Its getting to that time of year when plants start dying back and the garden starts to look a bit scruffy. I tend to grow a lot of potted plants, not just chillies so at this time of the year I have large quantities of dead plants, root balls and other garden waste to dispose off.

It makes perfect sense to me to compost as much as possible. Not only is it an environmentally friendly way to get rid of waste but of course you also gain a free supply of top quality compost that can be used for next years plants be they grown in pots or in the ground.

Making compost is easier than most people think. As long as you follow some basic steps you should have no problems producing great quality compost in just a few months.

Types of Compost Heap

The first thing you’ll need to do is to decide what type of compost heap you’re going to have. You can start off with a simple pile of debris on the ground but depending on the space and available budget you may choose a different solution. Below we’ve listed the most popular choices.

1. Traditional Heap

The easiest and cheapest. You compost heap can be as simple as a heap in a corner of the garden or a elaborate as a multi -stage system like the guys at Good Cheer Garden built out of old pallets.

Much will depend on the space and materials you have to hand. A multi section system allows you to move the material as it decomposes meaning you need to spend less time turning the compost and always have easy access to usable compost.

2. Dalek

These plastic compost bins are compact, tidy and easy to use, particularly if you have limited space. You simply add new material to the top and take out the finished compost via a flap at the bottom.

Many councils offer highly subsidized rates on these bins making them extremely cheap to buy so be sure to check with your local council before buying one at a garden center.

3. Tumbler

These types of composters are like giant tombolas. Though they take up more room in the garden they are designed so that the process of turning your compost is extremely easy. To turn you simply spin the composter round, meaning there is no need to get your hands dirty.

Generally the more you turn compost the quicker the decomposing takes. As a result these tumbling composters make compost the quickest out of the three types though they are also the most expensive to buy. I have a friend who loves his Parasene tumbler and highly recommends them.

What Can You Compost?

The key to making good compost is to use a wide variety of material. Ideally you should have an equal mix of green and brown material (see below for the definitions). The green materials are high in Nitrogen which help to get the decomposing organisms going while the brown material is carbon rich – great food for the organisms.

Green Ingredients:

Grass Cuttings
Nettles
Comfry
Garden prunings
Vegetable peelings
Tea bags/coffee grinds

Brown Ingredients:

Cardboard
Shredded waste paper (avoid glossy paper)
Fallen leaves
Woody prunings

Other:
Hair clippings
Crushed egg shells
Old egg cartons

Keep your Compost Moist

If using a closed composter such as a dalek or a tumbler then you may need to occasionally water your compost heap. The pile should be moist but not so wet that the material becomes slimy and rots.

Avoid water logging by ensuring there is adequate drainage at the bottom of your pile. This can easily be achieved by adding a few bits of wood to the bottom of your pile before starting and ensuring the pile is positioned over free draining soil.

Shred Your Waste

The smaller the material you add to the compost bin, the faster the composting process will take. Try to ensure you reduce the size of any waste you add to your compost pile. For example when using waste paper or cardboard, I run it through a regular household shredder before adding it to the pile.

A common problem gardeners face when making compost is that a lot of material they have to hand is too large or woody. If you’ve pruned back a large bush and have lots of woody branches one easy way to get it chopped nice and small is to put it on the lawn and run your lawn mower over it a few times.

Turn Your Compost

Turning your compost regularly is crucial in order to speed the process up and ensure a consistent texture to your compost. Doing so adds air to the mix to prevent is getting too damp as well as spreading the composting organisms around the pile.

If using a tumbler turning your compost is easy, simply spin the barrel. If you’re using a dalek or a regular pile then you’ll have to fork over the contents.

If you are using a dalek style compost bin then turning your compost can be difficult, particularly when the bin is nearly full. Previously I used to either struggle with a garden fork then usually end up lifting the dalek off the heap it enclosed and turn everything out onto the lawn before shoveling it back in – and creating a mess in the process.

Last year I bought a compost turner. I was a bit dubious that this would be one of those unnecessary tools that never gets used however it is exactly the opposite. Turners make the job of turning compost incredibly easy which means I now turn my heaps about every two weeks instead of twice a year!

Over the last few years of growing chillies by far the most common pest my plants have faced have been aphids. Over the last few years I’ve posted about how to treat an aphid infestation so this year i thought it was about time i was a bit more proactive and attempted to take preventative measure rather than  reactive ones!

image credit

Having done a bit of research I’ve put together a little plan to help avoid having issues with aphids this year.

