Onza is a thin-skinned rarity from Oaxaca, Mexico – quite warm (5,000–15,000 SHU) with a mildly sweet flavour and a fruity aroma. The chillies ripen to a bright red and are traditionally used in soups and salsas, but this is a true all-rounder: good for drying, pickling, seasoning or using fresh. Plants grow bushy and up to 90cm tall.
SOW: from February to April, indoors in a warm soil in trays or modules barely covering the seeds as they need light to germinate (can take 10-21 days, warmth at 21C can help). Water the soil, not the foliage, too much moisture is as bad as none – remember three words: waterlogging, cold, dead! When they reach the 2/3 leaf stage they can be potted up. Wait until June before moving plants outside (harden off first) to a sunny, sheltered position or grow them in the greenhouse
GROW: water well and allow the surface to dry between times, after the first flowers appear, feed weekly alternating between liquid seaweed & a weak tomato feed. Pinching out the growing tip will encourage a bushier plant that may only need a small stake and can produce earlier fruit.
ENJOY: don’t leave ripe fruits hanging too long – picking encourages more to follow. If you’re only growing one variety, this versatile all-purpose chilli is a great choice.
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