{"title":"Chillies \u0026 Peppers","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"hungarian-hot-wax-chilli","title":"Hungarian Hot Wax Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum annuum 'Hungarian Hot Wax'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eHeritage Hungarian wax pepper, mild-medium heat, outdoor-reliable\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Hungarian heritage wax pepper that has earned its place as one of the most reliable chillies for UK outdoor growing. Hungarian Hot Wax produces long, tapered, pointed fruits 12–15cm in length, ripening from pale yellow-green through orange to deep red — the same fruit displaying all three colours at different stages, making the plants genuinely beautiful through the summer. The flavour is properly fruity and the heat sits in the mild-medium range at roughly 5,000–10,000 SHU on the Scoville scale — warmer than a bell pepper, gentler than a jalapeño, accessible to most cooks without overwhelming the palate.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhat sets Hungarian Hot Wax apart is its \u003cstrong\u003ereliability in British conditions\u003c\/strong\u003e. Unlike many chillies that demand greenhouse warmth to crop properly, Hungarian Hot Wax was bred in Eastern European continental conditions and crops generously outdoors in a sunny sheltered UK garden. The plants are compact and bushy at around 60cm tall, rarely needing staking, and produce 20–30 fruits per plant in a good summer. For the gardener who wants chillies without committing to a greenhouse, this is genuinely the variety to start with.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe mild-medium heat level is the second reason Hungarian Hot Wax has held its place in catalogues for decades. The fruits add proper chilli warmth and flavour to cooking without the searing intensity of habanero-type varieties — you can use whole pods rather than tiny slivers, the seeds can go in without worry, and the heat builds gently rather than overwhelming the dish. This makes it the cook's chilli for everyday use: stuffing, pickling, frying, slow-cooking, drying. The thick walls also make Hungarian Hot Wax outstanding for stuffing — few other chillies have the structural integrity to hold a filling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHungarian Hot Wax is open-pollinated heritage. Seed saved from your best fruits will grow true the following year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on growing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSow indoors from February to April at 20–25°C in seed compost at 0.5cm depth — chilli seeds need genuine warmth to germinate well, and a heated propagator makes a real difference. Germination takes 14–21 days. Prick out seedlings into 9cm pots once they have two true leaves, growing on at 18°C minimum.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePlant out from late May (greenhouse) or early June (outdoors) once all frost risk has passed and night temperatures stay reliably above 12°C. Plant in 25–30cm pots filled with quality compost, or directly into fertile, well-drained garden soil in a sunny, sheltered position — against a south-facing wall produces the heaviest crops. Allow 45cm between plants.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWater consistently — chillies dislike drought but also dislike waterlogging. A weekly liquid feed of high-potash tomato food from the appearance of the first flowers substantially improves cropping. Pinch out the growing tip when plants reach 30cm to encourage bushy branching and more flower trusses.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHarvest from July onwards. The fruits can be picked at any stage — pale yellow for the mildest, orange for medium, red for the fullest heat and sweetness. Regular picking encourages further flowering and substantially extends the cropping season. Plants typically crop continuously from July to first frost.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere it shines\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the kitchen, Hungarian Hot Wax is the universal everyday chilli. Stuff with cream cheese and bake (the classic chilli popper). Pickle whole in spiced vinegar — the wax skin holds beautifully in jars. Slice into stir-fries, curries, and pasta sauces. Use whole in slow-cooked stews. Stuff with rice and mince for substantial Hungarian-style mains. Dry whole strung up on a kitchen string for winter use. Add to scrambled eggs, omelettes, and frittatas. The mild-medium heat suits everyday family cooking where you want flavour and warmth rather than challenge.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the garden, two or three plants produce a substantial summer supply of chillies for fresh use, pickling, and drying. The decorative value of the multicoloured fruits through summer makes Hungarian Hot Wax suitable for ornamental positions as well as production beds — a row in a sunny mixed border looks intentional and beautiful.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChillies benefit from companion plants that attract pollinators and deter pests. Plant alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e to deter aphids and whitefly. Basil is the traditional Mediterranean companion that improves both flavour and pollinator attraction. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e attracts beneficial predators. Avoid planting near brassicas or fennel.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303296442745,"sku":"CHI-HHW","price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0576\/6004\/7547\/files\/Gemini_Generated_Image_n198b5n198b5n198.png?v=1779205190"},{"product_id":"bangalore-torpedo-chilli","title":"Bangalore Torpedo Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum annuum 'Bangalore Torpedo'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eIndian heritage long chilli from southern India, medium heat\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Indian heritage chilli that has been a staple of southern Indian kitchen gardens for generations, named for the city of Bangalore in Karnataka where it has been grown and selected over many years. Bangalore Torpedo produces long, slender, slightly twisted fruits 10–15cm in length — some growing as straight tapered cones, others curling into the distinctive \"pig's tail\" twist that gives the variety part of its character. The fruits ripen from light green through to a vivid red, and the plants are notably prolific, often hanging with dozens of curving red pods at peak season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe heat sits in the medium range at roughly 10,000–30,000 SHU on the Scoville scale — properly hot to British palates accustomed to mild supermarket chillies, but manageable enough for everyday cooking rather than challenge-eating. The flavour is the authentic southern Indian chilli profile: clean, sharp, properly capsicum-flavoured, with a clarity of heat that makes Bangalore Torpedo ideal for the dishes it was bred for. This is the chilli to grow if you cook genuine Indian food and want the right fundamental ingredient rather than substitutes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe thin-walled fruits are \u003cstrong\u003eoutstanding for drying\u003c\/strong\u003e — one of Bangalore Torpedo's traditional uses in India. String the ripe red pods together and hang them in a warm dry kitchen to produce your own dried chillies for grinding into powder, crushing into flakes, or using whole in tempering oils for curries. The thin walls mean the fruits dry quickly without losing flavour, and the dried chillies retain heat and character considerably better than commercial dried alternatives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBangalore Torpedo is open-pollinated heritage. Seed saved from your best fruits will grow true the following year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on growing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSow indoors from February to April at 20–25°C in seed compost at 0.5cm depth. Use a heated propagator for the best germination; expect 14–21 days. Prick out seedlings into 9cm pots once they have two true leaves, growing on at 18°C minimum.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePlant out from late May (greenhouse) or early June (outdoors) once all frost risk has passed. As a \u003cem\u003eCapsicum annuum\u003c\/em\u003e variety, Bangalore Torpedo crops more reliably outdoors in UK conditions than chinense varieties — though it still prefers a sunny sheltered position, ideally against a south-facing wall, or in a greenhouse for heaviest crops.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePlant in 25–30cm pots filled with quality compost, or into fertile garden soil. Allow 45cm between plants. The plants reach 60–90cm tall and become quite bushy, often needing light support as fruits develop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWater consistently. Feed weekly with high-potash tomato food from first flowers. \u003cstrong\u003eCut fruits cleanly with scissors rather than pulling\u003c\/strong\u003e — the plants are delicate at the fruit attachment and tugging can damage flowering branches.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHarvest from July through to October. Pick green for the mildest heat (still useful in Indian cooking), or wait for full red for peak heat, flavour, and drying suitability. Plants typically crop continuously from July to first frost.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere it shines\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the kitchen, Bangalore Torpedo is the chilli of authentic southern Indian cooking. Slice green pods into dals, sambars, and rasams for fresh chilli heat. Use red pods whole in tempering oils (heat oil with mustard seeds, curry leaves, and a whole dried Bangalore Torpedo for instant authentic flavour). Crush dried fruits into curries, biryanis, and pakora batters. Make Indian-style chilli pickles. Use in Goan vindaloos, Hyderabadi biryanis, Kerala fish curries, and any preparation where you want clean medium chilli heat without the overwhelming intensity of habaneros. Outstanding for making homemade chilli powder — the dried red fruits grind to a brilliant orange-red powder with proper Indian-chilli flavour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the garden, two or three plants produce a substantial summer crop. Greenhouse growing is recommended for heaviest yields, though sheltered south-facing outdoor positions also work well. The prolific red fruits make the plants attractive enough to use as ornamental features in container groupings on a sunny patio.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChillies benefit from companion plants that attract pollinators and deter pests. Plant alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e to deter aphids and whitefly. Basil is a traditional companion. \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e attracts beneficial predators.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303485579641,"sku":null,"price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0576\/6004\/7547\/files\/Gemini_Generated_Image_14bhvj14bhvj14bh.png?v=1779205654"},{"product_id":"carolina-reaper-chilli","title":"Carolina Reaper Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum chinense 'Carolina Reaper'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eThe world's hottest chilli for a decade — and still the most famous superhot ever bred\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf chillies have celebrities, the Carolina Reaper is one of them. From 2013 to 2023 it held the Guinness World Record as the hottest chilli on earth — a full decade at the top of the heap — and although it was finally dethroned by Ed Currie's own Pepper X in October 2023, it remains the most famous, most-grown, and most culturally significant superhot ever created. The chilli that broke through into mainstream awareness; the chilli that launched a thousand YouTube challenge videos and the long-running \u003cem\u003eHot Ones\u003c\/em\u003e series; the chilli whose name, even non-gardeners recognise.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnd there's a real human story behind it. \u003cstrong\u003eEd \"Smokin' Ed\" Currie\u003c\/strong\u003e, of the PuckerButt Pepper Company in Fort Mill, South Carolina, spent years crossing a Pakistani Naga with a red habanero from St Vincent's Island, working through generation after generation in pursuit of a sweeter superhot. The original code-name was wonderfully prosaic: \u003cem\u003eHP22B\u003c\/em\u003e — Higher Power, pot 22, plant B. The \"Reaper\" name came from the wickedly curved scorpion-like \"stinger tail\" the pods develop, which is one of the most recognisable shapes in the chilli world. The official Guinness-certified average is \u003cstrong\u003e1,641,183 Scoville heat units\u003c\/strong\u003e, with individual pods reaching peaks of over \u003cstrong\u003e2,200,000 SHU\u003c\/strong\u003e. For context, a jalapeño sits around 5,000 SHU.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhat makes the Carolina Reaper genuinely remarkable, though — beyond the headline numbers — is its \u003cstrong\u003eflavour\u003c\/strong\u003e. Currie set out to breed a sweet superhot, and he succeeded. Beneath the searing fire is a surprisingly fruity, almost tropical sweetness, with notes of red apple, peach and a hint of cinnamon. The sweetness comes first, in the brief moment before the heat arrives; then the heat does what the heat does. It's this rare combination — genuine flavour married to extreme heat — that makes the Reaper the chilli of choice for serious hot-sauce makers, and what kept it the world's most popular superhot even after it lost its record.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe pods themselves are small — just 5 to 7.5cm long, bumpy and wrinkled, ripening from green to a deep scarlet red, finished with that signature stinger tail. The plant is a typical \u003cem\u003echinense\u003c\/em\u003e: slow to germinate, warmth-hungry, and not the easiest variety in the catalogue — but established plants are productive, ornamental, and rewarding once they get going. A genuine grower's pepper.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSafety: please read this before growing or handling\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Carolina Reaper is genuinely extreme — we sell these seeds for experienced chilli enthusiasts who understand what they're handling, and we ask all customers to follow proper safety precautions:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWear gloves\u003c\/strong\u003e when picking, cutting, or processing the pods, and ideally eye protection too. Capsaicin oil at this concentration causes severe burning on contact with skin and eyes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNever touch your face, eyes, or sensitive skin\u003c\/strong\u003e after handling, even after washing — the oil clings to skin for hours\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWash hands thoroughly\u003c\/strong\u003e with soap and oil-cutting detergent immediately after handling; wash the chopping board, knife, and work surface the same way\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUse ventilation\u003c\/strong\u003e when cooking with these pods — the fumes alone can cause coughing, eye irritation, and breathing difficulties\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUse vanishingly small amounts\u003c\/strong\u003e in food — a fraction of a single pod can dominate a whole dish. Start with far, far less than seems reasonable; add more later if needed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eKeep away from children, pets, and anyone with respiratory, heart, or digestive conditions\u003c\/strong\u003e — ingesting peppers at this heat is not advisable for them\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDo not eat whole pods or attempt \"challenges\"\u003c\/strong\u003e — consuming a whole Carolina Reaper is genuinely dangerous and has led to documented medical emergencies, including hospitalisations\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIf heat becomes overwhelming\u003c\/strong\u003e: dairy (milk, yoghurt, ice cream) and starch (bread, rice) are the most effective relief; water makes it worse. Seek medical advice if breathing or heart symptoms develop\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis isn't a chilli for casual cooking — it's a chilli for experienced enthusiasts who'll dehydrate pods into a tiny pinch of fiery powder, blend single pods into a batch of hot sauce, or simply grow the plant for the ornamental satisfaction of having raised a record-breaker on a UK windowsill.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on growing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLike all \u003cem\u003echinense\u003c\/em\u003e superhots, Carolina Reaper is slow and demanding compared to easier \u003cem\u003eannuum\u003c\/em\u003e varieties. Sow indoors from \u003cstrong\u003eJanuary to early March\u003c\/strong\u003e to give the plants the longest possible season — the earlier you start, the better your chance of a full harvest. Germination is famously unpredictable: \u003cstrong\u003ewarmth is critical\u003c\/strong\u003e, ideally a heated propagator at 25–30°C, with consistent moisture. Allow two to six weeks for seedlings to appear, sometimes longer; don't give up if nothing shows in a fortnight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrick out into 9cm pots once the seedlings have two true leaves, and grow on in good light at a minimum of 20°C. Pot on progressively, never letting the plants check or chill, until they reach a generous final container. The Carolina Reaper does best in a heated greenhouse or conservatory in the UK; outdoors it will struggle to ripen a full crop without exceptional summer weather. The longer and warmer the season, the better the harvest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWater consistently, never letting the compost dry out, and feed weekly with a balanced or high-potash tomato food once the first flowers set. The plants are productive once established — expect a generous crop from a healthy, mature plant. Pods take a long time to ripen fully (often 90–120 days from flower), so patience is essential; they're at their fieriest and fruitiest only when fully red. Harvest with gloves and a sharp knife or snips, never by hand. Stop watering as the season ends to let the plant focus on ripening the last pods.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere it shines\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCarolina Reapers are most often dried — pods cure beautifully on the plant or in a dehydrator, and the dried fruit grinds into one of the world's most fearsome chilli powders, a tiny pinch of which can transform a whole pot of chilli con carne or a batch of curry. They're prized by serious hot-sauce makers for the rare combination of extreme heat and genuine fruity flavour, and a single Reaper in a batch of habanero-based sauce will push the heat into a different league entirely.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor most growers, though, the real satisfaction is simply having raised one. A mature Carolina Reaper plant in fruit, hung with its strange wrinkled scarlet pods and signature stinger tails, is one of the most distinctive things you can grow in a UK greenhouse — a genuine piece of horticultural history and a guaranteed conversation piece. And as the ultimate \"I grew this\" achievement, it's hard to beat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e extreme superhot, 1.4 to 2.2 million SHU — Guinness World Record holder 2013–2023\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavour:\u003c\/strong\u003e surprisingly sweet and fruity — tropical, apple, peach, hint of cinnamon\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLooks:\u003c\/strong\u003e small, wrinkled scarlet pods with a signature scorpion-like stinger tail\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePods:\u003c\/strong\u003e 5–7.5cm long, 2.5–5cm wide\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant:\u003c\/strong\u003e slow, warmth-hungry, productive once established; UK greenhouse essential\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStory:\u003c\/strong\u003e bred by Ed Currie of PuckerButt Pepper Company; original code HP22B; world record holder for a full decade\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e January to early March, 25–30°C\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e 90–120 days from flower; pick fully red for peak heat and flavour\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBest for:\u003c\/strong\u003e drying, grinding into powder, hot sauces, and the sheer pride of growing a legend\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStrictly for experienced chilli enthusiasts\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChillies do well with companions that draw in pollinators and help keep pests down. Plant alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e to deter aphids and whitefly, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to attract beneficial predators. Basil is a classic greenhouse companion that enjoys the same warmth and sun.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303657808249,"sku":"CHI-CRR","price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0576\/6004\/7547\/files\/Carolina_Reapers.png?v=1780091590"},{"product_id":"cayenne-chilli","title":"Cayenne Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum annuum 'Cayenne'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eThe classic kitchen-garden chilli — reliable, productive, and properly hot\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOf all the chillies in the world, the Cayenne may be the most quietly useful. Its name is so familiar that most people don't even think of it as a variety any more — it's just \u003cem\u003ecayenne pepper\u003c\/em\u003e, the orange-red powder in the spice rack, the heat in a thousand recipes, the standard by which most cooks measure their tolerance for chilli. But Cayenne is a specific cultivar, a long-established cottage-kitchen workhorse, and it remains one of the most rewarding hot chillies you can grow in a UK greenhouse or sunny corner.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe pods are unmistakable: long, slim, slightly curved, tapered to a point, ripening from a glossy green to bright scarlet red. At 10 to 25 centimetres long, they are larger than most chillies in the catalogue, and a single mature plant can produce dozens of them in a good summer. The plant itself is a bushy \u003cem\u003eCapsicum annuum\u003c\/em\u003e of around 60 to 120 centimetres — easygoing, manageable, and far quicker and more straightforward to grow than the slow superhots.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHeat-wise, Cayenne sits firmly in the 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville range — properly hot, but not extreme. It's about ten times the heat of a jalapeño, comfortably in the territory where most hot-sauce makers and home cooks like to live. The flavour is the classic cayenne profile that anyone who's ever shaken cayenne powder into a soup will recognise: sharp, clean, peppery, direct, with a bright fresh-acid finish. There's no smoke, no sweetness, no fruity complication — just a properly straightforward chilli heat that lifts almost any savoury dish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhich is what makes Cayenne so quietly indispensable. It's not the most dramatic chilli, the prettiest, or the rarest. But if you only grow one hot chilli, this is the sensible choice — the reliable, productive, useful workhorse that earns its space in the greenhouse every single year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on growing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSow indoors from \u003cstrong\u003eFebruary to April\u003c\/strong\u003e, about six to eight weeks before the last expected frost. As an \u003cem\u003eannuum\u003c\/em\u003e, Cayenne is one of the more straightforward chillies to start — a heated propagator or warm windowsill at 22 to 28°C will usually see seedlings up within one to three weeks. Sow on the surface or barely covered, and keep the compost moist but not wet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrick out into 9cm pots once the seedlings have two true leaves, and grow on in good light at a minimum of 18 to 20°C. Pot on progressively to a generous final pot — Cayenne is a productive plant and rewards a decent root run. It does best in a greenhouse, polytunnel, or conservatory in the UK, where the longer warm season really pays off, but it also performs well in a warm, sheltered, sunny spot outdoors once all danger of frost has passed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWater consistently and feed weekly with a balanced or high-potash tomato food once the first flowers set. Pinch out the growing tip early to encourage a bushier, heavier-cropping plant, and stake or cane if the branches grow heavy with fruit. Harvest from late summer into autumn, picking the pods green for milder flavour or fully red for full heat and the best drying potential. Regular picking keeps the plant producing right up to the first frosts. As with any hot chilli, it's sensible to wash your hands after handling the cut fruit and to keep it away from your eyes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere it shines\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCayenne is, above all, the great \u003cstrong\u003edrying\u003c\/strong\u003e chilli. The slim pods have thin walls that dry beautifully and quickly — on a string in a warm kitchen, on a tray in the airing cupboard, or in a dehydrator — and the dried pods grind into a fragrant, fiery powder that's a world apart from anything you'll buy in a supermarket jar. A small jar of home-ground cayenne powder, made from your own summer plants, is one of the genuine pleasures of growing chillies; it lifts soups, stews, eggs, marinades, hot sauces and rubs throughout the winter, and tastes vastly better than the year-old industrial alternatives.