One of the difficulties that many pepper growers have is consistency - I can grow one jalapeno plant and pick 3 different peppers and all provide different heat levels. It sure makes for a tough time when using them in a dish! My best advice for that is to simply cut off the very tip and chew it prior to using, then gauge the heat and determine usage. I have had some jalapenos taste just like green bells but the next one taste like a serrano!

One great activity I enjoy each summer is planting a salsa bed. I will grow a selection of everything I need for good salsas, and experiment over the season with slightly different combinations of my various tomatoes,various onions, various types of hot peppers, anaheim and poblano, garlic, cilantro, dill, lemon basil - whatever suits me that day. And being able to make such small, controlled batches allows me to reproduce if I love that batch or also not really be so disheartened if one batch comes out poorly. Also allows for you to be able to experiment with flavors and textures that may have never been combined before!

Cheers!