Chilli Plant Update - 14th March 2023

The chilli plants are doing great and have reached a good size for the time of year. I don't want them growing too big too quickly because we still have a few weeks yet before they can go outside. Aside from the late sowings mentioned below, most of the varieties that were sown on the 26th January germinated within 10 days. Most of the seedlings were pricked-out on the 7th February and a few more were pricked out about one week later on the 16th February. I've also sown a couple more varieties since posting the last update. I sowed some Yellow Jelly Bean Habanero seeds on the 4th February and some CGN 19198 seeds on the 21st February. The former variety took 7 days to germinate and the latter variety took 12 days. After waiting three weeks the first batch of Sukanya Rocoto seeds hadn't germinated, so I sowed a second batch on the 25th February and the first seedling made an appearance 14 days later. 😎

Ring of Fire - 2nd February 2023

Although Aji Charapita, Orange Habanero, Caribbean Red Habanero, Chocolate Habanero, Prairie Fire, El Oro de Ecuador, Aji Crystal, Dwarf Chiltepin and Cap 1445 are all varieties I've grown before, this year's plants have not been grown from my own saved seeds, so therefore I'll be treating them like the new varieties and I won't be posting any photos of them until I know for sure that they are true-to-type. If you'd like to view a list of all the chilli varieties I'm growing this season then you can do so by visiting the current growing season page. The following three photos show the chilli plants in the heated propagator in the porch. The first one was taken on the 9th February, the second one on the 1st March and the third one was taken yesterday afternoon.

Chilli Plants in the Porch - 9th February 2023

Chilli Plants in the Porch - 1st March 2023

Chilli Plants in the Porch - 13th March 2023

Here are some photos showing a few of the individual tribe members that you've met before. Cumari Pollux and some of the Capsicum chinense varieties may look a little pale in the photos because they were accidentally exposed to low night time temperatures for several nights. I wasn't paying enough attention to the night time temperatures and it got as low as 50F in the porch for a few nights. I've since increased the temperature on the thermostatically controlled oil heater and now the night time temperature doesn't drop much below 60F. 😇

Aji Largo - 13th March 2023

Aji Mochero - 13th March 2023

Cumari Pollux - 13th March 2023

Fatalii - 13th March 2023

Guatemalan Orange Rocoto - 13th March 2023

Jalapeño M - 13th March 2023

Malawi Bird's Eye - 13th March 2023

Papa Joe's Scotch Bonnet - 13th March 2023

Peruvian White Habanero - 13th March 2023

Ring of Fire - 13th March 2023

San Isidro Rocoto - 13th March 2023

Trinidad Moruga Scorpion - 13th March 2023

Yellow Jelly Bean Habanero - 13th March 2023

On the 21st February, whilst sowing the CGN 19198 seeds, I took the lid off the compost bucket and was greeted by a seedling growing inside. I don't know how the seed got there, but tenacity like that will not go unrewarded. I pulled it from the mire and planted it into a pot of its own. I have no idea what variety it is, so for now I've just labelled it as 'the mystery'. It's definitely going to be one of the varieties I'm growing this season because my seed box hasn't been anywhere near the compost bucket. I have a hunch that it could be a Sukanya Rocoto, but we'll have to wait and see. Watch this space.

The Mystery - 14th March 2023

The Mystery - 14th March 2023

This season, I'm growing a few more chilli plants than usual, but some of them, namely Prairie Fire, Malawi Bird's Eye, Peruvian White Habanero and Yellow Jelly Bean Habanero, are going to be grown in pots smaller than 5-litres. One of the Aji Largo plants and my one and only San Isidro Rocoto plant are going to be grown indoors in small pots. I need to get some true-to-type Aji Largo seeds and I also want to see how well San Isidro Rocoto performs indoors. I have a feeling that it will do okay, but if not then I'll just re-pot it into a larger pot and put it outside in the garden. There really isn't much else to report on at the moment. It's hard to believe that by this time next week it will officially be spring. All hail the Chilli Gods! 😛

Edit/Update: Here is a photo taken on the 17th March showing this year's new chilli varieties.

