BLOG
Chilli & Tomato Guides
What to Do With Your Chilli Harvest? 8 Ideas
A large chilli harvest can be used fresh, frozen, dried, pickled, fermented or turned into powder, sauce and oil. The best method depends mainly on the fruit wall, heat level and intended use.
Crispy Chilli Oil: Chilicrack Compared to Lao Gan Ma
Crispy chilli oil combines seasoned oil with crunchy bits. We explain the category and show how our Chilicrack differs from well-known Lao Gan Ma-style versions.
What Is Chipotle? Smoked Jalapeños Explained Simply
Chipotle are ripe jalapeños that are smoke-dried. The result tastes smoky, fruity and spiced, and is used for sauces, salsas, rubs and dips.
Black Tomatoes: Varieties, Flavour and Spotting Ripeness
Black tomatoes describes brown, purple and blue-violet varieties. Their colour can come from residual chlorophyll or, in indigo types, from anthocyanins in the skin.
Shaping Your Tomato: Second Leaders, Topping and Deleafing Done Right
Lower foliage, the main stem tip, diseased leaves: we show you what's actually worth pruning on a tomato - and how it differs from pinching out side shoots.
Tomato Compost: What Soil Do Tomatoes Need?
Good tomato compost holds moisture, stays airy and lets excess water drain away. In a pot, clear drainage holes and a structurally stable compost are what really matter.
Supporting & Training Tomatoes: Comparing Your Options
Cordon tomatoes need a sturdy support system, while compact bush and patio tomatoes often get by with a cage or small stake. Tie in shoots loosely and check the ties regularly.
Identifying Tomato Diseases: Symptoms, Causes and Fixes
Blight, blossom end rot, whitefly or splitting fruit: we show you how to identify, treat and prevent the most common tomato problems.