How do I know when chillis are ready?

[Sonata]

I've finally got pods..quite a few of them..but I don't know when to pick them. Any tips?

[colser]

imho, start eating them whenever they reach a decent size. they get hotter as they go from green to red but they should still be tasty before this.

[rustylady]

I agree with colser, chillies can be used either green or red.

[zazen999]

Or yellow or black...or whatever colour. I absolutely have to pick the first few off anyway and try them.

[Sonata]

Woo hoo - there'll be curry this week then. How exciting. Thanks chaps/chapettes.

[solway cropper]

I've been using them in cooking for a few weeks now and picked 48 green ones yesterday to stick in the freezer. Still plenty left on my three plants with size around 3-5 inches and many now turning red. I'm with zazen...pick them as soon as they're big enough to use. That applies to everything else we grow as well.

[leoblackcat]

SC - do you do anything to the chillis before you freeze them or just stick them in the freezer whole?

[Rabidbun]

I also freeze mine - I just pop em in whole in a plastic box container then pull them out, give em a rinse and chop them while frozen (or add whole). There's a couple more ideas in this thread: http://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gra...ies_37785.html

[leoblackcat]

Wow - thanks Rabidbun - you have just made my day. Will definitely grow more chillis next year now that I know that!