Chilli Growers - what's on your growing list for 2018?

[Scarlet]

Yeah, I know it's early......but you need to start them earlier that most other things.
I'm hoping to get some "me" time soon : so I'm already looking at those packets!
What are you thinking of growing in 2018...and when are you going to start ?

[Small pumpkin]

I'll have to find my list I can't remember what's growing next year
I'll be starting early December. Mid November was a bit to early. Not for the chillies but for me! Got sick of them in the house for that long!

[Small pumpkin]

Found it!
The list so far....... Because obviously this isn't it! It's far to short
lemon drop
cayenne
cayennetta
hot jalapeño
jalapeño
fish
ring of fire
joe's long
Thai dragon
holy mole
Hungarian black
Hungarian hot wax
scotch bonnet
spike
Dorset naga
numex twilight
chiang rai (big Thai )
basket of fire
cherry bomb
habanero chocolate

[Mitzi]

I've already started drawing up a list but at the moment it has at least double the amount of varieties than I've got room for. A lot depends on how many I manage to overwinter, as well. I'd like to grow new varieties because I haven't been growing long enough to have settled on "favourite" chillies. My favourites this year have been Scotch Bonnet MoA, Purple Peach, Sugar Rush and Aleppo. I'm trying to overwinter the first two, and have saved seeds from the second two, but they might not come true because the Sugar Rush was only semi-isolated and the Aleppo was outdoors, completely open pollinated.

One I'm hoping to grow is Rezha, variously also known as embroidered pepper, vezanka, vezeni, Macedonian fringed and elephant's trunk (but there are others called elephant's trunk.) I haven't got seeds yet but I'm hopeful I will.

I would love to grow trifetti / tricolor variegata or whatever it's called as that looks a beautiful plant, but I don't have any seeds of it - anyone got some going spare?

[Chris11]

Similar to Mitzi and SP, I have a long list and won't have room for all of them.

I've already got about 45 varieties of chillies, and another 10 of sweet peppers.

A 2018 grow list document already exists but will be edited a few times

[Scarlet]

I would love to grow trifetti / tricolor variegata or whatever it's called as that looks a beautiful plant, but I don't have any seeds of it - anyone got some going spare?

YEs me! Will post out with your chilli circle seeds.

[Mitzi]

YEs me! Will post out with your chilli circle seeds.

Ooh, fab, thank you very much!

[1Bee]

What do you DO with them all?

I'm in awe of you chilli growers... I'm just curious what happens to all the chillies.

[Mitzi]

Chilli vodka!

[Scarlet]

I have to admit that just last week I threw out about a carrier bag full of chillies from the freezer. Last year I grew loads of superhots and I found them too hot to use in quantities for some stuff and even though I make loads of preserves I do freeze lots and I needed freezer space back.
But I can get through quite a few- I gift lots at Christmas. I love pickled peppers, I use in chutneys, I make rosemary and chilli jelly, chilli jam, grape and chilli, chill sauce, salsa, vinegar, oil, make a curry paste with oil and freeze(spoons out easily from frozen) Iuse dried cayennes in my decorations! Trouble is I love growing the hot ones!

[Small pumpkin]

I also do a few things like Scarlet and Sell a few, make chilli powder and cowboy candy. I can't recommend that stuff highly enough!!! It's lovely (but not very healthy).

[burnie]

I tried to grow about 6 varieties, only the Cayenne grew and we really enjoyed eating them, I still have more to come on the 2 plants in the conservatory. Doubt I will grow any more, plenty of Sweet Peppers planned though.

[Philthy]

Like you guys my list is in draft form only, and I'm sure there'll be several revisions between now and sowing time.

So there are some favourites which I always sow a few seeds of to ensure guaranteed continuous supply (so whether established plants overwinter or not):
- Fatalii
- Lemon Drop
- Espelette
- Paper Lantern
Tried and tested, with favourable attributes. Next year I'm thinking I'll grow again:
- Habanero Chocolate
- Habanero Monster (if I can track down seeds; Simpsons packet last time but not found since)
- Santaka
- Chi-Chien
New ones I'm keen to try (about fifteen at the moment), but a selection for 2018 might be:
- Aji Panca
- Aleppo
- Datil
- Pasilla Bajio
- 7 Pod Yellow
- Sugar Rush

What do I with the crop? Well for me the pleasure has always been in the growing, trying the different varieties, building a collection to enjoy for that brief window around September time when all the colours and different shapes are mingling together
I make ristras (for powder blends), I'll freeze some, but a lot of my crop I give away.
I would like to experiment more with the cooking of them though, try to better appreciate flavours and what each individual variety can bring to a dish.

[1Bee]

I do love chilli jam.... although the one time I made it, I overcooked it and it turned into chilli toffee. The kind you have to break with a hammer!

[Small pumpkin]

I do love chilli jam.... although the one time I made it, I overcooked it and it turned into chilli toffee. The kind you have to break with a hammer!

I've got 2 jars of chilli toffee sat in the cupboard ( made by a friend). It's still there because I have no idea how to get it out of the jar!