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFresh, the pods are excellent chopped into salsas, simmered into hot sauces, infused into vinegars and oils, or pickled whole. They freeze well too — pop a few onto a tray, freeze hard, then bag up for the freezer for a year-round supply.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the garden, a productive Cayenne plant in late summer, hung with fifty or more bright red pods at every stage of ripening, is a properly handsome thing — ornamental as well as useful, and a genuine cottage-kitchen plant in the best sense.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e hot, 30,000–50,000 SHU — about ten times the heat of a jalapeño\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavour:\u003c\/strong\u003e classic, clean, sharp cayenne heat — peppery and direct, no smoke or sweetness\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePods:\u003c\/strong\u003e long, slim, slightly curved, 10–25cm; ripening green to bright red\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant:\u003c\/strong\u003e easygoing, bushy \u003cem\u003eannuum\u003c\/em\u003e, 60–120cm, very productive\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e February to April, 22–28°C\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e late summer to autumn; pick red for full heat and drying\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBest for:\u003c\/strong\u003e drying and grinding into powder; hot sauces, salsas, pickling, infused oils\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eA reliable workhorse\u003c\/strong\u003e — the sensible choice if you grow only one hot chilli\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChillies do well with companions that draw in pollinators and help keep pests down. Plant alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e to deter aphids and whitefly, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to attract beneficial predators. Basil is a classic greenhouse companion that enjoys the same warmth and sun, and makes a natural culinary partner too.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303688413561,"sku":null,"price":2.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"armageddon-chilli","title":"Armageddon Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum chinense 'Armageddon' F1\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eBritish-bred superhot — the world's first F1 hybrid super-chilli\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA genuine landmark in chilli breeding, and a proudly British one. Armageddon was developed by Tozer Seeds after a five-year breeding programme and first grown commercially by Salvatore Genovese in Bedfordshire, launching to a great deal of fanfare in the summer of 2019. Its claim to fame isn't only the heat — it's that Armageddon is the world's first \u003cstrong\u003eF1 hybrid\u003c\/strong\u003e super-hot chilli, and that changes everything about how it grows.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost superhots — the Carolina Reaper, the 7 Pots, the ghost peppers — are open-pollinated varieties that can be slow, fussy, and uneven from plant to plant. As an F1 hybrid, Armageddon was specifically bred for vigour and reliability: the plants are noticeably more robust, more uniform, earlier to crop, and higher-yielding than the older open-pollinated superhots. It's often described as the earliest-maturing superhot of all, ripening up to a fortnight ahead of its rivals — a real advantage in the short British summer. In short, it's the most grower-friendly way into genuine superhot territory.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd the heat is the real thing. At around 1,300,000 Scoville units — roughly four hundred times hotter than a jalapeño, with some strains testing higher still — Armageddon sits squarely among the hottest chillies on earth, the hottest British-bred commercial chilli yet grown. The medium-sized pods are wrinkled and crumpled in the classic superhot fashion, ripening from green to a vivid red. Behind the ferocious heat is a genuinely good flavour: fruity, with a bright citrus tang and a faint smoky undertone, and a heat that builds slowly and then keeps on building.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eArmageddon belongs to \u003cem\u003eCapsicum chinense\u003c\/em\u003e, the species behind habaneros, Scotch bonnets, and most of the world's hottest peppers, and is widely thought to carry a little \u003cem\u003eCapsicum frutescens\u003c\/em\u003e in its lineage to give it that extra vigour. As an F1 hybrid, it's worth knowing that seed saved from your own fruits will \u003cem\u003enot\u003c\/em\u003e grow true to type the following year — the uniformity and vigour come from the controlled cross, so fresh seed each season is the way to get the real thing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is still a superhot, and still a chilli for the experienced grower and the confident cook — but of all the superhots, it's the one most likely to reward a first attempt.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on growing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSow indoors from December to early March in a heated propagator at 25–30°C. As a chinense superhot the seed needs real warmth to germinate, though Armageddon's hybrid vigour means it tends to come up a little more readily and evenly than open-pollinated superhots — usually within 14–28 days. Patience still pays: don't give up on a tray too soon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrick out seedlings into 9cm pots once they have two true leaves, and grow on at a minimum of 20–22°C with bright light. Pot on progressively to final 25–30cm pots, keeping the plants warm through April and May in a heated greenhouse, conservatory, or on a sunny windowsill, before moving to an unheated greenhouse or polytunnel from June. A warm, sunny, sheltered spot is essential — this is not a chilli for an exposed outdoor bed in most of the UK.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWater consistently but never let the roots stand waterlogged, and feed weekly with a high-potash tomato food from the first flowers onward. Pinch out the growing tip at around 25–30cm to build a bushy, branching, heavy-cropping plant — and Armageddon does crop heavily, so a single plant produces a serious quantity of pods. Harvest from August through October once the fruits are fully red. Always wear gloves and eye protection when picking, handling, and processing the fruit — full safety guidance is shown at the top of this page.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere it shines\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the kitchen, Armageddon is for the serious hot-sauce maker and the dedicated chilli enthusiast — but its fruity, citrusy flavour means it brings more than just punishment. It's excellent in small-batch hot sauces, especially fermented ones, where the fruit notes develop alongside the heat; pair it with mango, pineapple, or citrus for the classic superhot-and-fruit combination. A tiny sliver is enough to bring serious heat to a whole pot of curry, chilli, or marinade, and the pods dry and grind well into a superhot powder to be used a single pinch at a time. One well-grown plant will supply a household for a year and then some.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the garden, it's one of the more satisfying superhots to grow precisely because it performs — vigorous, productive, and earlier than its rivals, hung with crumpled scarlet pods at the height of the season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e superhot, around 1,300,000 SHU (roughly 400× a jalapeño)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavour:\u003c\/strong\u003e fruity with a bright citrus tang and a slow, building heat\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant:\u003c\/strong\u003e vigorous bushy hybrid, 60–120cm, very high-yielding\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eF1 hybrid:\u003c\/strong\u003e easier, earlier, and more uniform than open-pollinated superhots\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e January to early March, heated propagator at 25–30°C\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e August to October, fully red\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrow under cover:\u003c\/strong\u003e greenhouse, conservatory or sunny windowsill\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeritage:\u003c\/strong\u003e British-bred (Tozer Seeds), the world's first F1 superhot, launched 2019\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChillies do well with companions that draw in pollinators and help keep pests down. Plant alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e to deter aphids and whitefly, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to attract beneficial predators. Basil is a traditional greenhouse companion that enjoys the same warmth, and if you'd like to grow a small collection of superhots together, Armageddon shares its greenhouse needs with our 7 Pot Infinity and 7 Pot Yellow.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303701717369,"sku":null,"price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"cayenne-ring-of-fire-chilli","title":"Cayenne Ring of Fire Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum annuum 'Cayenne Ring of Fire'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eAn improved cayenne for short British summers — earlier, more compact, properly hot\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf standard cayenne is the classic kitchen-garden workhorse, Ring of Fire is the workhorse with a few useful upgrades. Selected over decades for British and short-season growers, it ripens earlier than standard cayenne, fits a compact 45cm patio plant, and packs a proper step up in heat — reliably crops in UK conditions where heritage cayennes sometimes struggle to colour up before autumn. The same long, slender, drying-friendly pencil pods, just delivered earlier, on a smaller plant, with a bit more bite.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRing of Fire is an improved selection of standard cayenne — bred for the things that matter to home gardeners in a Norfolk or English garden: \u003cstrong\u003eearlier maturity\u003c\/strong\u003e (around 80 days from transplant rather than the 90-plus of heritage cayennes), \u003cstrong\u003eheavier yields on a smaller plant\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003ea usefully higher heat level\u003c\/strong\u003e. American sources rate it around 30,000–50,000 SHU (the same band as the parent), but UK gardeners growing it under greenhouse conditions report 50,000–85,000 SHU. The honest reading is that it runs hotter than standard cayenne under most UK conditions — properly \"very hot\", but still well short of habanero territory.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRing of Fire produces the classic cayenne pod — long, slim, pencil-thin, pendant-hanging on the plant, ripening from green to a clean bright red. Pods reach around 10–12cm long and 1cm thick, slightly wrinkled or twisted, thin-walled, and produced in proper abundance once the plant gets going. A single well-grown plant will produce dozens of pods over a season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe thin walls are the key to its versatility — they dry quickly and cleanly, which makes Ring of Fire one of the best chillies in the garden for \u003cstrong\u003edrying and grinding\u003c\/strong\u003e into your own home-made cayenne pepper, for stringing into traditional \u003cem\u003eristras\u003c\/em\u003e for the kitchen, for flaking, for hot sauces, or for using fresh in anything that needs a steady, building heat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy it works in a British garden\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMost cayenne varieties were selected in warmer climates — the American south, central Italy, India — where summers run hot and long. Drop one of those varieties into a typical UK summer and you can find your pods sitting stubbornly green into October, ripening reluctantly or not at all. Ring of Fire was selected specifically to address this:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEarliness\u003c\/strong\u003e — first ripe pods around 80 days from transplant means useable red chillies from August in most years\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCompact 45cm plants\u003c\/strong\u003e — fits a 25cm pot easily, suits a patio or sunny windowsill, no staking needed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeavy yields\u003c\/strong\u003e — despite the smaller plant size, Ring of Fire crops generously\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTolerates British weather\u003c\/strong\u003e — less fussy about heat and light than some habanero-class chillies; will do well in an unheated greenhouse or polytunnel, and acceptable on a sunny south-facing patio in a warm summer\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEasy from seed\u003c\/strong\u003e — reliable germinator, vigorous from start, low fuss for a hot chilli\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf you've grown standard cayenne in the UK and found yourself slightly disappointed by the late or patchy ripening, Ring of Fire is the obvious next step.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn the kitchen\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRing of Fire is the classic drying cayenne — thin-walled, even-shaped, and consistent in heat. The traditional uses:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDrying and grinding\u003c\/strong\u003e for home-made cayenne pepper — a year's supply from a single plant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStrung into ristras\u003c\/strong\u003e — the traditional decorative chilli string for the kitchen, both useful and lovely\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eChilli flakes\u003c\/strong\u003e — dry and crush coarsely for crushed-chilli sprinkling on pizza, pasta and stir-fries\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHot sauces\u003c\/strong\u003e — the building, clean heat works well in fermented and quick sauces alike\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFresh in stews and curries\u003c\/strong\u003e — the heat builds rather than spikes; brilliant in Cajun, Tex-Mex, Caribbean and Indian cooking\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePickled\u003c\/strong\u003e — long thin pods pickle beautifully whole in a Kilner jar\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowing tips\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow January to March\u003c\/strong\u003e with bottom heat (~25–30°C) and bright light. Earlier sowing gives longer cropping season\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrick out into individual 9cm pots\u003c\/strong\u003e once true leaves appear\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePot on into 20–25cm final containers\u003c\/strong\u003e when roots fill the pot\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGreenhouse or polytunnel\u003c\/strong\u003e ideal — will also do well in a warm sunny patio spot once the weather is reliable from June\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFeed regularly\u003c\/strong\u003e with a high-potash tomato feed once flowers appear\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePick first pods regularly\u003c\/strong\u003e to encourage further fruiting — a Ring of Fire plant cropped consistently will keep producing well into autumn\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStandard chilli hygiene\u003c\/strong\u003e — wash hands after handling cut fruit, keep away from eyes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRing of Fire is one of the easier hot chillies to grow successfully in the UK — well-suited to beginners stepping up from sweet peppers, and reliable enough that experienced chilli growers often keep a plant or two in the greenhouse for the consistent dried-chilli supply.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hot chilli (\u003cem\u003eCapsicum annuum\u003c\/em\u003e), improved cayenne selection\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e 50,000–85,000 SHU — a step hotter than standard cayenne\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e ~45cm; \u003cstrong\u003eSpread:\u003c\/strong\u003e 30–40cm; \u003cstrong\u003eSpacing:\u003c\/strong\u003e 40cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePod:\u003c\/strong\u003e 10–12cm long, pencil-thin, ripening green to bright red\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e January to March under heat (~25–30°C)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e August to October — first ripe pods at around 80 days from transplant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePosition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun; greenhouse or warm sheltered patio\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUses:\u003c\/strong\u003e Drying, ristras, chilli powder, flakes, hot sauces, pickling, fresh cooking\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEasy and reliable\u003c\/strong\u003e — one of the more forgiving hot chillies for UK conditions\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRing of Fire grows beautifully alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e for natural aphid deterrence in the greenhouse, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to draw in pollinators for early fruit-set. In the wider kitchen garden, it makes a strong companion to \u003cstrong\u003ebasil, tomatoes, sweet peppers\u003c\/strong\u003e and any of the other warmth-loving crops — share a greenhouse with them and you've got a proper summer salsa garden in one place.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303706239353,"sku":null,"price":2.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"anaheim-chilli","title":"Anaheim Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum annuum 'Anaheim'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eThe mild, large, all-purpose roasting and stuffing chilli\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf the superhots are for the thrill-seekers, the Anaheim is for everyone else — and for everyday cooking it may be the most useful chilli you can grow. This is the big, mild, gently warming chilli of the American Southwest: long tapering pods of 15–25cm, thick-walled and generous, with just enough gentle heat to give a dish character without ever overwhelming it. It's the pepper behind chile rellenos, green chilli sauces, and countless Mexican-American dishes, and it's mild enough that the whole family can enjoy it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe variety has a charming history. It descends from a New Mexico landrace grown for generations by Pueblo and Hispanic communities, refined in the early twentieth century by the horticulturist Dr Fabian Garcia, and then carried to Southern California around 1900 by a rancher named Emilio Ortega — who fell so in love with the pepper that he began canning it at his mother's adobe home to sell. It took its name from the city of Anaheim, where it was first widely grown, and it remains one of the most popular chillies in the United States to this day.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe pods start a glossy mid-green — the stage at which they're most often picked and roasted — and ripen to a rich red if left on the plant, when their flavour deepens and sweetens. At 500–2,500 Scoville units the heat is mild: noticeably gentler than a jalapeño, a soft warmth rather than a kick. Note that, like all chillies, an Anaheim grown hard — in poorer soil or with less water — will develop a little more heat than one grown soft and well-fed, so you have some say in the result.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnaheim belongs to \u003cem\u003eCapsicum annuum\u003c\/em\u003e, the same easygoing species as jalapeños, cayennes, and sweet bell peppers — which makes it one of the most straightforward chillies to grow. The plants are vigorous, bushy, and pleasingly compact at around 60–90cm, thriving in a large container as happily as in the ground, and productive enough that a couple of plants will keep a kitchen well supplied. For a UK grower this is a genuinely realistic chilli to crop well, even without a greenhouse in a good summer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on growing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSow indoors from February to April, about six to eight weeks before the last expected frost, at a depth of about 5mm in a seed compost. Anaheim germinates readily for a chilli — warmth helps, so a heated propagator or warm windowsill at 20–28°C will see seedlings up within 1–3 weeks. Keep the compost moist but not wet while you wait.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrick out into 9cm pots once the seedlings have two true leaves, and grow on in good light at a minimum of 16–18°C to keep them sturdy. Pot on progressively to final 25–30cm pots or a growbag. Once all danger of frost has passed in late May or June, the plants can go into a greenhouse, polytunnel, or the warmest, most sheltered sunny spot outdoors — against a south-facing wall is ideal. The compact bushy habit makes Anaheim particularly well suited to container growing on a patio.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWater consistently and feed weekly with a high-potash tomato food once the first flowers set. Support taller plants with a cane if they become heavy with fruit. Harvest from midsummer onward: pick the pods green for the classic roasting and stuffing pepper, or leave them to ripen fully red on the plant for a sweeter, deeper flavour. Regular picking encourages the plant to keep producing right through to the first frosts. The thick walls make Anaheims superb for roasting — char the skins, steam them in a covered bowl for a few minutes, and the skins slip away to leave sweet, smoky flesh.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere it shines\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the kitchen, the Anaheim is the great all-rounder. Its size and thick walls make it the classic stuffing pepper — the traditional choice for chile rellenos, stuffed with cheese, battered, and fried. Roast and peel them for green chilli sauces, salsas, enchiladas, and soups; slice and sauté them into fajitas; or dry the red-ripe pods and grind them into a mild, fragrant chilli powder. Strung together, ripe red Anaheims make the handsome drying ristras of the Southwest. Because the heat is so gentle, it's the chilli to reach for when you want genuine chilli flavour and aroma without setting the table alight.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the garden, a couple of compact, productive plants will keep a household in mild chillies all season, and they look the part too — glossy and generous, hung with long green and red pods well into autumn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e mild, 500–2,500 SHU — gentler than a jalapeño\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavour:\u003c\/strong\u003e mild, slightly sweet and tangy, deepening when roasted or ripened red\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant:\u003c\/strong\u003e vigorous and bushy, 60–90cm, excellent in containers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFruit:\u003c\/strong\u003e large 15–25cm tapering pods, thick-walled, green ripening to red\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e February to April, 20–28°C\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e midsummer onward, green or fully red\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEasy to grow\u003c\/strong\u003e — beginner-friendly, viable outdoors in a good UK summer\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBest for:\u003c\/strong\u003e stuffing, roasting, salsas, sauces and mild chilli powder\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChillies do well with companions that draw in pollinators and help keep pests down. Plant alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e to deter aphids and whitefly, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to attract beneficial predators. Basil is a classic companion that enjoys the same warmth and makes a natural culinary partner, and tomatoes share almost identical growing needs if you'd like to keep your warmth-lovers together.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303707451769,"sku":"CHI-ANA","price":2.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0576\/6004\/7547\/files\/Anaheim_Chilli_Peppers.png?v=1779354225"},{"product_id":"aji-delight-chilli","title":"Aji Delight Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum baccatum 'Aji Delight'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eThe aji with all the flavour and none of the heat — a baccatum sweet pepper\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA genuine rarity, and a real delight by name and nature. Aji Delight is a \u003cem\u003eCapsicum baccatum\u003c\/em\u003e — one of the famous South American \"aji\" chillies — that carries the full, fruity, characterful flavour of the species but, remarkably, no heat at all. A no-heat mutation is very uncommon in \u003cem\u003ebaccatum\u003c\/em\u003e, which makes this something special: in effect, the aji equivalent of a sweet pepper, with all the personality of a chilli and none of the burn. It looks every inch the hot pepper — glossy, tapered, ripening to a deep red — and then surprises everyone at the table by being gentle as a tomato.