This variety, Gourmet Jalapeno, produces thick-walled, juicy fruits with great flavour and a bit more heat than most standard jalapeños – sitting at 2,500–10,000 SHU, so moderately hot. Traditionally picked green, they’ll also ripen to red for a slightly hotter, richer flavour. Fruits can stay ripe on the plant for several weeks without losing quality. Plants are compact, productive, and ideal for containers – move them outdoors once the risk of frost has passed, then bring them back into shelter in autumn to finish ripening the last fruits.
SOW: from February to April, sow indoors into warm compost, barely covering the seeds – they need light to germinate.
GROW: pot on at the 2–3 leaf stage. Plant into the greenhouse, or use containers you can shift outdoors once it warms up. In autumn, move pots back under cover to help ripen the remaining chillies. You’ll get a long harvest window, especially if you keep picking.
ENJOY: slice onto pizza, stuff with cream cheese and bake, chargrill and serve with cold meats or curry, or use in a fresh, spicy salsa – these chillies are crisp, juicy, and full of flavour whether green or red.
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