1. Keep growing area open

In the past I’ve grown most of my plants indoors either in the house or in a conservatory. I found that once i got an aphid infestation in such an environment it was very hard to get rid of. The main reason being that the aphids natural predators (bugs such as lady birds and hover flies) don’t have access to the plants when inside.

Obviously if the weather allows I’ll aim to keep as many plants as possible outside in the fresh air. That said as our Great British summer offers us spells of high winds and or colder temperatures I’ll inevitably have to move a portion of the plants indoors.

To combat the indoor infestations I’ll try and leave as many of the windows open in the chilli house in order to allow the predates equal access to the plants as the aphids. Luckily the conservatory I grow most of my plants in has many windows that can open fully.

2. Plant some marigolds

French marigolds are well known for their ability to help control aphids. Firstly they attract natural predators such as hover flies which will help avoid any infestations setting in. Secondly they are said to give off a chemical that acts as a natural repellent for the aphids.

These brightly colored flowers are usually readily available as plugs or small plants in most garden centers however to keep costs down and get as many marigolds as possible I’ve decided to grow my own from seed this year.

image by brangal

Marigolds are fairly straight forward to grow – just sow the seeds in fine moist compost and keep them at about 18 degrees until they germinate. Once they reach 5-10 cm tall prick them out and pot into individual pots, window boxes or borders. As will most plants it is well worth taking a couple of weeks to harden the plants off before moving them outside or into a cold greenhouse.

3. Lady Bird Nests

Another easy method to attract ladybirds (which love to feast on aphids) is to put up some ladybird nest boxes in the garden. The way i see it the more lady birds i can attract, the less chance of my having any issues with aphids.

The proof of the pudding was last summer when i spent about 20 minutes watching the ladybird above demolish an infestation of  aphids on one of my plants.

4. Sacrificial Planting

Another method I’m considering is using some sacrificial planting. This involves planting some plants nearby that aphids love, the idea being they’ll head there as opposed to onto my chillies. This seems a bit counter intuitive as there is always the risk they’ll head over to my chilli plants as they breed and infest the sacrificial plants.

When buying regular potting compost the first decision you’ll face is whether to opt for peat free or not. Peat free has traditionally been the best kind however it is particularly bad for the environment as it is harvested from the natural environment, usually from areas with fragile and diverse eco-systems.

While there are some ethically sourced peat based mediums out there they are usually flown halfway around the world  (places like Canada) so if you’re concerned for the environment, it’s probably best to opt of a peat free compost.

The good news however is that there are now a good selection of peat free composts available at virtually all garden centers. While these have had a bit of a bad reputation in the past they have improved massively in recent years.

Peat composts is very good at retaining moisture where as in my experience peat free composts tend to dry out very quickly. As a result when using peat free you may want to add additional ingredients to adjust the water retention of you potting medium:

Vermiculite

This is a natural mineral that has been heated to expand it out into its very light weight form. It’s main attraction is it’s ability to hold on to moisture  and slowly release it and the nutrients into into the surrounding soil over a period of time.

A common problem with plants grown in pots is that daily watering can wash out many of the nutrients from the compost. Vermiculite mixed into the compost will help avoid this problem, particularly if you’re using peat free compost which can suffer from poor water retention. I usually get through 1 bag per year and in my opinion it is well worth the £10 or so it costs.

Perlite

It is a great drainage aid to compost, ensuring that roots do not get rotten by sitting in excessively wet compost, which can be very useful if you’re using a peat based compost. I also finds that perlite helps prevent the root ball from becoming too compacted later on in the growing season.

Well Rotted Manure

Well rotted manure can be used as a substitute for peat in compost. Not only does it add a huge boost of nutrients to the mix but it also adds structure and water retaining properties to a peat free medium. Just be sure it is very well rotted before using it in order to avoid ’scorching’ the plants roots.

The Best Chilli Growing Medium

As i stated above everyone has their own preferences however i usually opt for a mix as follows:

• 70% Peat free multi purpose compost
• 10% Vermiculite
• 10% Perlite
• 10% Well rotted horse manure

I don’t get too fussy about quantities of each and usually work be feel.

Moisture Levels

Potting into a dry mix and then giving the potted plant/seeds ‘a good soak’ can cause the compost to become too compacted as the large volume of water rushes through the pot, often taking the seeds down deeper then you want or stealing away nutrients from the roots.

When either planting seeds or potting on young plants i find it beneficial to prepare (and water) my potting medium a little bit in advance. If i feel the compost is a little dry I usually make my mix up in a bucket (using the quantities above) then water with a watering can fitted with a rose and mix well. I’ll then usually leave it 10 minutes for the moisture to work through and mix again before potting.