New Chilli Varieties - 17th March 2023

The 2023 Chilli Growing Season Has Begun

Pandora's Box, AKA the chilli seed box, was finally opened on Thursday evening and the 2023 chilli growing season has now begun! I had planned on sowing the chilli seeds on Wednesday evening, but by the time I'd finished doing a few other small jobs it was getting too late. My chilli growing season can start anywhere between the beginning of January and the middle of February, but it normally starts towards the end of January. This is better for me because I don't want the plants growing too quickly. I spent Monday and Tuesday evenings looking through my seed collection and contemplating on which varieties to grow and where each plant is going to live for the duration of the growing season.

Chilli Seed Box and Plastic Plant Labels - 26th January 2023

On Wednesday evening I made up a bucketful of compost mixture and sterilised a sufficient amount of it for sowing the seeds. I also washed out the heated propagator because it was very dusty, sterilised the propagation trays and lids in a mild bleach solution, calibrated the EC and pH meters, wrote out a list of the chilli varieties I'm growing and sorted out the front porch in preparation for the big event. By the time I'd finished doing these few small jobs it was getting too late to sow the chilli seeds, so I had to leave the seed sowing until the following evening.

Compost Mixture - 25th January 2023

Sterilised Compost - 25th January 2023

Sterilised Propagation Trays - 25th January 2023

Calibrated EC Meter - 25th January 2023

Calibrated pH Meter - 25th January 2023

On Thursday evening, after washing the dishes and making up a bucketful of the water that I use for growing chilli plants, I finally got around to sowing all of the chilli seeds! I always sow a few more seeds than I need so that I can prick-out the healthiest-looking specimens from the batch and so that I can test the germination rates on my own saved seeds.

Water - 26th January 2023

Chilli Seeds Sown - 26th January 2023

This season, I've sown a total of 25 varieties, six of which are new ones and the rest of which are old tribe members that have been mentioned on this website in the past. I'm also planning to keep two plants of some varieties. As always, I won't be posting any photos of the new varieties until much later in the season, when I know for sure that they're true-to-type. Although I'm growing a total of 25 varieties (up to now at least), it's likely that only 24 of them will get mentioned on the blog because one variety is being grown indoors as an experiment. It may also be the case that I scrap one variety and keep two plants of another variety instead. I haven't yet published a list of the varieties I'm growing this year, but when I do you'll be able to view it on the current growing season page, if you're interested.

Chilli Seeds in the Heated Propagator - 27th January 2023

As you can see, the chilli seeds are now nice and snug inside the heated propagator surrounded by scrunched up newspaper to help trap in a little more heat. Hopefully, we should start seeing signs of life around next Thursday, but it could be sooner. In the past, I've had some Capsicum chinense varieties germinate in as little as four days, so I always start checking them after four days. It's been quite sunny here today in North Wales, which is always a welcomed sight in my world. Spring officially begins in just seven weeks, and so it won't be long now until the darkness is banished by the light. I hope you all have a fantastic chilli growing season and that all of your harvests are spicy and plentiful. Let the madness begin! All hail the Chilli Gods! 😈

Reusing Plastic Plant Labels

With the 2023 chilli growing season just around the corner I was sorting through my chilli growing equipment earlier and noticed that the ink on some of my plastic plant labels had faded. After renumbering them I decided to write a quick blog post to show you a way in which you can reuse plastic plant labels. Rather than writing the name of each variety onto the labels I number the labels and then assign a number to each variety instead. This allows me to reuse the same plastic plant labels each season. You can either write the number on the labels with a sharpie pen or just place a sticker onto the label and write the number on the sticker instead. I've been using the orange coloured plant labels shown in the photo below for four years now. The red and yellow coloured labels were added recently. I wanted more colours so that I can colour code each variety based on its heat level.

