Why do you grow Chillies?

[HeyWayne]

So why do you grow Chillies? Is it purely for culinary use or is there something else?

Caws they purdee, and make ma lips tengle!

[PhilCCFC]

I keep reading about overwintering chilli plants, can anyone give me more detail on this? Do the plants keep going for years producing chilli's? What do I need to do?

[mrdinkle]

I started off innocently on sweet peppers and have rapidly spiraled into chilli addiction.

I initially grew them because they are pretty plants and they don't take up masses of space. But I am increasingly using them in cooking/preserving and have done some strings and also frozen them.

I grew Demon Red and Prairie Fire this year, plus a mixed sachet (Prairie Fire are very pretty) and I am really looking forward to growing Numex Twilight and Scotch Bonnet for next year, plus bird's eye and others.

[mrdinkle]

I keep reading about overwintering chilli plants, can anyone give me more detail on this? Do the plants keep going for years producing chilli's? What do I need to do?

You beat me to it, I was just about to start a new thread with the same question

I have some lovely little plants and would love to over winter them too.

[smallblueplanet]

Have a search there are various threads on the subject.

But basically folk try various methods to overwinter their plants...

1) Treat them as houseplants and let them keep growing.
2) Trim them a bit then as above.
3) Trim them lots then as above but with very little water.
4) Either 2 or 3 but kept somewhere cool but frostfree
5) Variations of the above.

As I don't have room for lots of 'pot plants' for most of mine I'll be trimming my chillies down in size to 'small stick' size, trimming their roots, repotting them (or potting) into smaller/ish pots and then keeping them somewhere frost free (dark doesn't seem to matter until spring) and give them very little water.

Hopefully I can keep them somewhat warmer than our porch last winter, when although not freezing it got very cold and the chillies didn't make it, although the overwinting pelargoniums did. The previous year I overwintered some 'small stick' sized chillies in a dark garage and they had signs of life come the following spring - unfortunately I then thought I'd treat them to some warmth in the house and it killed them! Slowly does it with the acclimatisation I think.

So that is what I'll try, there'll be as many answers to the 'overwintering' question as there are folk trying it I reckon!

[SarzWix]

I grow chillis because the OH loves them, he'd happily put them into everything he eats I grow different types for different things - some for drying, some for Tabasco style sauces, some for ketchup style sauces, some for Paprika (powder), some for our own chilli powder, some to pickle, some for basic cooking... I also like the challenge


....I don't eat them though...

[Mac]

As with everything in this first year, we were just playing with growing chillis - and it worked!! We've got a couple of cheyennes which have been very productive and used in all sorts of cooking (and chilli vodka - bad Saturday night and written off Sunday!!). We've also done Prairie Fire which are just coming good just now. We also gave lots of people at work and friends Prairie Fire plants, which has caused lots of amusement and some competition. So, all in all - a jolly good game which will be getting done again next year

[OllieMartin]

As with everything in this first year, we were just playing with growing chillis - and it worked!! We've got a couple of cheyennes which have been very productive and used in all sorts of cooking (and chilli vodka - bad Saturday night and written off Sunday!!). We've also done Prairie Fire which are just coming good just now. We also gave lots of people at work and friends Prairie Fire plants, which has caused lots of amusement and some competition. So, all in all - a jolly good game which will be getting done again next year

I'm sure the answer's incredibly simple, like: Vodka, Chilli and Sugar, but what's the recipe?

[HotStuff]

I'm sure the answer's incredibly simple, like: Vodka, Chilli and Sugar, but what's the recipe?

Forget the sugar, just take as many as you can bear of your favourite chilli, prick some holes in them with a pin and put them into a cheap bottle of Vodka and leave for a few weeks. Best straight from the freezer

I've only done it with Apaches so far and 6 of them to a half litre worked well. I'm planing to try another bottle using one Naga soon.

[sarraceniac]

I grow them because I used to love them. Then a couple of years ago I developed a rather naughty stomach condition and I am absolutely forbidden to eat them now. But my local greengrocer (a really nice organic genuine greengrocer) also loves them. I always gave him some for his own use and in return he gives me veg that I can't grow through lack of space. It really breaks my heart though. I just took him, today, the nearly last of the seasons Bird eye and Bonnets plus a couple of Hot cherries, which I can occasionaly use cos they aren't very hot. My D. Nagas have been rubbish this year. Do you think they know I can't touch them at all?

[amandaandherveg]

This is my first year growing chillis and I am hooked. I love the colours and the shapes and watching and waiting until they are ready. We cooks lots of SE Asian food and I thoroughly enjoy wandering into the GH, picking them and popping them straight into the pot.

[Mrs Jackson]

I started growing them because Mr J LOVES them. All we can get in our local supermarkets are Serranos and birds-eye, so not a great selection. We use them every day and we've been totally self-sufficient since last year. We're going to have a go at making some sauces this weekend. Last year we were focusing on super-hots but this year we're not groing as many of those and instead branching out into different species and concentrating on flavour. I crossed some plants last year and one of the babies from that is fantastic. Only problem is I can only remember what one of the parent plants was, so I'll just over-winter this one then take cutting in spring and hopefully the babies will do well down the allotment.

Mrs J

[webby23]

I hate to confess I grew them because they were free and now I haven't a clue what to do with them! I have taken some into work but never dared to do anything with them in the kitchen. Any ideas what would be a good beginner thing to break me in with please?

[RedThorn]

hmmmm let me see, I grows them 'cause I likes them! my Precious ....

Well webby, do you like things hot or not? Try a couple of slivers in a stirfry, chopped in curyies for a bit of punch, chilli and courgette risotto tomato and cilli pasta sauces etc I even put chillis in my scrambled eggs!

[Storming Norman]

Well I've honestly no idea why I grow them.

I tried it last year and found I was successful but ate very few of them and gave loads away - the rest are dried and in a jar here.

Not to be put off I am growing poblanos this year - which are much milder but enormous. I have now used a couple, but have to find a better way of storing/using them this winter as I have so many per plant.

They are beautiful productive plants that seem to like my garden, I think that's enough for me.