Chillies are the hot fruits of a range of capsicum species that originally came from the warm northern regions of South America. In the past 500 years they have been traded across the warm areas of the globe, and today chillies are an integral ingredient in many different cuisines around the world.
One of the best loved chillies, and measuring in between 350,000 to 500,000 Scoville Heat Units, the Red Habanero was the world's hottest chilli before it was taken over by the Red Savina in 1994.
Have you thought about growing your own Habanero at home? Here's how!
Watering: Chilli needs plenty of water to grow, but you also need to be careful not to over water. A free draining soil will ensure you don’t end up with water logged plants.
Soil: Chilli will grow best and produce more fruit in a rich soil. If growing in ground, add ActivGrow Soil Improver to your garden beds prior to plant. In pots, Tomato & Herb Potting Mix is an ideal blend.
Mulching: Mulching will help to protect your chilli plant’s surrounding soil from drying out over time, they may have a tough and hard image but they will be sensitive to drying out.
Pruning: Chilliies have weak branches, so if they are loaded with fruit, they can snap under the weight. You may want to stake them to support, but they will also respond well to pruning.