At the end of each growing season, all I do is give them a wash and then store them away until the following year. Occasionally, I need to rewrite the numbers because the ink has started to fade, but this only takes a couple of minutes to do. Okay, so I can hear you saying, "But Spice, they're just plastic plant labels. Why not put them in the recycle bin and save yourself the hassle of cleaning them? They're cheap enough, so just buy some new ones next year!" Why should I bother buying new ones every year when I can reuse the old ones instead? Even if they only cost £5 for 100, that money is better in my pocket than in someone else's. Not only that, but given the issue we have today with plastics in the environment, the less plastic we throw away the better. Humanity is already destroying the environment with its endless sea of garbage, and as a result all other life forms that we share this planet with are suffering massively.

Numbered Plastic Plant Labels

Based on the amount of chilli plants I grow each season, I number the labels up to number 26 and assign the same number to four labels because I rarely ever grow more than three or four plants of the same variety. Normally, I just grow one plant of each variety, but sometimes I may grow more, depending on the variety. I then keep a list of all varieties and the number that's been assigned to each one. Obviously, this step is very important so I can identify each variety. In the past, some people have also recommended using lollypop sticks which can then be thrown into the compost pile at the end of the season. However, having tried using lollypop sticks I found that they turned mouldy very quickly, and therefore I don't recommend using them.

Providing the labels you're using have a smooth surface as opposed to a textured one and you write the numbers using a Sharpie permanent marker pen there are ways in which you can clean the old ink off of plastic plant labels. If you just have two or three to clean you can normally remove the old ink using isopropyl alcohol. Just spray it on, leave it for a few seconds and then rub it off using a piece of kitchen paper. If you have lots of labels to clean then you can soak them in a strong bleach solution for 72 hours. Just use a sufficient amount of water to cover them and be quite generous with the bleach. After 72 hours, give them a rinse and a wash in warm soapy water and most of the old ink will have disappeared. Any stubborn ink can be removed with your finger when giving them a wash. Once they've dried they'll look as good as new. Always use good quality bleach. If you live in the UK then Domestos is the best bleach to use.

Plastic Plant Labels in Bleach Solution

Washed and Rinsed Plastic Plant Labels

Plastic Plant Labels Set Aside to Dry

Purchasing plastic plant labels from garden centres can sometimes work out expensive. The last time I checked (about four years ago), a garden centre local to me (a local-haunt for snobs) was charging £10 for 20 plastic plant labels and a small pencil. You'd have to be mad to pay that! I've found that the best place to purchase plant labels is on eBay. Not only are they cheaper and you get more for your money, but you have a choice of different colours too. In previous years, before I started numbering and reusing my plastic plant labels, purchasing new ones would often times be a last minute thing and then I'd have to wait several days for them to arrive in the post before I could sow the chilli seeds. I don't have that problem anymore.

The 2022 Chilli Growing Season Has Ended

The 2022 chilli growing season officially ended for me on the 17th November when I took down the last of the remaining plants, which were Fatalii, Malawi Bird's Eye, Antillais Caribbean, Cumari Pollux, San Isidro Rocoto, Criolla Sella, Guampinha de Veado, Aji Lemon, Costa Rican Red Rocoto, Guatemalan Orange Rocoto and Aji Largo. Most of the chillies had ripened but there were still quite a few unripe ones, including most of the Guampinha de Veado chillies, all of which have now been pickled. I'm sure they'll be very nice on sandwiches, pizzas and nachos over the coming months. The plant didn't even start flowering until the end of August, and it was only in the last couple of weeks that some of the chillies had started ripening. They're okay, but it's not a variety I'd grow again.

