Spicemad

The weather this summer in North Wales was a tad miserable to say the least, but in recent days it has taken a turn for the better. It was nice and sunny yesterday and has been even sunnier today, and as of writing this post I've just finished fertilising the outdoor Rocoto plants, all of which were in need of a good drink. The sunny weather is set to continue for a while to come and according to the weather forecast a heatwave is meant to be arriving in the UK next week and temperatures are forecast to reach around 32C in places, which will be a very welcomed gift for both the chilli plants and Spicemad.

Chilli Plants in the Porch - 2nd September 2023

The Chocolate Habanero plant that I'm growing this year was started from seeds that I purchased and is not quite the same as the one I normally grow. My usual one doesn't grow quite as tall and is slightly more productive. It also produces larger chillies which have a slightly different shape. I still have lots of seeds saved for my usual one, but this year I wanted to try something different instead. I've also saved seeds from this year's plant and will likely grow it again in the future.

Chocolate Habanero - 2nd September 2023

Fatalii is a variety that doesn't seem to start fruiting properly for me until later in the year. It has always been this way. I'm sure the plant will be very grateful for the heatwave we're about to receive. I've had a few ripe chillies from the plant, but in the last couple of weeks it has set quite a lot of fruit.

Fatalii - 2nd September 2023

This year's Aji Charapita plant lives in the walk-in plastic greenhouse and is growing in a 5-litre pot. It's not a very big plant but it has set lots of fruit, but only one of which has ripened thus far. Given how some people believe that a kilogram of ripe Aji Charapita chillies can cost around $25,000 I must be a fool for leaving the plant outside in the greenhouse!

Aji Charapita - 26th August 2023

Aji Largo has been pumping out peppers as usual and I've been picking ripe ones from the plant for several weeks now. Its indoor counterpart growing in a 5-litre pot has just set more fruit, which means lots more true to type seeds will be saved over the coming weeks.

Aji Largo - 18th August 2023

Aji Largo - 1st September 2023

Aji Largo - 2nd September 2023

Aji Mochero always surprises me by how well it grows and sets fruit in the kitchen window. This year's plant is only growing in a 4-litre pot, and considering the kitchen doesn't get the sun until later in the afternoon it always produces a respectable amount of chillies. Next year, I may grow this variety in one of my best growing spots in a larger pot. I think it has earned that right by now.

Aji Mochero - 11th August 2023

Late last year I purchased seeds for Caribbean Red Habanero because it has been several years since I last grew this variety. My previous attempts at growing it ended up with the plants turning out to be a different variety, namely Antillais Caribbean, which is another nice variety. Anyway, the first batch of seedlings that germinated in January didn't look great but I pricked-out the best looking one from the batch. I then sowed the remainder of the seeds, and what germinated looked worse than the first batch. I kept hold of my one and only seedling and it grew okay up to a point, albeit quite slowly, but when the plant started flowering all of the new growth took on an odd shape. The plant has lived outside in the walk-in plastic greenhouse for most of the summer and has set a reasonable amount of fruit, but it hasn't grown very big and most of the chillies are undersized. I think I must have received a bad batch of seeds.

Caribbean Red Habanero - 2nd September 2023

Cumari Pollux has lived outside in the garden all season and has set a lot of fruit. However, this year's plant hasn't been as prolific as last year's, which I assume has a lot to do with the weather. This is another variety that I assume will be grateful for the incoming heatwave. There is now room for it in the glasshouse if need be, but given how the weather is about to take a turn for the better it can stay outside for a few more weeks.

Cumari Pollux - 2nd September 2023

Cumari Pollux - 1st September 2023

El Oro de Ecuador spent the first part of the growing season living outside in the garden, but once the weather turned bad it became a fair weather plant. Since then, I put it outside in the day if it's not raining and then I put it back in the greenhouse at night. This is just to stop the potting mixture from becoming too wet if it rains, and believe me it has rained here! The plant started setting fruit around the middle of August and is now in full flight.

El Oro de Ecuador - 2nd September 2023

El Oro de Ecuador - 1st September 2023

El Oro de Ecuador - 18th August 2023

This year's Guatemalan Orange Rocoto plant hasn't been quite as productive as last year's plant, but it has still set a decent amount of peppers. Last year's plant was very prolific, but then again last year's weather was much better than this year's. This is a very tasty Capsicum pubescens variety. I used a lot of these in my winter stews.

