Grow Your Own: How To Water Chillies

I have pulled together some watering tips to help you give your chillies the right amount of water they need to flourish with out damaging them when you give growing your own a go.

Chili Plants Cant SwimChillies hate wet feet! Ensure your plants have lots of drainage and don't sit in a tray full of water where they would need a snorkel! Water from the top and allow the excess water to drain out of the roots by putting holes in the bottom of the pot. This will help to reduce fungal infections of the roots.

Keep it Natural
If you have a water butt at home, great use this water where possible. If you don't and if you have time try to avoid using tap water straight away. By letting it stand overnight in your watering can it will firstly let the temperature get up to room temp so as not to shock the plants and let some of the chlorine evaporate giving your plants get cleaner water.

Dont Forget Them.
Regular watering in crucial, letting your plants dry out then giving them a big water can flush out valuable minerals from the compost. I aim to water at least every 2-3 days. If its sunny and your plants dry out obviously water as needed. Regular watering will place less stress on your chile plants and lead to less flower drop and a better crop.

Liquid Feed
When combining watering and liquid feed avoid the temptation to use strong doses. I have learnt this the hard way in the past being too eager. For basic feeding using liquid tomato feed dilute it to half the recommended strength.

I am testing out an optimal watering and feeding system to see how good it is. Its called the ChilliGrow, check out my review here or click on the picture below for more information.

The Evil One

@GrimReaperFoods were a new company to me. On a regular trip to Chilli Pepper Petes store to stock up I noticed that this sauce first had a very cool name The Evil One Hot Sauce and was Fiery Foods UK chilli award winner 2010.

“and so it was, with the sands of time expired, the Reaper came for what now was his to collect, however his plans were far more sinister, his instructions were simple, to remain amongst us, to increase the heat, and to be known from now and for ever as ‘the Evil one’

With a build up like that and always eager to try a new hot sauce and support new uk chili suppliers I picked up a bottle. Grim Reaper Foods are a very new company and their first sauce lives up to its name. The 100ml bottle of hot sauce contains Scotch Bonnet chile, orange capsicums, red capsicums, onions, cider vinegar, oranges, white wine vinegar, sugar, lemons, carrots, naga jolokia chillies, salt, citric acid, chilli oleoresin @ 6% Pure (1 million Scovilles) So as you might guess it has a good kick to it!

Alongside the kick you get a delicious combination of citrus flavours from the orange and a hint of sweetness with the heat making this a sauce like no other I had tried before.

I have used this Evil One Hot Sauce covering chicken wings and drumsticks to take advantage of the sweet sticky flavour and caramelising through cooking. Its great too with fish,  burgers or just to spice up your favourite dish. Beware though a bottle this size and this tasty will not last you very long and you could be calling on the reaper sooner than you expect. If you would like to try some pick up a bottle by clicking here to challenge the Reaper! Enjoy.

Since writing this review for Grim Reaper Foods I have learnt that the reaper has now launched his second sauce The Rookie Goblin currently available from the reaper himself on his very own store I have yet to try some but hope to soon and will let you know what it is like.

Chilli Pepper Petes Naga Headhunter Sauce

@CPPete has brought out a new Head Hunter hot sauce based on the great naga chili pepper. Some of you may remember that there used to be three head hunter sauces. In my opinion the best of the three is winning the race. The bottle says:

"This sauce has been a New age ketchup for the seasoned chilli head. Use liberally 3 times a day. Even works with pudding. Splash it all over."

Chilli Pepper Pete makes great sauces in my opinion and he is without doubt my favourite UK producer. I have long been a follower from his early days at my local markets. Many of his sauces are award winning power houses with heat not for mere mortals. This all natural Head Hunter Naga based hot sauce from chilli pepper pete is a delicious mix of sweet and savoury mixing together pineapple, tomato, onions, fresh naga chilli, dried naga chilli, Aleppo chilli, sugar, garlic and salt. The combination of enough heat from the naga to satisfy and a wonderful flavour that you will find any chili head reaching for again and again however hot you like your sauce. I used an entire bottle at a BBQ once and now it is on my shopping wish list for my next order! Click here to get some Chillipepper Pete's Naga Headhunter Sauce

Oh and if you are reading Pete or Rose I love the new labels for the bottles too!

Visit to the South Devon Chilli Farm





@SDCF_co_uk are lovely people who will welcome you when you arrive. Over Easter I paid a visit to them on their farm and it is indeed as I had heard a chili lovers paradise! Following your winding journey you are greeted at the farm by stunning views and a stylish wooden hut.

South Devon Chilli Farm began in 2003 with just a few chilli plants and has since grown to over 10,000 chilli plants every year! Whats exciting about this place is they don't just grow chillis. SDFC have a farm shop too where they sell fresh chillis and make a range of hot chili sauces, preserves and even chilli chocolate.

The good stuff doesn't end there either, there is a chilli cafe where you can eat your favourite food while enjoying the view too. The farm, shop and cafe are now open from 10-4.30 seven days a week.

That's not all either, once you are full of hot chili can go on a tour among the fruiting chilli plants in their show tunnel and see all kinds of different chilli! Also you get to see where the large scale magic of chilli production takes place.

Check out their website for directions, updated pictures and more information here South Devon chilli farm. I would recommend this as a day out to any chilli fan. I have also bought some sauces and hope to get reviews up soon, just click on the south Devon chilli farm link on the left side bar to see some.