What to Do with Chillis

[Nicos]

Would just like to remind all you chilli growers that the plants are perenniel if kept indoors and will produce many more fruit next year!
Chucked mine out too soon last year and regretting it big style now! ( nearly ready to pick the 1st one with only 2 or 3 to follow!!)

[Nicos]

I can see Xmas pressies coming on!!

[JennieAtkinson]

Ah .......... so my 48 plants of leaves will grow fruit next year ? I've just got an extended season

[Saoirse]

Thanks for the tip Nico about chillies being perenniel: I'll bring some of mine into the house. Presumably get much earlier fruit too.

On the jelly front: I reckon that you either have to include something like apples to make it set, or bought pectin, or gelatine sheets. I don't think that the recipe will work as it is. Anyone tried it yet?

Nicky

[NOG]

Do they like to be moved...cos I will have to dig up mine and move them in to the Green house.

[blackkitty]

Saoirse, I think the recipe should work. I'm going to try it later when I have more ripe chillies. It specifies jam sugar which is sugar that has pectin already mixed with it, not to be confused with preserving sugar which is bigger granules.

[Filbert]

Would just like to remind all you chilli growers that the plants are perenniel if kept indoors and will produce many more fruit next year!

Just wondering if the same would apply for sweet peppers as well as chillis?

[Silverfox]

Hi all, I made my jelly on Sunday and it worked very well. The only thing I would say is that the cider vinegar is a bit to tart even on top of the taste of all that sweet sugar. I only made a 1/4 of the recipe just as a test and it made a jam jar full.

I think I am gonna play around with the recipe and maybe boil down some tomatos and the liquidize and use that juice instead of the cider.

Anyway the jelly sets no problem and the bits float inside it making it look very classy.

[Saoirse]

Ah thanks Silverfox! Great news that it will work: I can't wait to make some as I'm really getting into making preserves and stuff. Made some lemon curd the other day using our hens eggs: not our own lemons I hasten to add, but yummy all the same.

Nicky

[Nicos]

I understand that sweetpeppers can also be overwintered in the same way as chilli plants, although have never tried it myself. Never done either plants , but will certainly bring the chillies into the house...make a change from geranium smells!! Anyone know if they need cutting back a little??

[Alison]

For the last few years have either dried any excessive chilli crop (left them on a saucer on the widnow ledge and they seem to dry off great - still have some in an old jam jar left from last year, dead handy over winter etc) or combined them with a tomato glut and made chilli chutney. It's dead easy and can be made to any thickness you want depending on how much you boil it down. I adapted the recipe from one for mango chutney and you simply boil up a big pan of water, sugar, chopped tomatoes and chillies. You can test if it's going to set by chilling a saucer in the fridge, spooning a bit of the chutney onto it and seeing if it sets. If it's OK then it'll quickly form a skin which wrinkles up when you dip your finger in. Hope that makes sense, it really is dead easy. Have also tried the same(ish) recipe with sweet peppers and green tomatoes. Seems to work well whatever and doesn't last for long in our house!

[dexterdoglancashire]

green or red chillies?

My two chilli plants are doing very well in the greenhouse with lots of little green chillies that are getting bigger each day. How big should they be before I eat them, and if I leave them on the plant will they turn red? if sok how long does this take? dexterdog

[bramble]

Yes they will turn red dd, as to how long, it depends on the light and the sunshine.

[ugly gourd]

Sorry frost only just found your question Ive only ever made them when were going to a party to take with us so never tried storing

[JennieAtkinson]

Hmmmm just getting my first flower - a little late I think