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe flavour is the whole point, and it's lovely: sweet, fruity, and aromatic, with the distinctive fresh brightness of the \u003cem\u003ebaccatum\u003c\/em\u003e ajis and, many growers find, a delicate hint of apple. The pods are a good size — bullet-shaped and around 7–8cm long — with firm, fairly thick walls and a satisfying crunch, ripening from light green to a rich, glossy dark red. Because there's no heat to manage, you can use them with abandon: sliced raw into a salad by the handful, layered into an omelette, tossed through a stir-fry, or used as a more interesting, fruitier stand-in for ordinary bell peppers in almost any dish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt's a joy to grow, too. Aji Delight is a vigorous, easy, spreading plant that produces an enormous crop — one of those varieties that simply keeps cropping, all season long, the more you pick. It ripens relatively early for a \u003cem\u003ebaccatum\u003c\/em\u003e, and asks no special skill, which makes it a brilliant choice for a first-time chilli grower, for a family with children who can eat these straight off the plant, or for anyone who loves the idea of growing peppers but doesn't want the heat. Look closely at the flowers and you'll spot the species' signature: the small greenish or cream markings on the petals that mark out a true aji.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on growing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSow indoors from late winter, January to March, eight to ten weeks before your last expected frost. Like most chillies it germinates best with warmth — a heated propagator at around 21–28°C is ideal — and the \u003cem\u003ebaccatum\u003c\/em\u003e types can be a touch slower than the easy annuums, so allow a few weeks and don't give up on a tray too soon. Sow on the surface or barely covered, and keep the compost moist but not wet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrick out into 9cm pots once the seedlings have two true leaves, and grow on in good light at a minimum of 18–20°C to keep them sturdy. Pot on progressively to a generous final pot — this is a spreading, productive plant that appreciates the room and may want a cane or two for support once it's laden with fruit. Aji Delight grows best under cover in the UK: a greenhouse, polytunnel, or conservatory gives the long, warm season the \u003cem\u003ebaccatum\u003c\/em\u003e ajis enjoy, though a warm, sheltered, sunny spot outdoors can work in a good summer once all danger of frost has passed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWater freely while it's in active growth, and feed every week to ten days with a balanced or high-potash liquid feed once the first fruits begin to set, easing off as they start to colour. Harvest from late summer into autumn: the pods are usable green for a fresher, milder note, but are at their sweetest and best left to ripen fully to deep red. Pick regularly — the more you take, the more the plant produces, right up to the first frosts. The firm flesh holds its shape beautifully when cooked, and if you find yourself with a glut, the ripe pods dry and grind into a wonderfully aromatic, entirely mild sweet paprika.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere it shines\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is the chilli for people who don't like chilli heat — and a secret weapon for those who do. Because it's all flavour and no fire, Aji Delight is endlessly versatile in the kitchen: use it fresh and raw in salads and salsas where its sweet fruity crunch really shines, slice it into omelettes and frittatas, stir it through stir-fries, or stuff and roast the larger pods. It makes an excellent, more characterful replacement for bell peppers anywhere you'd normally use them, and the firm flesh chargrills well, the skin slipping away to leave sweet, smoky flesh behind. Dried and ground, it becomes a fragrant mild paprika that's lovely to have in the spice rack.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the garden, it's a generous, good-natured, heavy-cropping plant — handsome when hung with glossy red pods, and reliably productive enough to keep a household in sweet peppers right through the season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e none — a genuinely heat-free aji, the baccatum answer to a sweet pepper\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavour:\u003c\/strong\u003e sweet, fruity and aromatic, with a hint of apple and the classic aji brightness\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant:\u003c\/strong\u003e vigorous, spreading, easy and enormously productive\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePods:\u003c\/strong\u003e good-size, bullet-shaped, thick-walled and crunchy, ripening light green to dark red\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e January to March, propagator at 21–28°C\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e late summer to autumn — relatively early for a baccatum\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFamily-friendly:\u003c\/strong\u003e no heat, so children can eat them straight off the plant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeritage:\u003c\/strong\u003e a rare no-heat South American aji of the best-tasting chilli species\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChillies do well with companions that draw in pollinators and help keep pests down. Plant alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e to deter aphids and whitefly, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to attract beneficial predators. Basil is a classic greenhouse companion that enjoys the same warmth and sun, and makes a natural culinary partner too.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303716462969,"sku":null,"price":2.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0576\/6004\/7547\/files\/Aji_Delight_Chillies.png?v=1780092311"},{"product_id":"bhut-jolokia-red","title":"Bhut Jolokia Red","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum chinense 'Bhut Jolokia' (Red Ghost Pepper)\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eThe legendary ghost chilli — the first pepper ever to break a million Scoville\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA genuine legend, and one of the most famous chillies on earth. The Bhut Jolokia — better known across the world as the Ghost Pepper — made history in 2007 when Guinness World Records certified it as the hottest chilli on the planet, and it became the very first pepper ever scientifically verified to exceed one million Scoville heat units. It held that crown until 2011, and though hotter superhots have since been bred to dethrone it, the ghost pepper remains the variety that started the modern superhot era and captured the world's imagination.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt comes from the misty hills of Northeast India — Assam, Nagaland, and Manipur — where it has been grown for generations and is known as the \"king chilli.\" The name is wonderfully evocative: \u003cem\u003ebhut\u003c\/em\u003e means \"ghost\" in Assamese, said to describe the way the heat creeps up on you like a phantom, deceptively slow to arrive and then utterly overwhelming. The pods are slim and tapered, 6–8cm long, with a characteristically wrinkled, dented, papery-thin skin, ripening to a fierce glowing red.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnd the heat is the real, historic thing: 855,000 to over 1,040,000 Scoville units, roughly four hundred times hotter than a dash of Tabasco. But what makes the ghost pepper so notorious isn't just the magnitude — it's the \u003cem\u003edelay\u003c\/em\u003e. The heat builds slowly, almost gently at first, behind a genuinely pleasant fruity, faintly smoky flavour, and then climbs and climbs into a fierce, sustained, ghostly burn that catches out even seasoned chilli-eaters. It's a true superhot, to be treated with real respect.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt's a \u003cem\u003eCapsicum chinense\u003c\/em\u003e — technically a natural hybrid, mostly chinense with a touch of frutescens in its ancestry — and like all the superhots it's a warmth-hungry, long-season plant for the experienced grower. Reaching around a metre tall and cropping heavily under glass, it's a moderately challenging but enormously satisfying chilli to grow, and a real badge of honour in any collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on growing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSow early — this is essential with a superhot \u003cem\u003echinense\u003c\/em\u003e. Sow indoors from December to February in a heated propagator at 28–30°C; ghost pepper seeds need genuine warmth and are slow and sometimes erratic to germinate, often taking three to six weeks. Patience is everything: the seeds can sit apparently lifeless for ages before suddenly coming up, so don't give up on a tray too soon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrick out into 9cm pots once the seedlings have two true leaves, and grow on at a minimum of 22°C with bright light. Pot on progressively to final 25–30cm pots, keeping the plants warm through spring in a heated greenhouse, conservatory, or on a sunny windowsill, before moving to an unheated greenhouse or polytunnel from June. A long, warm season under cover is essential in the UK — this is not a chilli for an exposed outdoor bed in most of the country.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWater consistently but never let the roots stand waterlogged, and feed weekly with a high-potash tomato food from the first flowers onwards. Pinch out the growing tip at around 25–30cm to build a bushy, branching, heavy-cropping plant. Harvest from late summer through autumn, once the pods are fully red — finishing the season indoors under a grow light will help ripen the last of the crop. Always wear gloves and eye protection when picking, handling, and processing the fruit — full safety guidance is shown at the top of this page.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere it shines\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the kitchen, the ghost pepper is for the dedicated chilli enthusiast and the serious hot-sauce maker — but its fruity, smoky depth means it brings flavour as well as ferocity. In its Indian homeland it goes into fiery curries, chutneys, and pickles; in the wider world it's prized for intense hot sauces, especially smoky ones where the pepper's own smokiness shines. A tiny fragment is enough to bring serious heat to a whole pot of curry or chilli, and the pods dry beautifully — the thin skin dries quickly — to be ground into a fearsome ghost-pepper powder, used a single pinch at a time. One well-grown plant will supply a household with more heat than it could reasonably use in a year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn the garden, it's a genuinely prestigious thing to grow — a piece of chilli history, hung with glowing scarlet pods, and guaranteed to impress any fellow grower who knows what they're looking at.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e superhot, 855,000–1,040,000+ SHU — the heat builds slowly, then overwhelms\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavour:\u003c\/strong\u003e fruity and faintly smoky beneath an intense, creeping, ghostly burn\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHistory:\u003c\/strong\u003e the first chilli ever verified over 1 million SHU; Guinness world's hottest, 2007–2011\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant:\u003c\/strong\u003e bushy, around 1m, heavy-cropping — long-season, so sow early\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Northeast India (Assam, Nagaland, Manipur) — the \"king chilli\"\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e January to February, heated propagator at 28–30°C\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e late summer to autumn, fully red\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrow under cover:\u003c\/strong\u003e greenhouse or polytunnel essential in the UK\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eChillies do well with companions that draw in pollinators and help keep pests down. Plant alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e to deter aphids and whitefly, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to attract beneficial predators. Basil is a traditional greenhouse companion that enjoys the same warmth, and if you'd like to grow a small collection of superhots together, the ghost pepper shares its greenhouse needs with our 7 Pot Infinity, 7 Pot Yellow, and Armageddon.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303729013113,"sku":null,"price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"cyklon-chilli","title":"Cyklon Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum annuum 'Cyklon'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eThe Polish paprika pepper - a medium-heat, blood-red, thin-walled chilli bred specifically for making proper homemade paprika\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf you've ever sprinkled paprika into a goulash, dusted it over deviled eggs, or stirred it into a Hungarian-style stew, the chances are the colour and flavour came from a chilli somewhere on the Cyklon spectrum. This is a \u003cstrong\u003ePolish heirloom variety\u003c\/strong\u003e — bred specifically and traditionally for making proper homemade paprika powder, and the variety that Polish home cooks have quietly grown and dried for generations. A medium heat chilli with the kind of approachable warmth that suits cooking rather than the eyes-watering territory of habaneros or scotch bonnets. Properly versatile, properly characterful, and one of the more reliable chillies for UK growing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFrom \u003cstrong\u003eBishy Barnabees\u003c\/strong\u003e, selected for UK cottage gardens. Cyklon is the chilli for gardeners who want to actually \u003cem\u003euse\u003c\/em\u003e their harvest in everyday cooking, rather than just look impressive on the spice rack.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Polish paprika story\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePaprika is one of the great spices of Eastern European cooking — the warm red dust that defines Hungarian goulash, Polish bigos, Czech sausages, Spanish chorizo and a hundred other classic dishes. Most of that paprika is made from one specific kind of chilli: thin-walled, deep red, mild-to-medium-hot, easy to dry and grind. Cyklon is exactly that pepper, bred over generations for the job.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe cultural use traces back centuries in Eastern European villages, where strings of harvested Cyklon (and similar paprika cultivars) would hang from rafters drying through autumn, ready to be ground into a year's supply of sweet warm paprika powder for the kitchen. Homemade paprika genuinely tastes different from the supermarket jar — brighter, sweeter, more aromatic, with the kind of red colour that defines proper Hungarian cuisine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCone-shaped pods around 10cm long\u003c\/strong\u003e — slightly tapered, slightly curved, growing pendant from the plant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRipens green to deep ruby red\u003c\/strong\u003e — the colour itself is what makes Cyklon's paprika so visually distinctive\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThin-walled and easy to dry\u003c\/strong\u003e — the trait that makes this variety the natural paprika pepper. Thicker-walled chillies dry slowly and unevenly; Cyklon dries cleanly within a fortnight on a string\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCompact bushy plant\u003c\/strong\u003e — 50–70cm tall, properly container-friendly. Branches are upright but may benefit from light staking when carrying a full crop\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHigh yielding\u003c\/strong\u003e — a single well-grown plant will produce a substantial crop, often 20–30 pods over a season\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEarly-maturing\u003c\/strong\u003e — ripens well within a UK summer, making it more reliable than some of the longer-season heritage chillies\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow hot is it really?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHeat ratings for Cyklon vary across suppliers, which is honest enough to mention — some Polish strains are milder than others, and growing conditions affect heat substantially. The most reliable UK rating, from chilli specialists Sea Spring Seeds, is \u003cstrong\u003earound 13,500 SHU — comfortable medium heat\u003c\/strong\u003e. That puts it somewhere between a mild paprika and a jalapeño, with enough kick to register but well short of mouth-burning territory.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe flavour is the genuine star: sweet, warm, properly red-pepper-tasting, with the heat acting as a pleasant background note rather than the main event. It's a cooking chilli — the variety you reach for when you want flavour first and warmth second.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn the kitchen\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCyklon's versatility comes from its medium heat plus thin walls plus sweet flavour:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDrying for homemade paprika\u003c\/strong\u003e — the headline use. Pick when fully red; thread on string; hang in a warm dry spot for 2–3 weeks; remove stalks and seeds; grind in a clean coffee mill or spice grinder. Store the powder in an airtight jar away from light. Properly homemade paprika beats shop-bought every time\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePolish bigos\u003c\/strong\u003e — the traditional cabbage-and-meat stew that uses paprika as a backbone\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHungarian goulash\u003c\/strong\u003e — either fresh-chopped or as homemade paprika\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEastern European sausage-making\u003c\/strong\u003e — the classic spice for kielbasa, kabanos and similar\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStuffed peppers\u003c\/strong\u003e — cone shape suits filling beautifully; mild enough to stuff with rice and meat without overwhelming\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSalsas and salads\u003c\/strong\u003e — chopped fresh, the sweet medium heat is exactly right\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePickled whole\u003c\/strong\u003e — deep red pickled Cyklon peppers are properly traditional in Eastern European preserving\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGeneral cooking heat\u003c\/strong\u003e — fresh or dried, the everyday medium-warm chilli for adding character to stews, soups, curries and rice dishes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy it works in a British garden\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEarly-maturing\u003c\/strong\u003e — ripens reliably within a UK summer, unlike some Mediterranean varieties that struggle to colour up in cooler years\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCompact size\u003c\/strong\u003e — 50–70cm fits a 25cm pot easily, perfect for a sunny windowsill, patio or greenhouse staging\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSets fruit reliably\u003c\/strong\u003e — doesn't need consistently hot nights to crop well\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBred in Poland\u003c\/strong\u003e — a climate not entirely unlike Britain's. Cyklon was developed for cool northern European summers, not Mediterranean heat\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThin walls dry easily\u003c\/strong\u003e — perfect for British conditions where drying tomatoes or thicker-walled peppers takes forever\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOpen-pollinated\u003c\/strong\u003e — save your own seed for next year\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf you're new to chillies and want a variety that's both genuinely useful in the kitchen \u003cem\u003eand\u003c\/em\u003e reliable in UK conditions, Cyklon is one of the better starting points. The Polish heritage and the paprika story add a touch of character that the generic supermarket chilli range doesn't have.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowing tips\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow January to March\u003c\/strong\u003e with bottom heat (~22–25°C). Germination can be slow and erratic — allow 14–35 days. Cover lightly with vermiculite; the seed doesn't need light to germinate\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDon't overwater seeds before germination\u003c\/strong\u003e — soggy compost causes seeds to rot\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrick out into 9cm pots\u003c\/strong\u003e once true leaves appear\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePot on into 25cm final containers\u003c\/strong\u003e when roots fill the pot, or plant into greenhouse border after last frost (late May)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGreenhouse, polytunnel or sunny patio\u003c\/strong\u003e all work; sheltered south-facing outdoor position acceptable in southern Britain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFeed weekly\u003c\/strong\u003e with a high-potash tomato feed once flowers appear\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStake or cage if needed\u003c\/strong\u003e — the upright branches can topple under a heavy crop\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePick when fully red\u003c\/strong\u003e for paprika; pick at any stage for fresh culinary use\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStandard chilli hygiene\u003c\/strong\u003e — wash hands after handling, keep away from eyes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Medium-heat chilli (\u003cem\u003eCapsicum annuum\u003c\/em\u003e), Polish heirloom paprika variety\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e ~13,500 SHU — comfortable medium heat\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 50–70cm; \u003cstrong\u003eSpread:\u003c\/strong\u003e 30cm; \u003cstrong\u003eSpacing:\u003c\/strong\u003e 40cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePod:\u003c\/strong\u003e 10cm long, cone-shaped, ripens green to ruby red\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e January to March under heat (~22–25°C)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e August to October — ripens reliably within UK summers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePosition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun; greenhouse, polytunnel, or sunny sheltered patio\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUses:\u003c\/strong\u003e Homemade paprika (the speciality), Polish\/Hungarian cooking, salsas, stuffing, pickling\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOpen-pollinated heirloom\u003c\/strong\u003e — save your own seed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCyklon grows happily alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e for natural aphid deterrence in the greenhouse, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to draw in pollinators for better fruit-set. In the wider kitchen garden, it makes a strong companion to \u003cstrong\u003ebasil, tomatoes, sweet peppers, aubergines and other chillies\u003c\/strong\u003e — share a greenhouse with them and you've got a proper summer-spicing kitchen-garden operation. Pair with \u003ca href=\"\/products\/cumin-seeds\"\u003eCumin\u003c\/a\u003e for a paprika-and-cumin combination that will see you through a year of Polish and Eastern European cooking from the home garden.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303736680825,"sku":null,"price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"bishops-crown-chilli","title":"Bishops Crown Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum baccatum 'Bishop's Crown'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eThe extraordinary mitre-shaped chilli — sweet, fruity, and unmistakable\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSurely the most distinctive-looking chilli you can grow. The Bishop's Crown — also known as the Christmas Bell, Joker's Hat, or Friar's Hat — is named for its remarkable three-sided shape, which flares out into three winged lobes around a central cup, looking for all the world like the mitre worn by a bishop. It's a genuine showpiece: an ornamental, conversation-starting pepper that's as beautiful in the garden as it is useful in the kitchen, and quite unlike anything else on the plant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt carries a rich and well-travelled history. Believed to have originated in South America — and long found in Barbados — the Bishop's Crown is thought to have been carried to Europe by Portuguese traders from Brazil sometime in the 18th century, and it has been a treasured ornamental and culinary pepper ever since. It belongs to \u003cem\u003eCapsicum baccatum\u003c\/em\u003e, the species behind South America's most celebrated cooking chillies, which is exactly why it tastes so good: a distinctly sweet, fruity, tangy flavour, especially once the pods have ripened from green to a glossy red.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHere's the clever part that makes the Bishop's Crown such a wonderful kitchen chilli. The heat — a friendly, manageable 5,000 to 30,000 Scoville units, in the same territory as a jalapeño or serrano — is concentrated almost entirely in the central core and seeds. The three winged lobes are noticeably mild and fruity. That means you have, in effect, two chillies in one: slice off the wings for a gentle, sweet, fruity flavour the whole family can enjoy, or include the spicy core when you want some proper bite. Few chillies offer that kind of flexibility.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe plant matches the pods for generosity. It's a large, often sprawling specimen, growing to around 3 to 4 feet tall and producing a fine crop of 30 to 50 of those extraordinary little crowns over a long season. Like all the \u003cem\u003ebaccatum\u003c\/em\u003e ajis it's a vigorous and rewarding plant, and a genuinely easy one for the conditions it likes — though, being tall and heavy with fruit, it appreciates a bit of room and usually wants staking. Look closely at the flowers and you'll spot the species' charming signature: small greenish or cream-coloured markings on the petals.