Chilli (Capsicum) – Mixed Hot Pepper Collection (12 x 9cm Pots)

Grow your own chillies with this collection of 12 mixed hot chilli pepper plants, each in its own 9cm pot. It gives a spread of heat levels, flavours and fruit colours, from mild warmth to fiery heat, so it suits first-time growers and seasoned chilli fans alike.

The plants have been grown on for a strong, healthy start. The mix is typically made up of varieties such as Thai Dragon, Scotch Bonnet and Apache, though the exact varieties can vary with availability. Chilli plants are bushy and upright, with glossy green leaves, small white or cream flowers in summer, then fruits that ripen from green to red, orange or yellow. They are good for cooking, drying, preserving or simply looking at.

Chillies are not hardy and need warmth. A greenhouse, conservatory or sunny windowsill is the most reliable home, and in a poor British summer plants grown outside may never ripen their fruit. If you want them outdoors, wait until all risk of frost has passed, then give them a sunny, sheltered spot in a container, growbag or raised bed. Pot them on into a good peat-free compost when they arrive and pinch out the growing tip while young to encourage a bushier, more productive plant.

Water regularly without letting the compost become waterlogged, and more often once the plants are in flower and fruit. Feed with a high potash liquid fertiliser once the first flowers appear. Chilli fruits and sap can irritate skin and eyes, so wash your hands after handling them and avoid touching your face.

Cultural Information

• Common Name: Chilli Pepper, Hot Pepper
• Botanical Name: Capsicum annuum and Capsicum chinense
• Fully Grown Height and Spread: Approx. 45-90cm tall and 30-60cm wide (variety dependent)
• Growth Habit: Upright, bushy plant with pendant or upright fruits
• Perfect For: Greenhouses, sunny windowsills, patio containers, growbags, kitchen gardens
• Foliage: Mid to deep green, smooth, oval leaves
• Flowering Time: Summer, small white or cream flowers
• Flower Colour: White or cream
• Planting Position: Full sun, sheltered from cold winds
• Hardiness: Not hardy. Protect from frost and cold temperatures
• Maintenance: Regular watering, and a high potash feed once flowering
• Seasonal Interest: Summer to autumn, with fruit ripening from mid summer
• Type: Hot chilli peppers, fruiting plants for growing your own