Plant Pots to Be Emptied - 17th November 2021

I picked all of the remaining Rocoto peppers on the 20th October because they were being attacked by bugs, the main culprits being slugs, snails and earwigs I suspect. Rather than risk losing more of the fruit I decided to pick them all and allow the unripe ones to ripen up indoors. Most did eventually ripen, but it took about 10 days for them to do so. I think I know why the bugs attacked the fruit and next year I'll do things slightly differently. The good thing is that I was able to salvage most of the damaged ones. After giving them a good wash I cut away the damaged parts, sliced them in half and inspected the insides. There was only a couple that had to be thrown away, the rest were fine and ended up in the freezer.

Rocoto Harvest - 20th October 2022

Bug Damaged Costa Rican Red Rocoto Peppers - 20th October 2022

Bug Damaged Costa Rican Red Rocoto Peppers - 20th October 2022

Bug Damaged San Isidro Rocoto Peppers - 20th October 2022

Three weeks ago, I pickled some surplus Rocoto peppers and also threw in the remainder of the Peruvian White Habanero, Cappuccino Chiltepin and Tabasco chillies for good measure, some of which were ripe and some of which were not. I don't recall ever having tried pickled Rocotos before, so it will be interesting to see how they turn out.

Pickled Rocoto Peppers - 4th October 2022

I also made stuffed Rocoto peppers (Rocoto relleno) on the 20th October. It was at that point when I realised that the Guatemalan Orange Rocoto is significantly spicier than the Costa Rican Red Rocoto. After parboiling both varieties to soften the flesh and then stuffing and baking them in the oven for 30 minutes, I noticed that the former variety had retained a good amount of heat, but the latter variety had lost most of its heat. However, they were all still very nice, regardless of how spicy they were.

Stuffed Rocoto Peppers - 20th October 2022

This next photo shows the final chilli harvest of the season, AKA the end of season pickings. The varieties shown here are Fatalii, Guampinha de Veado, Aji Largo, Malawi Bird's Eye, Aji Lemon, Criolla Sella and Antillais Caribbean.

Chilli Harvest - 19th November 2022

All of the growing equipment has now been washed and stored away until next season. I just need to remove the batteries from the EC and pH meters and add a few fresh drops of KCl solution into the cap of the pH meter before storing it away. I also need to purchase some new pre-filters for the RO/DI unit and perhaps a new RO membrane too. They will be changed in the next few weeks in preparation for the 2023 chilli growing season. Some of the varieties I'll be growing next season require an early start, so the 2023 chilli growing season will probably start around the beginning of January.

Washed Plant Pots and Growing Equipment - 19th November 2022

It's been a fantastic growing season and the chilli freezer is now filled to maximum capacity. I couldn't squeeze any more chillies in there if I tried, and believe me I've tried. I also have six good-sized jarfuls of pickled chillies and a good amount of dried chillies, some of which I used recently to make a beef vindaloo. I think it's going to be a very spicy winter. I really need to think about making a few more batches of hot sauce in order to make a serious dent in this year's chilli harvest. I've also got lots of chilli seeds that need sorting out. Anyhow, I'll see you all in a few weeks. All hail the Chilli Gods, the only true Holy Family and the one of all things spicy! 😛

Chilli Plant Update - 18th October 2022

The end of the chilli growing season is fast approaching, and the weather here in North Wales has started to get a bit chilly. This is not very good news for most of the plants, although the C. pubescens and C. baccatum varieties will still be okay for quite a while yet. However, today it has been very sunny with no clouds in sight, and the chilli plants have been enjoying some direct sun. Earlier on, it was 78–80C in the porch! If the sky remains clear then it will probably get quite chilly tonight. I think a nice spicy beef stew might be in order.

Rocoto Peppers - 16th October 2022

Given that the weather has now changed, on the 28th September, shortly after taking down the remaining tomato plants, I moved all but one of the outdoor chilli plants into the glasshouse, which is something I do most years. The varieties now living in the glasshouse are Aji Lemon, Antillais Caribbean, Criolla Sella, Guampinha de Veado, Cumari Pollux, Guatemalan Orange Rocoto, Costa Rican Red Rocoto and San Isidro Rocoto. In order to make more room I had to take down the Bangalore Torpedo plant, which was full of chillies and still in the process of setting fruit. Most of them were still green, but that's fine because I normally use them at the green stage anyway. They'll get used up over the coming months in Indian curries and chili con carne.

