The upright plants of the Santa Fe Grande Pepper produce excellent yields of yellow peppers that transition to orange and then red at maturity. Hot flavor with 5,000 Scoville Heat Units! This open pollinated variety is resistant to Tobacco Mosaic Virus and takes about 78 days to reach maturity. A popular variety in the southwestern United States, Santa Fe Grande hot peppers were introduced to gardeners by Peto Seeds in 1965. Sowing: Start Santa Fe Grande hot pepper seeds indoors in peat pots about 8 weeks before the last expected spring frost. Sow them 1/4" deep and keep the soil at 80-85 degrees F until germination; provide sunlight or a grow light for 12-16 hours a day. When the outdoor temperature reaches 60-65 degrees F during the day and no less than 50 degrees F at night, transplant the seedlings 12-16" apart. Exposing the plants to the weather for several hours a day before transplanting may help prevent shock. Peppers also grow well in containers or raised beds. Growing: Keep the soil evenly moist and weeds under control; mulching the plants may help with this. If excess heat and sun cause the plants to wilt, provide shade. Santa Fe Grande peppers are resistant to tobacco mosaic virus. Harvesting: Harvesting hot peppers is basically a matter of personal preference. Generally, the longer the peppers mature on the vine, the hotter they will taste. Mature peppers, however, signal the plant to stop producing; if the peppers are picked when still at the green stage, the plant will go on producing. Always use a knife or scissors to remove peppers to prevent damage to the fragile stems. Santa Fe Grande peppers work equally well for salsas, pickling, and preserving.