Chilli Tabasco

Tabasco produces fiery-hot chillies that pack a punch – 30,000 to 50,000 SHU. The short, slender fruits (2.5–3cm long, up to 1cm wide) are the famous source of heat in Tabasco sauce. Happy plants are productive and vigorous, with chillies ripening from pale yellow-green through orange to red.

SOW: for best results, sow from February to April indoors into warm compost, barely covering the seeds – they need light to germinate. Later sowings (mid-April to May) are possible but will give a later harvest.

GROW: pot on at the 2–3 leaf stage, then plant into a greenhouse, grow bag, or container. Can also be grown outside in a warm, sheltered spot. Plants can reach up to 150cm and may need staking for support. Once flowering starts, feed weekly, alternating between liquid seaweed and weak tomato feed.

ENJOY: first fruits are ready around 10–11 weeks after transplanting. The heat builds as they ripen. Use fresh (seeds carry most of the heat), dry them, or turn them into your own hot sauce.