Sweet peppers & Chilli peppers have probably been eaten since 7500BC & thought to have originated from Mexico, although that is not known for sure. Nowadays about 90% of all cultivated forms of chillies are of Mexican origin. The Jalapeno chilli takes its name from Jalapa , the state capital of Veracruz. Sweet peppers are also known as bell peppers, they are sweet because unlike chillies they have minimal capsaicin which is what gives chillies their ‘heat’. The Charapita chilli pepper roughly grows to the size of a pea, however a kilogramme of these would cost you around 19 thousand pounds. It is said to be the most expensive chilli in the world.
Chillies especially red ones are high in vitamin C and also rich in vitamin B , they are very high in potassium & magnesium. Sweet peppers are also high in vitamin C, and have high levels of vitamins B6, A, E, plus natural occurring folic acid. Keep them inside when growing & feed them with seaweed food when they start to flower.
Always read the seed packet for growing instructions
Blog by Mark Burton (Allotment Secretary)