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on growing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSow indoors from January to March. Like most chillies it germinates best with steady warmth — a heated propagator at around 22–28°C is ideal — and the \u003cem\u003ebaccatum\u003c\/em\u003e types can be a touch slower than the easy annuums, so allow up to three or four weeks and don't give up on a tray too soon. Sow on the surface or barely covered, and keep the compost moist but not wet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrick out into 9cm pots once the seedlings have two true leaves, and grow on in good light at a minimum of 18–20°C to keep them sturdy. Pot on progressively to a large final pot — this is a big, sometimes sprawling plant that wants the root room. Bishop's Crown grows best under cover in the UK: a greenhouse, polytunnel, or conservatory gives the long, warm season the \u003cem\u003ebaccatum\u003c\/em\u003e ajis need to ripen a full crop, though a warm, sheltered, sunny spot outdoors can work in a good summer. Move plants out only once all danger of frost has passed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWater consistently and feed weekly with a high-potash tomato food once the first flowers set. As the plant grows tall and the pods build up, stake or cane it so the laden branches don't snap, and pinch out the growing tip early to encourage a bushier, more productive shape. Harvest from late summer into autumn, picking the crowns once they have ripened to full red for the sweetest, fruitiest flavour, or earlier at the green stage if you prefer. Regular picking keeps this generous plant producing right up to the first frosts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere it shines\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the kitchen, the Bishop's Crown is as versatile as it is pretty. Slice the mild, fruity wings raw into salads and salsas, or use the whole pod — core and all — when you want more heat; its large central cavity even makes it a candidate for stuffing with cheese or a little spiced filling. The sweet, tangy, fruity flavour is lovely in fresh sauces and Brazilian-style dishes (it's known in Brazil as Pimenta Cambuci), and it dries and pickles beautifully, the dried pods keeping their remarkable shape as a striking garnish or grinding into a fruity chilli powder. Whichever way you use it, you're cooking with one of the most characterful peppers there is.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the garden, it's simply a delight — a big, generous plant hung with dozens of glossy red crowns, ornamental enough to earn its place on looks alone, and guaranteed to draw comment from anyone who sees it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e medium-hot, 5,000–30,000 SHU — concentrated in the core; the wings are mild\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavour:\u003c\/strong\u003e sweet, fruity and tangy, especially when fully red\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eShape:\u003c\/strong\u003e unmistakable three-winged \"bishop's mitre\" crown — highly ornamental\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTwo chillies in one:\u003c\/strong\u003e slice the mild wings for gentle flavour, or use the core for heat\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant:\u003c\/strong\u003e large, often sprawling, 3–4ft, a generous 30–50 pods — usually needs staking\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e January to March, propagator at 22–28°C\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e late summer to autumn, red (or green for a fresher note)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBest for:\u003c\/strong\u003e salads, salsas, stuffing, pickling, drying, and sheer ornament\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChillies do well with companions that draw in pollinators and help keep pests down. Plant alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e to deter aphids and whitefly, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to attract beneficial predators. Basil is a classic greenhouse companion that enjoys the same warmth and sun, and makes a natural culinary partner too.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303774593401,"sku":null,"price":2.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"biquinho-yellow-chilli","title":"Biquinho Yellow Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum chinense 'Biquinho Yellow'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eThe charming Brazilian \"little beak\" — habanero flavour with barely any heat\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the most charming and surprising little chillies you can grow. Biquinho (say \"bee-KEE-nyo\") means \"little beak\" in Portuguese, and one look explains the name: tiny, glossy, golden-yellow teardrop pods, each tapering to a sweet little point like a bird's beak. They dangle in abundance from a tidy, upright plant, and they are as pretty as anything in the greenhouse — but the real surprise is in the tasting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHere's the lovely trick of the Biquinho: it's a \u003cem\u003eCapsicum chinense\u003c\/em\u003e, the very same species as the habanero, the Scotch bonnet, and the world's fiercest superhots — and it carries all the gorgeous fruity, smoky, tropical flavour that makes that family so prized — yet it has almost no heat at all. At just 500 to 1,000 Scoville units it barely tickles the scale; there's the merest whisper of warmth, a tiny kiss of spice, and then pure sweet, tangy, fruity flavour. For anyone who has ever wished they could taste the wonderful flavour of a habanero without the searing burn, the Biquinho is the answer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt's a Brazilian treasure, where it's adored as a snack — the little pods are famously pickled in a lightly sweetened vinegar brine (you may have met them on an antipasti board as \"Sweety Drops\") and served by the bowlful in bars and restaurants. They're crunchy, juicy, and utterly moreish, and they make one of the finest garnishes there is.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHappily, it's a generous and rewarding plant to grow, too. The sturdy, upright, well-branched bushes reach around 60–90cm and are astonishingly prolific — a single healthy plant can produce a hundred or more of those little golden pods over a long season — and the tidy, ornamental habit makes it a lovely choice for a large container or greenhouse bench. Like all \u003cem\u003echinense\u003c\/em\u003e chillies it does take a long season to ripen, so an early start is the key to success.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on growing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSow early — this matters with any \u003cem\u003echinense\u003c\/em\u003e. Sow indoors from January to March in a heated propagator at 25–28°C; chinense seeds need genuine warmth and can be slow to germinate, taking two to four weeks (sometimes more), so be patient and don't give up on a tray too soon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrick out into 9cm pots once the seedlings have two true leaves, and grow on at a minimum of 18–20°C with bright light. Pot on progressively to a generous final pot — the plant's tidy, upright habit makes it particularly happy in a container. The Biquinho grows best under cover in the UK, in a greenhouse, polytunnel, or conservatory, which gives the long, warm season it needs to ripen a full crop; it can also be grown on a warm, sunny windowsill, or moved to the sunniest sheltered spot outdoors in high summer once all danger of frost has passed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWater consistently and feed weekly with a high-potash tomato food once the first flowers set. Pick the first pods promptly once they reach full size and colour — this encourages the plant to keep setting more, and with a Biquinho that means a very long, very generous harvest indeed, often right up to the first frosts. Pinch out the growing tip early to build a bushy, branching, even-heavier-cropping plant.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere it shines\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe Biquinho is a joy in the kitchen precisely because you can use it freely, without fear of the heat. Its great calling is pickling: pack the little pods into a jar with a lightly sweetened vinegar brine and, after a week or two, you have the famous crunchy, sweet-sour \"Sweety Drops\" that are wonderful scattered over salads, pizzas, cheese boards, charcuterie, and canapés. Fresh, they're lovely chopped into salsas and salads, where their fruity flavour shines, or simply eaten as a bite-sized snack straight from the plant. They sauté and roast beautifully too, and bring a fruity, smoky note to dishes without overwhelming anyone at the table — making them perfect for cooking for a crowd, or for children and the heat-shy.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the garden, it's simply delightful — a neat, handsome, ornamental plant hung with dozens of little golden beaks, as good to look at as it is to eat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e very mild, just 500–1,000 SHU — barely any heat, a tiny kiss of warmth\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavour:\u003c\/strong\u003e sweet, tangy, fruity and smoky — habanero flavour without the fire\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLook:\u003c\/strong\u003e tiny golden teardrop \"little beak\" pods — highly ornamental\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant:\u003c\/strong\u003e tidy, upright, 60–90cm, hugely prolific (100+ fruits) — great in containers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e January to March, heated propagator at 25–28°C — sow early\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e late summer to autumn, fully golden yellow\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFamily-friendly:\u003c\/strong\u003e mild enough for everyone, including children\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFamous for:\u003c\/strong\u003e pickling — the \"Sweety Drops\" of antipasti boards\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChillies do well with companions that draw in pollinators and help keep pests down. Plant alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e to deter aphids and whitefly, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to attract beneficial predators. Basil is a classic greenhouse companion that enjoys the same warmth and sun, and makes a natural culinary partner too.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303803593081,"sku":null,"price":2.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"corno-di-toro-pepper","title":"Corno di Toro Pepper","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum annuum 'Corno di Toro'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eThe classic Italian frying pepper - long curved bull's-horn pods, properly sweet, properly traditional\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf you've ever sat in a Tuscan trattoria and been served a plate of long, glossy, red-or-yellow sweet peppers, simply grilled or pan-fried with good olive oil and salt and nothing else — this is the variety that was on your plate. \u003cstrong\u003eCorno di Toro\u003c\/strong\u003e — \"Bull's Horn\" in Italian — is one of the great Italian heirloom sweet peppers, recognisable instantly by its long, dramatically curved, horn-shaped pods. Beautifully sweet, properly thick-walled, brilliant for the kitchen and for the gardener who wants something more characterful than a supermarket bell pepper.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a proper heritage variety, grown in Italy for generations and now treasured by kitchen gardeners across Britain who've discovered that British greenhouses can grow Italian peppers very well indeed. The pods reach \u003cstrong\u003e20–25cm long\u003c\/strong\u003e, curving downwards from the plant like the horns the variety is named after, ripening from glossy green through to either a deep crimson red (the Rosso form) or a bright lemon yellow (the Giallo form). Both versions are equally sweet and equally lovely; some packets will be a single colour, some a mix — check your specific packet for the colour you're getting.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat makes it special\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCorno di Toro is genuinely different from the blocky supermarket bell pepper:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProperly sweet\u003c\/strong\u003e — no heat at all, just clean sugar-sweetness with a faint fruity note. Children love them; adults who don't usually like peppers tend to love them too\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThick walls\u003c\/strong\u003e — chunky, crunchy, properly substantial flesh that holds up beautifully to grilling, frying or roasting\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe horn shape\u003c\/strong\u003e — visually distinctive, dramatic on the plant, and a useful kitchen shape: easy to slice into strips, easy to fill and roll, easy to grill whole\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeavy yielding\u003c\/strong\u003e — a well-grown plant produces 8–12 substantial pods per season, more in a good year\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eItalian heritage\u003c\/strong\u003e — the genuine traditional variety, not a modern hybrid. Open-pollinated, save seeds if you want, the kind of pepper that has been growing in Italian gardens for many decades\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn the kitchen\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCorno di Toro is the great \u003cstrong\u003eItalian frying pepper\u003c\/strong\u003e, and the most traditional preparation is also the simplest:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePan-fried with garlic and olive oil\u003c\/strong\u003e — the classic. Sliced into strips, sweated slowly in good olive oil with a clove of garlic, finished with a pinch of salt. Eaten with crusty bread or alongside grilled meats. Properly authentic\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCharred whole over flames\u003c\/strong\u003e — on a barbecue or directly on the gas flame, until the skin blisters. Peel, drizzle with olive oil and balsamic, serve with anchovies and capers as antipasti\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStuffed and baked\u003c\/strong\u003e — the horn shape is perfect for filling with rice, herbs, cheese or breadcrumbs. Roast until tender, finish with grated parmesan\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSliced raw into salads\u003c\/strong\u003e — the thick sweet walls are excellent in summer salads with tomatoes, basil and good mozzarella\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePasta sauces\u003c\/strong\u003e — chopped and slow-cooked with tomatoes makes a properly summery Italian sauce\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePickled or preserved\u003c\/strong\u003e — whole horn pods bottled in vinegar with herbs are a traditional Italian winter store\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCharred and roasted for muffuletta-style sandwiches\u003c\/strong\u003e — or any application where you want sweet pepper character\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy it works in a British garden\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eItalian peppers in British gardens have a slight reputation for being tricky — they need warmth, they need light, they need a longish season. Corno di Toro is one of the more forgiving Italian varieties for UK growers:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSets fruit reliably\u003c\/strong\u003e — doesn't need the consistent hot nights that some bell peppers demand\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eProductive yields\u003c\/strong\u003e — even in a moderate UK summer, a greenhouse or polytunnel-grown plant will produce 8–12 pods, often more\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRipens within season\u003c\/strong\u003e — first ripe pods around 70–80 days from transplant; plenty of time for full colour development\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOpen-pollinated\u003c\/strong\u003e — reliable, save your own seed for future seasons\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrows well in containers\u003c\/strong\u003e — though it's taller than Citrina (75–90cm), a 25–30cm pot will support it; staking is wise for a heavy crop\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf you have a greenhouse or polytunnel, Corno di Toro is one of the genuinely satisfying things to grow — the dramatic pods, the Italian heritage, the unmistakable kitchen smell of pepper being fried in olive oil. A few plants in the greenhouse alongside tomatoes and basil is a small piece of Italy in a Norfolk summer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowing tips\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow February to March\u003c\/strong\u003e with bottom heat (~20–25°C) and bright light. Sweet peppers germinate at slightly cooler temperatures than hot chillies\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrick out into 9cm pots\u003c\/strong\u003e once true leaves appear\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePot on into 25–30cm final containers\u003c\/strong\u003e when roots fill the pot, or plant out into a greenhouse border or outdoor bed after all risk of frost (late May to early June)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpace 45–50cm apart\u003c\/strong\u003e if planting in beds; one plant per 25–30cm pot for container growing\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStake if needed\u003c\/strong\u003e — the long pendant pods can weigh branches down; a simple cane support keeps the plant tidy and the pods off the ground\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGreenhouse or polytunnel\u003c\/strong\u003e ideal — warm sheltered patio acceptable in a good summer\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFeed weekly\u003c\/strong\u003e with a high-potash tomato feed once flowers appear\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePick at full colour\u003c\/strong\u003e for maximum sweetness — though green-stage pods are still useable\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMulch and water consistently\u003c\/strong\u003e — even watering prevents blossom-end rot and helps pods fill properly\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sweet pepper (\u003cem\u003eCapsicum annuum\u003c\/em\u003e) — no heat, properly sweet\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0 SHU (sweet pepper, not a chilli)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 75–90cm; \u003cstrong\u003eSpread:\u003c\/strong\u003e 40cm; \u003cstrong\u003eSpacing:\u003c\/strong\u003e 45–50cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFruit:\u003c\/strong\u003e Long curved bull's-horn shape, 20–25cm long, ripens green → red or yellow depending on type\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e February to March under heat (~20–25°C)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e July to October — first ripe pods around 70–80 days from transplant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePosition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun; greenhouse, polytunnel, or warm sheltered patio\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUses:\u003c\/strong\u003e Pan-frying, charring, stuffing, salads, pasta sauces, pickling, traditional Italian cooking\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOpen-pollinated heirloom\u003c\/strong\u003e — save your own seed; reliable performer in UK greenhouse conditions\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCorno di Toro grows happily alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e for natural aphid deterrence in the greenhouse, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to draw in pollinators for better early fruit-set. In the wider kitchen garden, this is the obvious partner to \u003cstrong\u003etomatoes, basil, aubergines, courgettes and chillies\u003c\/strong\u003e — share a greenhouse and you've got the proper Italian summer-garden trifecta. Add a Citrina sweet pepper for a yellow contrast and you've got a small pepper patch capable of supplying salsa, antipasti and pasta sauces from July right through to October.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303809917305,"sku":null,"price":2.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"aji-limon-lemon-drop-chilli","title":"Aji Limon (Lemon Drop) Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum baccatum 'Aji Limón' (Lemon Drop)\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eThe zesty Peruvian aji that tastes of bright, clean lemon\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the most distinctive and delightful chillies you can grow — and a firm favourite among those who've discovered it. Aji Limón, better known to many as Lemon Drop, is a Peruvian aji with a flavour that lives up to its name: a bright, clean, genuinely citrusy lemon character, sharp and zesty, quite unlike the earthy or fruity notes of most other chillies. In Peru it's a treasured seasoning pepper, known as \u003cem\u003eqillu uchu\u003c\/em\u003e, and it brings that same vivid lemony lift to any dish you add it to.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe pods are as cheerful as the flavour: slim, cone-shaped, slightly crinkled, around 6–8cm long, ripening from green to a vivid, glossy, sunshine yellow. They hang in abundance from a tall, upright, well-branched plant — and \"abundance\" is the word, because Lemon Drop is famously productive, a single established plant capable of carrying well over a hundred fruits in a good season. It belongs to \u003cem\u003eCapsicum baccatum\u003c\/em\u003e, the species behind South America's most treasured cooking chillies, and is widely regarded as one of the very best of them for flavour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe heat is a proper, lively hot — around 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville units, comparable to a cayenne — but it's the bright lemon-citrus flavour carried alongside it that makes this chilli special. It adds genuine zing rather than just burn, which is exactly why keen cooks prize it. This is a chilli to grow for flavour first and heat second.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLike the other ajis, it's an easy, rewarding plant for the conditions it likes. It does grow tall — reaching 1.5m or more — and becomes heavy with fruit, so it appreciates a bit of room and usually wants staking once the pods build up. Look closely at the flowers and you'll spot the species' charming signature: small greenish or cream-coloured markings on the petals, the quiet botanical badge of a true aji.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on growing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSow indoors from January to March. Like most chillies it germinates best with steady warmth — a heated propagator at around 22–28°C is ideal — and the \u003cem\u003ebaccatum\u003c\/em\u003e types can be a touch slower than the easy annuums, so allow up to three or four weeks and don't give up on a tray too soon. Sow on the surface or barely covered, and keep the compost moist but not wet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrick out into 9cm pots once the seedlings have two true leaves, and grow on in good light at a minimum of 18–20°C to keep them sturdy. Pot on progressively to a large final pot — this is a big, tall plant that wants the root room. Lemon Drop grows best under cover in the UK: a greenhouse, polytunnel, or conservatory gives the long, warm season the \u003cem\u003ebaccatum\u003c\/em\u003e ajis need to ripen a full crop, though a warm, sheltered, sunny spot outdoors can work in a good summer. Move plants out only once all danger of frost has passed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWater consistently and feed weekly with a high-potash tomato food once the first flowers set. As the plant grows tall and the pods build up, stake or cane it so the laden branches don't snap, and pinch out the growing tip early to encourage a bushier, heavier-cropping shape. Harvest from late summer into autumn, picking the pods once they have ripened to full bright yellow. With such a heavy cropper, regular picking keeps it producing right up to the first frosts — and you will have plenty to pick.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere it shines\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the kitchen, the bright lemon-citrus flavour is what makes Lemon Drop so versatile and so loved. It's superb fresh — sliced into salsas, ceviche, and salads, where its zesty character really sings — and it brings a lovely lift to fish and seafood, chicken, and stir-fries. Blend it into fresh hot sauces and Peruvian-style pastes, where the citrus note shines, or crush it into a bright table condiment. It's one of the better ajis for drying, too: dried and ground, it makes a fragrant, lemony chilli powder that's a wonderful thing to have in the spice rack. Anywhere you'd want heat \u003cem\u003eand\u003c\/em\u003e a squeeze of citrus brightness, Lemon Drop does both at once.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the garden, it's a tall, generous, good-looking plant, dripping with cheerful yellow pods through late summer and autumn — and productive enough that one or two plants will keep a keen cook supplied all season and well beyond.