Question
We grow hot peppers organically and would like to know if
there is a way to increase the heat before harvest by tweaking
the fertilizer type, altering watering patterns, adding Epsom
salts, etc?  Thank you.

Answer
James:

The hotness in all peppers comes from the membrane that holds the seeds together.

From a stand point of hotness you can let the pepper fully mature until it gets red and the membrane will be larger and pepper hotter.

If you really like hot peppers I suggest that you try habanara as it will probably be hot enough for you at any stage of maturing.

Peppers during the final stage of maturity do not like a lot of nitrogen. Try watering every 3 days. Do not add epsom salts.

Hope this will be of some help to you.

Best wishes.

Don Battles