Guatemalan Orange Rocoto - 2nd September 2023

This year's Orange Habanero plant has been very productive and I've had some lovely chillies from it, most of which have been a respectable size. It has spent the growing season living in a cramped space in the glasshouse, and so it was unable to spread its wings.

Orange Habanero - 1st September 2023

Puno Pica Orange Rocoto is a new variety for me this year. The plant has spent the growing season outside in the garden with the rest of my Rocoto plants and has been quite prolific.

Puno Pica Orange Rocoto - 2nd September 2023

Scarlet Lantern is another new variety for me this year. This is an absolutely stunning variety and I'll certainly be growing it again. The chillies have a good flavour and a respectable amount of heat. This Peruvian beauty will turn a few heads, unlike Spicemad who has only ever turned people's stomachs.

Scarlet Lantern - 18th August 2023

I've been picking ripe chillies here and there for about a month. Here are some photos showing a few of my recent chilli harvests. The Chilli Gods and the Rain Gods have been battling it out in the heavens and both have been kind to me. The Chilli Gods gifted me with beautiful tropical fruits and the Rain Gods have saved me the job of watering the garden. 😁

Chilli Harvest - 11th August 2023

Jalapeño M - 11th August 2023

Chilli Harvest - 15th August 2023

Chilli Harvest - 18th August 2023

Chilli Harvest - 20th August 2023

Chilli Harvest - 26th August 2023

Chilli Harvest - 1st September 2023

I hope your chilli growing season is going well and that you are rewarded with bountiful spicy harvests. I imagine my growing season will come to an end around November, as is often the case. All hail the Chilli Gods. 😈

It would seem that the rain dance I performed in mid-Spring has backfired on me somewhat. Parts of Europe have been suffering from heat waves and wildfires, but here in North Wales the weather has been mostly overcast and raining for the last three weeks, and it is set to continue into the middle of August, much to the disappointment of the chilli plants. We've had the occasional day of partial sun, but it doesn't take long for the heavens to open back up again. It's good for the garden if nothing else. Still, we can't complain really. Rain is much more preferable to heat waves and wild fires, and for that I thank the Gods kindly! 😁

Chilli Plants in the Porch - 31st July 2023

I moved some of my outdoor chilli plants into the walk-in plastic greenhouse a few days ago because of the non-stop rain. Up until then they'd spent the past two and a half months living outside. Spring was hot and dry so I just left them out. I have five plants in the plastic greenhouse at present. When it's not raining four of them go outside for the day and the other one is placed in the doorway where it gets the most light. I leave the greenhouse door open 24/7, which means I don't have to make a point of opening it early in the morning just in case the sun comes out. The Rocoto plants are fine outside, but I think even they are now getting bored of the non-stop rain.

Anyhow, despite the rain we're currently getting the chilli plants are doing fine and all are now fruiting. Some varieties (Peruvian White Habanero, Ring of Fire, Jalapeño M and Malawi Bird's Eye) have already produced their first flush of fruit and are now starting to produce their second flush. I've been picking green chillies from my Ring of Fire plants for several weeks and the other day I picked the remainder from both plants so that they can start producing their next flush. I've also had several ripe Aji largo peppers from my indoor plant growing in a 5-litre pot and most of them were used for seed saving. I've also had two ripe San Isidro Rocoto peppers and another one is now starting to ripen. I have true to type seeds from both varieties currently drying on a shelf in the bedroom.

Ring of Fire - 25th July 2023

I dodged the rain drops recently and took a few photos because I thought maybe it was time to post a quick update. Some varieties are not included because there really isn't much to show at present.

Aji Largo - 28th July 2023

Aji Mochero - 28th July 2023

Cumari Pollux - 31st July 2023

Guatemalan Orange Rocoto - 30th June 2023

Guatemalan Orange Rocoto - 28th July 2023

Jalapeño M - 28th July 2023

Orange Habanero - 28th July 2023

Papa Joe's Scotch Bonnet - 28th July 2023

Prairie Fire - 28th July 2023

I hope your chilli growing season is coming along okay and that you're keeping everything spicy! Remember, if it doesn't burn on the way in and burn on the way out then it's really not worth eating. All hail the Chilli Gods! 😛

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Chilli Plant Update - 4th September 2023

Chilli Plant Update - 31st July 2023

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