This single Chilli Pepper plant that I confess to buying ready grown from the garden centre back in May of this year has been worth every penny of it's £5.99 price tag. It has given us such a huge crop of chillies both to eat over the summer finely sliced in lots of dishes, and also to freeze and have in store over the Winter.
I pick them off every time I see that at least half of the chillies on the plant have turned red. I usually get a mix of teeny tiny ones and some real whoppers.
To freeze I simply wash and dry them and then put them in a single layer to open freeze, once frozen they are simply tipped into a ziplock bag and placed back in the freezer. When you want to use one they thaw in minutes or can be sliced while still frozen or just thrown whole into any dish that you might want to fish it out of before serving.
This is how the bush looks this morning, once again ready for another harvest .... but if the truth were told I always leave them a little too long on the plant just because they just look so wonderful. I don't like chilli that much but a few little red flecks in many a dish bring a warmth and a treat for the eye, so I am learning to ... bit by bit.
I've looked after the plant and it has been fed along with the tomatoes all through the growing season, now I'm wondering if I can slow it's growth and nurture it through the Winter months by bringing it into the house. Has anyone else successfully done this with a bought in plant? My chilli seed packets seem to think that a homegrown plant could be nurtured this way, so I'm hoping unless they brought it on too quickly and too early I should be able to do it with this little goldmine of a plant.
Sue xx
My home grown chilli plants always take an age to get going so I bought a plant in and had a similar experience. I don't know if bringing it into the house will work, but I'm going to give it a go!
ReplyDeleteThere was an article on the BBC news website yesterday about chillies and how they've found that something that causes pain can also relieve pain. They have produced chilli patches which are applied to various parts of the body and relieve pain. So in this case two positives make a negative!! Love chillies but it is like playing Russian roulette sometimes. no two chillies being the same strength. Hot...hot hot ;0)
ReplyDeleteI've grown chilles for the 1st time this year.. from seed. I've been really pleased with them and plan to make some chilli jam.. I love anything with chilli in it :o)
ReplyDeleteI tried this last year but it was a resounding failure, having another go this year. Fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteWow! Your Chilli plant looks so healthy! Mine didn't amount to much so will be trying again next year as I wanted to make a tomato and chilli chutney.
ReplyDeleteI don't see why you couldn't over-Winter that Chilli. I have done this a few times. My first over-wintered chilli was a bought one. The trouble is that the casualty rate is pretty high - maybe 50% - so with only one plant to try, be prepared for disappointment!
ReplyDeleteMy friend has a chilli plant that is four years old! He keeps it in the conservatory in the winter, its more a garden room as it is open to the house all year so stays a nice temp, he gets chillis all year tho only a few through the winter months! so a warm spot is the secret i think! X
ReplyDeleteI keep mine in the conservatory where it's very light and it was fine for two years. It needs at least 8 hours of sunlight a day.
ReplyDeleteRight, must buy one of those for my folks! I keep meaning to get them a plant that will produce some food, but I don't think full on veg growing is for them!
ReplyDeleteI've managed to keep a chilli going through two winters now, but it was a homegrown one. No idea if that makes a difference or not. It is much less luxurious than yours!
ReplyDeleteI love chili peppers.
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