Description
RHS Award
One of the hottest chilly available, habanero is fiery hot and very pungent and used a lot in West Indian sauces. It has small tapering fruits of 5cm in length which range from dark green to pale orange when ripe. Use sparingly if you aren't too keen on hot food but if you are a heat lover it has a Scoville Heat Unit rating of a whopping 100,000 to 350,000 depending on maturity.
As easy to grow as tomatoes and requiring much of the same treatment. Peppers can be grown outside, so long as they are in a sheltered sunny area, but best results are usually obtained when they are grown in a polytunnel or a glasshouse. Peppers are delicious when used raw in salads but are also very tasty when cooked. They can be stuffed, roasted or added to sauces.
Pack size: 50 Seeds
WHEN TO SOW
February to April
WHERE TO SOW
Sow seed on the surface of a free draining compost in pots or trays and cover with a fine sprinkling of compost or vermiculite and place at a temperature 18-21°C until seeds germinate.
WHAT TO DO NEXT
Prick out seedlings when large enough to handle into 7cm (3in) pots and grow on underglass. Once plants reach 10cm (4in) high transplant into growbags or 25cm (10in) pots and grow on underglass. Feed once a week with tomato fertiliser once first fruits have set.
HARVEST
Late July to October.
HANDY TIP
Remove the seeds from the fruits before cooking, as this will reduce the heat. Alternatively cook whole in dishes and remove the fruit part way through.