One of the most important things you need to do to maximize the growth of your chilli plants, particularly in early spring when the days are short,  is to maximize the amount of light they are getting. Without large amounts of light growth rates slow down and the number of ripe chillies you can harvest later in the season will fall.

This can be an issue if you are growing pepper plants here in the UK and don’t have either a greenhouse of nice sunny south facing window sill. Of course you can boost the light your plants receive by using artificial lighting but as i discussed in my last post there are cheaper ways to increase the light levels.

One of the easiest (not to mention cheapest) ways to boost light levels is to build a light reflector like the one below. The aim of this is to reflect the light coming through the window back onto the plants. This should ensure that your plants get the light they need from all angles.

The Build

Here is what you’ll need for the build;

• some flat cardboard
• some pva glue
• a roll of aluminum kitchen foil

1. First off measure and cut your cardboard. The size you require will depend on what size of chilli plants you are going to be growing.

2. Score the cardboard (or simply bend it) so that it forms a shallow ‘U’ shape. By surrounding 3 sides of the plants with the reflector, more of the light coming in through the window will be bounced around onto the plants.

3. Coat one side of the cardboard with glue then cover with aluminum foil, smoothing down with your hands to minimize any creases/bubbles. Alternatively you can simply tape the foil onto the card as in the picture above.

I get so many emails from readers asking what the trouble is with their young chilli plants. At this time of year (late winter/early spring) the answer is virtually always either lack of light or lack of heat.

The above method is great for making the most of the natural daylight if your keeping your plants on a windowsill. However be aware that a windowsill is often the coldest place in the house at night when temperatures can drop significantly. As a result i recommend you always move you plants away from windows at night.

It’s that time of year when I’m starting to get some chilli seeds planted ready for the season ahead. I’ve had a few requests from readers to describe the best way t germinate chilli seeds so I thought i’d put together a small guide.

The Wet Tissue Method

I have found this to be the quickest method of germinating chilli seeds though it does involve an extra step in the process when compared to planting seeds straight into compost.

First of all here is what you’ll need:

• a large sandwich/freezer bag
• some kitchen tissue paper
• a shallow tray/lid
• a water mister

All you need to do it double up a piece of kitchen roll and spray with a mister until well moistened then lay it flat on the lid/tray. Next carefully place your seeds on the wet paper spacing them about 2cm apart before placing another wet layer of tissue on the top. Gently firm down and place the whole lot inside the sandwich bag and seal tightly to keep the moisture in.

Next you need to place the bag somewhere warm to aid the germination. Ideally an airing cupboard would do or somewhere with a constant trickle of heat such as on an old CRT computer monitor or  on top of a fridge freezer (the elements at the back give off heat).

Open up the bag every day and check the seeds for signs of growth. Initially you should notice the seeds bulge slightly (as a result of absorbing moisture) before starting to sprout from the pointed end of the seed. Once most of the seeds have begun to sprout you should move them into a fine potting compost. Be careful when handling the seeds at this stage as they are incredibly delicate. I use an old fine paint brush to move the seeds around as opposed to pinching them between my fingers and causing damage.

The Regular Compost Method

Choose a fine potting compost and sieve it into either seed cells or a regular seed tray. Level off and spray with water to moisten the soil and leave for 5 minutes for the moisture to soak in. Next add the seeds to the tray (if you want to be precise add them with the pointed end down) in small lines leaving at least 5cm between seeds. In the shot below i’ve used a celled seed tray.

Next seive another 1cm of compost over the top and spray again with the mister to moisten the compost. Avoid adding too much moisture as this can pull the seeds down too deep in the compost, impeding germination.

Next you need to cover the seed tray to help keep the moisture in. Some seed trays come with a plastic lid or if you have a propagator place the seed tray in there, if not a large plastic bag will do the job fine. Just remember to remove the bag as soon at the seeds sprout so the light can get to them. All you need to do now is place the seed tray somewhere warm and check daily for moisture levels and germinating seeds.

The Heated Compost Method

This method combines the best of the above two methods. First you follow the regular compost method then you either place the seed tray in a heated propagator or as I do use my little cheat to speed up germination.

The main benefit here it that by using a heat mat or a heated propagator you are delivering a constant supply of heat to the seeds at exactly the right temperature required for germination to occur.  Heated propagators have been coming down in price in recent years and can now be picked up quite cheaply.