Chilli Plants in the Glasshouse - 13th October 2022

Bangalore Torpedo - 23rd September 2022

Bangalore Torpedo - 23rd September 2022

Unfortunately, there was no room in the glasshouse for the Aji Largo plant, so for the time being it still lives outside. I picked the first batch of ripe peppers from it on Friday. Here are a few photos of the plant that were taken over the past month. This variety has performed quite well considering it's growing in poor quality compost.

Aji Largo - 14th September 2022

Aji Largo - 13th September 2022

Aji Largo - 13th October 2022

Aji Largo - 13th October 2022

Aji Lemon has done very well as usual. This variety is always a pleasure to grow. I managed to crawl under the Costa Rican Red Rocoto plant a few days ago to pick some ripe chillies from it, and after having another quick look I could see there are still a few more good-sized ones still yet to ripen. I think I've become double-jointed from growing chilli plants in the places that I do and from crawling on my hands and knees under the kitchen table to make RO/DI water. If there's anyone who can do a commando crawl under a Rocoto plant to reach a few ripe Aji Lemon chillies, it's me! 😁

Aji Lemon - 16th October 2022

Antillais Caribbean has been like a chilli factory this year. It has lived in the corner of the glasshouse all season and has seemed very happy. This next photo was taken on the 23rd September, just shortly before harvesting the ripe chillies. I also picked a nice amount of ripe chillies from it on Friday, and there are still a few more yet to ripen. Once the remaining chillies have ripened I'll take the plant down.

Antillais Caribbean - 23rd September 2022

Antillais Caribbean - 16th October 2022

I grew Cappuccino Chiltepin this season. It's the first time I've grown this variety and probably the first time I've mentioned it in any of the posts. Initially, the plant was growing in a 5-litre pot, but then, one Sunday afternoon a few months ago I decided to re-pot it into what I think is an 8 or 9-litre pot. It has grown quite big, but surprisingly it hasn't grown to an unmanageable size. It seems quite happy growing in a bedroom window, but moving it wasn't the easiest job. I was always afraid that I'd end up damaging it, and so moving it was a bit like moving the Crown Jewels. It's a nice variety and a rarity too, but in terms of flavour I prefer the Dwarf Chiltepin.

Cappuccino Chiltepin - 16th September 2022

Cappuccino Chiltepin - 25th September 2022

I'm not in any hurry to grow the Carolina Reaper again. It didn't impress me much at all. The plant remained healthy all season, but most of the chillies were small. It produced two or three good-sized ones and the rest were about the size of a grape. I think some of these plants may still be unstable. If I decide to grow it again in the future I'll look for a more reliable seed source. The whole superhot chilli stuff has been done to death, in my opinion. It was something different to try, but in all honesty it's not going to give me anything that I don't already get from the other superhot varieties I grow. Maybe next year I'll try another superhot variety instead, just for the hell of it. The plant was taken down on Thursday.

Carolina Reaper - 21st August 2022

Carolina Reaper - 21st August 2022

Carolina Reaper - 21st August 2022

Carolina Reaper - 13th October 2022

Carolina Reaper - 13th October 2022

Carolina Reaper - 13th October 2022

Carolina Reaper - 13th October 2022

Carolina Reaper - 16th October 2022

I now have a big bagful of ripe Chocolate Habanero chillies, which will be greatly appreciated by yours truly over the coming winter months. The plant has performed very well, as usual, and I picked the remaining chillies from it on Thursday shortly before taking it down.

