Chilli Seeds
Growing suggestions for chilli seeds
Sow chilli seeds indoors with heat from February, the ideal temperature is 20C. If sown in a seed tray, prick out seedlings into 10cm pots once they germinate. If grown in plugs pot them on when they have two sets of true leaves. Transplant into final position in May, either under cover or in a sunny sheltered spot. Stake plants as needed. The main shoot can be pinched out when the plants are 30cm tall to encourage side shoots but this is not essential.
Chilli growing calendar
| Month | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sow | ||||||||||||
| Transplant | ||||||||||||
| Harvest |
Crop History
Chillies and peppers (aka capsicums) have been cultivated for over 8000 years, and are descended from wild capsicums found in Central and South America. Although associated with Indian and Asian cuisine, chillies did not arrive in these regions until the sixteenth century on colonial trading vessels. All wild capsicums are spicy, sweet peppers were developed first in Hungary.
Showing all 10 results
-
Chilli – De Cayenne (Organic)
£1.98 Read moreChilli – De Cayenne (Organic)
Absolute classic red hot chilli pepper, ideal for drying and making chilli powder or flakes. Cayenne peppers are one of the best known chillis and rightly so. The abundance of hot, thin long fruits with great flavour and a thin skin make them perfect for making fresh hot sauce, pickling or dried and ground up into your own chilli powder.
The plant itself is super productive, upright growing and reaches about 60cm in height.
SHU of around 30,000 to 50,000 on the Scoville Scale.
(Approximate seed count – 20)
£1.98 -
Chilli – Jalapeno, Early (Organic)
£1.98 – £4.00 Add to basket This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product pageChilli – Jalapeno, Early (Organic)
A truly early and abundant hot chilli with good flavour. Plants grow to 60cm high and fruit heavily, with harvesting of typical green Jalapeños beginning in early August, and continuing through into autumn. We thinly slice and preserve ours eating them with Mexican dishes throughout the rest of the year.
Guest description by our friend Dan from Chagfood CSA!£1.98 – £4.00 -
Chilli – Ring of Fire (Organic)
£1.98 Add to basketChilli – Ring of Fire (Organic)
An improved cayenne type chilli producing long pointy red fruits which pack a punch. This is one of our staple chilli varieties to grow. It is very reliable and does exactly what it says on the tin – for better or worse!
The plants are compact growing to 45cm, and produce an abundance of fruit 1cm wide and 6-7cm long. This variety measures 70-85,000 SHU on the Scoville Scale, which classes it in the hot but not unbearable heat range.Chillies can be very easily frozen whole and then used as needed, we always make sure we grow enough so that we always have a supply.
(Approximate seed count – 20)£1.98 -
Chilli – Habanero Magnum (Organic)
£1.95 Read moreChilli – Habanero Magnum (Organic)
Bright orange, very hot and fruity, a variety that is productive and does better in cooler climates than most other chillies. Habanero Magnum rates between 200,000 and 325,000 SHU on the Scoville scale and is therefore on the hotter end of the spectrum. A fruity almost floral flavour can be tasted when the initial spice has faded. It is a great ingredient for hot sauces or when powdered. A way of controlling the heat when cooking with it is to make a couple of holes in the chilli and then add it to the sauce (or whatever it is your cooking) as a whole and remove after a certain amount of time determining the degree of fieriness.
(Approximate seed count – 20)£1.95 -
Chilli – Lemon Drop (Organic)
£1.95 Add to basketChilli – Lemon Drop (Organic)
Crinkly yellow chilli with a hot lemony flavour with a wide range of culinary uses. One of our most popular chilli varieties with a bushy growth habit and lots of fruits ripening from green to yellow.
The variety is also called Aji Limon and originates from Peru where it’s used as a seasoning pepper. Rating 30,000-50,000 SHU (Scoville heat units) it is quite a spicy one ideal for making your own hot chilli sauce with an extra citrusy twist or add it to stir fries, tomato sauces or your scrambled eggs.