Chilli Seed Germination Tips

Constant Temperature

The seeds will germinate much quicker if they are kept in an environment with a constant temperature. Whether this is in an airing cupboard, on top of a freezer or in a heated propagator it really doesn’t matter as long the the temperature is constant 24 hours a day. Windowsill are often poor places as while the daytime temperatures are often warm, at night temperatures can plummet thanks to poor insulation and cold drafts. Aim for a constant temperature of between 26-32 degrees Celsius (80-90 Fahrenheit).

Moisture

No matter where your seeds are you’ll need to keep checking them at least daily to ensure they do not dry out. Without moisture our seeds will not germinate. Avoid water logging the seeds by using a fine mister to moisten as opposed to pouring water onto the seeds.

Label Your Seeds

If you’re anything like me you always end up planting way to many chilli seeds each year and lose track of which plants are which come the spring when the seedlings transform into young plants and get potted on. As boring as it is take the time to label your seeds as you plant them and pot them on to ensure you always know what variety your plants are. Also it can be useful to com[pare germination rates of different varieties once the seedling sprout.

Avoid fungus

While it is crucial to keep the seeds moist while waiting for them to germinate it is possible to keep them too wet and have fungus or disease set in. To avoid this i often mix in a little vermiculite with my compost to help aid drainage and nutrient retention in the soil.

Use Good Quality Seeds

Always buy your seeds from a reputable dealer (avoid ebay, I’ve always had good success with Thompson & Morgan but any reputable seed supplier should do) and try not to keep seeds for too long before using them. When storing seeds store them in a labeled zip lock bag inside a sealed container. Ideally put the container in a cool dark place (in a shed is ideal).

Don’t Plant Seeds Too Close

Aim to leave at least 5cm between seeds when planting, ideally about 10cm if possible. The more space you leave the less chance the roots will become intertwined and damaged when you pot the seedlings on in a few weeks time. Another great way to avoid this is to use seed trays with individual cell units in which you plant 1 seed per unit (see the picture above).

We’ve had a lot of questions from readers about if and when they should pot on their chilli plants and what pot sizes to use. This is a hard question to answer as much will depend on the stage of development of your plants and the condition they are grown in.

Many of our readers seem to be planting their chilli seeds in communal containers such as window boxes or large planters. While this is great for saving space during the germination and seedling stages it can cause problems later on. If left too long, the plants roots become entangled and when the plants need separating into larger pots you can run the risk of damaging plants. As a result panting chillies in single pots is best.

As I mention in my recent post about potting on I tend to pot my plants on every few weeks when the roots become visible out of the bottom of the pot. During a season i usually pot on about 4 times, gradually increasing the pot size up to about a maximum of 10-12″ depending on the variety.

Potting On Experiment

While the above potting on routine seems to have worked for me in the past, I’m not too sure if something else would work better to i’ve decided to run a  little experiment. I have taken 6 Cayenne plants, all the same size (roughly 15″ in height) that until now have been in 6″ pots. I will leave two in the same pots and have potted two into 82″ pots and two into 10″ pots and see how they fair in different pots.

I’ve heard one theory that states that potting into too large pots means the plant wastes energy decveloping it’s root system instead of flowering and producing chillies. Conversely other wisdom states that leaving in too small pots won’t allow the plant space to develop and produce to it’s full potential.

All0f the plants are the same size at the minute and none are flowering quite yet so I think now is the perfect time to run this test.

I’ll keep all six plants in the same conditions (in a conservatory that receives a good amount of light and has a small heater for chilly nights) and see how their growth is affected by their pot size. Of course not only with the rate of growth be interesting but the yield of Cayenne peppers I get form them. I’ll report back later in the season with the results!

Do you have any tips or interesting ideas about pot sizes for peppers? If so leave a comment below.

Now that the chilli growing season is well under way and we are all worrying about our young plants I thought i’d draw together a list of some of the accessories I have found useful for getting me through this next stage in the season.

Chilli Focus Pepper Plant food – This is the only plant food we are aware of that is formulated specifically for growiung chillies.

Lady Bird Nest Box – We are all in favour of natural remedies to problems with pests. It is well known that ladybirds are the most effective predator of aphids. These nest boxes provide ladybirds a perfect abode in your garden from which to launch attacks on any aphids eating their way through your chilli plants.

Nemaslug Nematodes – These are natural bacteria that are very effective at controlling slugs over the period of a few weeks. They are the cleanest, most environmentally friendly and effective solution we’ve found so far to control our slug problems.

Plastic 3 Tier Greenhouse – Whether you are taking your first steps into chilli growing (or gardening in general) or just planted too many seeds in March and need some more room these cheap greenhouses are well worth the £20 they cost!