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e hot, around 30,000–50,000 SHU — a lively, cayenne-like kick\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavour:\u003c\/strong\u003e bright, clean and distinctly lemony — the variety's whole character\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant:\u003c\/strong\u003e tall, upright, well-branched, 1.5m+ — extremely high-yielding, usually needs staking\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFruit:\u003c\/strong\u003e slim cone-shaped pods, ripening green to vivid glossy yellow\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e January to March, propagator at 22–28°C\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e late summer to autumn, fully yellow\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrow under cover\u003c\/strong\u003e in the UK for the best, fullest crop\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBest for:\u003c\/strong\u003e fresh salsas, ceviche, fish and seafood, and lemony chilli powder\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChillies do well with companions that draw in pollinators and help keep pests down. Plant alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e to deter aphids and whitefly, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to attract beneficial predators. Basil is a classic greenhouse companion that enjoys the same warmth and sun, and makes a natural culinary partner too.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303812440441,"sku":null,"price":2.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0576\/6004\/7547\/files\/Gemini_Generated_Image_xlg6p8xlg6p8xlg6.png?v=1781824194"},{"product_id":"aji-norteno-chilli","title":"Aji Norteno Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum baccatum 'Aji Norteño'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eThe \"Northern Aji\" with a crisp, green-apple flavour\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA rare and characterful Peruvian aji with one of the most distinctive flavours in the whole chilli world. Aji Norteño — the name means \"Northern Aji\" — comes from the northern coastal valleys of Peru, the Virú and Lambayeque, where it's a genuine culinary cornerstone and where the local cooks will tell you, with some pride, that the northern aji simply tastes better. Its calling card is a clean, crisp, fresh \u003cstrong\u003egreen-apple flavour\u003c\/strong\u003e — the bright fruitiness of a tart eating apple, without the bitterness — which makes it quite unlike any other chilli, and a real find for the adventurous cook.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe pods are cheerful and generous: pendant, conical, around 8cm long, and putting on a lovely show as they ripen, passing through yellow and orange to a final glossy red, so the plant carries all three colours at once at the height of the season. They belong to \u003cem\u003eCapsicum baccatum\u003c\/em\u003e, the species behind South America's most treasured cooking chillies, and they carry a friendly, approachable heat — a gentle, building warmth that enhances a dish rather than overpowering it — with all the emphasis squarely on that wonderful apple-fresh flavour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThere's a particular reason this one deserves a place in a British garden. As its name suggests, Aji Norteño hails from a part of Peru with cooler conditions, and it is notably \u003cstrong\u003ewell adapted to cool-summer climates\u003c\/strong\u003e — which makes it a more reliable and forgiving choice for UK growing than many of the warmth-hungry chillies. It's vigorous, easy, and a famously heavy cropper, often fruiting early and generously, and it can even be overwintered in a pot to crop again the following year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne thing to know: this is a tall, vigorous plant that can reach two metres or more if left to its own devices, so it appreciates room and usually wants staking — though a good prune early on keeps it to a more manageable, bushier size without harming the crop. Look closely at the flowers and you'll spot the species' charming signature: the small greenish or cream-coloured markings on the petals that mark out a true aji.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on growing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSow indoors from January to March. Like most chillies it germinates best with steady warmth — a heated propagator at around 22–28°C is ideal — and the \u003cem\u003ebaccatum\u003c\/em\u003e types can be a touch slower than the easy annuums, so allow up to three or four weeks and don't give up on a tray too soon. Sow on the surface or barely covered, and keep the compost moist but not wet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrick out into 9cm pots once the seedlings have two true leaves, and grow on in good light at a minimum of 18–20°C to keep them sturdy. Pot on progressively to a large final pot — this is a big, tall plant. While Aji Norteño is more tolerant of cool conditions than most chillies, it still crops best with the long, warm season of a greenhouse, polytunnel, or conservatory in the UK; that said, its cool-summer adaptation makes it one of the better ajis to try in a warm, sheltered spot outdoors once all danger of frost has passed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWater consistently and feed weekly with a high-potash tomato food once the first flowers set. As the plant grows tall and the pods build up, stake or cane it so the laden branches don't snap — or prune it back early in the season to build a denser, more compact, equally productive bush. Harvest from late summer into autumn, picking the pods at whatever colour you prefer: green-yellow for the freshest, crispest, most apple-like character, or fully red for a deeper, sweeter note. Regular picking keeps this generous cropper producing right up to the first frosts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere it shines\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe crisp, green-apple flavour is what makes Aji Norteño so special in the kitchen, and it's at its very best used \u003cem\u003efresh\u003c\/em\u003e. In its Peruvian homeland it's classically eaten raw with seafood — sliced into ceviche, where its bright, apple-fresh acidity is a perfect match for fish and citrus — and it brings the same lift to salads, salsas, and fresh sauces. Try it chopped through a crisp salad, blitzed into a zingy fresh aji sauce with lime, garlic, and coriander, or simply scattered raw over grilled fish. The pods are fairly thin-walled, so while they can be dried, it's the fresh, crunchy, fruity character that really makes this variety sing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the garden, it's a tall, handsome, hugely productive plant, lit up with yellow, orange, and red pods all at once through late summer and autumn — and forgiving enough of a cool British summer to reward growers who've struggled with fussier chillies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e mild to medium — a gentle, building warmth, all about the flavour\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavour:\u003c\/strong\u003e distinctive crisp green-apple — bright and fruity, without bitterness\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant:\u003c\/strong\u003e tall, vigorous and very high-yielding — 2m+ unpruned, responds well to pruning; usually staked\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFruit:\u003c\/strong\u003e pendant conical pods ripening yellow through orange to red, all at once\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCool-summer adapted:\u003c\/strong\u003e more forgiving of a British summer than most chillies\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e January to March, propagator at 22–28°C\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e late summer to autumn, any colour stage\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBest for:\u003c\/strong\u003e fresh use — ceviche, seafood, salads and fresh aji sauces\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChillies do well with companions that draw in pollinators and help keep pests down. Plant alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e to deter aphids and whitefly, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to attract beneficial predators. Basil is a classic greenhouse companion that enjoys the same warmth and sun, and makes a natural culinary partner too.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303830036857,"sku":null,"price":2.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"bhutlah-red-chilli","title":"Bhutlah Red Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum chinense 'Bhutlah' (Red)\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eOne of the hottest chillies on earth — a brutal ghost-pepper × Douglah superhot\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is about as far up the heat scale as it is possible to go. The Bhutlah is a modern superhot of fearsome reputation, created by crossing two of the world's hottest chillies — the legendary Bhut Jolokia (ghost pepper) and the Trinidad 7 Pot Douglah — to produce something hotter than either parent. The red form is a true monster, widely said to rival the Carolina Reaper itself, with a heat that arrives almost instantly and lands with overwhelming, breathtaking force. This is not a chilli for the curious; it's a chilli for the dedicated, experienced superhot grower who knows exactly what they're taking on.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor all its ferocity, there is genuine flavour in there for those equipped to find it. The Bhutlah inherits the floral, fruity character of its ghost pepper parent and the deep, rich, Caribbean fruitiness of the Douglah, giving a complex, fruity-earthy flavour beneath the inferno — which is precisely why dedicated chilli-heads and hot-sauce makers prize it. The pods are large, gnarled, and heavily wrinkled, often with a pointed tail, ripening to a glossy deep red.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe plant matches the pods for vigour: a big, productive \u003cem\u003eCapsicum chinense\u003c\/em\u003e reaching 1.5m or more, capable of carrying a remarkable weight of fruit over a long season. Like all the superhots it's warmth-hungry and slow, needing the longest possible growing season, but for the experienced grower it's a hugely satisfying and genuinely impressive thing to bring to fruit — one of the ultimate badges of honour in any chilli collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA word of real respect is due here. This is among the hottest chillies on the planet, and it should be grown, handled, and used with genuine caution — please read the safety guidance shown at the top of this page before growing it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on growing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSow early — absolutely essential with an extreme superhot \u003cem\u003echinense\u003c\/em\u003e. Sow indoors from January (or even late December if you can give the seedlings enough warmth and light) in a heated propagator at 28–30°C. Superhot seeds need genuine, constant warmth and are slow and erratic to germinate, often taking three to six weeks or more, so patience is everything — don't give up on a tray too soon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrick out into 9cm pots once the seedlings have two true leaves, and grow on at a minimum of 22°C with bright light. Pot on progressively to large final pots, keeping the plants warm through spring in a heated greenhouse or conservatory before moving to an unheated greenhouse or polytunnel from June. A long, warm season under cover is essential in the UK; this is emphatically not a chilli for an exposed outdoor bed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWater consistently but never let the roots stand waterlogged, and feed weekly with a high-potash tomato food from the first flowers onwards. Pinch out the growing tip at around 25–30cm to build a strong, bushy, heavy-cropping plant, and support the branches as they become laden with fruit. Harvest from late summer through autumn once the pods are fully red, finishing the last of the crop indoors under a grow light if needed. Always wear gloves and eye protection when picking, handling, and processing the fruit, and take great care — full safety guidance is shown at the top of this page.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere it shines\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the kitchen, the Bhutlah is strictly for the serious enthusiast and the experienced hot-sauce maker — and it should always be used in tiny, carefully measured amounts. Its fruity-earthy complexity makes it a favourite for intense extract-style hot sauces and for adding extreme heat with real depth of flavour. A mere fragment is enough to bring searing heat to a large pot, and the pods dry and grind into a ferocious powder to be used the merest pinch at a time, with great care. One plant produces far more heat than any household could reasonably use in a year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the garden, it's a genuine showpiece for the dedicated grower — a big, vigorous plant heavy with gnarled scarlet pods, and an unmistakable statement of chilli-growing credentials.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e extreme superhot, around 1,500,000–2,000,000 SHU — among the hottest on earth\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavour:\u003c\/strong\u003e complex, fruity and earthy beneath an immediate, overwhelming heat\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eParentage:\u003c\/strong\u003e Bhut Jolokia (ghost pepper) × 7 Pot Douglah\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant:\u003c\/strong\u003e large, vigorous and very high-yielding, 1.5m+ — long-season, so sow early\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePods:\u003c\/strong\u003e large, gnarled and wrinkled, often pointed, ripening to deep red\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e January (or earlier), heated propagator at 28–30°C\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e late summer to autumn, fully red\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFor experienced growers and cooks only\u003c\/strong\u003e — handle with real care\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChillies do well with companions that draw in pollinators and help keep pests down. Plant alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e to deter aphids and whitefly, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to attract beneficial predators. Basil is a traditional greenhouse companion that enjoys the same warmth, and if you're assembling a collection of the world's hottest chillies, the Bhutlah sits among fierce company with our Bhut Jolokia, 7 Pot Infinity, 7 Pot Yellow, and Armageddon.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303834034553,"sku":null,"price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"aji-colorado-orange-chilli","title":"Aji Colorado Orange Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum baccatum 'Aji Colorado Orange'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eA fruity, glowing-orange Peruvian aji with a friendly medium heat\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA beautiful and rather rare South American chilli, and a lovely introduction to a whole branch of the pepper family that British gardeners rarely meet. Aji Colorado Orange is an \u003cem\u003eaji\u003c\/em\u003e — the Andean name for the chillies that have been central to Peruvian and Bolivian cooking since the time of the Incas, when they were so prized they were given as tribute to high-ranking leaders. This is the warm-orange form, and it's as good to look at as it is to eat: a big, dangly, generous bush hung with glowing conical pods that ripen from green to a rich, warm orange.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhat makes the ajis special is their flavour. Aji Colorado Orange belongs to \u003cem\u003eCapsicum baccatum\u003c\/em\u003e, the species that gives South America its most beloved cooking chillies, and like its relatives it leads with taste rather than punishment: a fresh, fruity, almost bean-like flavour with real depth, carried on a pleasant medium heat that adds a satisfying kick without ever overwhelming the dish. At 20,000 to 30,000 Scoville units it's in the same friendly territory as a hot cayenne — warm and lively, but a world away from the searing superhots. This is a chilli you cook with for flavour, not for bragging rights.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt's also, happily, an easy and rewarding plant to grow. The \u003cem\u003ebaccatum\u003c\/em\u003e chillies are famously productive, and Aji Colorado Orange is no exception — a vigorous, bushy plant that crops heavily over a long season, fairly shrugging off the attention that the fussier superhots demand. One charming botanical quirk to look out for: like all true \u003cem\u003ebaccatum\u003c\/em\u003e chillies, its flowers carry distinctive greenish or straw-coloured spots on the petals — a small detail that marks it out as a genuine aji.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne thing worth knowing: \u003cem\u003ebaccatum\u003c\/em\u003e plants grow tall and can become quite large and heavy with fruit, so they appreciate a bit of room and usually want staking or support once the pods are weighing the branches down. Give it that, a sunny greenhouse or warm sheltered spot, and a long enough season, and it will reward you generously.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on growing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSow indoors from January to March. Like most chillies it benefits from warmth to germinate — a heated propagator at around 22–28°C is ideal — and the \u003cem\u003ebaccatum\u003c\/em\u003e types can be a touch slower than the easy annuums, so allow up to three or four weeks and don't give up on a tray too soon. Sow on the surface or barely covered, and keep the compost moist but not wet while you wait.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrick out into 9cm pots once the seedlings have two true leaves, and grow on in good light at a minimum of 18–20°C to keep them sturdy. Pot on progressively to large final pots — these are big plants and want the root room. Aji Colorado Orange grows best under cover in the UK: a greenhouse, polytunnel, or conservatory gives the long, warm season it needs to ripen a full crop, though a very warm, sheltered, sunny spot outdoors can work in a good summer. Move plants out only once all danger of frost has passed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWater consistently and feed weekly with a high-potash tomato food once the first flowers set. As the plant grows tall and the pods build up, stake or cane it so the laden branches don't snap. Pinch out the growing tip early to encourage a bushier, more productive shape. Harvest from late summer into autumn, picking the pods once they have turned a full warm orange — though they're perfectly usable green if you'd like a fresher, sharper note earlier on. Regular picking keeps the plant cropping right up to the first frosts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere it shines\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the kitchen, Aji Colorado Orange is a wonderfully versatile cooking chilli — this is, after all, the kind of pepper that anchors an entire cuisine. Its fresh, fruity flavour and manageable heat make it ideal for the Peruvian and Bolivian dishes it was born to: blended into vibrant sauces and pastes, stirred through stews, or crushed into chilli flakes. It's superb in salsas, marinades, and ceviche-style dishes, and the warm-orange flesh makes a beautiful sauce with real depth of flavour. Like its Andean relatives, it dries and grinds well into a fragrant powder, and is just as happy crushed with a little vinegar into a punchy condiment for the table.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the garden, it's a genuinely handsome plant — a tall, generous bush glowing with orange fruit through late summer and autumn, and productive enough that a single plant keeps a kitchen well supplied.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e medium-hot, 20,000–30,000 SHU — a friendly cayenne-ish kick\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavour:\u003c\/strong\u003e fresh, fruity, almost bean-like, with real depth — the classic aji profile\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant:\u003c\/strong\u003e tall, vigorous, bushy and high-yielding — usually needs staking\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFruit:\u003c\/strong\u003e conical pendant pods, ripening green to warm orange\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e January to March, propagator at 22–28°C\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e late summer to autumn, orange (or green for a fresher note)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrow under cover\u003c\/strong\u003e in the UK for the best, fullest crop\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeritage:\u003c\/strong\u003e a rare Peruvian and Bolivian aji, grown since the Incas\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChillies do well with companions that draw in pollinators and help keep pests down. Plant alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e to deter aphids and whitefly, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to attract beneficial predators. Basil is a classic greenhouse companion that enjoys the same warmth and sun, and makes a natural culinary partner too.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303845634425,"sku":null,"price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0576\/6004\/7547\/files\/Aji_Colorado_Orange.png?v=1779523048"},{"product_id":"7-pot-infinity-chilli","title":"7 Pot Infinity Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum chinense '7 Pot Infinity'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eBritish-bred superhot chilli, former Guinness World Record holder\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe British-bred superhot that briefly held the Guinness World Record for the world's hottest pepper in February 2011. 7 Pot Infinity was developed by Nick Woods of Fire Foods in Grantham, Lincolnshire, through a serendipitous cross-pollination of 7 Pot parent lines, and was named \"Infinity\" because its heat seems to build endlessly across the palate. Just two weeks after taking the record it was dethroned by the Naga Viper — but the variety has remained a legend in chilli circles ever since, both for the British connection and for the sheer relentless intensity of the heat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe fruits ripen to a glossy deep red, measure 4–6cm long, and carry the heavily wrinkled, gnarled skin of the superhot Caribbean-lineage chillies — often finished with a distinctive pointed \"scorpion tail\" at the tip. Behind the extreme heat lies a surprisingly complex flavour: sweet, fruity, faintly floral notes that announce themselves in the first second of tasting, before the heat overwhelms everything else and builds steadily over thirty to sixty seconds into a sustained, shoulder-deep burn that can last twenty minutes or more. At over a million Scoville heat units it sits roughly two hundred times hotter than a jalapeño, in the same exalted company as the ghost pepper and the Trinidad Scorpion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eLike all members of the 7 Pot lineage, Infinity belongs to \u003cem\u003eCapsicum chinense\u003c\/em\u003e — the species that gives us habaneros, Scotch bonnets, ghost peppers, and most of the world's hottest chillies. That lineage matters for the grower: chinense seeds germinate more slowly and demand more consistent warmth than the easygoing annuum types like jalapeños and cayennes. Give it that warmth, though, and it becomes one of the most spectacular plants in the late-season greenhouse — a vigorous bushy shrub of 60–120cm, hung with forty to eighty brilliant red, gnarled fruits across a long cropping season from late summer into autumn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is genuinely a chilli for the experienced grower and the experienced cook. UK outdoor cropping rarely succeeds except in the warmest southern summers; a greenhouse or polytunnel produces dramatically better crops, and finishing indoors under grow lights through October extends the harvest considerably. 7 Pot Infinity is open-pollinated, so seed saved from your best fruits will grow largely true the following year — though as a relatively recent breeder selection, its genetic stability is still settling, and you may see some variation in fruit shape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on growing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSow indoors from January to February in a heated propagator at 28–30°C. Superhot chinense seeds need genuine warmth to germinate and can take anywhere from 21 to 42 days — patience is essential, as the seeds often appear completely inert for weeks before suddenly emerging, so don't give up on a tray too soon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrick out seedlings into 9cm pots once they have two true leaves, and grow on at a minimum of 22°C with bright light. Pot on progressively to final 25–30cm pots, ideally in a heated greenhouse or warm conservatory through April and May, before moving to an unheated greenhouse from June onwards. Water consistently but never let the roots sit waterlogged, and feed weekly with a high-potash tomato food from the first flowers onwards. Pinch out the growing tips at around 30cm to encourage bushy branching and a heavier crop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHarvest from August through October, once the fruits are fully red, cutting them cleanly with scissors. Always wear gloves and eye protection when picking, handling, and processing the fruit — full safety guidance is shown at the top of this page.