Thank you for your interest in working with Small Axe Peppers Hot Sauce. We make our hot sauces from peppers grown and purchased from community gardens around the country. We would love to work with you. We have laid out some recommendations and procedures to make the process as easily as possible for you.  Here is the Introduction Zoom Conference Call that we did on March 3rd, 2022. 

Timeline 

January – March: Plan your garden and project how many seeds you would like this growing season. Please email: daniel@smallaxepeppers.com with the amount of seeds you want and where we should send them. 

April – May: Start seeds indoors or in greenhouse, transplant them to your garden. 

June – October: Grow plants, harvest peppers, and ship them back to our kitchen facility. 

November – December: Email daniel@smallaxepeppers.com with your final tally of peppers harvested and shipped to Small Axe Peppers. We will compare this number to the UPS shipping manifest to make sure everyone gets paid for 100% of what they ship. Payment generally goes out mid-December/early January 

Gardening Tips 

Growing 

• Sow seeds 8 weeks before you anticipate transplanting 

• Plant your pepper plants 12 to 24 inches apart, in rows 24 to 36 inches apart, or spaced about 14 to 16 inches apart in raised beds. 

• Select a location that receives plenty of light and heat, and has not been used for tomatoes, potatoes or other members of this family for the past couple of years 

• Plant where soil is fertile, lightweight, slightly acidic (pH 5.5-7.0) and well-drained 

• Mulch plants after they are established and the soil has warmed to retain moisture and control weeds 

• Water deeply at least 3 times per week, especially during the driest point of summer. Peppers like the heat, so full sun exposure is ideal, but they also thrive with more water. 

• Don’t use synthetic pesticides or fertilizers 

• Fertilize your plants by adding finished compost in the planting holes when you transplant, or top-dress the garden surface with a 2-3 inch layer of compost. You can also use fully composted chicken manure or fish and seaweed-based fertilizers like Neptune’s. 

• Stake your plants for best performance 

• Do not plant in same spot more than once every 4 years. 

Harvesting 

• Harvest about 2.5 to 3 months after transplanting 

• Harvest only green peppers 

• Harvest peppers when they are 3 to 3.5 inches long (but could be between 2 and 4) 

• Harvest frequently to encourage new flowers/fruit 

• Maximize the quantity of peppers harvested at once