Parasene Greenhouse Heater - We keep saying it but chilli plants need as much heat and light as you can give them. I am always amazed how much difference it makes having my plants in a heated greenhouse at night. Cool night time temperatures really can slow down growth.

The Complete Chilli Pepper Book – This is the “chilli bible”. A comprehensive guide to choosing, growing, preserving and cooking with chillies.

Chilli Jewelery – We often hear from our male readers about their other halves worried that they give more attention to their tender chilli plants than them. Well, with these great chilli bracelets you can redress that balance!

Is there anything that has helped your plants prosper this year? Let us know using the comment form below.

If like me you don’t get round to planting your peppers early then there are a couple of ways you can speed up the germination and growth of your chilli plants in the early stages of their life.

In this post we’ll take a look at how you can speed up the germination of your chilli peppers, helping you get your chilli growing season back on track.

photo by grass-naps

Some chilli pepper varieties are renowned for being slow to germinate. While common varieties such as Cayenne or Jalapeño can germinate in just a few days, harder to grow varieties such as Naga or Bhut Jolokia can take up to a couple of months to germinate.

How I Speed Up Germination

Seeds love warm constant heat. Giving them this will help to speed up the germination process significantly. Unless you leave your central heating on all day and night it can be very hard to supply your seeds with a constant heat.

I use a heat mat designed for a reptile vivarium. These mats emit a constant warm temperature and use very little power and are intended to keep snakes and other reptiles nice and warm in their tanks. I discovered a while ago that they also make great heat mats for chillies and other plants!

I simply use standard 24 cell seed trays and regular potting compost (sieved) to plant my seeds. On each heat mat i can place two seed trays. I simply plug the mat in and bingo, my seeds have a steady stream of heat at the perfect temperature required for germination.

I have found that using these heat maps can speed up germination by as much as four times. In addition I believe that they also increase germination rates.

One word of caution – be sure to check your seed trays moisture levels more often as the extra heat will mean they are more likely to dry out quicker and need more watering.

Have you got any tips to help speed up the germination of your plants? If so please let us know by leaving a comment below.

With the new years (and chilli growing season) ahead of us we thought we’d post some simply tips to help your chilli growing efforts this year.

Start Growing Early

Growing chillies in the relatively cool climate of the Europe (the same for North America) generally means that the time your plants have to fruit is much less than the chillies native climate in South America or Asia. The more heat and sun chilli plants receive, the more chillies they will produce. Here in the UK we obviously get less heat and sun than somewhere like say India, therefore we get less chillies too.

The best way to increase your chilli harvest is to start growing earlier. If you haven’t overwintered any chilli plants from last year then the easiest way to do this is to start thinking about getting some seeds planted now. By planting chilli seeds now you’ll have much more developed plants when the weather starts improving in the Spring meaning they will start fruiting much earlier.

Plan Ahead (Mainly Space!)

One of the most common problems we see year after year among chilli growers is them running out of space some the summer when their plants suddenly start to increase in size dramatically. It can be very easy to plant hundreds of seeds in early spring then not have the heart to cull the weak ones meaning you end up with way too many plants.

Take time to plan which varieties you want to grow this year and realistically how many fully grown plants you can accommodate. When working out exactly how many seeds to plant be sure to factor in giving some plants away to friends in the spring. Also you may lose some due to poor weather, pests or disease to i’d advise to plant slightly more than you think you’ll need.

Grow a variety of Chillies

As mentioned above it is much more fun to grow a number of different varieties. Different varieties have vastly different tastes, growing habits and behaviors so be sure not to just stick to one variety.

I generally always grow many of the easier varieties (such as Apache, Jalapeno, Cheyenne) while at the same time experimenting with some of the rarer or harder to grow varieties. A great way to get a good selection of varieties is to buy a seed multi pack.

Keep a log

One of the things we have learned over the years growing chillies is how useful keeping a log of your chilli growing can be. I keep a simply log of all of the chillies I grow. I maintain this in a spreadsheet however a simple notebook would suffice. Typical things i record are:

• No of Seeds Planted

• Potting Medium

• Source of Seeds

• Germination Rates

• Lighting used (if any)

• First flowering date

• First Fruit Date

• Rough indication of yield

• Notes on any pests/diseases

Doing the above helps me avoid making the same mistakes i’ve made in the past. At the end of the season I can reflect on which plants did well (and which didn’t) and figure out why some fared better than others.

Learn From Other Peoples Mistakes

The great thing about running thechilliking.com is the great community of fellow chilli lovers that are willing to share their advice and knowledge.

Do you have any other tips you’d like to share? If so please feel free to add a comment below.

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.