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere it shines\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the kitchen, 7 Pot Infinity is the chilli for the dedicated hot-sauce maker and the seriously experienced spice enthusiast. The fruit-forward complexity behind the heat makes it outstanding for small-batch fermented hot sauces — pair it with apricot, mango, peach, or pineapple for the classic superhot-and-fruit combination. A little goes an extraordinarily long way: use a tiny sliver, literally a few millimetres of fruit, to bring serious heat to a whole pot of curry, chilli, or stew, or dehydrate whole fruits and grind them to a superhot powder for use a single pinch at a time.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the garden, one plant is genuinely enough to supply most households for a year, and at peak season it is a dramatic, ornamental thing — a glossy shrub heavy with wrinkled scarlet fruit. Greenhouse cultivation is essential for a reliable crop in UK conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e superhot, over 1,000,000 SHU (roughly 200× a jalapeño)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavour:\u003c\/strong\u003e sweet, fruity and floral beneath an intense, building heat\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant:\u003c\/strong\u003e bushy shrub, 60–120cm, 40–80 fruits per plant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e January to February, heated propagator at 28–30°C\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e August to October, fully red\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrow under cover:\u003c\/strong\u003e greenhouse or polytunnel essential in the UK\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOpen-pollinated:\u003c\/strong\u003e save seed from your best fruits\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeritage:\u003c\/strong\u003e British-bred, former Guinness World Record holder (2011)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChillies do well with companions that draw in pollinators and help keep pests down. Plant alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e to deter aphids and whitefly, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to attract beneficial predators. Basil is a traditional greenhouse companion that enjoys the same warmth, and if you'd like two superhots sharing greenhouse space — one red, one yellow — pair it with our 7 Pot Yellow.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303855333753,"sku":"CHI-7PI","price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0576\/6004\/7547\/files\/7_Pot_Infinity.png?v=1779321434"},{"product_id":"7-pot-yellow-chilli","title":"7 Pot Yellow Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum chinense '7 Pot Yellow'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eTrinidad heritage superhot chilli, bright yellow fruits\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe yellow variant of the legendary 7 Pot chilli lineage from Trinidad and Tobago — one of a small family of Caribbean superhots whose name comes from the local saying that a single pod is hot enough to spice seven pots of stew. 7 Pot Yellow produces small, deeply wrinkled, pendant fruits 3–5cm long, ripening from green to a vivid bright yellow, with the characteristic gnarled, pitted skin that marks out the superhot Caribbean varieties. The heat is genuinely extreme — somewhere between 800,000 and over a million Scoville units — placing it firmly in the superhot category alongside its more famous red 7 Pot relatives and the ghost pepper.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe flavour behind the heat is what justifies growing a superhot rather than something more manageable. 7 Pot Yellow delivers the classic Caribbean fruity-floral chinense profile, with bright tropical citrus notes and a slight smoky depth — complex, distinctive, and genuinely worth the heat for cooks who want extreme flavour as well as extreme intensity. The yellow colour makes hot sauces with brilliant golden tones rather than the familiar red, and the flavour pairs particularly well with mango, pineapple, mustard, and Caribbean spice blends.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a chilli for the experienced grower and the experienced cook. The Trinidad climate is far hotter and more humid than ours, so 7 Pot Yellow needs greenhouse or polytunnel cultivation in Britain for a reliable crop — outdoor growing rarely produces useful fruit outside the warmest southern summers. The plants reach 60–100cm tall with a vigorous bushy habit, carrying thirty to eighty fruits each in good greenhouse conditions. Like all members of the 7 Pot family it belongs to \u003cem\u003eCapsicum chinense\u003c\/em\u003e, the slow, warmth-hungry species behind the world's hottest peppers — so it asks for more heat and more patience than the easygoing annuum types like jalapeños and cayennes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e7 Pot Yellow is open-pollinated heritage, so seed saved from your best fruits will grow true the following year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on growing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSow indoors from January to February — \u003cem\u003eCapsicum chinense\u003c\/em\u003e superhots need the longest growing season of any commonly grown chilli. Use a heated propagator at 28–30°C and expect germination to take 21–42 days, sometimes longer. Patience is essential, as the seeds often appear inert for weeks before suddenly emerging, so don't give up on a tray too soon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrick out seedlings into 9cm pots once they have two true leaves, and grow on at a minimum of 22°C with bright light to prevent leggy growth. Pot on progressively to final 25–30cm pots, ideally in a heated greenhouse or warm conservatory through April and May, before moving to an unheated greenhouse from June onwards. Water consistently but never let the plants stand in waterlogged compost, and feed weekly with a high-potash tomato food from the first flowers onwards. The flowers appear in pairs or clusters at each leaf node, and a healthy mature plant in midsummer may carry a hundred or more flowers and developing fruits at once.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHarvest from August through October, once the fruits are fully yellow, cutting them cleanly with scissors. Always wear gloves and eye protection when picking, handling, and processing the fruit — full safety guidance is shown at the top of this page.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere it shines\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the kitchen, 7 Pot Yellow is the chilli for serious hot-sauce makers and the dedicated home cook who wants to push the boundaries of heat. The slow ferment of a small-batch hot sauce develops its fruity complexity beautifully alongside the burn — combine with mango, pineapple, mustard, lime, and Caribbean spices for a distinctive golden-yellow sauce. A little goes an extraordinarily long way: use the tiniest sliver to season a dish for a whole table, dehydrate whole fruits and grind to an ultra-hot powder, or drop a single fruit into a large batch of slow-cooked curry, bean stew, or chilli con carne for sustained heat through the whole pot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the garden, one or two plants is more than enough for most households — the per-fruit heat means a small harvest goes a very long way. Greenhouse cultivation is recommended for a reliable crop in UK conditions, and at peak season the plants are genuinely beautiful, hung with brilliant yellow gnarled fruit.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e superhot, 800,000 to over 1,000,000 SHU\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavour:\u003c\/strong\u003e bright tropical citrus and fruity-floral notes with a smoky depth\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant:\u003c\/strong\u003e bushy shrub, 60–100cm, 30–80 fruits per plant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e January to February, heated propagator at 28–30°C\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e August to October, fully yellow\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrow under cover:\u003c\/strong\u003e greenhouse or polytunnel essential in the UK\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOpen-pollinated heritage:\u003c\/strong\u003e save seed from your best fruits\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean 7 Pot lineage\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChillies do well with companions that draw in pollinators and help keep pests down. Plant alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e to deter aphids and whitefly, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to attract beneficial predators. Basil is a traditional greenhouse companion that enjoys the same warmth, and for two distinct superhots sharing the same greenhouse bench — one yellow, one red — pair it with our 7 Pot Infinity.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303856906617,"sku":"CHI-7PY","price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0576\/6004\/7547\/files\/7_Pot_Yellow.png?v=1779323478"},{"product_id":"birds-eye-baby-chilli","title":"Birds Eye Baby Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum annuum 'Bird's Eye Baby'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eThe compact, container-perfect bird's eye — a little plant with a big kick\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA tiny powerhouse of a chilli, and one of the most charming little plants you can grow. Bird's Eye Baby is a true miniature — a small, dense, neatly bushy plant clothed in masses of tiny leaves, the \"Baby\" in its name all about that diminutive, compact habit. It's so small and well-proportioned that it's a favourite for growing as a chilli bonsai, and it's perfectly at home in a little pot on a sunny windowsill or a bright shelf indoors. Yet for all its modest size, it crops with real abandon, studding itself with dozens of small, upright, fiery pods through the season — an ornamental first and foremost, but a surprisingly useful kitchen chilli too.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe pods are small, plump little upright cones — fat at the base and tapering to a neat point, only a couple of centimetres long — standing proudly erect above the foliage rather than dangling, and ripening from glossy green through deep purplish-brown to a vivid, glossy red. A well-grown plant carries all those colours at once, the bright pods scattered like little flames over the dense green leaves, and the effect is genuinely beautiful — this is a chilli you'd happily grow for looks alone. The heat, though, is the proper bird's eye business: a clean, sharp, properly hot kick at around 50,000 to 100,000 Scoville units, with a fresh, bright flavour.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt belongs to \u003cem\u003eCapsicum annuum\u003c\/em\u003e — the easygoing species of jalapeños and cayennes — which makes it more straightforward and quicker to grow than the slow, warmth-hungry superhots. It's genuinely easy and forgiving, and one of the best chillies of all for a beginner or a child's first windowsill pot: tiny, tidy, undemanding, and endlessly productive of those cheerful little pods.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e(A quick note for the curious: this is the small-plant \u003cem\u003eannuum\u003c\/em\u003e Thai-style bird's eye, distinct from our African Bird's Eye, which is a taller \u003cem\u003efrutescens\u003c\/em\u003e piri piri type. Both are wonderful — this one is the compact, container-friendly one for smaller spaces.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on growing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSow indoors from February to April, about six to eight weeks before the last expected frost. As an \u003cem\u003eannuum\u003c\/em\u003e it germinates more readily than the superhots — a heated propagator or warm windowsill at 22–28°C will usually see seedlings up within one to three weeks. Sow on the surface or barely covered, and keep the compost moist but not wet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrick out into 9cm pots once the seedlings have two true leaves, and grow on in good light at a minimum of 18–20°C to keep them sturdy. Pot on into a final pot — and here the Bird's Eye Baby really shines, because its compact habit means it's perfectly happy in a relatively modest container on a sunny windowsill, balcony, or patio. It can be grown outdoors in the warmest, most sheltered, sunniest spot once all danger of frost has passed in late May or June, or kept under glass or indoors for an earlier, more reliable crop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWater consistently and feed weekly with a high-potash tomato food once the first flowers set. Pinch out the growing tip early to encourage a bushy, branching, even-heavier-cropping plant. Harvest from midsummer into autumn: pick the pods green for a sharper, fresher heat, or leave them to ripen fully red for a rounder, slightly hotter flavour. Regular picking keeps the plant producing right through to the first frosts — and a single plant produces a great many little chillies. As with any hot chilli, it's sensible to wash your hands after handling the cut fruit and to keep it away from your eyes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere it shines\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFirst and foremost, this is an ornamental — a plant grown for the sheer charm of a tiny, leafy bush hung with upright, multi-coloured little pods. It makes a lovely windowsill or table plant, a bright spot on an indoor shelf, and an excellent candidate for chilli bonsai, where its naturally small leaves and dense habit really come into their own. But don't overlook the kitchen: those little pods carry a proper hot bird's eye kick and are genuinely useful. Use them fresh and finely sliced in stir-fries, curries, noodle dishes, and dipping sauces, or dry them — they're so small they dry in no time — and crush them into chilli flakes or a fiery powder. A few pods are enough to bring real heat to a dish, so even this little plant keeps a keen cook well supplied.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHowever you use it, it's a charmer — a neat, tidy little jewel of a plant, equally at home on a kitchen windowsill, a bright indoor shelf, a bonsai bench, or among the pots on a sunny patio.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e hot, 50,000–100,000 SHU — a clean, sharp bird's eye kick\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLooks:\u003c\/strong\u003e highly ornamental — multi-coloured upright pods over tiny leaves; a favourite chilli bonsai\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant:\u003c\/strong\u003e a true miniature — tiny, dense and bushy with small leaves; ideal for little pots, windowsills, indoors and chilli bonsai\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFruit:\u003c\/strong\u003e small, plump, upright cone-shaped pods, ripening green through dark purple-brown to red\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e February to April, 22–28°C\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e midsummer to autumn, green or red\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEasier to grow\u003c\/strong\u003e than the superhots — quick annuum, no greenhouse essential\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBest for:\u003c\/strong\u003e Thai, Vietnamese and Indonesian cooking; drying for flakes and powder\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChillies do well with companions that draw in pollinators and help keep pests down. Plant alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e to deter aphids and whitefly, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to attract beneficial predators. Basil — especially Thai basil — is a classic companion that enjoys the same warmth and sun, and makes a natural culinary partner for Southeast Asian cooking.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303859462521,"sku":null,"price":2.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"bahamian-goat-chilli","title":"Bahamian Goat Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum chinense 'Bahamian Goat'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eA quirky, pumpkin-shaped Caribbean chilli with sweet habanero heat\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the most charming and characterful chillies you can grow — and a real talking point in the greenhouse. The Bahamian Goat is a legendary Caribbean pepper from the islands of the Bahamas, a close relative of the habanero and the Scotch bonnet, but with a look entirely its own: small, round, slightly squashed pods with deep vertical ridges, so that each one looks for all the world like a tiny pumpkin. They ripen from green to a glorious peachy-orange, and slicing one open reveals a surprise — flesh with an almost snowy, frosting-white sheen against the pale membrane. It's as pretty as it is unusual.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe flavour lives up to the looks. Like its famous cousins, the Bahamian Goat carries a sweet, rich, fruity character — many growers rate it as good as, or better than, a Scotch bonnet — behind a proper, satisfying heat that builds gradually rather than slamming in all at once. At 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville units it sits firmly in habanero territory: genuinely hot, with real depth and complexity, but a clear step below the searing superhots, which makes it a wonderful, usable chilli for anyone who loves Caribbean food and wants serious flavour with their fire.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnd then there's the name. Nobody is quite sure where \"Goat\" comes from, and the theories are all delightful: that the pepper has a fierce \"kick\" like an angry goat; that its knobbly shape looks faintly goat-like; that in the Bahamas the chillies are so often grown near the goats and livestock; or — the favourite — that when you slice one open it releases a pungent, musky aroma that some swear smells distinctly goaty. Whichever you believe, it's a chilli with personality to spare.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt's a \u003cem\u003eCapsicum chinense\u003c\/em\u003e, the species behind the world's hottest and most aromatic chillies, and like its relatives it's a vigorous, productive, and pleasingly easy plant to grow — reaching around 1.2m, hung with white flowers and then with dozens of those cheerful little pumpkin pods. As a chinense, it does take a good long season to ripen, so an early start is the key to success.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on growing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSow early — this is the most important thing with a \u003cem\u003echinense\u003c\/em\u003e. Sow indoors from January to early March in a heated propagator at 25–30°C; chinense seeds need genuine warmth and can be slow, taking anywhere from two to four weeks (sometimes more) to germinate, so be patient and don't give up on a tray too soon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrick out into 9cm pots once the seedlings have two true leaves, and grow on at a minimum of 20–22°C with bright light. Pot on progressively to a large final pot. The Bahamian Goat grows best under cover in the UK — a greenhouse, polytunnel, or warm conservatory gives it the long, warm season it needs to ripen a full crop — though it can be grown on a very warm, sunny windowsill, and moved to the sunniest sheltered spot outdoors in high summer once all danger of frost has passed. It likes warmth: the warmer and sunnier the conditions, the better the heat and flavour develop.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWater consistently but never let the roots sit waterlogged, and feed weekly with a high-potash tomato food from the first flowers onwards. Pinch out the growing tip at around 25cm to build a bushy, branching, heavy-cropping plant. Harvest from late summer into autumn, once the pods have ripened to their full peachy-orange — this is when the sweet, fruity flavour is at its best. As with any hot chilli it's wise to wash your hands well after handling the cut fruit and to keep it away from your eyes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere it shines\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the kitchen, the Bahamian Goat is a Caribbean cook's delight and a brilliant, more interesting alternative to the habanero. Its sweet, fruity heat is made for tropical and island cooking: blitz it into fiery jerk seasonings and marinades, stir it through Caribbean stews and rice dishes, or build it into a bright, fruity hot sauce alongside mango, pineapple, or papaya. It dries and grinds into an excellent chilli powder, and is particularly good smoked. A little goes a long way at this heat level, so a single plant's worth of pods will keep a kitchen in Caribbean fire for a good long while.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the garden, it's simply a joy — a generous, productive plant studded with those unmistakable little orange pumpkins, and guaranteed to draw comment from anyone who sees it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e very hot, 100,000–350,000 SHU — habanero class, building gradually\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavour:\u003c\/strong\u003e sweet, rich and fruity — as good as a Scotch bonnet, many say\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLook:\u003c\/strong\u003e distinctive little pumpkin-shaped, ridged pods, ripening green to peachy orange\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant:\u003c\/strong\u003e vigorous, productive and easy, around 1.2m — long-season, so sow early\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e January to early March, heated propagator at 25–30°C\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e late summer to autumn, fully peachy-orange\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrow under cover\u003c\/strong\u003e in the UK for the best, fullest crop\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBest for:\u003c\/strong\u003e jerk seasoning, Caribbean dishes, fruity hot sauces and smoked powder\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChillies do well with companions that draw in pollinators and help keep pests down. Plant alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e to deter aphids and whitefly, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to attract beneficial predators. Basil is a classic greenhouse companion that enjoys the same warmth and sun, and makes a natural culinary partner too.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303861100921,"sku":null,"price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"dalle-khursani-chilli","title":"Dalle Khursani Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum annuum var. cerasiforme 'Dalle Khursani'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eThe legendary cherry-round chilli of the Eastern Himalayas - habanero-level heat, fruity flavour, and a culinary heritage that goes back generations\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf you've spent any time eating in Nepalese, Sikkimese or Darjeeling kitchens, you'll know this chilli. \u003cstrong\u003eDalle Khursani\u003c\/strong\u003e — literally \"round chilli\" in Nepali — is the small, glossy, scarlet, properly hot cherry-pepper that defines the cooking of the Eastern Himalayas. A traditional staple of Sikkim, eastern Nepal, Bhutan, and the Darjeeling-Kalimpong hill districts of West Bengal, it's at once an everyday ingredient in pickles and chutneys and a chilli of genuine cultural significance — awarded the prestigious Geographical Indication (GI) tag in 2020 to protect its Sikkim origin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt's also one of the more interesting chillies on a botanical level: heat in the 100,000–350,000 SHU range puts it squarely in habanero territory, yet Dalle is a \u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eCapsicum annuum\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e — the same species as cayenne, jalapeño and bell peppers. Most chillies this hot belong to \u003cem\u003eCapsicum chinense\u003c\/em\u003e; Dalle is the unusual annuum that crosses into superhot territory while keeping the fast germination and growing-cycle advantages of the annuum side.