It’s amazing what some people will do to get on youtube. Last night i stumbled onto loads of videos of people’s reactions after eating hot chilli peppers. Some of the reactions are hilarious…i thought I’d post a few….

This one is great – two girls both sit down to eat a Bhut Jolokia (the worlds hottest chilli) and one of the girls gets away with what appears to be a pepper with no heat – the other girl is not so lucky!

This guys is brought to tears, quite literally after munching a Jolokia…

And finally here is a great megamix of some of the best clips on youtube – I love the guy at the end!!!

I don’t think i’ll be rushing to eat the world’s hottest chilli whole anytime soon based on these results!

Now we all know that chillies like a little bit of warmth to start that first germination process – seeds can be sown in March indoors to start them off – but if you have a glasshouse the seeds can be sown in pots that are positioned right where you want the plants to grow.  Sowing chilli seeds in the glasshouse is an easy way to ensure that the plants start off with the right amount of heat, especially if the greenhouse has a built in heating system.  Heating systems are available for most greenhouses and are generally installed as standard with more bespoke glasshouses.

Why Grow Chillies in Glasshouses?

Chillies grown in glasshouses tend to produce bumper crops of peppers once the temperature and moisture levels in the glasshouse are regulated.  It was the Victorian’s that first designed glasshouses to grow exotic plants that had been brought back to England by the ‘plant hunters’.  Originally Victorian glasshouses were made with a lead frame and the early growers used arsenic to prevent pest infestations (the glasshouses were not a healthy place to work or to grow plants!). Hartley Botanic is one company that has been manufacturing greenhouses in the traditional style since 1938.

The chilli pepper was brought to Europe following Columbus’s expeditions and has been part of the European diet since 1493.  Later the Victorian’s liked to grow chillies in their glasshouses and originally used the peppers as an alternative to black pepper to spice up their food.  There are some great examples of chilli plants in the West Dean Victorian Glasshouses – they have been grown there for many years and attract a great number of visitors each August when the West Dean Chilli Fiesta is held.

West Dean Chilli Fiesta

The West Dean Chilli Fiesta started off as a kind of open day for people to see the magnificent chilli plants in the great Victorian glasshouses but now attracts over twenty thousand visitors.  Chillies have been grown at the West Dean Victorian Glasshouse since 1990 and Sarah Wain who is responsible for the fantastic display of plants explains that in the early days she decided to use an empty Victorian glasshouse to grow a few chilli plants.  Originally there were only a very small number of seeds available to purchase nationally and therefore plant exhibits were few in number – she is now proud to explain that over 300 chilli varieties are on display and that the seeds for the plants are available quite readily these days in the UK.

(Pic Courtesy of West Dean)

The Chilli Fiesta 2011 will be held on the 5th, 6th and 7th of August and the West Dean team are claiming it will be the best ever and will give visitors the chance to see the spectacular display of chillies in the Victorian glasshouse but also experience everything Chilli – there will be hot and fiery chilli food on sale, fine examples of chilli inspired pottery and other pieces and live performances from Mexican Minstrels.

The Chilli Fiesta will be a great chance for visitors to see a remarkable example of successful chilli growing in the wonderful setting of a Victorian Glasshouse and should provide novice growers with inspiration to enable them to grow chillies successfully too.

For more information regarding the Chilli Fiesta and to book tickets contact: http://www.westdean.org.uk/Events/GardenEvents/ChilliFiesta.aspx. It is sure to be a great day out for any chilli lover.

Chillies are and will remain a very popular species to grow in the greenhouse – growing chillies in these structures, whether a standard glasshouse, an elaborate Victorian glasshouse or one of the more bespoke glasshouses is quite easy and in doing so the plants produce abundant crops of the gorgeous pepper.

Growing chillies continues to grow in popularity  and as a result there is an ever increasing number of varieties of chilli seeds available, some of which are slower to grow than others. One aspect of growing slower varieties that some growers find quite difficult is the propagation of the seeds. By maximizing germination rates and the rate of early growth you can have a big impact on your seasons harvest.

