Looking after your Chilli plants in British Weather

Hows your home grown chilli season going this year? With the wonderful British weather I have decided to try a few different methods to this year to help my chili plants grow. Here are a few useful 'how to tips' to give you a good chance of a more successful cop this year. 


If you are lucky enough to have a greenhouse you will need to ensure it is ventilate and dampened down to ensure the perfect conditions for your plants. Keep the chilli plants uniformly moist and apply a liquid feed too. The heat trapped in the greenhouse will greatly be appreciated by your little chilli plants.

If you’re planning to grow your chilli plants outside. for the best results, always select a sheltered, sunny spot with a well-drained but moisture-retentive and reasonably fertile soil. Or like me a god sunny position in a south facing garden in large pots like I have done for these two Hungarian Black chilli plants. To give them a helping hand with the sudden cold weather again I have fashioned a couple of cloches to keep them warm and out of the wind.

Hungarian Black Chilli Plants

If you plan to put your chili plants direct into the ground, if you haven't yet, harden them off  before planting them outside by exposing them to the colder weather . Be ready to protect outdoor chillies with fleece or cloches in adverse weather conditions. 

You will find the chilli plants establish themselves more quickly if you cover your proposed planting site with cloches a few weeks beforehand to warm-up the ground. You chosen spot will again need to have plenty of exposure to the sun. Personally I have not had huge success in the ground with the poor British summers.

 For more growing tips check out my basic guide here 

Gardners World 2011 Chilli Plant Displays

Here are some pictures I took from this years Gardner's World grow your own chilli pepper plant displays. Some amazing plants and vibrant colours. I ended up purchasing a few of the interesting ones too for my own collection

Medusa Chilli Pepper Plant

 Medusa peppers are a type of sweet, ornamental chili pepper which grows upright, brightly colored fruit, which is long and thin, producing a "hair of snakes" look akin to that attributed to Medusa in Greek mythology. The fruit is sweet, unusual for ornamental pepper, and goes from green through yellow and orange, to become red when fully ripe.

Bulgarian Carrot Chilli Pepper Plant

I have had one of these plants before for a couple of years. As you can see if produces wonderful large jalapeno like chili peppers that are not too hot but you can still feel some sweet heat from them. This makes them idea for salads and adding on top of your favourite dish.

Hungarian Black Chilli Pepper Plant

The Hungarian black is a rare & colourful Hungarian heirloom chili A tall sturdy plant growing to 75cm, they have green foliage with purple veins and produce purple flowers. The pods are about the same size as a jalapeno and ripen from very dark purple to red. The pods are mildly hot and have a good flavour and the plant is great as a feature anywhere!


Filius Blue Chilli Pepper Plant

 This chilli produces unusual small purple fruits that ripen to red. Filius Blue is a Striking ornamental plant with purple/green leaves on plant 60cm (2 feet) tall. It is ideal for growing in pots.The rounded fruits grow upright on the plant and will remain there, plump and shiny, for many weeks

Prairie Fire Chilli Pepper Plant

This plant is one that always catches my eye. It's a very compact bush with small fiery chillies that mature from yellow to red. Ideal as a small pot plant on a kitchen windowsill as its quick growing and just keeps on giving producing chili peppers around 70,000 scoville units

Golden Cayenne Chilli Pepper Plant

These chillies are very easy to grow your own with littel experience. They Produce a satisfying large pepper that's great in pickles, sauces and curries. The long thin fruits mature from green to golden yellow. - ideal for cooking.

Bangalore Torpedo Chilli Pepper Plant

The first time I had one of these chilli peppers was in a Torpedo cocktail, I wondered how the torpedo bit would be and to my delight it turned out to be a large chilli.The Bangalore Torpedo is native to eastern India. Its long thin fruits reach about 12cm and drop like pendants from the plant, maturing from light green to red and becoming hotter and hotter as they do.