terroir for peppers?

[darthcarl]

As I studied wine I learned that a plant has only one self driven purpose, to reproduce. A plant with excellent resources, good land, lots of water, and the like, produces as many fruit as possible in it's effort to reproduce as much as possible. A plant that struggles, rocky soil, low water, rapid temperature change, produces less fruit but puts more of it's resources into the fruit. In terms of wine it's a choice the vintner makes. Lots of bottles of mediocre wine or less bottles of a great wine.

I have noticed this effect in other fruits as well. Apples, Tomatoes, wild strawberries. I have also seen it in surprising places such as coffee beans and vanilla and sarsparilla.

I don't grow anything and don't know where the line between struggle and death would be, but I thought maybe some pepper planters could discuss or experiment.

[imaguitargod]

I find that crappy conditions=crappy plant/fruit...

[Tina Brooks]

The best peppers I ever tasted were fresh off the bush in the Bahamas. Those were less than ideal growing conditions, let me tell you.

That said, I have to wonder if the atmosphere added to the incredible taste of the pepper.

T

[POTAWIE]

I've heard that stressing a plant at certain times by restricting water, or excessive heat can increase the heat in a pepper pod. I personally baby my plants and would never intentionally stress them too much although I do leave many Habs in the greenhouse for extra heat.