Seed propagators are perfect for starting off chilli plants, in fact some propagator designs and indeed many other gardening accessories were influenced by the chilli growers themselves.  There are many different types of propagators available including, heated, unheated and hydropod designs – all perfect for starting chilli seeds off in the right environment to ensure strong seedlings that will develop into bumper chilli harvests.

Once the seedlings are ready to be potted on, there are also other accessories available that will encourage a great crop from the chilli plants – one such chilli specific accessory is the chilli grow from Greenhousesensation.co.uk, a three pot growing system that helps to encourage healthy growth of young chilli plants.

Why many people use propagators to encourage germination is simply to maintain a constant temperature and consistent watering – the main reasons why successful germination and seedlings can fail.  Over watering is a problem as too is under watering chilli seeds.

Taking in turn 3 types of propagator it is easy to see why they help produce strong, successful seedlings.

Unheated Propagators

An unheated propagator simply acts as a mini-greenhouse, doubling as a cold frame in winter too.  Unheated propagators will require the temperature to be taken to ensure the correct temperature is maintained for healthy seed germination and growth.  An unheated propagator works in a similar fashion to a greenhouse in that it has vents that will require the correct positioning to allow for light and heat absorption.  You can now even get unheated propagators that are height adjustable so that as the seedlings grow height extensions can be added.

Heated Propagators

A heated propagator on the other hand can be an excellent accessory for successful growing of chilli seeds.  Heated propagators are available with digital thermostats that are extremely accurate.  Usually the thermostat has a range of between 5°C and 30°C and an accuracy level of 1°C – so you can be certain constant temperature is maintained for successful growth of chilli seeds.  The propagator is heated at the base and therefore encourages roots to grow, together with a more equal growth for the young plants too.

With both an unheated and heated propagator however there is still a requirement to water the young plants. This is where some growers of chillies from seeds can come across problems. When seedlings are so small they are very vulnerable to extreme changes in their environment, as some of my seedlings found out earlier this year.

Chilli grow

Figure 2 – Chilli Grow from Greenhouse Sensation

I was interested to read about the new hydropod propagator. This ingenious electric propagator provides growers with a professional method of growing chillies from seeds.  It is designed to speed up the seedlings development through a number of clever design techniques.  The hydropod propagator maintains the correct temperature and using a 7 day reservoir sprays a mist of water over the plants to encourage water absorption and promote root and plant growth.

This misting system is the key to the successful growth of chillies from seed in such a short time – it is a mini version of the way professional chilli growers propagate their plants in readiness for bumper harvests.  Apparently the young plants when grown in a hydropod propagator are ready to be planted out into pots after two weeks – i can’t verify this as I haven’t used one but I’m sure they’d speed up seedling growth.

The chilligrow 3 pot planting system is another clever design that will help young plants to mature with exactly the correct amount of watering and feeding using a SmartReservoir, that allocates only the correct amount of water and feed to the plants.  There is no risk of over watering or of the chillies becoming waterlogged.  The chilligrow planting system encourages healthy growth of young plants and helps to recoup a healthy, bumper crop of chillies – whether used outside or for people that want to grow their chillies indoors.  These seem well worth checking out in my opinion.

I was interested to read in the press that chillies are trading at an all time high. This article describes how the this years poor crop due to flooding and bad weather across India, Bangladesh as well as flooding in Pakistan and China has cause a poor quality crop and lower yields. As a result of last years stocks running low, the price of chilli futures has been soaring.

In fact I read elsewhere that a new Indian variety of chilli called ‘Badiga’ was sold for Rs10,300 a quintal, the highest price ever recorded at Asia’s largest chilli market in India.

Rising commodity prices and increased inflation of food prices are rarely out of the news at the minute. Rising demand and a lack of supply are the two main factors driving up chilli prices.

With Interest Rates at an all time low here in the UK, maybe buying chilli futures is not such a bad idea?!

It is always going to see chillies in the news. The BBC is running a story today about a delegation of 7 US Senators that have traveled to the Arctic Archipelago to bury chilli seeds 500 feet under a mountain.

image by Pierre J.

The Global Crop Diversity Trust runs a facility in the Arctic that aims to store a huge library of seed from over half a million of the worlds crops. The idea being that should a huge natural (or man made) disaster strike and decimate the US’s plant population.

