I am thrilled to announce that most of the superhots I planted have sprouted. Some far earlier than I would have expected. The 2022 Chilli growing season has been kicked off early.
In a previous post, I mentioned that I have started my superhot Chillies early for the 2022 season. I would typically begin seeds at the beginning of February or March in any one growing season. This year, however, I am starting three months earlier.
The reason I am doing this is because many superhots have a lengthy seed to maturity growing period. Some Chillies, like the Carolina reaper, can take two hundred and fifty days before they bear any fruit. Particularly when there is not a lot of sunshine.
With such a long growing period, I would usually not expect to get any Chillies from these plants in a single season. Instead, I would overwinter them with the expectation that I would get a crop from them the following year.
Next season, however, will be different. By starting the superhots now, they will already be at least six inches tall in spring. They can then immediately be potted on, hardened off, and placed outside for the rest of the season. Doing this will put the plants in an excellent position to deliver a crop in a single season. After that, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t get overwintered to produce more Chillies in following seasons.
I am going to town this year. I am growingover thirty-five types of Chillies. Some are overwintered plants, but I have also started thirty new varieties I have never grown before. These range from the mild Bellaforma (700 SHU) to the superhot Carolina reaper (which has an average Scoville heat rating of 1.64 million SHU).
There are many other Scoville ratings for the other Chilli varieties I am trying put between these two extremes. These range from medium to very hot. They cover most domesticated Chilli species, including C annuum, C pubescens, C baccatum, C chinense and C frutescens.
I am growing more superhots this season than I usually do. It’s not that I am a fan of the superhots heat levels; it’s more because these Chillies are so interesting. They certainly seem more challenging to grow than the milder types of Chilllies, but that just adds to the fun. I also want to experiment more with using superhots in cooking. Growing these extra superhot varieties will make this possible
The Rocotos that I am growing deserve a special mention. It is the first time I have grown C pubescens, and I must say I am impressed. In the short time these Chillies have been growing, they have done exceptionally well. They have done far better than any of the other Chillies. I can only put this down to the cold weather resistance of C pubescens. My other Chillies are now between one and two inches tall after four months of growing. The Rocotos are that height (and even taller at about 3 to 4 inches, after only ten weeks). No wonder Rocotos are so popular among British Chilli growers. They are certainly a robust species.
Many Chilli fans will have heard of the Scoville rating system. This system measures the pungency of Chillies in terms of what is known as Scoville heat units. The higher the number of Scoville units (SHU) a Chilli is rated at, the hotter it is. For example, Bell peppersare rated zero SHU, and the Carolina Reaper (officially the world’s hottest Chilli) is between 1500000 and 2150000 SHU.
The Scoville rating system came into existence when Wilbur Scoville, an American pharmacist, developed a method of measuring the heat levels of individual varieties of Chilli in 1912.
Wilber Scoville
The original system involved capsaicinbeing extracted from dried hot Chillies with alcohol. This was then diluted in sugared water. A panel of five trained men would taste progressively decreased dilutions of the extract until at least three could not detect the presence of capsaicin. Each dilution was measured as 100 SHU. The number of dilutions multiplied by 100 determined the Scoville heat rating of the variety being tested.
Today, testing for capsaicin levels has become far more precise with the use of high-performance liquid chromatography. The results achieved with this method are more reliable because they are not dependent on a subjective perception of heat, but rather on the scientific analysis of capsaicin
Most Scoville rating charts will provide a range of heat units for a Chilli variety. This is because not all Chillies are the same. Individual pods may contain more or less capsaicin, even though they are of the same variety (and for that matter even from the same plant) . For this reason, more than one pod is tested. Pods are selected from various plants grown together in a single season . The lowest and highest test results are then provided as the heat range of the particular variety. The middle of the range is the average SHU of the specific variety.
The Dorset Zinger is a superhot exclusive to the seed company of the same couple that created the Dorset Naga®. Joy and her husband Michael Michaud of West Bexington, Dorchester in the United Kingdom, never stopped after their success with the Dorset Naga® They have gone on to develop many Chillies unique to them through their breeding programme at their specialist nursery in West Dorset.
In the case of the Dorest Zinger, they received some Chilli seeds as a gift from a friend. After growing these seeds in their nursery, they were surprised to discover just how pungent a Chilli this is. Testing by Warwick Horticultural Research International revealed it to have a Scoville heat ratingof over one million SHU. So, it ranks right up there with some of the hottest Chillies in the world.
