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The 2025 Chilli Growing Season Has Ended

The 2025 chilli growing season has now come to an end for me. I took down the remaining greenhouse plants (Bengle Naga, Aji Lemon, Fatalii, Dwarf Chiltepin, and Big Black Mama) on Wednesday 22nd October and the remaining five plants (Malawi Bird's Eye, Red Chiltepin, San Isidro Rocoto and Aji Largo x2) on Tuesday 4th November. All of the growing equipment, such as plant pots, water trays, bamboo canes, garden cane caps, plastic plant labels, buckets and bottles, measuring jugs, measuring pots and stirring rods have now been washed and sanitised and stored away until next season. It's always very sad to see the chilli plants go, especially when they've performed so well, as is most definitely the case this year! 😭

End of Season Pickings from the Rocoto Plants - 4th November 2025
End of Season Pickings from the Rocoto Plants - 4th November 2025

Here are the last photos that I took of the greenhouse plants on the 22nd October. Below them, I've included a few photos of the Aji Largo plants that were also taken on the same day. However, as already mentioned, they weren't taken down until the 4th November, 13 days later, because I was still waiting for some isolated pods to finish ripening for true to type seed.

Dwarf Chiltepin - 22nd October 2025
Dwarf Chiltepin - 22nd October 2025

Orange Habanero - 22nd October 2025
Orange Habanero - 22nd October 2025

Orange Habanero - 22nd October 2025
Orange Habanero - 22nd October 2025

Greenhouse Chilli Plants Taken Down - 22nd October 2025
Greenhouse Chilli Plants Taken Down - 22nd October 2025

Aji Largo - 22nd October 2025
Aji Largo - 22nd October 2025

Aji Largo - 22nd October 2025
Aji Largo - 22nd October 2025

Aji Largo - 22nd October 2025
Aji Largo - 22nd October 2025

Aji Largo - 22nd October 2025
Aji Largo - 22nd October 2025

Aji Largo - 22nd October 2025
Aji Largo - 22nd October 2025

These next photos show some of my recent chilli harvests and they were taken between the 10th October and the 4th November. If you're curious, the varieties shown in the photos below are Aji Largo, San Isidro Rocoto, Fatalii, Orange Habanero, Aji Lemon, Big Black Mama, Bengle Naga and Dwarf Chiltepin.

Aji Largo - 10th October 2025
Aji Largo - 10th October 2025

San Isidro Rocoto - 10th October 2025
San Isidro Rocoto - 10th October 2025

Chilli Harvest - 10th October 2025
Chilli Harvest - 10th October 2025

Chilli Harvest - 10th October 2025
Chilli Harvest - 10th October 2025

End of Season Pickings from the Greenhouse - 22nd October 2025
End of Season Pickings from the Greenhouse - 22nd October 2025

San Isidro Rocoto and Aji Largo - 25th October 2025
San Isidro Rocoto and Aji Largo - 25th October 2025

End of Season Pickings from the Rocoto Plants - 4th November 2025
End of Season Pickings from the Rocoto Plants - 4th November 2025

End of Season Pickings from the Rocoto Plants - 4th November 2025
End of Season Pickings from the Rocoto Plants - 4th November 2025

Aside from managing to dry lots of ripe Ring of Fire chillies and Malawi Bird's Eye chillies around the house on windowsills during the summer, some of which are shown in a photo below, I've pickled all remaining unripe Rocoto peppers and Chiltepin peppers and I've also been working on a new Andean Hot sauce recipe which is made using C. pubescens and C. baccatum varieties. It's now in its final stages and I'm really impressed by how well it has turned out. It only needs a few minor tweaks and the recipe is finished. I'll be making another batch in a few days just so I can free up some space in the freezer. I've also made a batch of spicy lime pickle, but that won't be ready to eat for another three weeks yet.

Pickled Chillies - 6th November 2025
Pickled Chillies - 6th November 2025

Spicemad's Andean Hot Sauce - 6th November 2025
Spicemad's Andean Hot Sauce - 6th November 2025

Spicemad's Spicy Lime Pickle - 6th November 2025
Spicemad's Spicy Lime Pickle - 6th November 2025

Dried Chillies - 2nd October 2025
Dried Chillies - 2nd October 2025

Just to think, that in about 10 weeks from now it will be time for me to sow the 2026 chilli seeds. In the meantime, I now have an upright freezer filled to the brim with the devil's fruits to keep me warm during the winter! If you're unsure about how to preserve your chilli harvest then check out the page I wrote on preserving chilli peppers. 😈

The Chilli Freezer - 7th November 2025
The Chilli Freezer - 7th November 2025

To say that I'm impressed by how well this growing season has gone would be an understatement. Many growers I know have also said the same thing. Anyhow, I'll see you in a few weeks — when the madness begins again! Until then, I have a few new additions for the site and some edits to do, so if you need me I'll be in the back room. All hail the Chilli Gods! 🌶

Chilli Plant Update - 28th September 2025

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
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
Chilli Plants in the Greenhouse - 8th September 2025

Aji Largo - 9th September 2025
Aji Largo - 9th September 2025

Aji Largo - 9th September 2025
Aji Largo - 9th September 2025

Aji Largo - 9th September 2025
Aji Largo - 9th September 2025

Aji Largo - 27th September 2025
Aji Largo - 27th September 2025

Aji Largo - 27th September 2025
Aji Largo - 27th September 2025

Aji Largo - 27th September 2025
Aji Largo - 27th September 2025

Aji Largo - 27th September 2025
Aji Largo - 27th September 2025

Aji Largo - 27th September 2025
Aji Largo - 27th September 2025

Aji Lemon - 9th September 2025
Aji Lemon - 9th September 2025

Aji Mochero - 28th August 2025
Aji Mochero - 28th August 2025

Aji Mochero - 9th September 2025
Aji Mochero - 9th September 2025

Aji Mochero - 9th September 2025
Aji Mochero - 9th September 2025

Dwarf Chiltepin - 9th September 2025
Dwarf Chiltepin - 9th September 2025

Dwarf Chiltepin - 9th September 2025
Dwarf Chiltepin - 9th September 2025

Fatalii - 28th August 2025
Fatalii - 28th August 2025

Fatalii - 9th September 2025
Fatalii - 9th September 2025

Fatalii - 27th September 2025
Fatalii - 27th September 2025

Orange Habanero - 27th September 2025
Orange Habanero - 27th September 2025

Orange Habanero - 27th September 2025
Orange Habanero - 27th September 2025

San Isidro Rocoto - 9th September 2025
San Isidro Rocoto - 9th September 2025

San Isidro Rocoto - 9th September 2025
San Isidro Rocoto - 9th September 2025

San Isidro Rocoto - 9th September 2025
San Isidro Rocoto - 9th September 2025

San Isidro Rocoto - 24th August 2025
San Isidro Rocoto - 24th August 2025

San Isidro Rocoto - 9th September 2025
San Isidro Rocoto - 9th September 2025

San Isidro Rocoto - 9th September 2025
San Isidro Rocoto - 9th September 2025

Chilli Harvest - 24th August 2025
Chilli Harvest - 24th August 2025

Chilli Harvest - 9th September 2025
Chilli Harvest - 9th September 2025

Chilli Harvest - 9th September 2025
Chilli Harvest - 9th September 2025

Chilli Harvest - 9th September 2025
Chilli Harvest - 9th September 2025

Chilli Harvest - 28th September 2025
Chilli Harvest - 28th September 2025

Rocoto 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! 😈