Jalapeno too hot

[Nematode]

Last year was a tremendous success with jalapeno, great production, flavor and moderate heat. This year they started out good but have turned hot. Really hot. I cut the seeds and white stuff out, cut a sliver and touched it to my tounge. It sent me running for the milk. Made the mistake of touching my face after washing my hands and my skin was burning(missed my eyes ) this morning I still have "pepper finger" funny heat in fingertips.
So I guess I need to take a swing at growing a range of heat in my jalapenos. Is this possible with variety selection or do you get what you get?
Sorry dont have the variety handy, can post later if I find it. Seed was from Johnnys.

[Starlight]

For your pepper finger do like you do to get rid of onion on your hands. Run hands under cold water and run a butter knife all over your hands several times. Wash hands. Dry. Wait a few minutes and than take a glass of milk and soak the fingers in it. Usually works good. I forget gloves all the time, or don't think a pepper is as hot as what it is and getting pepper heat and burn hands.

[AlittleSalt]

I bought a pack of disposable vinyl gloves this year just for handling peppers. I can't use latex because I am allergic. Last year, the peppers we grew were hot like that and I got it under my nails so bad that it burned for a few days.

[b54red]

I have found that some years jalapenos are much hotter than other years and they can vary during the season also. If you feed them chicken manure they will usually get much hotter for some reason and if it is hot and dry they tend to be hotter. I have noticed that jalapenos grown early in the wetter and cooler time of the season tend to be very mild most of the time. You could try cutting off all the older peppers and giving them a good bit of water for a few days and see if that will mellow them out a bit just don't water til they are left in standing water too long or the plants will suffer.

Bill

[Salsacharley]

I think jalapeno heat can vary from year to year within a variety, but you can still stage your heat by using multiple varieties.

I have found that my fingers aren't sensitive to heat from peppers nowadays, but if I touch any other body part...LOOK OUT! This makes insensitive fingers a liability.

[KC.Sun]

I think Jalepenos heat level can vary between varieties.

Similar to what Bill says, I think it may have to do with the temperature. But possible it may be due to nutrient level too. I've heard of people growing hydroponically and their super hot peppers are spicier than when they grow in regular soil. So possible it has to do with nutrient level.

Personally, I've been trying to figure out what causes peppers of the same type/variety to vary drastically in terms of heat level. Sometimes it isn't spicy at all growing in the same potting material, temperature, etc. And then sometimes they are so spicy I'm crying.

[Nematode]

Thanks for the tips.
They are hydroponic, well hydrated and getting all the nutrients they need. Ph is lower this year which may make more nutrients available.
Found that people soak them to cut the heat going to give it a try.
Some of the baths:
Salt water
Sprite
Milk + water
Olive oil rinse.

Tequila and anything with oil makes sense because they are capsaicin solvents.

[Worth1]

It all depends on how mad or upset you are when you plant them as to how hot they will be.
But then still it doesn't work out like you would think.
If you are a normally even tempered person then the mad effect will be more.
If you are mad all the time the effect will be less.
If you are someone that gets pushed around and takes it in stride then the effect can be devastating.
Sometimes causing small fires to break out in the garden.
Then there is the Italian mad effect where only one or two pepper plants will be hot.
This effect is common with people from the Mediterranean areas.
It is where the personality of the person can be explosive for just a few minutes and cool off fast and back to happy.
This is like my mom and my self.

Some of the best pepper heats have came from having children plant them after they have had their toys taken away and grounded with no TV.
Telling them they cant see their friends anymore and cutting of phone and computer access helps tremendously.

Worth

[Nematode]

Mrs Nematode planted them
Must have been mad.

[Gerardo]

Dry weather tends to push them toward the hot end.

Always be mindful when you devein/deseed, especially if you're male, since a bathroom break can turn into a very interesting experience.

[Starlight]

Originally Posted by Nematode

Mrs Nematode planted them
Must have been mad.

Interesting thoughts. I heard at one time that if they didn't get enough water, that would make them hotter. Not sure how true that is.

Does anybody know if you pick them say at like the stage where they are turning to their final color and let sit in house, does the heat level stop or will it continue to increase even after picked?

[Nematode]

Seeded and scraped them soaked them in sprite overnight, they were almost as mild as regular green peppers. Filled them with cream cheese and sausage and wrapped them in bacon put them on the grill. They were good but a little too mild.
Ill have to work on the soak timing to get the heat just right.
Sorry no pics, when im eating usually not thinking about pics

[parah]

Originally Posted by b54red

I have found that some years jalapenos are much hotter than other years
Bill

Jalapenos are too hot for me to eat fresh. Do you have milder favorites for eating fresh?

You favorite tomatoes have become staples in my garden.

[Starlight]

Originally Posted by parah

Jalapenos are too hot for me to eat fresh. Do you have milder favorites for eating fresh?

You favorite tomatoes have become staples in my garden.

One that I enjoyed was Caloro. It is a hot pepper, but a bit milder than the Jalapeno. Guajillo was another one I was able to eat. Little heat without the burn.

[Nematode]

Follow up on Jalapeno heat.
Soaking them for 15 min to an hour can really take the sting out of them, too long and they lose their goodness.
Can be soaked in water, soda, liquor, doesn't seem to matter too much.
Water takes longer, liquor takes less, seem like less anyway .