plants, you can be sure to have an incredibly fruitful harvest the following year. While everyone else is still watering seedlings, you will be enjoying fresh, delicious peppers.