Last Updated on March 16, 2023 by Suttons Horticultural Team
With the events of 2020 following into the beginning of 2021, this year we all continue to spend more time at home and in our gardens. Our cooking skills is one aspect which has been put to the test most recently, especially with the restaurant industry currently closed, so we thought learning about how you cook with chillies would give us all inspo on ‘hot date night’ recipes for this coming Valentine’s Day.
With many people really becoming innovators in the kitchen and garden, to others just picking up a cookbook for the first time, we wanted to share your chilli-infused dishes with a fantastic bundle of fiery prizes up for grabs. It is the month of love and kindness after all.
This included a selection of fiery Chilli Pepper Seeds including the EXCLUSIVE Chilli Longhorn F1, Bamboo Seed Pots and Plant Labels. So, let’s take a look at our favourite entries before we announce our Valentine’s Day winners.
Your Entries
All of our entries have been creative, spicy and super ambitious. From chilli-infused pasta, soups and curries, to nachos, quiche and so much more!
Our Winners!
Christine Hall
Christine says ‘We love a veggie chilli con carne or this is my version, chillies are 1 crop I get good crops from !’
Lidiya Jospeh
Lidiya says ‘You love the heat Shearly Joseph Albert as much as me 
Sarah Jane Jones
Sarah says ‘We love all types of chillies in our house. Here is one of our favourite brunches – Huevos Rancheros’
Thank You!
We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who entered and shared their amazing chilli-infused recipes with us. We are thrilled to see so many people being creative in the kitchen and there will definitely be some ‘hot date nights’ this Valentine’s Day! If you see your photo above, don’t forget to share a link to our blog on your social media pages and give us a tag to show your dishes off even more. This isn’t our first competition and won’t be the last, so keep an eye for the next one!
The Benefits of Eating Chillies
If you can take the heat, chillies have lots of antioxidants, and all peppers and chillies are a good source of vitamins C, A and B-6. The pepper is the only member of the Capsicum genus that doesn’t produce capsaicin; conversely, chillies contain a high percentage of this phytonutrient, which is what gives them their spicy flavour. Make sure you wash your hands when handling hot Chillies. Cold Peppers in olive oil and Garlic makes an excellent side dish.
Growing Your Own Chillies
Growing Chillies from seed
- Sow seeds in seed trays, pots, propagators or glasshouse in decent organic compost in early spring
- Once plants a have germinated and seedlings are looking established . They can be grown on a window-sill or conservatory. Remember to turn the plants when they are young to make sure the growth is even. Alternatively, plant out in garden or patio container once all danger of frosts has passed
- Chillies enjoy a good liquid feed such as Seaweed extract, apply little and often diluted in water or sprayed on with a water in a sprayer. Switch to as Potash feed when plants become larger
- It’s a good tip to occasionally mist down your plants with water, again using a sprayer, this will help prevent the troublesome spider mite. Beware of Whitefly if spotted use an Organic deterrent spray
- To acquire good bushy plants inch out for good bushy plants
How To Sow Chilli and Pepper Seeds
- Chili seeds and pepper seeds need to be planted into compost at a depth of 6mm
- Watering to keep the soil damp is particularly important whilst your chilli plant is flowering and forming their fruit
- Harvest Chillies and Peppers regularly to encourage further fruiting
For more information on growing your own chillies at home, check out our Chilli Growing Guide below!
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