Chilli. Basket of Fire. Very hot, around 50,000-100,000 SHU’s.
I am and have always been a chilli head. When living in Brighton as a boy I would make regular pilgrimages to a great burger joint and order not one but to chilli burgers. Their chilli sauce recipe was a closely guarded secret but boy was it fierce. Friends used to look on in awe as I munched through these tasty treats. Teamed with lovely fresh tomatoes, lettuce, onion and gherkin. I have had a passion for them ever since. I was fascinated to start growing my own. But we are starting in the middle.
People using chillies can be trace back to 7500bc. Said to have originated in Mexico. They are so very widely used in so many dishes. Obviously curries. Also, sauces, relishes, salads, soups, jams, chutneys, chocolate, pastas, to name but a tiny few. My speciality is chilli stuffing balls. Now a firm family favourite. Chillies come in all shapes and sizes, colours and flavours. They also vary widely in hotness!
Chillies are measured by the Scoville Scale. It is the measurement of the heat of a chilli. As recorded in Scoville Heat Units or SHU’s
The Scoville Scale.
Growing chillies at home has become a massive branch of gardening. There is a massive variety of seeds to choose from. The plants of which vary in flavour, colour, and of course hotness. Shop bought chillies just do not compare to home grown. There is all manner of implements to assist the grower. Sow seeds from January-February in a warm spot indoors. Obtain a propagator if you can. If you intend to grow them completely indoors then pick a smaller variety. Please take a look in my Chilli Vault for an ever growing selection of chilli varieties to grow.
To visit the Chilli Vault please click here.
If you are new to growing chillies, then please take a look at our chilli growing kit. It has six varieties of seeds and all the equipment you will need to get growing.
To take a look at the kit please click here.
I hope this has whetted your appetite to give growing chillies a grow.
Thanks Simon.
