Peppers need a long growing season, so the earlier you get started the better your chance of producing good, ripe fruit. Get the seeds sown this week on a heated propagator or inside in the house. You are looking for temperatures of 20°C plus. I sow 10 seeds in a 9cm pot of seed compost. They can take up to two weeks to germinate.
A few weeks after that, when the seedlings are large enough to handle, transfer each seedling in to its own 9cm pot (or module tray). In May or June, they will be planted out in the soil in the greenhouse or polytunnel or in to a bigger pot to grow on for the summer. All going well, we will be harvesting in October-ish.
For chilli-peppers I like the varieties “ring of fire” (hot, hot, hot), “Hungarian wax” and “jalapeño”.
Michael Kelly is an author, broadcaster and founder of GIY. For further information, visit www.GIY.ie
Pasta with winter ratatouille
We’re on the hunt for recipes that use parsnips at the moment, having extracted a glut of them lately from the cold soil. This is a James Martin classic – easy and quick to cook. I used squash or pumpkin as a seasonal alternative to the sweet potato he had in the original recipe, which is almost always imported from the US.
200g squash or pumpkin, peeled and cut in wedges
200g parsnips, peeled and cut in large pieces
200g carrots, washed and cut in large pieces
110g red onions, cut in quarters
3-4 cloves garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
75ml clear honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Two sprigs rosemary, plus extra chopped to garnish
500g packet of pasta
800ml passata.
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place all the vegetables and the garlic on an oven tray and drizzle with the olive oil and honey. Add the sprigs of rosemary and season well. Cook for about 20 minutes until all the vegetables are tender and browned. 2 While the vegetables are in the oven, cook the pasta according to packet instructions. Remove vegetables from the oven, squeeze the cloves of roasted garlic over the vegetables and tip everything in a saucepan. Add the passata, bring to the boil and allow to simmer gently for a minute or two. Serve on top of the pasta and garnished with chopped rosemary.
Peppers need a long growing season, so the earlier you get started the better your chance of producing good, ripe fruit. Get the seeds sown this week on a heated propagator or inside in the house. You are looking for temperatures of 20°C plus. I sow 10 seeds in a 9cm pot of seed compost. They can take up to two weeks to germinate.
A few weeks after that, when the seedlings are large enough to handle, transfer each seedling in to its own 9cm pot (or module tray). In May or June, they will be planted out in the soil in the greenhouse or polytunnel or in to a bigger pot to grow on for the summer. All going well, we will be harvesting in October-ish.
For chilli-peppers I like the varieties “ring of fire” (hot, hot, hot), “Hungarian wax” and “jalapeño”.
Michael Kelly is an author, broadcaster and founder of GIY. For further information, visit www.GIY.ie
Pasta with winter ratatouille
We’re on the hunt for recipes that use parsnips at the moment, having extracted a glut of them lately from the cold soil. This is a James Martin classic – easy and quick to cook. I used squash or pumpkin as a seasonal alternative to the sweet potato he had in the original recipe, which is almost always imported from the US.
200g squash or pumpkin, peeled and cut in wedges
200g parsnips, peeled and cut in large pieces
200g carrots, washed and cut in large pieces
110g red onions, cut in quarters
3-4 cloves garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
75ml clear honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Two sprigs rosemary, plus extra chopped to garnish
500g packet of pasta
800ml passata.
1 Preheat the oven to 200°C. Place all the vegetables and the garlic on an oven tray and drizzle with the olive oil and honey. Add the sprigs of rosemary and season well. Cook for about 20 minutes until all the vegetables are tender and browned. 2 While the vegetables are in the oven, cook the pasta according to packet instructions. Remove vegetables from the oven, squeeze the cloves of roasted garlic over the vegetables and tip everything in a saucepan. Add the passata, bring to the boil and allow to simmer gently for a minute or two. Serve on top of the pasta and garnished with chopped rosemary. 
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