Spicemad

Well, the weather is now starting to cool down quite significantly, which unfortunately isn't good news for the chilli plants. I don't know about you, but I've had a bumper crop of chillies this year and there are still quite a few more yet to ripen. Since posting the last update I've now got rid of all the Ring of Fire plants because I already have lots of them in the freezer at the green stage and semi-ripe stage and I also have lots of dried ones too. The Peruvian White Habanero plant has also gone, along with the Aji Mochero plant because all of the chillies had ripened up and are now in the freezer awaiting further instructions. The good news is that at least I can now get in the greenhouse without having to take out some of the plants first!

Chilli Harvest - 9th September 2025

Some of the plants are still setting fruit, namely Papa Joe's Scotch Bonnet and Orange Habanero. This year's Orange Habanero plant has been very prolific. I already have a bagful of ripe chillies from the plant that I picked when it was growing indoors. However, several weeks ago I moved it into the greenhouse and since doing so it has now set a lot more fruit. This is good going considering that the plant is only growing in a 5-litre pot. Orange Habanero has always been one of my favourite varieties. I think the next plants to be taken down will be Fatalii, Aji Lemon, Mako Akokosrade, Chocolate Habanero and Biker Billy Jalapeño, all of which have nearly finished. That will just leave Aji Largo x2, San Isidro Rocoto, Dwarf Chiltepin, Orange Habanero, Bengle Naga, Papa Joe's Scotch Bonnet, Malawi Bird's Eye and a brown superhot variety.

Anyway, that's enough rambling from me. Here are some photos that were taken over the last month showing some of the chilli plants and a few chilli harvests. I also have three new varieties to add to the website but I've been extremely busy and will do so when I get time.

Chilli Plants in the Greenhouse - 8th September 2025

Aji Largo - 9th September 2025

Aji Largo - 27th September 2025

Aji Lemon - 9th September 2025

Aji Mochero - 28th August 2025

Aji Mochero - 9th September 2025

Dwarf Chiltepin - 9th September 2025

Fatalii - 28th August 2025

Fatalii - 9th September 2025

Fatalii - 27th September 2025

Orange Habanero - 27th September 2025

San Isidro Rocoto - 9th September 2025

San Isidro Rocoto - 24th August 2025

San Isidro Rocoto - 9th September 2025

Chilli Harvest - 24th August 2025

Chilli Harvest - 9th September 2025

Chilli Harvest - 28th September 2025

Rocoto Harvest - 28th September 2025

I estimate that the chilli growing season will end for me around the end of October. I have a hunch that it's going to be a very spicy winter. All hail the Chilli Gods! 😈

The chilli plants have gone a bit wild this year for some reason. Perhaps it's something I've done, but either way, I'm not complaining. However, I think it's going to be a very spicy winter! I've been harvesting ripe pods for a few weeks now and there are so many of them that I've had to switch freezers. I've had to move all of the stuff from the chest freezer into the upright freezer and all of the chillies are now in the chest freezer in carrier bags. I wouldn't mind, but there are still lots more to ripen and I haven't even picked a single Rocoto pepper yet. By the end of the season, I think I'm going to need a walk-in freezer!

Chilli Harvest - 13th August 2025

Here in North Wales the weather has been extremely dry this summer. No doubt it's the same across all of the UK, but I don't watch the news so I have no clue as to whether they're talking about it or not. If it carries on like this then I'm going to have no other choice but to do a rain dance, and if they put a hosepipe ban in place then I'll never hear about it anyway because I don't watch the news, and plus, I don't water the garden with a hosepipe I use a bucket and a watering can. 😁

Chilli Plants in the Garden - 12th August 2025

Chilli Plants in the Porch - 18th August 2025

Here are a few photos taken between the 23rd July and 22nd August showing the greenhouse tribe. In there somewhere is one Orange Habanero plant, one Aji Mochero plant, one mystery plant (a brown superhot variety), one Dwarf Chiltepin plant, one Fatalii plant, one Aji Lemon plant, one Bengle Naga plant, two Ring of Fire plants and six tomato plants.