Chocolate Habanero - 24th September 2022

Chocolate Habanero - 15th September 2022

Costa Rican Red Rocoto is a new variety for me this season. The plant has spent all season living outdoors and has performed very well. The peppers are medium-sized and of medium heat. I picked quite a few ripe ones from it on Friday and there are still quite a few yet to ripen.

Costa Rican Red Rocoto - 29th September 2022

Costa Rican Red Rocoto - 14th October 2022

I thought Criolla Sella was going to be a new variety for me this season, but it would seem that I've grown it before. When I grew it back in 2016 and 2017 it was labelled as Hot Orange. The plant has lived outdoors all season and has been very prolific. There are still quite a few chillies yet to ripen.

Criolla Sella - 4th September 2022

Criolla Sella - 5th September 2022

Cumari Pollux is a new variety for me this season. All season, the plant has lived outdoors by day and in the walk-in plastic greenhouse by night. It has been an awesome plant and has produced masses of chillies. I'll definitely be growing this variety again. Yesterday afternoon, I picked all the remaining chillies from the plant and pickled them. Picking them took just over an hour and removing the pedicels took about another hour and a half. Inserting a pickled Cumari Pollux chilli into a pitted green olive might make for a fun party trick!

Cumari Pollux - 16th October 2022

Cumari Pollux - 14th October 2022

Cumari Pollux - 17th October 2022

Pickled Cumari Pollux Chillies - 18th October 2022

The Fatalii plant is still going strong and is in the process of setting more fruit. There are about 20 good-sized chillies yet to ripen and a few smaller ones too. It's the only plant remaining in the porch now and it's not in the way, so it can stay for as long as necessary.

Fatalii - 18th October 2022

Fatalii - 18th October 2022

Fatalii - 18th October 2022

Fatalii - 18th October 2022

Fatalii - 18th October 2022

Guampinha de Veado is a new variety for me this season. The plant is almost as tall as me and has spent all season living outdoors. It didn't start fruiting until the end of August, so I've still yet to try a ripe one. I don't think it will be too long now until the first ones start ripening. I tried a green one a couple of days ago and it barely had any heat. I think I may end up pickling all the chillies from this plant too.

Guampinha de Veado - 16th October 2022

Guatemalan Orange Rocoto is a new variety for me this season. The plant has lived outdoors all season and has produced a lot of peppers, which are medium-sized and of medium heat. Call me a crazy gringo, but I really like eating raw Rocotos! I added one of these peppers to a beef stew on Sunday evening and it was delicious.

Guatemalan Orange Rocoto - 29th September 2022

Guatemalan Orange Rocoto - 14th October 2022

The Malawi Bird's Eye plant is still going strong, but now that the temperatures have dropped it has lost quite a lot of its leaves. It seems happy in the kitchen window and doesn't take up much space, so I'm in no hurry to take it down.

Malawi Bird's Eye - 13th October 2022

I now have more Orange Habanero chillies than I can shake a stick at. This is always a great variety to grow and the plants are always super prolific. I picked the remaining chillies from the plant on Thursday shortly before taking it down. It will be sadly missed.

Orange Habanero - 15th September 2022

The Peruvian White Habanero plant is like a gift that keeps on giving. I now have a good-sized bagful of ripe chillies from it that I've been picking here and there throughout the season. They'll eventually be used up in a hot sauce. This variety has a compact bushy growth habit and always grows well in the bedroom window in a 7-litre pot. I think it would also do well in a 10-litre pot.

Peruvian White Habanero - 13th October 2022

Peruvian White Habanero - 13th October 2022

San Isidro Rocoto is another new variety for me this season. The plant has lived outdoors all season and has performed very well. This is the hottest of the three new C. pubescens varieties I'm growing this season. It also happens to be my favourite of the three, with Guatemalan Orange Rocoto being quite a close second. I'll be growing this variety again for sure.

