Anaheim Chili Seeds

Anaheim Chili Seeds: Perfect for Cooling Summer Salsas

Anaheim chilies fall at the milder end of the spiciness spectrum, scoring as low as 500 SHU on the Scoville scale. When you consider that the Carolina Reaper can rack up a massive 2.2 million SHU, it becomes clear just how mild the friendly Anaheim is.

So perhaps not one for people who want to blow their heads off, it's certainly a perfect chili for adding rich flavours and just a little heat to dishes. Whether you’re new to spice or you just want to focus more on flavour, the Anaheim has a place in most kitchens.

How To Grow Anaheim Chilies

• Step 1: Germination

There’s no need to germinate chilies in propagation chambers—you can plant them straight into their final pots. Bury them about 1cm deep and lightly cover with soil. The only thing you need to ensure is ample humidity. This can be achieved by placing a layer of cling film over the top of the pot and punching a few holes in it.

Keep the soil moist, but don’t soak it or you could kill the seedling. Place it in a warm space; a temperature of 25–28°C will result in the highest germination rate.

• Step 2: Patience

Anaheim chilies can take anywhere from a few days to 3+ weeks to germinate. Therefore, it’s important not to think your venture has failed if they don’t appear overnight. Once a seedling does sprout, remove the cling film and make sure it receives enough light.

Water it as you would a normal house plant, and administer a normal tomato feed. Your chili plant will appreciate it if you give it a little extra calcium too, because further down the road, it will need it to keep up the structural integrity of its fruits. The best way to do this is via a foliar spray.

How and When To Harvest Anaheim Chilies

An average maturation time for Anaheim chilies is around 95 days, but don’t harvest based on this. The fruits will reach a final length of 15–25cm. However, the best way to tell whether they are ready is to examine their colour. Anaheim chilies can be picked when they begin to go from green to red.

If they come away easily, they are ready. If, however, they cling onto the plant, give them a bit longer. Ripe fruits will come off without much force.

A Word of Warning

Whenever handling chilies and seeds, it’s best to wear gloves to avoid pepper burn. Anaheims are far less damaging than hotter chilies, but it is nevertheless a good practice!

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