How to Grow Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Peppers

Are you ready to grow some seriously hot peppers? How about a batch of Trinidad Moruga Scorpion peppers? In 2012, the Guinness book of World Records officially named the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Pepper as the world’s hottest pepper!

Exactly how hot is the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion pepper? To put the pepper’s extreme hotness into perspective, its rating on the Scoville Heat Scale can be compared with other common peppers. A Jalapeno pepper, which many of us have sampled, rates between 3,500-8,000 Scoville heat units. Habanero chilies, which are significantly hotter than Jalapenos, have a ranking between 100,000-350,000 Scoville heat units. The Trinidad Moruga Scorpion pepper, however, has a Scoville heat ranking of between 1,500,000-2,000,000 plus units! 2,000,000 Scoville units is the equivalent of military-grade pepper spray! Damn that’s one hot pepper!

This is a fun and exciting project that practically anyone can do! It's as simple as planting, watering, and harvesting! Additionally, this is an inexpensive project to undertake. The required seeds are available online for approximately $5 and the remaining equipment can be easily obtained from local stores.

The following steps will guide you in an intuitive fashion through the four phases of this project: germinating the seeds, planting the seeds, plant growth, and harvesting.


WARNING!!! I am not kidding when I say that these peppers and their seeds are hot! It is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO WEAR LATEX GLOVES WHEN HANDELING THE SEEDS OR THE PEPPERS. If your skin comes into contact with any part of the plant or its fruit, WASH AREA EXCESSIVELY WITH SOAP!

Step 1: Supplies Needed

1. Small (approximately 12Oz) Styrofoam cup.
2. Potting soil.
3. Paper towel.
4. Plastic container.
5. Trinidad Moruga Scorpion pepper seeds.
6. Latex gloves

Step 2: Germinating the Seeds

WARNING! WEAR LATEX GLOVES WHEN HANDELING THE SEEDS!

1. Cut or fold a paper towel so that it fits in the bottom of the plastic container.

2. Place the seed(s) on the surface of the paper towel that lines the bottom of the plastic container.

3. Place a second paper towel cutout over the seed(s) so that the seed(s) are in between the two paper towels.

4. Add just enough water to the paper towels in the plastic container so that the towels are thoroughly damp. Do not add enough water to allow for standing water (not absorbed by the paper towels) in the bottom of the plastic container.

5. Place the plastic dish on a window seal or similar location. You want the container to receive ample sunlight to allow for successful seed germination. Additionally, ensure that the container remains in an environment with temperatures between 75-85 degrees Fahrenheit.

6. It is important to check on the seed(s) throughout the day to ensure that the paper towels are saturated with water. If the seed(s) are not between wet paper towels, they will dry out and germination will not occur. Thus, check the plastic container a few times a day, ensuring that the towels are damp.

7. The seeds will start to sprout after approximately 1-3 weeks of being soaked between the paper towels.

8. Once the seeds have sprouted, you are ready for the next step: planting!

Step 3: Planting the Seeds

WARNING! WEAR LATEX GLOVES WHEN HANDELING THE SEEDS!

1. Prepare the growing containers by filling the Styrofoam cups with potting soil. The cups should be filled so that there is about a half inch of remaining space at the top of the cup.

2. Using a pencil or similar object, poke a hole in the dirt in the center of the cup that extends down about a half inch.

3. Gently place the sprouting seed in the hole, making sure that the direction of the sprout (the root) is facing downward.

4. Cover the sprout lightly with dirt, and add enough water to dampen the soil.

Step 4: Plant Growth

1. You should expect to see the seed sprout from the soil within one to two weeks’ time. Be sure to check the plant regularly and keep the soil moist (but not flooded).

2. Keep the plant inside, because the minimum growing temperature is 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The Trinidad Moruga Scorpion grows best at temperatures between 70 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

3. Place the plant on a window seal. The Trinidad Moruga Scorpion pepper plant requires at least six hours of direct sunlight per day (more is ideal – up to 12 hours of sunlight per day).

4. The plant will reach maturity and begin producing fruit in approximately two to three months.

Step 5: Harvesting the Peppers

WARNING! This is a reminder to ALWAYS WEAR LATEX GLOVES WHEN HANDELING THE SEEDS OR PEPPERS!

1. Once the plant is fully grown, it will produce Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Peppers. These peppers are ready to be harvested when they turn completely red.

2. Once the peppers are ready to harvest, use a pair of scissors to cut the stem of the pepper.

3. Enjoy!