{"product_id":"cayenne-ring-of-fire-chilli","title":"Cayenne Ring of Fire Chilli","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapsicum annuum 'Cayenne Ring of Fire'\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003cem\u003eAn improved cayenne for short British summers — earlier, more compact, properly hot\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf standard cayenne is the classic kitchen-garden workhorse, Ring of Fire is the workhorse with a few useful upgrades. Selected over decades for British and short-season growers, it ripens earlier than standard cayenne, fits a compact 45cm patio plant, and packs a proper step up in heat — reliably crops in UK conditions where heritage cayennes sometimes struggle to colour up before autumn. The same long, slender, drying-friendly pencil pods, just delivered earlier, on a smaller plant, with a bit more bite.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRing of Fire is an improved selection of standard cayenne — bred for the things that matter to home gardeners in a Norfolk or English garden: \u003cstrong\u003eearlier maturity\u003c\/strong\u003e (around 80 days from transplant rather than the 90-plus of heritage cayennes), \u003cstrong\u003eheavier yields on a smaller plant\u003c\/strong\u003e, and \u003cstrong\u003ea usefully higher heat level\u003c\/strong\u003e. American sources rate it around 30,000–50,000 SHU (the same band as the parent), but UK gardeners growing it under greenhouse conditions report 50,000–85,000 SHU. The honest reading is that it runs hotter than standard cayenne under most UK conditions — properly \"very hot\", but still well short of habanero territory.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat you get\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRing of Fire produces the classic cayenne pod — long, slim, pencil-thin, pendant-hanging on the plant, ripening from green to a clean bright red. Pods reach around 10–12cm long and 1cm thick, slightly wrinkled or twisted, thin-walled, and produced in proper abundance once the plant gets going. A single well-grown plant will produce dozens of pods over a season.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe thin walls are the key to its versatility — they dry quickly and cleanly, which makes Ring of Fire one of the best chillies in the garden for \u003cstrong\u003edrying and grinding\u003c\/strong\u003e into your own home-made cayenne pepper, for stringing into traditional \u003cem\u003eristras\u003c\/em\u003e for the kitchen, for flaking, for hot sauces, or for using fresh in anything that needs a steady, building heat.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy it works in a British garden\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eMost cayenne varieties were selected in warmer climates — the American south, central Italy, India — where summers run hot and long. Drop one of those varieties into a typical UK summer and you can find your pods sitting stubbornly green into October, ripening reluctantly or not at all. Ring of Fire was selected specifically to address this:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEarliness\u003c\/strong\u003e — first ripe pods around 80 days from transplant means useable red chillies from August in most years\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eCompact 45cm plants\u003c\/strong\u003e — fits a 25cm pot easily, suits a patio or sunny windowsill, no staking needed\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeavy yields\u003c\/strong\u003e — despite the smaller plant size, Ring of Fire crops generously\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTolerates British weather\u003c\/strong\u003e — less fussy about heat and light than some habanero-class chillies; will do well in an unheated greenhouse or polytunnel, and acceptable on a sunny south-facing patio in a warm summer\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEasy from seed\u003c\/strong\u003e — reliable germinator, vigorous from start, low fuss for a hot chilli\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIf you've grown standard cayenne in the UK and found yourself slightly disappointed by the late or patchy ripening, Ring of Fire is the obvious next step.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn the kitchen\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRing of Fire is the classic drying cayenne — thin-walled, even-shaped, and consistent in heat. The traditional uses:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDrying and grinding\u003c\/strong\u003e for home-made cayenne pepper — a year's supply from a single plant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStrung into ristras\u003c\/strong\u003e — the traditional decorative chilli string for the kitchen, both useful and lovely\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eChilli flakes\u003c\/strong\u003e — dry and crush coarsely for crushed-chilli sprinkling on pizza, pasta and stir-fries\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHot sauces\u003c\/strong\u003e — the building, clean heat works well in fermented and quick sauces alike\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFresh in stews and curries\u003c\/strong\u003e — the heat builds rather than spikes; brilliant in Cajun, Tex-Mex, Caribbean and Indian cooking\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePickled\u003c\/strong\u003e — long thin pods pickle beautifully whole in a Kilner jar\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrowing tips\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow January to March\u003c\/strong\u003e with bottom heat (~25–30°C) and bright light. Earlier sowing gives longer cropping season\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePrick out into individual 9cm pots\u003c\/strong\u003e once true leaves appear\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePot on into 20–25cm final containers\u003c\/strong\u003e when roots fill the pot\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eGreenhouse or polytunnel\u003c\/strong\u003e ideal — will also do well in a warm sunny patio spot once the weather is reliable from June\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFeed regularly\u003c\/strong\u003e with a high-potash tomato feed once flowers appear\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePick first pods regularly\u003c\/strong\u003e to encourage further fruiting — a Ring of Fire plant cropped consistently will keep producing well into autumn\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eStandard chilli hygiene\u003c\/strong\u003e — wash hands after handling cut fruit, keep away from eyes\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRing of Fire is one of the easier hot chillies to grow successfully in the UK — well-suited to beginners stepping up from sweet peppers, and reliable enough that experienced chilli growers often keep a plant or two in the greenhouse for the consistent dried-chilli supply.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAt a glance\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eType:\u003c\/strong\u003e Hot chilli (\u003cem\u003eCapsicum annuum\u003c\/em\u003e), improved cayenne selection\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeat:\u003c\/strong\u003e 50,000–85,000 SHU — a step hotter than standard cayenne\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHeight:\u003c\/strong\u003e ~45cm; \u003cstrong\u003eSpread:\u003c\/strong\u003e 30–40cm; \u003cstrong\u003eSpacing:\u003c\/strong\u003e 40cm\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePod:\u003c\/strong\u003e 10–12cm long, pencil-thin, ripening green to bright red\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSow:\u003c\/strong\u003e January to March under heat (~25–30°C)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eHarvest:\u003c\/strong\u003e August to October — first ripe pods at around 80 days from transplant\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePosition:\u003c\/strong\u003e Full sun; greenhouse or warm sheltered patio\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eUses:\u003c\/strong\u003e Drying, ristras, chilli powder, flakes, hot sauces, pickling, fresh cooking\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEasy and reliable\u003c\/strong\u003e — one of the more forgiving hot chillies for UK conditions\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePlant alongside\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eRing of Fire grows beautifully alongside \u003ca href=\"\/products\/french-marigold-spanish-brocade\"\u003eFrench Marigold 'Spanish Brocade'\u003c\/a\u003e for natural aphid deterrence in the greenhouse, and \u003ca href=\"\/products\/calendula-neon-seeds\"\u003eCalendula 'Neon'\u003c\/a\u003e to draw in pollinators for early fruit-set. In the wider kitchen garden, it makes a strong companion to \u003cstrong\u003ebasil, tomatoes, sweet peppers\u003c\/strong\u003e and any of the other warmth-loving crops — share a greenhouse with them and you've got a proper summer salsa garden in one place.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bishy Barnabees Cottage Garden Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54424274698573,"sku":"sku-57303706239353","price":2.49,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0828\/6961\/6973\/files\/RingofFireChilli1.jpg?v=1785352696","url":"https:\/\/thefoalyard.co.uk\/products\/cayenne-ring-of-fire-chilli","provider":"The Foalyard","version":"1.0","type":"link"}