With the dog days of summer behind us and the cool days of fall ahead, now is the time to freshen up our planters and landscape with the colors of fall. One great way to do this is with the unique ornamental pepper plant.

Ornamental peppers can be used in a variety of ways in your garden. They can be great in beds or borders or as an exciting accent to a fall perennial garden. They work extremely well in combination planters mixed with mums, sedum, and ornamental grasses. They come in a variety of different shapes and colors. They grow to a height of about 12 inches and a spread of about the same. The fruit usually develops in the summer and will continue to produce through to the fall. They prefer full sun and moist, nutrient-rich soil.

Most people ask me, “Can I eat these peppers?” The answer is yes, but you probably won’t want to. The name ornamental says just that. Use these varieties for decoration and regular pepper plants for your edibles. Plus most varieties are spicy hot.

Ornamental peppers don’t like too many nights of frost, so before we start getting hard frosts, move them out of your garden or planters and bring them in your house. They will produce peppers up to the holidays. Another name for ornamental peppers is “holiday peppers.”

•  Light-Sun
•  Type: Annual
•  Height: 12-18 Inches High
•  Width: 12 Inches
•  Uses: Containers, beds and borders,

Every weekend in October come visit our Haunted House! This will be our 3rd year back since we did it over a decade ago, so if you remember how we used to scare the “*#@!*” out of you, then you have to come check it out. If you are new to The Dees’ Haunted House, then be prepared. It isn’t for the weak. That is Saturday and Sunday in October from 11 AM till 5 PM. Our Kid’s Fall Festival starts is every weekend in October starting the 6th from 11 AM till 5 PM.