The Dorset Zinger is part of the Capsicum chinensespecies. It shares this species with Chillies like the Carolina Reaper, Bhut Jolokia’s, Hainan Yellow Lanterns. Trinidad Moruga Scorpions, Scotch bonnets, and the Dorset Naga® Many (although not all) Chillies in the Capsicum chinense species are very hot indeed. The hotter varieties range from 100000 to 350000 SHU (Scotch Bonnets, for example) to the superhots with Schoville heat ratings in excess of 1000000 SHU.
The Dorset Zinger falls definitely falls into the superhot category. It is a Habanerowith a SHU rating of approximately 1060000. When mature, its “cone shaped” fruit reaches a size of slightly over one and a half inches wide (20 mm) and two inches (50 mm) long. Its curious shape reminds me of an ice cream cone with a scoop of ice cream. It could also be described as conical with a pinched waist. Generally, the pods are pointed at the end and taper up into the shape mentioned. It is not the prettiest of Chillies!
The Dorset Zingers fruit changes from light green to a matt red when it ripens. The skin of the Chilli is thin and smooth but has the distinguishing characteristic of being scattered with tiny pimples.
Dorset Zingers grow to a medium height and have an open growth habit. They are quite short and bushy for superhot Chillies. Their seed to maturity growing period is quite long. However, if seeds are started in January or February (or even earlier), it is possible to produce a crop from this Chilli in a single growing season.
The Zinger’s flavour can be described as Habanero like, with a typical strong superhot taste. In line with other superhots, the Dorset Zinger can be used incooking (among other things) to make hot sauces, Chilli mash and Chilli flakes . It could probably also be used to make curries like Phaal. Phaal is the hottest curry to be found in the United Kingdom. It can contain as many as twelve Scotch bonnets.
For use in regular cooking, remove the seeds and white membrane from the Chillies. These are the parts that contain the most capsaicin. It would be a good idea to do this when making Chilli mash that is to be frozen. The mash can be frozen in ice trays and used as individual blocks to add flavour to food. Add one cube at a time until the heat level is just right. You wouldn’t want to spoil your food by making it too hot.
I purchased seeds for this Chilli directly from Joy and Michael at Sea Spring Seeds
Since my last post, the Habanero Maya red Chilli seeds have germinated. That gives me a 100 percent germination rate for seed starting for the 2022 season. In a second round of seed starting of superhots, I planted Dorset Nagas, Bengal Nagas, Moruga Scorpions and Dorset Zingers. The seeds were started about nine days ago.
In line with most superhots, I expect germination in a further week or so. Superhots take about two weeks to sprout.
Two other Chillies that I planted with the superhots are not quite in the same heat ratings league. These Chillies are the Green Trinidad and the Bellaforma. I planted them with the superhots to compare germination rates between mild and hot Chillies.
Guess what? Both already germinated. My Trinidad Green seeds took about a week. The Bellaformas followed a day or two later. Both were taken out of the heated propagator and are now under grow lightsfor 16 hours a day. The seedlings are in open trays. They are not covered (see note below).
As a follow on to my previous posts on growing Rocoto Chillies I decided to research how they would take to grow. This is what I found:
Apparently Rocotos have a pretty long seed tothe maturity growth period. It takes ten to twenty days for the seeds to germinate. Then, after germination, they will go through a series of potting -ons until they are in one-litre pots. This could take anything up to two months or even longer. After all, plants grow more slowly in winter. The first opportunity will be potted on for the last time, hardened off and then placed outdoors for the rest of the season. It can then take over one hundred days after this until they bloom and set fruit. Apparently, Rocotos grow quite quickly but take a long time before they flower produce fruit
One thing I am going to have to consider is the temperature at which I start the seeds. I usually start seeds at between twenty-six and thirty two degrees Celsius. I would imagine this Chilli should be started at lower temperatures because of its origins. Seed starting temperature is something I will need to experiment with for these Chillies. I will probably begin two batches in heated propagators. One at a lower temperature, say in the region of eighteen and twenty three degrees Celsius, and the other at between twenty-six and twenty-nine degrees. It will be interesting to see what starting temperature is the best
On Saturday I started some Chilli seeds. They are currently in heated propagators in a grow tent where the temperature is controlled to be between 28 and 32 degrees Celsius. I expect the seeds to germinate in the next week or so
These seed have been started at least a month before I would normally start my season. This is something I have tried previously, but have never been able to achieve the results I wanted. My seedlings germinated easily enough, but after that they didn’t grow well at all.
This year I have decided that I will harness every bit of knowledge I have about growing Chillies to find a better way of doing things. I want to control every part of the propagation and growing stagesto the Nth degree and find out whether this has the desired effect.