The US Department of Agriculture has produced the seeds which will be stored 500 feet under the mountain and preserved at at -18C (-0.4F). You can checkout the the full story here.

I’ve not heard of two of the varieties mentioned in the article (Wenk’s Yellow Hots & San Juan Tsil from New Mexico) but it would be good to know some more about why they chose these varieties. Let us know in the comments below if you have tried either of these varieties.

With Christmas fast approaching the annual scratching of heads and wondering what presents to buy your family and friends begins. We’ve tried to help this year by selecting our top 10 presents for the chilli addicts in your life. If you are stuck for ideas this year you’re sure to find some hot inspiration below!

1. Chilli Growing Kit

These little chilli growing kits make great stocking fillers. Whether you are buying for a seasoned chilli growing professional or a complete newbie these kits are a great fun and easy way to grow edible chilli peppers with minimal fuss or mess. Great for kids and adults alike!

Inside is everything you need to grow your own chillies next year (not just one but 5 varieties!). Inside you get 5 varieties of seeds, pots, compost, labels and and information booklet full of advice and tips to help you grow them.

Once you get one be sure to check out our chilli growing guides to make sure you look after your chilli plants as well as possible.

2. Chilli King T-Shirt

Do you have a Chilli King in your family? Or maybe someone that thinks they are?! If you do then one of our famous chilli king T shirts would make the perfect stocking filler.

We stock various sizes (S,M,L,XL) and ship the same day. If you want to buy one drop us an email to arrange payment.

3. Chilli Lights for the Xmas Tree

If you want to spice up your Christmas then these chilli pepper fairy lights are a great way to add some heat to the festivities in your house.

Whether you use them at Christmas to help light up the Christmas tree or throughout the year to decorate your home and provide some ambient lighting these fairy lights make a great subtly addition to any home. Ours never fail to grab the attention of guests when they see out christmas tree!

Each set measure over 2m in length (perfect for the xmas tree) and contains 20 individual chilli pepper lights.

Note: For indoor use only!

4. Chilli Pepper Jigsaw

This is the ideal christmas present to help you keep the family chilli head entertained for a few hours. This 300 piece chilli jigsaw (measuring 48cm x 30cm) is not the easiest to complete, it kept us going at Chilliking HQ for far longer than we anticipated!

You’ve probably seen baked bean jigsaws before, well this is the chilli version. It’s best to try and complete this jigsaw sitting down because after a while looking at all of the pieces you can get a bit dizzy!

Note: This will keep your kids and chillihead quiet for hours on Christmas Day!

5. Dwarf Chilli Pepper Plant

Not only do these little chilli pepper plants look great but they produce fully edible Apache chillies. The plants come in a stylish metal pail making them ideal house plants. Forget about buying your loved one roses, she’ll much prefer one of these cute little chilli plants!

Contrary to what many people believe chilli plants (especially compact varieties such as apache) make ideal house plants. So long as you have a warm windowsill these little plants should make it through until next summer no problem!

6. Chilli Pepper Apron

These great chilli aprons are made from 100% cotton and are ideal for the budding chilli chef. Complete with a front pocket and adjustable neck tie this chilli apron will help protect your clothes from that bubbling hot pot of chili con carne!

These aprons are fully machine washable and make a great addition to any chilli heads wardrobe so why not buy one for the chilli head in your life!

Note: Next time you get told off for making a mess when sorting out your chilli harvest you can simpley point and smile at the apron!

7. Chilli Pepper Magnetic Fridge Pen

This is a great stocking filler for any spice addict in your life. This magnetic fridge pen is ideal to keep on the fridge and use to make vital shopping lists.

Once you’ve got one of these you’ll never forget to buy that bottle of tabasco from the supermarket again!

In fact we were so impressed we bought a few of these: our best use so far has to be in the car where it sticks nicely to the inside of the door panel!!

8. Chilli Pepper Mill

We wrote about the popularity of these chilli flake grinders on the blog back in September.

These mills are made by the renowned manufacturer Cole & Mason who offer a lifetime guarantee on all of their products.

This particular type differs from your regular salt and pepper mill as it sits upside down on your table.

