How to Grow the Maules Chilli
Container Grown Chillies in England…
Of all the varieties of chilli I am growing the Maules chilli has come on the quickest in my polytunnel. I was quite concerned earlier on in the year because they out grew their pots remarkably quickly leading me to think they had simply ‘bolted’ and would produce little else other than green leaves.
I have been growing chillies for about four years now and I still cannot get used to how quickly the plants can change seemingly overnight, my plants have burst into flower, buds abound and (fingers crossed) I shall be in for a healthy harvest.
Photographing the Maules plants it seemed strange that three to four months ago I was nursing them in an electric propogator. This is when my fears began, they shot up literally overnight becoming so ‘leggy’ I all but gave up on them. I gradually reduced the temperature during the day and kept turning them so they didn’t strain towards the light. I kept all the chilli plants in my house during February and March because the greenhouse wasn’t hot enough to risk leaving them at the mercy of a sudden frost.
They were the first to be transplanted into larger pots and again into their final growing position. Save a weekly feed and a daily spray of water on the flowering heads they have been left to their own devices. I am careful not to spoil chilli plants, they can take rough conditions and don’t like pampering and by that I mean over-watering.
Maules chillies are hot enough without blowing your head off, they shall go into an authentic chilli con carne and what is left shall be dried and/or pickled. I am looking forward to these and their crop return is worth the winter babysitting.
