Chilli Pepper

Sow seeds in a heated propagator at 21–24 °C from mid-February to early March. Use seed compost and cover to a depth of 0.5 cm. Keep moist and expect germination in 7-14 days.

• If you don’t have a heated propagator, place pots in a warm airing cupboard or use a heat mat. Remove covers as soon as seedlings appear to prevent damping off.

Once seedlings have two true leaves, prick them out into small pots from mid-March to late March. Handle carefully by the leaves to avoid stem damage and plant at the same depth as before.

• After pricking out, keep seedlings in bright, indirect light for a few days to help them recover without wilting.

Pot on into larger pots from mid-April to late April when roots fill the container. When plants reach 15 cm tall, pinch out the growing tip to encourage a bushy shape. Pinch off the first flower bud to boost plant growth.

• Wait until you can see roots poking out of the drainage holes before potting on – moving plants up too early can stunt them.

Move plants into their final greenhouse pots or beds from mid-May to late May, spacing them 45 cm apart. Ensure the greenhouse is ventilated on warm days to prevent overheating.

Water regularly from early June, letting the compost dry out slightly between waterings to increase chilli heat. Once flowers appear, feed every 14 days with a high-potash tomato fertiliser until late October.

• Hold off feeding until the first flowers open. Feeding too early encourages leaf growth at the expense of fruit.

Harvest from late July by cutting fruits with scissors. Pick green for milder heat or leave to ripen fully to red, yellow, or other colours for maximum heat and sweetness. Continue harvesting until late October when frost threatens.

• At the end of the season, pull up the whole plant and hang it upside down in a cool, dry place to ripen the remaining green chillies.