Made from high quality crystal clear acrylic with a red soft touch band and with an easily adjustable ceramic spring loaded mechanism this makes a stylish yet practical addition to any table.

Note: Definitely looks a bit smarter than an old bottle of tabasco sitting on the dinner party table!

9. Chilli Drier / DehydratorPepper Mill

Last but by no means least our these great Food Deydrators by Stockli. If you are serious about preserving your chillies then why not treat yourself to one of these contraptions.

Drying chillies can be a tricky process risking either mold and rotting fruit if done in natural air or burning them to a crisp if using the oven. Drying chillies with one of these dehydrators could not be simpler. Simple load up the trays, switch it on and come back in a few hours.

Now is the time to start planning which chillies you are going to grow in 2009 and we are pleased to offer a selection of chilli seeds for sale online. As an added bonus we are offering free postage and packaging on all orders within the United Kingdom.

Over the coming months we’ll be increasing the number of chilli related offerings available online, so be sure to check out the online shop from time to time. As you’d expect all payments are secure and all you need to get started is an active paypal account. Happy shopping!

BUY CHILLI SEEDS NOW

Most people know that having a higher metabolism means you burn more calories. 

But what exactly is metabolism? Metabolism is the amount of energy (measured in calories) that your body burns in order to maintain itself. Every individual’s metabolism is dependant on a huge number of variables such as their fat to muscle ratio, body weight, fitness, diet etc. Roughly speaking if you burn more calories each day that you consume over time you will lose weight.

Muscle is known to burn more calories in order to sustain itself than fat so roughly speaking the fitter you are, the higher your metabolism will be and the more calories your body will burn. This is why people exercise to help lose weight.

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a way to raise your metabolism without all the hard work in the gym? Well eating chillies have been shown by several studies to raise you metabolism by as much as 20%. So maybe chillies are the new super food that can help you lose weight.

Well before you get too excited eating chillies only raises your metabolism for a very short period of time so the overall effect of extra calories burnt per day is not huge from ‘normal chilli consumption’. In order to eat enough chillies to make a big increase in the calories you burn every day you’d need to eat such huge quantities that you would most probably damage your stomach!

So as with all things diet related the boring advice of taking regular exercise and eating a healthy balanced diet holds true once more. However it would be fair to say that chillies will help a little in the battle against the bulge!

A big thank you to all those of us that came to see The Chilli King stand at the Grand Designs Live show. It was great to put a face to many of the names we’ve seen in emails over the last few month.

What surprised us most about the show was the huge interest that exists in growing chillies, even at a non horticultural show like Grand Designs Live. It seemed that the vast majority of people we spoke to had tried to grow their own hot peppers at some point in the last couple of years. Despite not being the best year weather-wise here in the UK to grow chillies it was great to hear that so many of you had had a successful crop.

And of course for those that haven’t done so well this year it was good to hear that on the whole you’re determined to not give up and try again next year! If you purchased some of our seeds be sure to check out our articles on growing chillies.

We’d like to thank SolarDome for allowing us to share one of their fabulous glass domes at the show. If you were watching TV in the eighties/nineties yes this is the same company that made the infamous Crystal Maze domes, the only difference being this one wasn’t filled with gold and silver tokens but chillies!

If you have been inspired by our site to start growing your own chillies then you should come down to the National Exhibition Center (NEC) at Birmingham between Friday the 10th & Sunday the 12th of October 2008. We have been invited to exhibit at the Grand Designs Live exhibition hosted by non other than the Grand Designs presenter Kevin McCloud.

Grand Designs Live is the UK’s no. 1 consumer show for anyone who has an interest in design, build, interiors, shopping, home wares, gardens, kitchens & bathrooms, and innovation. The Grand Designs team wanted to spice up the show this year and so have invited the Chilli King along to brighten the place up with colorful chillies.

We will be taking along a huge selection of chilli plants which will be available for sale. You will also be able to sample & buy some yummy chilli jellies, jams, chutneys & sauces as well as being able to stock up hot pepper seeds ready for the new growing season.

We will be located in the Garden Hall at stand G320 which is one of four giant dome glass houses.

If you want to come and visit us at the show just click the banner below and you will receive a £6 discount on your ticket. See you there!