Chilli Lingua di Fuoco likes more warmth to get going and provides plenty more when it’s ripe! We’d describe it a medium heat chilli although just how hot it gets depends on the growing conditions. In the UK you're likely to find it somewhere around 10,000–30,000 SHU. If it’s very happy it can head towards 40,000 SHU. Lingua di Fuoco means Tongue of Fire in Italian, which seems rather appropriate! Better still, the plants only grow to around 25cm tall, making them a cracking choice for a sunny windowsill.
Sow: from February to May, indoors in warm, moist seed compost. Sow no more than 5mm deep and keep at 24-28˚C, these like a bit more warmth than some others. At the 2-3 leaf stage pot up to 7cm pots and grow on. When plants reach about 10cm tall, move them into their final pots.
Grow: these compact little plants grow to around 25cm tall, so a sunny windowsill, greenhouse or conservatory will suit them beautifully. They can also go outside from June once hardened off, choosing a sunny, sheltered position. Allow the compost surface to dry between waterings and, once the first flowers appear, feed weekly.
Enjoy: the little 4.5cm fruits pack a good deal of warmth into themselves. They grow upright and show off beautifully on the plants as they ripen. Pick one when you need to add some heat to sauces, curries and stir-fries, but perhaps don't get too carried away until you've discovered how hot yours have decided to be!
Save