When it comes to plant growth there are two things above the ground that need to be considered. The first is the temperature and secondly is the amount of light. Lightis the energy that powers a plants growth through photosynthesis.Without it, plants would be able to grow
Now, my theory is that seeds don’t know what season it is when they germinate. If the conditions are right (i.e. moisture, heat etc) a seed will germinate. From there, the amount of light a plant receives will determine how well it will grow. Temperatures also need to be conducive to growth
In a recent post, I mentioned that I had started seeds for various Capsicum annuum varieties to prove that I could get a harvest from them in one season. I started two batches of seeds (with a rough interval of about a week between each batch) at the beginning of March. The varieties I planted are Hungarian waxes, Bulgarian carrots, Cayenne Long slims, Jalapeno Earlies and Cubanelles. When I planted them, I didn’t realise I was about to make a critical seed starting mistake.
I started these seeds using Hydrogen Peroxide and Camomile tea as scarification agents. I used these mediums, as I liked the idea that both have anti fungal properties. So, in addition to simply starting the seeds, I was also providing the seeds with a means to fight off any pathogens lurking in the background. I thought had covered all the bases
Not so at all. Even though I thought I was on top of my game, I can’t say this is the best seed starting I have ever done. In fact, it is probably the worst results I have ever had. Out of a total of twenty seeds, I have only hadgerminationof about eight. That’s less than a fifty percent success rate. Normally, I achieve a germination rate of at least ninety percent. However, in this case, I dropped balls badly. Not intentionally so, but dropped balls they were nevertheless
The main reason for the abysmal germination rate is that I managed to allow one tray of seeds to dry out completely. That’s a big no- no when it comes to starting seeds. To start seeds successfully, it is essential to keep their seed starting mix moist. It’s not that you want the seeds to be swimming in water. That’s also definitely not going to work either. You need to achieve a delicate balance between the two extremes. The mix should feel only slightly moist to the touch. Nothing more
One of the most important considerations when growing Chilliesis how much time you have to grow them. By that, I don’t mean how much time you have to care for your Chillies, but rather, the amount of time that is left in the Chilli growing season once seeds have been started. After germination, the plants will need to mature, set fruit, and for the pods to ripen before harvest. With a short growing season (particularly in countries like the United Kingdom), this can be challenging
After all, you can spend as much time as you like looking after your Chillies, but if they have been planted too late, that is another issue. It can create complications.
Nothing is more disheartening in growing Chillies than spending months caring for plants and then not being able to make a harvest. Last year, that happened to me. I left it too late to start my seeds, and before I knew it, I was facing a ripening problem. My plants had produced plenty of chillies, only I hadn’t allowed enough time for the fruit to ripen. The season was drawing to a close and I had a lot of unripe fruit on my hands. If I had been more careful with the varieties I planted, I wouldn’t have needed to face this problem. Planting faster growing varieties would have meant they would have matured more quickly, set fruit earlier, and I would have had ample time for them to ripen and make a harvest.
Scarification is the process in which various techniques prepare seeds for faster germination.It involves intentionally damaging the outer seed coat by abrasion, soaking, and other methods to aid seeds to germinate more quickly.
Nature equips seeds with a tough outer coat. This shell protects the “baby plant” inside the coat from harsh conditions. It is waterproof and gas-proof. It protects the seed during winter freezes and flooding. It also protects the seeds from heat and from being trodden on by wildlife and humans.
Most seeds enter a period of dormancy during winter. During this period, there can be fluctuations in temperature due to freezing and thaws. These fluctuations cause the seeds shell to expand and contract. Over time, this will weaken the outer coat. Come spring, when the seed is ready to germinate, it will have been naturally scarified to sprout
Birds are also a source of natural seed scarification. They often eat Chillies before migrating. The seeds pass through the birds digestive system and are exposed to digestion acids that thin the seed shell. When the bird makes a dropping, the seeds fall to the ground well prepared for germination. This method of seed dispersal is particularly efficient, because the seed is not only prepared by the acid scarification, but also has been provided with a ready source of fertilizer
When growing Chillies at home, we have to give seeds a helping hand. After all, they are in a protected environment and will not be subjected to the harsh conditions they would normally face in the wild. To do this, we can employ various techniques to scarify seeds. These techniques include scratching the seeds with sandpaperor using a nail clipper to nip off a piece of seed. Some growers even use their teeth to crack seeds. However, these methods are pretty finicky. Particularly as Chilli seeds are so small. It is far better to soak seeds to achieve the same objective.
An update
The seeds were started about nine days ago.
first opportunity will be potted on for the last time, 
providing the seeds with a means to fight off any 
Planning the season
challenging
What is scarification?
r coat. Come spring, when the seed is ready to