To get good germination temperatures of 28° – 30°C are recommended. Germination can be slow and take three weeks or more. As it is thought to be genetically slightly closer to its wild relatives, there is some apparent seed dormancy which can affect germination rates. We have included a higher number of seeds in the packets to ensure you get enough plants.
(Approximate seed count – 23)£1.95 -
Chilli – Padron (Organic)
£2.10 – £4.00 Add to basket This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product pageChilli – Padron (Organic)
A classic Spanish tapas variety, mild when picked young, very hot if left to mature. Padron is a stand-out favourite pepper variety for us. Traditionally the fruits are picked when small and green before they have developed much heat. If left on the plant a bit longer they will get very hot, and sometimes one slips through the net, hence the Russian roulette associated with this variety.
As the fruits do not need to ripen you can start picking them early in the season so Padron is a good choice for the UK climate where some peppers struggle to ripen in our short and cool growing season.
Pick when the fruits are between 1.5 and 3 inches long, the longer they are the more chance of a hot one!
£2.10 – £4.00 -
Chilli – Basque (Organic)
£1.95 Add to basketChilli – Basque (Organic)
A superb early chilli with mild heat which is a cornerstone ingredient in Basque cuisine. If these seeds were produced in French Basque they would called “Piment d’Espellete”. This fantastic variety has P.O.D. status (Protected Designation of Origin) which means that the name can only be used where the variety is produced in the specific region where it is registered. Hence we are referring to this chilli as ‘Basque’ as the seeds were produced in Devon.
The plants are tall and produce an abundance of large conical, deep red fruits about 15 cm long and 3cm wide at the top.
When eaten raw they can be quite hot but once cooked they are very mild. The traditional use of these peppers in Basque is dried and powdered, but we have just eaten them like other chillies and totally love them.
(Approximate seed count – 25)£1.95 -
Chilli MIX – Hungarian Hot Wax with a hint of Basque (Organic)
£1.25 Add to basketChilli MIX – Hungarian Hot Wax with a hint of Basque (Organic)
Oops! A little mix-up happened here: a few Basque chilli seeds have sneaked into our Hungarian Hot Wax seed bag. Instead of chucking it all away, we decided to let them bring a bit of a surprise element to your garden. You’ll mostly get the classic, versatile Hungarian Hot Wax peppers – ripening from green over yellow and orange to red with a mild taste and perfect for pickling or grilling – plus a few Basque chilli plants with a spicy twist when eaten raw and quite mild when cooked; traditionally used in French cuisine for drying and powdering. Plant and see what you get!
(Approximate seed count – 22)£1.25 -
Chilli – Criolla Sella (Organic) ***NEW FOR 2025***
£1.95 Add to basketChilli – Criolla Sella (Organic) ***NEW FOR 2025***
A Bolivian variety suited to cooler climates producing abundant yellow chillies with a citrus punch. Criolla Sella is a prolific producer, rewarding growers with an abundance of colourful, elongated pods throughout a long growing season. With a delicious flavour and moderate heat the chillies are perfect for salsas or sauces but can also be dried and ground into a flavourful powder. The plants are robust and easy to grow, making them an excellent choice for both novice and experienced chilli enthusiasts. SHU of around 25,000 to 30,000 on the Scoville Scale.
(Approximate seed count – 20)£1.95 -
Chilli – Aleppo (Organic) ***NEW FOR 2025***
£1.95 Read moreChilli – Aleppo (Organic) ***NEW FOR 2025***
*** This year’s crop is currently being processed and tested – we hope to get everything ready for 1 November catalogue launch ***
A Syrian variety that produces dark red chillies ideal for drying and crushing into a powder. Named after the Syrian city for its place on the Silk Road, the ripe fruits have a sweet, fruity, cumin-like flavour with a moderate heat. The plants are quite squat and robust and are easy to grow, making them an excellent choice for both novice and experienced chilli enthusiasts. SHU of around 10,000 on the Scoville Scale.
(Approximate seed count – 20)£1.95
Showing all 10 results