Chilli Plants in the Greenhouse - 23rd July 2025

Chilli Plants in the Greenhouse - 12th August 2025

Chilli Plants in the Greenhouse - 18th August 2025

Chilli Plants in the Greenhouse - 22nd August 2025

The Aji Largo plants are doing exceptionally well and both are loaded with peppers. All of my C. pubescens plants are using around 1.5-litres of water each day on an average day and 2-litres on hot days.

Aji Largo - 12th August 2025

Aji Largo - 22nd August 2025

Aji Largo - 12th August 2025

The Aji Lemon plant uses a lot of water for the size of the pot that it's growing in. On hot days it's using a litre of water per day, which is the same amount that the Ring of Fire plants in the greenhouse use and they're growing in larger pots.

Aji Lemon - 12th August 2025

Aji Lemon - 18th August 2025

Aji Lemon - 12th August 2025

There are now some ripe pods on the Aji Mochero plant but I'll have to wait for a day when there isn't much wind before harvesting them. In order to be able to get into the greenhouse I have to remove both Ring of Fire plants, and on windy days I have to rush in and out like a blue-arsed fly just in case they get blown over and damaged by a gust of wind!

Aji Mochero - 12th August 2025

Aji Mochero - 18th August 2025

Aji Mochero - 22nd August 2025

Bengle Naga is a new variety for me this year. I've already tried a couple of ripe pods and this is a very tasty variety! There will be more photos added to the site in the coming weeks when I get time.

Bengle Naga - 22nd August 2025

Biker Billy Jalapeño is also another new variety for me this year. I've tried a few ripe pods, and even though some internet sources claim that this variety is of medium heat, all of the pods I've eaten thus far were heat-free. Either way, the plant has produced very well considering it's only growing in a 5-litre pot. Again, more photos will be added to the site in the coming weeks.

Biker Billy Jalapeño - 12th August 2025

The Chocolate Habanero plant has been pumping out pods and I already have lots ripe ones in the freezer. There are still more yet to ripen and the workers are currently very busy producing more.

Chocolate Habanero - 12th August 2025

The Dwarf Chiltepin plant is living quite happily at the back of the greenhouse and podding up nicely. As tasty as these chillies are, I'm really not looking forward to picking them all!

Dwarf Chiltepin - 12th August 2025

The Fatalii plant is another one that's using a lot of water. I've had a few ripe pods from the plant thus far but the majority of them have still yet to ripen. Oops, it looks like there's a couple I forgot to pick... 😛

Fatalii - 12th August 2025

Fatalii - 18th August 2025

The Mako Akokosrade plant has grown a bit taller than the plants of this variety I've grown in previous years, but the growth habit is still manageable. However, if I grow this variety again next year then I will do so in the greenhouse. It's looming over the Chocolate Habanero plant and taking up quite a lot of space in the porch.

Mako Akokosrade - 12th August 2025

The Orange Habanero plant has now been moved into the greenhouse because I needed to make space on the windowsills for the cacti plants. This variety always grows very well for me indoors, even in a window. I've already had a respectable amount of ripe pods from the plant and I picked some more a couple of days ago. I'm always surprised by how prolific this variety can be, even when grown in smaller pots. The plant in the photos below is growing in a 5-litre pot.

Orange Habanero - 12th August 2025

As usual, the pod factory known as Papa Joe's Scotch Bonnet has — and still is — pumping out lots of nice chunky pods. Last year, I grew two plants of this variety, but this year I'm only growing one, thankfully!

Papa Joe's Scotch Bonnet - 12th August 2025

The Ring of Fire plants are growing like weeds and I have lots of ripe pods drying around the house on windowsills. I now have enough ripe pods, so the rest of them will be harvested at the green stage and then frozen. The two plants shown below are living in the middle of the greenhouse and each time I need to get into the greenhouse to pick myself a tomato or do some watering I have to take both of them out. My other two Ring of Fire plants are living on the landing windowsill and are growing in 5-litre pots.

Ring of Fire - 12th August 2025

The San Isidro Rocoto plant is doing great and has got some good sized peppers on it, a few of which are now starting to ripen. A couple of days ago, I noticed that one of the branches was heavy with fruit and needed some extra support.