Easy to grow chilli plants in England?

Thanks shiney

What about storing/preserving the chillies if we get over-run - do they freeze?

 

It depends on what you intend doing with them afterwards.

There are many methods of storing them:-

drying them (which method is best depends on type and size, and available equipment but I dry mine by just leaving them on kitchen paper in a warm airy place - our kitchen - but some of them may go off before drying out properly),

pickling in vinegar or a mixture of vinegar and oil,

preserving in oil only (some people think this may be dangerous as they may still go off in the oil). We have never had this problem but we heat the oil first, put the chillies in, seal tightly, cool down quickly and keep them in the fridge at all times. After a period of time we find that the oil becomes more chili hot than the chillies themselves and it can be used for cooking.

freezing, lay them flat on a biscuit tray (or similar) to keep them from freezing together. They won't deforst as though they are fresh as they will go soft - but they retain the fresh flavour.

 

Thanks again shiney I think freezing is probably the best option for me, although I might pickle some in oil & vinegar.

 

The dehydrator looks like a great idea, but a bit of an outlay just to dry chilies - I like the idea of threading them on a thread above the hot water tank in the airing cupboard though, that is a possible.

Thanks Kristen

 

It's not unusual for chillies to grow upwards. As a general rule it used to be that those that grew upwards, were smaller and thinner and turned deep red were always hotter than the pendulous types. With all the crossbreeding that isn't true anymore.

 

Wow! Thanks for the heads-up - freezing it is then!

 

Is there anything that would make the plants give off a really strong chilli smell? I've been finishing off painting today, and have really noticed quite a strong smell coming from the chillies on a few occasions.

 

Not even four weeks since posting the above, and I have tons of chillies now - in fact, looking back at the photos I posted earlier in the thread is really strange, as my chilli plants are now almost the full height of the window and have spread right out.

I'm dying to clip one off and get it into a dinner!

 

(Hot) Super Chilli F1 - I put no thought into variety at all when I bought them, just saw the seed packet and decided to have a go