CORVALLIS, Ore. — Ezequiel Lopez-Reyes will never forget the taste of fresh fruit and vegetables brought straight from his father’s farm field when he was a child in Mexico. In honor of that memory, he established a plot of his own in Oregon.
“I was one of four brothers and when I was young, I was the one who used to help mom cook. Not because I had to, but I was interested. Now I love to experiment.”
Lopez-Reyes, Oregon State University Extension Service Open Campus and Juntos student success coordinator, has been growing his home garden for five years. It’s full of peppers, tomatoes, tomatillos, epazote and cilantro. He grows so many pepper plants they often overflow into pots. All of his bounty goes into meals he cooks with culturally important foods.
Lopez-Reyes shared his gardening experience as a guest speaker in the Washington County Master Gardener Association webinar series — part of OSU Extension’s network of Master Gardener volunteers. To learn more, check out the recording of “Hot Peppers! From Seed to Salsa.”
“I love to cook,” said Lopez-Reyes, who has gardened since he was 10 years old. “I was one of four brothers and when I was young, I was the one who used to help mom cook. Not because I had to, but I was interested. Now I love to experiment. My girlfriend loves it.”
Lopez-Reyes, who works with Latinx families and students in Washington County to help prepare them for life after high school, grew up in Michoacán, Mexico. He comes by his love of gardening honestly. His dad was a farmer and his mother worked in the nursery industry for 30 years.
“Dad bought me a small cherry tree when I was 8 from Home Depot,” Lopez-Reyes said. “I was so fascinated with growing. We didn’t have much money. We were lucky to have enough food to go around because it was very, very expensive. Summer was my favorite time. For three months, I felt so rich.”
Why peppers? Flavor, aroma and tradition
Peppers are some of his favorite vegetables to grow and eat. His choice may change day by day, but during a recent interview Lopez-Reyes said he loves guajillo chile peppers, the dried version of mirasol peppers that look like serranos but turn red when ripe. Guajillo peppers, used extensively in Latino culture, flavor the dishes he learned to love as a child.
“I use them in posole and enchiladas,” he said. “They are not the spicy kind. When dried they are such a beautiful red. They give color, flavor and a little spice. They are mixed in a blender with garlic and onion and added to the sauce.”
Chile de árbol — which translates to “pepper on a tree” because it grows as a large shrub — is another constant in his garden. The dried version of serrano, chile de árbol packs some heat and can be added to chilaquiles, salsa roja, camarones a la crema and other Mexican dishes.
Guajillo and chile de árbol are just two of the peppers on Lopez-Reyes’ long list. He also grows cola de rata (rat tail pepper), fatali, ghost, habanero, Carolina Reaper, cayenne and jalapeño. Seeds are fairly easy to find. He suggests shopping locally first, then turning to online sources like Pepper Joe. Many peppers will be available as starter plants in nurseries when planting time arrives after soils warm to at least 60°F, usually in late May or June.
Lopez-Reyes gravitates to hot peppers because he grew up eating them, especially in eggs and beans.
“We have to have fresh peppers,” he said. “They’re like a pickle. We probably have peppers with every single meal. I’ve always been fascinated with them — how they grow, their aroma, what’s growing around them.”
Getting started in the maritime Northwest
Growing peppers in the maritime Northwest is more challenging than in Mexico, where the semi-tropical climate is perfect for hot-weather vegetables like peppers. A warming climate will most likely change that, Lopez-Reyes said.
To get ready for the season, he starts seeds indoors in April — or March if he’s really anxious. He uses plastic strawberry containers saved from the grocery store. The lid provides a seal, and it’s clear, so you can watch seedlings grow and better judge when to transplant to larger pots before moving them into the garden.
“It puts people off because they don’t know when to plant,” he said. “There’s a lot of things we have to consider. Not every year is the same. We have to adjust to the weather. You may get something one year and not another. We have to be OK with that.”
When to start peppers across Oregon
Overall: Start indoors in late winter; transplant in late spring once nights are consistently mild and the spot is sunny and sheltered.
Oregon Coast: Be conservative; use cloches/low tunnels and choose earlier varieties.
Willamette Valley: Late-spring transplanting; add warmth with dark mulch or row cover.
Southwest Oregon: Can set out a bit earlier; generally excellent pepper country.
Central and Eastern Oregon: Wait for a settled warm spell; protect against cool nights; favor early types.
Cascades and higher elevations: Delay transplanting and rely on season extenders.
Lopez-Reyes wants people to be comfortable growing peppers, though he understands the trepidation because they need a long, warm period to ripen.
“I hope they understand that everything takes a little work, but it’s important to try something new,” he said. “You’d be surprised what you can do. It’s important we all try different foods. A lot of good conversation comes out when talking about gardening and food.”
Five tips for growing peppers
Plan ahead. Pepper-growing season from seed starts early. Purchase seeds in late December or early January.
Don’t fear starts. Growing from seed can be hard and takes practice. Starter plants from local nurseries are a great way to begin.
Watch the forecast. The Weather Channel is your best friend. Keep a close eye on weekly temperatures and be ready to protect plants.
Accept variability. Some years are better than others. Even without a big crop, you’ll grow a beautiful garden that supports bees and other pollinators.
Start small. First garden? Keep it manageable. Plants need time and attention — like kids. Enjoy the process and scale up slowly.
Salsa verde (Lopez-Reyes’ method)
Cook 3–5 serrano peppers and 2–3 medium tomatillos in 2–3 cups of water until slightly softened.
Add peppers and tomatillos to a blender. Add ¼ onion, 1 cup cilantro, ½–1 clove garlic and salt to taste.
Add a splash of the cooking water — only a splash. Too much water makes the salsa runny; it should be thick.
Previously titled Growing peppers adds flavor to ethnic dishes
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