Chilli plants are easy to grow, can look spectacular, with the bonus of having tasty fruit. But the seeds need to be sown now for summer fruiting.
The Great Dorset Chilli Festival are holding their annual Chilli Plant Growing Competition – to be judged at the event held at Stock Gaylard, near Sturminster Newton, on Saturday 6th August, with prizes sponsored by Harts of Stur, and by Simpsons Seeds. Amateur gardeners should be sowing their chilli seeds now!
Fierce competition
The Chilli Plant Competition is an established part of the Chilli Festival, where amateur chilli- growing enthusiasts can enter classes to compete for the best- looking fruiting chilli plant.
“Judging is taken very seriously, and the competition is fierce” says Festival Director Miles Halton, “but the joy is that anyone can take part, and anyone could win”.
The Chilli Plant Competition:
There are two classes.
Class 1 is only for the chilli variety “Santa Fe Grande”, a traditional chilli variety which ripens early and gives good yield. Class 2 is the open class into which any chilli plant can be entered. Plants are judged
on appearance, development, condition and fruiting.
Judging is done by two respected commercial chilli seed growers; Michael Michaud of Sea Spring Seeds (Sea Spring Seeds, based near Dorchester, developed the hot Dorset Naga chilli) and Matt Simpson of Simpson’s Seeds (as seen on TV shouting “grow, damn you” at his chilli plants). The winner of each chilli plant competition class will receive a £50 gift voucher from local instore and online cookware and gardening retailer Harts of Stur, in Sturminster Newton.
Free seeds:
The organisers of the Great Dorset Chilli Festival have been supplied by Simpsons Seeds with a limited supply of Santa Fe Grande chilli seeds to give away. For a copy of the rules and to claim your seeds email info@greatdorsetchillifestival.co.uk