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eImportant — this is a SUPERHOT chilli\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDalle Khursani belongs in our level 8\/10 superhot tier. The heat is comparable to a hot habanero or Scotch bonnet — properly serious. \u003cstrong\u003eIf you've never grown or cooked with chillies at this heat level, please read the safety guidance at the foot of this page before proceeding\u003c\/strong\u003e. Dalle is wonderful in expert hands, but the locals call it \u003cem\u003eJyaanamara Khursani\u003c\/em\u003e — \"murderer chilli\" — with affection. Respect the heat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat makes it special\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSmall round cherry-shaped pods\u003c\/strong\u003e — just 1.5–2.5cm across, ripening from green to vivid scarlet red. The \"Dalle\" name literally means \"round\". Distinctively different from the long thin shapes of most hot chillies\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThick, fleshy walls\u003c\/strong\u003e — soft and squeezable, unlike the thin-walled cayennes. This thick flesh is what carries the famous flavour\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHabanero-level heat — in an annuum\u003c\/strong\u003e — one of the hottest \u003cem\u003eCapsicum annuum\u003c\/em\u003e varieties in the world, with heat that exceeds many habaneros and reaches into Scotch bonnet territory\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFruity, tangy flavour\u003c\/strong\u003e — the heat isn't just hot. There's a properly developed fruity, slightly tangy character underneath. The heat builds slowly rather than hitting immediately, then lingers in the throat\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGI-protected cultural heritage\u003c\/strong\u003e — granted Geographical Indication status in 2020 for Sikkim, extended to Darjeeling and Kalimpong in 2021. A genuinely protected regional cultivar\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePerennial in mild climates\u003c\/strong\u003e — in its native Himalayan hills, Dalle is grown as a winter-hardy perennial. With UK overwintering protection it can be kept for multiple years\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe Himalayan culinary tradition\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDalle is the chilli of \u003cem\u003ebhaat-dal-tarkari\u003c\/em\u003e — the rice-lentil-vegetable plates that anchor Nepali and Sikkimese home cooking. Traditional uses:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDalle pickle\u003c\/strong\u003e — the iconic preparation. Whole or halved pods preserved in mustard oil or vinegar with salt, fenugreek, mustard seed and turmeric. Aged for weeks; eaten as a fiery condiment alongside any meal. A small spoonful adds depth and heat to bland rice dishes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBase paste\u003c\/strong\u003e — ground with garlic, ginger and a little oil; used as a curry flavouring backbone for meat and vegetable curries\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eChutneys (achar)\u003c\/strong\u003e — blended fresh with tomato, onion, coriander leaf and lime; eaten as a side relish with momos (Tibetan dumplings), thukpa (noodle soup), and rice dishes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEaten raw\u003c\/strong\u003e — the traditional table presentation. A few whole Dalle pods placed alongside the meal; diners bite a sliver between mouthfuls of rice and dal for a slow building heat\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePreserved with other vegetables\u003c\/strong\u003e — in mixed pickles with bamboo shoot, radish, or yellow peas\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSauces and momo dips\u003c\/strong\u003e — Sikkimese and Nepali momo houses serve Dalle-based hot sauces alongside their dumplings\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHot sauce production\u003c\/strong\u003e — the basis of regional commercial chilli sauces; growing export and processing markets\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond the heat, Dalle is properly nutritious: a hundred grams of fresh pods contains around five times the vitamin C of an orange, plus vitamin A, E, potassium and antioxidants. Worth treating with respect.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy try it in a British garden\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eA genuinely rare cultivar\u003c\/strong\u003e — very few UK seed suppliers stock Dalle Khursani. Most superhot chillies on the UK market are Caribbean (Scotch bonnet, habanero), Mexican (jalapeño, Anaheim) or Indian (Bhut Jolokia, Naga). The Eastern Himalayan heritage is genuinely distinctive\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHabanero-level heat without the wait\u003c\/strong\u003e — because Dalle is an annuum, it ripens faster and germinates more reliably than chinense superhots (which can take 30+ days to germinate). For UK growers this is significant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCompact pods for big plants\u003c\/strong\u003e — the small round fruit means a single plant produces a substantial number of pods, often 30–50 per season\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePickling-friendly\u003c\/strong\u003e — the small round shape and thick walls are perfect for whole-pod pickles, a use that's harder with long thin cayennes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThe culinary connection\u003c\/strong\u003e — if you love Nepalese, Tibetan, Sikkimese or Bhutanese food, growing your own Dalle is genuinely the only way to access fresh pods in the UK. Even the dried form is hard to find\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowing tips\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow January to March\u003c\/strong\u003e with bottom heat (~25–30°C) and bright light. Germination is generally faster than chinense superhots — expect 7–14 days under proper warmth\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrick out into 9cm pots\u003c\/strong\u003e once true leaves appear\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePot on into 25–30cm final containers\u003c\/strong\u003e when roots fill the pot\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGreenhouse, polytunnel or warm sunny conservatory\u003c\/strong\u003e required for proper ripening. Outdoor patio growth in southern Britain works in good summers but yields are lower\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStake or cage\u003c\/strong\u003e — the plant reaches 100–130cm in good conditions and the upright stems benefit from support, particularly when carrying a heavy fruit set\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFeed weekly\u003c\/strong\u003e with a high-potash tomato feed once flowers appear\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePick fully red\u003c\/strong\u003e for maximum heat and flavour. The Himalayan tradition is to harvest at full red, never green\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOverwinter under glass\u003c\/strong\u003e if you want a perennial plant — cut back hard in autumn, keep frost-free and just-moist over winter, then resume feeding in spring\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Superhot chilli (\u003cem\u003eCapsicum annuum var. cerasiforme\u003c\/em\u003e), Eastern Himalayan heirloom\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e 100,000–350,000 SHU — habanero range; \u003cstrong\u003elevel 8\/10 superhot\u003c\/strong\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e 100–130cm; \u003cstrong\u003eSpread:\u003c\/strong\u003e 50cm; \u003cstrong\u003eSpacing:\u003c\/strong\u003e 50cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePod:\u003c\/strong\u003e Small round cherry shape, 1.5–2.5cm across, ripens green to vivid scarlet red\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e January to March under heat (~25–30°C)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e August to October — when pods are fully red\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePosition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Greenhouse, polytunnel, or warm sunny conservatory. Perennial under glass with overwintering protection\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUses:\u003c\/strong\u003e Pickles, chutneys, curry pastes, Nepali\/Sikkimese\/Bhutanese cooking, hot sauces. \u003cstrong\u003eNot for casual fresh eating\u003c\/strong\u003e at this heat level\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOpen-pollinated heritage\u003c\/strong\u003e — save your own seed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSafety guidance — please read\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDalle Khursani is a properly hot chilli. The heat is comparable to a habanero or Scotch bonnet, and significantly hotter than anything most home cooks have encountered. Please:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWear disposable gloves\u003c\/strong\u003e when handling cut fresh or dried pods. The capsaicin oil stays on skin for hours and transfers easily to eyes, lips and other sensitive areas\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWash hands thoroughly\u003c\/strong\u003e with washing-up liquid (which cuts oil better than soap) after handling, even if you wore gloves\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKeep well away from children and pets\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAdd gradually to dishes\u003c\/strong\u003e — one small Dalle pod or even a fragment can transform a curry's heat level. Always start with less than you think you need\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHave dairy on hand\u003c\/strong\u003e when first tasting — yoghurt, milk or cream are the only things that genuinely cut capsaicin burn. Water makes it worse\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDon't grow next to milder chillies\u003c\/strong\u003e if saving seed — cross-pollination can transfer some heat to neighbouring varieties\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDalle Khursani grows happily alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e for natural aphid deterrence in the greenhouse, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to draw in pollinators for better fruit-set. In the wider kitchen garden, Dalle pairs beautifully with \u003cstrong\u003ecoriander, basil, sweet peppers and tomatoes\u003c\/strong\u003e — share a greenhouse and you've got the foundations for proper South Asian and Himalayan cooking. For the genuine Sikkimese\/Nepalese experience, add a few \u003ca href=\"\/products\/cumin-seeds\"\u003eCumin\u003c\/a\u003e plants to the same greenhouse for a homegrown spice rack that would do credit to a Darjeeling kitchen.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303864279417,"sku":null,"price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"african-birds-eye-chilli","title":"African Birds Eye Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum frutescens 'African Bird's Eye'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eThe piri piri pepper — small, fiery and intensely flavoured\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe little pepper behind piri piri. African Bird's Eye — also known as peri peri, pili pili, or the African Devil — is the chilli that gives Mozambican and Portuguese piri piri sauces their distinctive bright, biting heat, and the one most people have tasted without ever knowing its name. Descended, like all chillies, from plants of the Americas, it has grown wild across East and southern Africa for centuries and is now cultivated commercially from Malawi to Mozambique. It carries real cultural heritage in a very small package.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe fruits are tiny but mighty: slim, thin-walled pods just 2–5cm long, tapering to a blunt point, ripening from green to a brilliant glossy red. Unusually, they point jauntily \u003cem\u003eupward\u003c\/em\u003e from the plant rather than dangling down — one of the easiest ways to tell a true bird's eye from its lookalikes, and part of what makes the plant so ornamental when it's covered in dozens of upright scarlet fruits at the height of summer. The heat is serious but not punishing — firmly in the \"very hot\" range, a good notch below the searing superhots, with a clean, bright, fruity flavour that explains why it's prized for sauces rather than just shock value.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAfrican Bird's Eye belongs to \u003cem\u003eCapsicum frutescens\u003c\/em\u003e — the same species as the Tabasco and Malagueta peppers, and a slightly different branch of the family from the habaneros and Scotch bonnets (which are \u003cem\u003eCapsicum chinense\u003c\/em\u003e) or the jalapeños and cayennes (\u003cem\u003eCapsicum annuum\u003c\/em\u003e). In practice, frutescens chillies are wonderfully productive bushy plants, and this one is no exception: expect a naturally bushy habit anywhere from 45cm to over a metre tall, generous enough to fill a large pot and produce a heavy crop of pods over a long season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a more forgiving chilli to grow than the Caribbean superhots — it germinates and crops more readily, and its compact bushy form makes it genuinely suited to container growing on a sunny patio, windowsill, or in the greenhouse. It still appreciates warmth and a long season, but it is a realistic and rewarding chilli for a keen grower who isn't ready to take on a 7 Pot.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on growing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSow indoors from late January to March in a heated propagator at 22–28°C. As a frutescens chilli the seed germinates more readily than the superhot chinense types, usually within 14–21 days, though warmth and patience always help.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrick out seedlings into 9cm pots once they have two true leaves, and grow on at a minimum of 18–20°C with bright light to keep them sturdy. Pot on progressively to final 25–30cm pots, and either keep under glass or move to the sunniest sheltered spot outdoors once all danger of frost has passed in late May or June. The bushy, compact habit makes this variety particularly happy in containers, so it's a good choice if you don't have a greenhouse.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWater consistently but never let the roots sit waterlogged, and feed weekly with a high-potash tomato food once the first flowers appear. Pinch out the growing tip at around 20–25cm to encourage the dense, branching growth that carries the heaviest crop. Harvest from August through October, picking the pods once they have turned fully red — though they are perfectly usable green if you'd like a sharper, grassier heat earlier in the season. As with any hot chilli, it's sensible to wash your hands well after handling the cut fruit and to keep it away from your eyes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere it shines\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the kitchen, African Bird's Eye is the chilli for anyone who loves piri piri. Blitz the fresh red pods with garlic, lemon, red wine vinegar, smoked paprika, oregano, and olive oil to make a proper homemade piri piri sauce or marinade — outstanding on grilled or roast chicken, prawns, and fish. The bright, clean heat also works beautifully in Mozambican and Portuguese cooking, in chilli oils and vinegars, and dried and crushed into flakes for sprinkling over almost anything. Because the fruits are small and thin-walled, they dry quickly and easily on a sunny windowsill or in a dehydrator, keeping their colour and flavour well for year-round use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the garden, a single well-grown plant produces a remarkable number of pods, and the upward-pointing scarlet fruits against dark foliage make it as ornamental as it is useful — a genuinely handsome thing on a late-summer patio.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e very hot, around 100,000–175,000 SHU\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavour:\u003c\/strong\u003e bright, clean and fruity — the classic piri piri profile\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant:\u003c\/strong\u003e bushy, 45cm to over 1m, excellent in containers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFruit:\u003c\/strong\u003e small 2–5cm pods pointing upward, ripening green to red\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e late January to March, propagator at 22–28°C\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e August to October, red (or green for a sharper heat)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEasier to grow\u003c\/strong\u003e than the Caribbean superhots\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAlso known as:\u003c\/strong\u003e piri piri, peri peri, pili pili, African Devil\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChillies do well with companions that draw in pollinators and help keep pests down. Plant alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e to deter aphids and whitefly, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to attract beneficial predators. Basil is a classic companion that enjoys the same warmth and sunshine, and makes a natural culinary partner too.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303870079353,"sku":"CHI-ABE","price":2.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0576\/6004\/7547\/files\/African_Birds_Eye_Chilli.png?v=1779353032"},{"product_id":"aji-largo-rocoto","title":"Aji Largo Rocoto Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum pubescens 'Aji Largo'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eA true rocoto — the hardy, hairy-leaved Andean chilli with thick, juicy flesh\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSomething genuinely different, and a real conversation piece for the keen chilli grower. Aji Largo is a rocoto — a member of \u003cem\u003eCapsicum pubescens\u003c\/em\u003e, a species quite distinct from every other chilli, and one rarely seen in British gardens. Rocotos are the chillies of the high Andes, grown for centuries up in the cool mountain air of Peru, Bolivia, and Ecuador, and they carry two unmistakable signatures that set them apart from all their relatives: soft, downy, \u003cstrong\u003ehairy leaves\u003c\/strong\u003e (the Latin \u003cem\u003epubescens\u003c\/em\u003e means exactly that) and curious \u003cstrong\u003ejet-black seeds\u003c\/strong\u003e. Once you've grown one, you'll always recognise the species.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe pods are handsome and substantial — conical, deeply wrinkled, around 7cm long, ripening to a glossy deep red. What really marks them out, though, is the flesh: thick, fleshy, and notably juicy, with a higher moisture content than other chillies, almost like a small, hot, crisp apple. The heat is a proper hot kick — somewhere in the region of 30,000 to 100,000 Scoville units, and reputedly the hottest of the rocotos — but it sits behind a fresh, fruity, full-bodied flavour rather than arriving as bare fire. This is a chilli with real character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBest of all, from a British grower's point of view, is the rocoto's secret talent. Because \u003cem\u003eCapsicum pubescens\u003c\/em\u003e evolved high in the Andes where the air is cool, it is the \u003cstrong\u003ehardiest and most cold-tolerant of all the chilli species\u003c\/strong\u003e — markedly tougher in cool conditions than the warmth-hungry superhots and habaneros. It still won't survive a frost, but unlike almost any other chilli, a rocoto can be brought in over winter and kept going as a short-lived perennial, fruiting again the following year and beyond. Treated kindly, a single plant can become a long-term resident of the greenhouse.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt does ask for patience: rocotos are long-season plants, so an early start is essential. The reward is a relatively open, branching plant of around a metre, hung with thick scarlet pods, and a chilli experience quite unlike anything else in the garden.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on growing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSow early — this is the single most important thing with a rocoto. Because \u003cem\u003epubescens\u003c\/em\u003e needs a long season (often 95 days or more from transplanting to ripe fruit), sow indoors from January, or even late December if you can give the seedlings enough light and warmth. Use a heated propagator at around 25–28°C; the black seeds can be slow and a little erratic to germinate, so be patient and don't give up on a tray too soon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrick out into 9cm pots once the seedlings have two true leaves, and grow on in good light at a minimum of 18–20°C. Pot on progressively to a large final pot — this is a sizeable, branching plant. Rocotos do best under cover in the UK, in a greenhouse, polytunnel, or conservatory, which gives them the long season they need; they tolerate cooler conditions than other chillies, but they still want warmth and a long run to ripen a full crop. Water consistently and feed weekly with a high-potash tomato food once the first flowers set.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eHere's the rocoto's special trick: at the end of the season, instead of pulling the plant up, bring it somewhere frost-free and bright — a cool greenhouse, porch, or windowsill — cut it back, water sparingly, and it will often overwinter and crop again the following year, growing stronger and more productive with age. No other chilli rewards a little winter care quite so well. Harvest the pods from late summer through autumn, picking once they have ripened to a full deep red.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere it shines\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the kitchen, the rocoto is the heart of Andean cooking, and Aji Largo earns its place there with its thick, juicy, fruity flesh. In Peru and Bolivia, rocotos are famously stuffed and baked — \u003cem\u003erocoto relleno\u003c\/em\u003e, filled with spiced meat and cheese, is a classic — and the substantial flesh makes this variety excellent for the job. Use it fresh in fiery salsas and sauces, blend it into the bright, hot table condiments of Andean cuisine, or chop it through stews and soups for a deep, fruity heat. The high moisture content means it doesn't dry as readily as thinner chillies, so it's at its best used fresh.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the garden, it's a genuinely interesting plant to grow — the soft hairy foliage, the pretty flowers, the thick scarlet pods, and the prospect of a chilli that comes back year after year make it a favourite among growers who like something out of the ordinary.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e hot, around 30,000–100,000 SHU — reputedly the hottest of the rocotos\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavour:\u003c\/strong\u003e fresh, fruity and full-bodied, with thick, juicy, apple-crisp flesh\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpecies:\u003c\/strong\u003e Capsicum pubescens — a true rocoto, with hairy leaves and black seeds\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant:\u003c\/strong\u003e open, branching, around 1m — long-season, so sow early\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHardy:\u003c\/strong\u003e the most cold-tolerant chilli species — can be overwintered as a perennial\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e January (or earlier), heated propagator at 25–28°C\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e late summer to autumn, deep red\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBest for:\u003c\/strong\u003e stuffing (rocoto relleno), fresh salsas and Andean sauces\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChillies do well with companions that draw in pollinators and help keep pests down. Plant alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e to deter aphids and whitefly, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to attract beneficial predators. Basil is a classic greenhouse companion that enjoys the same warmth and sun, and makes a natural culinary partner too.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303880761721,"sku":null,"price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0576\/6004\/7547\/files\/Gemini_Generated_Image_ydnrmgydnrmgydnr.png?v=1781823584"},{"product_id":"aji-crujiente-chilli","title":"Aji Crujiente Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum baccatum 'Aji Crujiente'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eThe crunchy Peruvian aji — thick, sweet, fruity pods with a wonderful aroma\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA characterful and rather special South American aji whose name tells you exactly what makes it a joy to eat: \u003cem\u003ecrujiente\u003c\/em\u003e is Spanish for \"crunchy,\" and crunch is precisely what this chilli delivers. The pods are thick-walled, plump, and almost bell-like — juicy and satisfyingly crisp, with a lovely sweet, fruity flavour and a genuinely wonderful aroma. It's the sort of chilli that converts people who think they don't like chillies, because the pleasure here is in the taste and texture rather than the burn.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt belongs to \u003cem\u003eCapsicum baccatum\u003c\/em\u003e, the species behind South America's most treasured cooking chillies — the ajis that have anchored Peruvian and Bolivian kitchens since long before the Incas, and which are widely regarded as the best-tasting of all the chilli species. Aji Crujiente is a perfect example of why: it leads with flavour, sweetness, and crunch, carried on a friendly, manageable heat that lifts a dish rather than dominating it. This is a chilli you grow to cook and eat with pleasure.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe plant is just as rewarding as the pods. Aji Crujiente is an easy, vigorous grower that stays a sensible, medium size — no need for the staking and space the towering ajis demand — and it produces astonishing yields, fairly dripping with crunchy pods over a long season. It shrugs off the fuss that the temperamental superhots require, which makes it a genuinely good choice for a less experienced chilli grower as well as a seasoned one. Look closely at the flowers and you'll spot the species' charming signature: small greenish or cream-coloured markings on the petals, the quiet botanical badge of a true aji.