San Isidro Rocoto - 29th September 2022

San Isidro Rocoto - 14th October 2022

I grew a Tabasco plant this year on a whim. I've grown this variety before, but given how I had seeds for it I decided to grow it again. You know what it's like — we chilli-heads can be an irrational bunch at the beginning of the growing season! Anyway, a couple of months later I had a change of heart, and so I planted it outside in the garden, just to give it a fighting chance. About three weeks later, I noticed it had been attacked by an army of slugs and snails, and all that remained of it was a couple of stems and a few battle-scarred leaves. Feeling sorry for it, I decided to dig it up and put it into a pot. After transferring it into fresh compost and treating it to make sure there were no nasties lurking that could potentially spread to the rest of my indoor plants, I placed it on the table in the porch.

After a couple of weeks of doing nothing, it then took off and produced lots of new growth. Eventually, it went on to become a nice healthy plant and has remained so ever since. It has lived in the bedroom window for most of the season and is growing in a 5-litre pot. It's only a small plant in comparison to how big they can grow, but I still think it's worthy of a mention. I don't think I'll grow it again anytime soon because as some of you may know, I'm not a massive fan of very tall chilli plants, and Tabasco is one such variety.

Tabasco - 13th October 2022

Tabasco - 13th October 2022

Tabasco - 13th October 2022

Tabasco - 13th October 2022

These next 10 photos show the chilli harvest from the past month or so. Two of them were taken on the 11th September, one on the 18th September, one on the 25th September, two on the 28th September, one the 13th October, two on the 14th October and one on the 16th October.

Chilli Harvest - 11th September 2022

Chilli Harvest - 11th September 2022

Chilli Harvest - 18th September 2022

Chilli Harvest - 25th September 2022

Chilli Harvest - 28th September 2022

Chilli Harvest - 28th September 2022

Chilli Harvest - 13th October 2022

Chilli Harvest - 14th October 2022

Rocoto Harvest - 14th October 2022

Rocoto Harvest - 16th October 2022

I made three batches of hot sauce last month and used up the remainder of last year's chillies. One thing I've noticed is that many artisan chilli sauces contain sweet fruits, such as mangoes, plums, peaches, pineapple and strawberries. Having experimented in the past with sweet fruits in chilli sauces, I can honestly say that I'm not a fan. I'm strictly a savoury guy, and the only fruits that go into my chilli sauce are chillies and bell peppers. I'm not a fan of jams, jellies or marmalades either.

Spicemad's Habanero Hot Sauce - 17th September 2022

Spicemad's Habanero Hot Sauce - 27th September 2022

I think the growing season will likely come to a close around the end of November for me. The varieties that have now gone are Bangalore Torpedo, Carolina Reaper, Chocolate Habanero, Dorset Naga, Jalapeño M, Mako Akokosrade, Orange Habanero, Papa Joe's Scotch Bonnet and Ring of Fire. The varieties still remaining are Aji Largo, Aji Lemon, Antillais Caribbean, Cappuccino Chiltepin, Costa Rican Red Rocoto, Criolla Sella, Cumari Pollux, Fatalii, Guampinha de Veado, Guatemalan Orange Rocoto, Malawi Bird's Eye, Peruvian White Habanero, San Isidro Rocoto and Tabasco.

Chilli Plants in the Garden Rubbish - 13th October 2022

I have a dedicated freezer just for the chillies and it's almost filled to capacity now, which is a bit of a problem because there are still quite a few Rocotos yet to pick. "Oh, Spicemad, why do you grow so many? You're going to have an arse like a blood orange after you've eaten all that lot!"

Rocoto Peppers - 17th October 2022

The Chilli Freezer - 18th October 2022

I imagine that by the time I publish the next post all except for the Rocotos and perhaps Guampinha de Veado will have been taken down. I don't know if you're like me, but I hate getting rid of the chilli plants. They've done very well this season too. Although a fair amount of work goes into it, it's always nice to see it all come together in the end. All hail the Chilli Gods! 😍