Lemon drop
Capsicum baccatum
Also known as: Aji limo, Aji limón, Hot lemon, Qillu uchu
Quick facts
- Category
- fruiting
- Difficulty
- intermediate
- Days to harvest
- 95 to 120 days
- Harvest type
- continuous production over weeks or months
- Spacing
- 60 cm between plants
Environment
- Temperature
- 18–30°C
- pH
- 5.8 to 6.8
- EC (hydroponic)
- 1.8 to 2.6 mS/cm
- Daily light
- 22 to 32 mol/m²/day (strict, will fail outside this range)
Climate and zones
- USDA zones
- 9 to 13 (winter low around -7°C or warmer)
- Frost tolerance
- frost sensitive (dies at first frost)
- Season
- warm (summer crops, frost-sensitive)
Viable growing environments:
- outdoor in growing season (annual)
- unheated greenhouse / hoop house
- heated greenhouse
- indoor (heated home)
- indoor hydroponics under grow lights
USDA zone bounds reflect outdoor year-round survival. Anywhere outside the bounded zone range, this crop still grows as an annual in the warm months (outdoor_seasonal), under cover (greenhouse), or indoors under lights.
Growing systems
Lemon drop works in:
- drip / Dutch buckets
- media bed (ebb and flow)
- soil bed
Growing media
The substrate the roots sit in. Choice depends on the system (clay pebbles don't fit NFT channels; rockwool isn't used in media beds) and the crop (lemon drop works in the media listed below).
| Medium | pH effect | Water retention | Bacterial surface |
|---|---|---|---|
| Expanded clay pebbles (LECA) | neutral / inert | low | high |
| Coco coir (Coconut coir) | slightly acidic | high | moderate |
| Perlite (Expanded volcanic glass) | neutral / inert | very low | low |
| Rockwool (Mineral wool) | alkaline until pre-soaked | very high | low |
| Soil-based mix (Potting soil) | varies by source | high | high |
Bacterial surface area matters for aquaponics: clay pebbles, lava rock, and pumice double as biofilter substrate. Low-surface media (rockwool, perlite, pea gravel) work in hydroponics but need a separate biofilter in aquaponics.
Nutrient demand by stage
NPK ratios are relative weights at each growth stage; the nutrient mix calculator scales them to absolute grams or ml. EC targets shift through the plant's life: seedlings need a much lighter solution than fruiting adults.
| Stage | N | P | K | EC target (mS/cm) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| seedling | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1.2 |
| vegetative | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1.8 |
| flowering | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2.2 |
| fruiting | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2.4 |
Companion-growing notes
- Heavy uptake of potassium, calcium. Co-grown crops with the same demand will end up deficient even at "correct" EC. Plan around this in shared reservoirs.
Aquaponics suitability
Compatible with typical aquaponics nutrient profiles. Fish waste provides enough nitrogen for healthy growth; supplemental potassium, calcium, and iron may still be needed depending on fish stocking density.
Care notes
A productive specialty pepper for hydroponic growers who want citrusy heat. EC 2.0-3.0 mS/cm. pH 5.8-6.5. Temperature: 22–30°C (baccatum species prefer warmth). High light (DLI 18-25 mol/m2/day). Plants produce heavily in DWC, Dutch bucket, or drip systems. From transplant to first ripe yellow fruit: 85-100 days (baccatum types have a longer season than most annuum varieties). Each plant produces 40-80+ small peppers over a season, among the most prolific peppers by fruit count. Harvest when fully yellow. The small, thin-walled fruits dry quickly: dehydrate at 55°C until brittle, then crush into flakes or grind into powder. Dried lemon drop powder is an exceptional seasoning: bright citrus heat that elevates fish tacos, ceviche, vinaigrettes, and popcorn. Calcium supplementation prevents blossom end rot. The plants respond well to pinching the growing tip at 25–30 cm to promote branching. Seeds are available from specialty pepper suppliers. A fun and useful crop for growers who cook with chiles.
Verified against: international-potato-center, u-of-lima-agraria, chile-pepper-institute-nmsu. Last reviewed 2026-05-15.