Today, as my google calendar reminded me, was the day to plant my chilli seeds. I grew chilli plants last year, a whole bunch of them, and it turned out to be a worthwhile endeavour. I'm not sure that I saved any money over buying chillies at the market but I really enjoyed keeping them watered and fighting off aphids. I really hate aphids. And every once in a while I would find a huge chilli that had eluded me and it would make a welcome addition to a chilli con carne or dal or whatever else was on the menu that night. Some of the peppers I grew last year were so hot that adding two to a dish can literally ruin it. They are only the size of my thumbnail, but pack a powerful punch. I would sometimes forget to water the plants, and left them on the balcony, so these conditions no doubt added to their ferocity. If you treat the plants well and fertilise them, they will be more mild. A little jostling in the English wind and a healthy dose of negligence makes for more spicy chilies.More about growing hot chillies (on purpose): http://gardening.about.com/od/vegetables/a/ChilePepper_3.htm
Thanks to Wahaca for the free chilli seeds: www.wahaca.co.uk
How to grow a chilli plant at eHow: www.ehow.com/how_5642527_grow-chili-plant.html
