Bring a little spice to your garden and grow some Chilli!
For those living in subtropical and tropical zones, or even warm temperate areas, chillies can be grown as perennials, continuing to produce fruit right throughout the cooler seasons. In cooler climates, chillies are typically grown as annuals, meaning now is the time to start thinking about saving chilli seeds for early spring sowing. Alternatively, you can extend their growing season by providing extra warmth- consider using a greenhouse, glasshouse or covered structure. Chillies are easy to grow and can be grown in pots and garden beds, making them an ideal choice for those with small-space gardens, apartment living, or rental properties.
They also produce abundant harvests that can be preserved in multiple ways:
- Dried for long-term storage
- Frozen for future use
- Infused in olive oil or vinegar
- Turned into delicious chilli jam
How hot is your chilli?
Scoville Scale is a measurement of pungency (spiciness or ‘heat’) of chilli peppers and other substances, recorded in Scoville heat units (SHU). It is based on the concentration of capsaicinoids, with capsaicin being the predominant component.
For reference:
- The hottest chilli on record, Pepper X, measures 2,693,000 SHU
- A Jalapeño, by comparison, reaches only 10,000 SHU