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on growing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSow indoors from January to March. Like most chillies it germinates best with steady warmth — a heated propagator at a constant 25–28°C is ideal — and the \u003cem\u003ebaccatum\u003c\/em\u003e types can be a touch slower than the easy annuums, so allow up to three or four weeks and don't give up on a tray too soon. Sow on the surface or barely covered, and keep the compost moist but not wet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrick out into 9cm pots once the seedlings have two true leaves, and grow on in good light at a minimum of 18–20°C to keep them sturdy. Pot on progressively to a generous final pot. Being a medium-sized, well-behaved plant, Aji Crujiente is happy in a large container and doesn't generally need staking, though a cane is never a bad idea once it's heavy with fruit. It grows best under cover in the UK — a greenhouse or polytunnel gives the long, warm season the \u003cem\u003ebaccatum\u003c\/em\u003e ajis need to ripen a full crop. It can be grown indoors on a bright windowsill, though you may see a lower yield from flower drop, and it can go outside in a warm, sheltered, sunny spot once it has been hardened off and all danger of frost has passed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA couple of grower's tips that this variety appreciates: don't overwater and don't overfeed. Chillies love sunshine and air at the roots more than they love a soggy, over-rich compost — keep it on the lean side and let it dry a little between waterings. Feed weekly with a high-potash tomato food only once the first flowers have set. Harvest from late summer into autumn, picking the pods once they have ripened to full colour — though, given the variety's whole appeal, they're especially good picked and eaten fresh while at their crispest. Regular picking keeps the plant producing right up to the first frosts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere it shines\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe crunch and the sweetness are the whole point, so Aji Crujiente is at its very best used \u003cem\u003efresh\u003c\/em\u003e, where that crisp, juicy, bell-like texture really tells. Slice it raw into salads, dice it through salsas and ceviche-style dishes, scatter it over tacos and grain bowls, or quick-pickle it to keep the snap while adding a tangy bite. Its sweet, fruity, gently warm flavour also makes it a lovely all-round cooking chilli in the Peruvian tradition — blended into fresh sauces and pastes, stirred through stews, or added to a stir-fry. Like all the ajis it dries and grinds into a fragrant powder too, but it's the fresh crunch that makes this one really worth growing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the garden, it's a tidy, generous, good-looking plant — compact enough for a pot on the patio, productive enough to keep a keen cook well supplied through the season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e mild to medium — a friendly warmth, all about flavour rather than fire\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavour:\u003c\/strong\u003e sweet, fruity and aromatic, with a signature thick, crisp, juicy crunch\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant:\u003c\/strong\u003e easy, vigorous and medium-sized — very high-yielding, no staking needed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePods:\u003c\/strong\u003e thick-walled, plump, almost bell-like, crunchy and juicy\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBest eaten:\u003c\/strong\u003e fresh, to make the most of the crunch\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e January to March, heated propagator at 25–28°C\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGrow:\u003c\/strong\u003e greenhouse or polytunnel best; easy and forgiving\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeritage:\u003c\/strong\u003e a South American aji, of the best-tasting chilli species\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChillies do well with companions that draw in pollinators and help keep pests down. Plant alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e to deter aphids and whitefly, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to attract beneficial predators. Basil is a classic greenhouse companion that enjoys the same warmth and sun, and makes a natural culinary partner too.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303881384313,"sku":null,"price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0576\/6004\/7547\/files\/Aji_Crujiente.png?v=1779527711"},{"product_id":"black-scorpion-tongue-chilli","title":"Black Scorpion Tongue Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum annuum 'Black Scorpion Tongue'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eA dramatic, dark-leaved ornamental chilli with a dazzling colour show\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eOne of the most spectacular-looking chillies you can grow, and a real showpiece for the garden or greenhouse. Black Scorpion Tongue is an ultra-rare ornamental variety from the United States, prized above all for its drama: dark, dusky, often near-purple foliage, purple-flushed flowers, and a remarkable parade of colour on the pods themselves. The little tongue-shaped fruits begin a deep, glossy purple-black, then ripen through cream, yellow, and orange to a final rich red — and in strong sunshine many develop extraordinary tiger-stripe markings along the way. At the height of the season a single plant carries pods at every stage at once, a living jewel-box of purple, gold, and scarlet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDon't let the \"Scorpion\" in the name alarm you, mind — this is no million-Scoville superhot. Black Scorpion Tongue sits at a friendly, usable 50,000 to 100,000 Scoville units, a genuine hot kick in the same territory as a fiery bird's eye, but a world away from the searing scorpions and reapers it's named after. And the flavour is a real surprise: behind a bright, jalapeño-style upfront heat comes a fruity, almost apple-like sweetness with floral notes and a pleasing crunch. It's as good in the kitchen as it is in the border.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt belongs to \u003cem\u003eCapsicum annuum\u003c\/em\u003e — the easygoing species of jalapeños and cayennes — so it's more straightforward and quicker to grow than the slow, warmth-hungry superhots, and it crops generously. It makes a handsome, bushy plant of around 2 to 3 feet, and because it's so productive the branches can grow heavy with fruit, so it appreciates a stake or two for support. Give it the sunniest spot you can: strong light is what brings out the deepest colours and the best of those dramatic stripes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on growing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSow indoors from February to April, about six to eight weeks before the last expected frost. As an \u003cem\u003eannuum\u003c\/em\u003e it germinates more readily than the superhots — a heated propagator or warm windowsill at 22–28°C will usually see seedlings up within one to three weeks. Sow on the surface or barely covered, and keep the compost moist but not wet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrick out into 9cm pots once the seedlings have two true leaves, and grow on in good light at a minimum of 18–20°C to keep them sturdy. Pot on progressively to a generous final pot — this is a sizeable, productive bush that's perfectly happy in a large container. Black Scorpion Tongue grows best with the long, warm season of a greenhouse, polytunnel, or conservatory in the UK, but it also does well in a warm, sheltered, sunny spot outdoors once all danger of frost has passed. Wherever you grow it, give it as much direct sun as possible: the more light it gets, the darker the foliage and the more striking the pod colours and stripes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWater consistently and feed weekly with a balanced or high-potash tomato food once the first flowers set. Stake or cane the plant as the pods build up, so the laden branches don't snap, and pinch out the growing tip early to encourage a bushier, heavier-cropping shape. Harvest from late summer into autumn, picking the pods at whatever stage takes your fancy — they're usable from the purple stage onward, but at their fruitiest and hottest when fully ripened to dark red. Regular picking keeps the plant producing right up to the first frosts. As with any hot chilli, it's sensible to wash your hands after handling the cut fruit and to keep it away from your eyes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere it shines\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a chilli grown as much for the eye as the plate — but it earns its place in the kitchen too. Its fruity, apple-sweet, floral flavour and lively heat make it excellent in fresh salsas, hot sauces, marinades, and spicy condiments, where it brings both colour and character. The small pods dry well, keeping their fierce heat for grinding into flakes or powder, and the whole plant is so ornamental that it's just as at home on a sunny patio, a bright windowsill, or among the borders as it is in the vegetable garden. For a grower who likes a chilli to be beautiful as well as useful, few varieties deliver on both counts so generously.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the garden, it's a genuine showstopper — the dark foliage, purple flowers, and ever-changing rainbow of pods make it one of the most ornamental chillies there is, and a guaranteed talking point.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e hot, 50,000–100,000 SHU — a proper kick, but not a superhot despite the name\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavour:\u003c\/strong\u003e surprisingly fruity and apple-sweet, with floral notes and a crunch\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLooks:\u003c\/strong\u003e dark, often purple foliage and pods ripening purple to red, with tiger-stripes in strong sun — highly ornamental\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant:\u003c\/strong\u003e bushy, 2–3ft, very productive — usually needs staking; great in containers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e February to April, 22–28°C\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e late summer to autumn, any colour stage\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGive it full sun\u003c\/strong\u003e for the deepest colours and best stripes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBest for:\u003c\/strong\u003e salsas, hot sauces, drying, and sheer ornament\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChillies do well with companions that draw in pollinators and help keep pests down. Plant alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e to deter aphids and whitefly, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to attract beneficial predators. Basil is a classic greenhouse companion that enjoys the same warmth and sun, and makes a natural culinary partner too.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303883481465,"sku":null,"price":2.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"buena-mulata-chilli","title":"Buena Mulata Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum annuum 'Buena Mulata'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eA purple heirloom cayenne with a beautiful colour journey and a remarkable history\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA rare and beautiful heirloom chilli with one of the loveliest stories in the whole pepper world. Buena Mulata is a purple-fruited cayenne type, treasured as much for its history and looks as for its lively heat. Its seeds were stewarded through the first half of the twentieth century by Horace Pippin, the celebrated American folk artist and keen gardener, who collected and saved rare varieties; in 1944 he passed Buena Mulata to a beekeeper friend, and it was rediscovered decades later in an old seed collection by the food historian William Woys Weaver, who reintroduced it to the world. To grow it is to keep a small piece of living horticultural history going.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAnd what a thing to grow. The pods are the great spectacle: long, slim, tapering cayennes that begin a striking deep violet-purple, then ripen through a magical, chameleon-like sequence — lavender and pinkish tones, then orange, then brown, and finally a glossy deep red. At any moment a single plant carries pods at every stage at once, a shifting rainbow against handsome purple-flushed stems and pretty purple-and-white flowers. Few chillies put on such a show.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIt's a wonderful kitchen chilli, too, with a real twist most ornamental peppers can't match. The heat is a friendly, usable 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville units — right in classic cayenne territory — but where a plain cayenne is all fire, Buena Mulata has a genuine sweetness and a hint of smokiness behind the heat, and the flavour actually changes as the pods ripen: the violet-stage pods are sharper and more vegetal, while the fully red ones turn sweeter, fruitier, and meatier. It's a chilli you can cook with all season and keep discovering.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eAs a \u003cem\u003eCapsicum annuum\u003c\/em\u003e it's straightforward and quick to grow — far easier than the slow superhots — and famously productive, a single bushy plant of around 2 to 3 feet capable of carrying a startling number of pods. Its compact, good-looking habit makes it just as happy as an ornamental in a large container or on a sunny patio as it is in the vegetable garden.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eA note on growing\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eSow indoors from February to April, about six to eight weeks before the last expected frost. As an \u003cem\u003eannuum\u003c\/em\u003e it germinates readily — a heated propagator or warm windowsill at 22–28°C will usually see seedlings up within one to three weeks. Sow on the surface or barely covered, and keep the compost moist but not wet.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePrick out into 9cm pots once the seedlings have two true leaves, and grow on in good light at a minimum of 18–20°C to keep them sturdy. Pot on progressively to a generous final pot — the tidy, bushy habit makes it an excellent container plant. Buena Mulata does well with the long, warm season of a greenhouse, polytunnel, or conservatory in the UK, and equally in a warm, sheltered, sunny spot outdoors once all danger of frost has passed. Give it plenty of sun: good light brings out the richest purples and the best of that colour show.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWater consistently and feed weekly with a balanced or high-potash tomato food once the first flowers set. Pinch out the growing tip early to encourage a bushier, heavier-cropping plant, and stake it if the branches grow heavy with fruit. Harvest from late summer into autumn, picking the pods at whatever colour takes your fancy — the purple stage for a sharper note, or fully red for the sweetest, fruitiest flavour. Regular picking keeps this generous cropper producing right up to the first frosts. As with any hot chilli, it's sensible to wash your hands after handling the cut fruit and to keep it away from your eyes.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhere it shines\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBuena Mulata earns its place in the kitchen as readily as in the border. Its fruity, gently sweet, lightly smoky heat is lovely in fresh salsas and guacamole, and it makes a particularly beautiful \u003cem\u003esalsa morada\u003c\/em\u003e when used at the purple stage. Use it fresh, chopped through summer dishes, or build it into hot sauces and marinades where its cayenne heat and fruity depth shine. Like other cayennes it dries superbly — the slim pods dry quickly — to be crushed into flakes or ground into a fragrant, fiery powder for year-round use. Whichever way you use it, you're cooking with a chilli that's as good as it is beautiful.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn the garden, it's a genuine showpiece — the ever-changing pods, purple stems, and pretty flowers make it one of the most ornamental cayennes there is, and the kind of plant that earns admiring questions from visitors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e hot, 30,000–50,000 SHU — classic cayenne strength\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFlavour:\u003c\/strong\u003e sweeter and fruitier than a plain cayenne, with a hint of smoke; changes as it ripens\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLooks:\u003c\/strong\u003e chameleon pods ripening violet to lavender, orange, brown and deep red — highly ornamental\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePlant:\u003c\/strong\u003e bushy, 2–3ft, extremely productive — excellent in containers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHistory:\u003c\/strong\u003e a treasured heirloom, stewarded by the artist Horace Pippin and reintroduced by William Woys Weaver\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e February to April, 22–28°C\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e late summer to autumn, any colour stage\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eBest for:\u003c\/strong\u003e salsas, salsa morada, hot sauces, drying — and sheer ornament\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eChillies do well with companions that draw in pollinators and help keep pests down. Plant alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e to deter aphids and whitefly, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to attract beneficial predators. Basil is a classic greenhouse companion that enjoys the same warmth and sun, and makes a natural culinary partner too.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57303885939065,"sku":null,"price":2.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]},{"product_id":"citrina-pepper","title":"Citrina Pepper","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum annuum 'Citrina'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eA compact pendant sweet pepper that ripens through three useful stages — pale green to lemon yellow to deep red\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMost sweet pepper varieties give you one ripening choice: pick green for crunch, or wait weeks for the colour to develop. \u003cstrong\u003eCitrina\u003c\/strong\u003e gives you three. Pods start pale green and crunchy, ripen to a properly lovely lemon yellow at full sweetness, then deepen to red if you leave them on the plant longer. That's three quite different culinary peppers from the same crop, on a compact 60cm plant that takes about 70 days from transplant to first ripe fruit. The name is the giveaway: \u003cem\u003ecitrina\u003c\/em\u003e, the citrus stage, is what this variety was bred to do beautifully.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCitrina is a properly \u003cstrong\u003ecompact sweet pepper\u003c\/strong\u003e — growing only around 60cm tall, suiting a 25–30cm pot, a sunny patio, or a greenhouse staging shelf. The fruits are \u003cstrong\u003econical and pendulous\u003c\/strong\u003e (Lamuyo type), around 140g each, with thick crunchy walls and very sweet flesh. Particularly rich in vitamin C. The plants are productive, set fruit reliably even in a moderate summer, and stay neatly upright with little staking.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe three stages\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eKnowing when to harvest is half the pleasure with Citrina — you get to choose which version you want:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePale green stage\u003c\/strong\u003e — the earliest pick, crisp and mildly sweet with a slight grassy bite. Brilliant in stir-fries, fajitas, anything that benefits from a touch of green pepper note without it overpowering\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLemon yellow stage\u003c\/strong\u003e — the variety's signature look, and what gives Citrina its name. Properly sweet, juicy, mellow. Outstanding raw in salads and dips, or roasted for that softened sweetness\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRed stage\u003c\/strong\u003e — the longest wait, but the sweetest pepper. Deep, almost fruity, properly red. Lovely for stuffing, slow-roasting, or chopping into Mediterranean dishes where you want maximum sweetness\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eYou don't have to commit to one. Pick a few pods at the green stage to clear weight off the plant and encourage further setting; let some continue through yellow for the everyday cooking pile; leave a final few right through to red for the gluts of late summer cooking. It's the closest a single pepper variety comes to giving you three different products.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy it works in a British garden\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCompact 60cm height\u003c\/strong\u003e — fits a 25–30cm pot easily, suits patio and greenhouse staging, no heavy staking needed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRelatively early\u003c\/strong\u003e — around 70 days from transplant to first ripe fruit. Reliable cropping in UK summers\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSets fruit well\u003c\/strong\u003e — doesn't need the consistent hot nights some peppers demand; productive in greenhouses, polytunnels and warm sheltered patios\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGenerous yields\u003c\/strong\u003e — multiple fruits per plant, each substantial at ~140g. A small bed of three or four plants is enough to supply a kitchen through summer\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDoesn't need cross-pollination\u003c\/strong\u003e — self-fertile, like all sweet peppers; bees and gentle plant-shaking help fruit set but aren't essential\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf you've struggled with the bigger blocky bell peppers refusing to ripen, Citrina is forgiving. Drop the expectation of a giant Californian-style bell, embrace the elegant conical pendant pod, and you've got one of the most reliable sweet peppers for British conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn the kitchen\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRaw in salads and crudités\u003c\/strong\u003e — the yellow stage is exceptional, sweet enough to eat from the chopping board\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStuffed and baked\u003c\/strong\u003e — at red stage, the thick walls hold up beautifully to fillings of rice, cheese, mince or grains\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRoasted with olive oil\u003c\/strong\u003e — classic Mediterranean preparation. Yellow Citrinas roasted with garlic, balsamic and thyme are properly magnificent\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSliced for fajitas and stir-fries\u003c\/strong\u003e — the green stage is most useful here, holding its crunch in quick cooking\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePickled or preserved\u003c\/strong\u003e — sweet pepper rings keep beautifully through autumn into winter\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eChildren's lunchboxes\u003c\/strong\u003e — raw yellow strips are properly sweet and a brilliant healthy snack\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowing tips\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow February to March\u003c\/strong\u003e with bottom heat (~20–25°C) and bright light. Sweet peppers germinate at slightly cooler temperatures than hot chillies\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrick out into 9cm pots\u003c\/strong\u003e once true leaves appear\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePot on into 25–30cm final containers\u003c\/strong\u003e when roots fill the pot, or plant out into a greenhouse border \/ outdoor bed after all risk of frost (late May to early June)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpace 45cm apart\u003c\/strong\u003e if planting in beds; one plant per 25cm pot for container growing\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGreenhouse, polytunnel, or warm sheltered patio\u003c\/strong\u003e ideal. Will crop reasonably outdoors in a warm summer in southern Britain\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFeed weekly\u003c\/strong\u003e with a high-potash tomato feed once flowers appear\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePick first fruits regularly\u003c\/strong\u003e at green stage to keep the plant cropping; leave later ones to colour up\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMulch and water consistently\u003c\/strong\u003e — even watering prevents blossom-end rot and helps fruit fill out properly\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Sweet pepper (\u003cem\u003eCapsicum annuum\u003c\/em\u003e) — no heat, properly sweet\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0 SHU (sweet pepper, not a chilli)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e ~60cm; \u003cstrong\u003eSpread:\u003c\/strong\u003e 40cm; \u003cstrong\u003eSpacing:\u003c\/strong\u003e 45cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFruit:\u003c\/strong\u003e Conical pendulous Lamuyo type, ~140g, ripens pale green → lemon yellow → red\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e February to March under heat (~20–25°C)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e July to October — first ripe fruit around 70 days from transplant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePosition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun; greenhouse, polytunnel, or warm sheltered patio\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUses:\u003c\/strong\u003e Raw in salads, roasting, stuffing, pickling, fajitas, lunchbox snacks\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eReliable and forgiving\u003c\/strong\u003e — one of the better sweet peppers for British conditions\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eCitrina grows happily alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e for natural aphid deterrence in the greenhouse, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to draw in pollinators for better early fruit-set. In the wider kitchen garden, it makes a strong companion to \u003cstrong\u003etomatoes, basil, chillies and aubergines\u003c\/strong\u003e — share a greenhouse with them and you've got a proper Mediterranean-summer growing operation in one place. A few Citrinas, a couple of cherry tomatoes, a pot of basil, and you've got the summer salad sorted from June to October.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57334316695929,"sku":null,"price":2.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}]}],"url":"https:\/\/www.bishybarnabeescottagegarden.com\/collections\/chillies-peppers.oembed","provider":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","version":"1.0","type":"link"}