It’s been such a special season that I wanted to speak to you directly. Here’s my very first video message – a little update on what I’ve been growing, and what’s coming next. It feels like the right moment to share this properly, after such an extraordinary year in the garden.
September’s here and what a season it’s been. With the warmest year on record, my chillies, tomatoes and even cucumbers took off — from Scorpion X and Chocolate Primo through to San Marzano and Totem, right down to my first crop of Mini Munch cucumbers.
There’s something deeply satisfying about raising plants like these: tending them from small plugs, watching them fill out, and then picking your own fruit. It’s a simple pleasure, and one that feels increasingly rare in today’s world — a bit of everyday therapy, really, with the reward of flavour at the end.
They thrived because I started them as plugs early in the year, brought them on indoors, then hardened them off before the heat arrived.
September’s here and what a season it’s been. With the warmest year on record, my chillies, tomatoes and even cucumbers took off — from Scorpion X and Chocolate Primo through to San Marzano and Totem, right down to my first crop of Mini Munch cucumbers.
There’s something deeply satisfying about raising plants like these: tending them from small plugs, watching them fill out, and then picking your own fruit.
It’s a simple pleasure, and one that feels increasingly rare in today’s world — a bit of everyday therapy, really, with the reward of flavour at the end. They thrived because I started them as plugs early in the year, brought them on indoors, then hardened them off before the heat arrived.
It’s a simple pleasure, and one that feels increasingly rare in today’s world — a bit of everyday therapy, really, with the reward of flavour at the end.
They thrived because I started them as plugs early in the year, brought them on indoors, then hardened them off before the heat arrived.
Once outside, they were off like a shot. It’s a good reminder of how a single plug collection can carry you through a whole year’s worth of harvests — unusual varieties you’d never see in a supermarket, and more than enough to pay for themselves several times over.
Over the next few weeks I’ll be sharing some of these wonderful varieties with you – but for now here’s a little taster gallery of what’s been filling my greenhouse and kitchen.
Future emails will look at simple ways to enjoy your chillies, from quick dressings to jams and sauces that make unique gifts, as well as a few stories about the plants I managed to overwinter and what I learned along the way.
Don’t forget: you can already secure your plugs now with 15% off, when you pre-order. Order early and give yourself the best possible start for next season – it’s the easiest way to guarantee a rewarding harvest of your own.
Superhots & Super Crops
From fiery chillies to juicy tomatoes and cucumbers, this gallery gives you a taste of what’s to come.
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Scotch Bonnet. A true classic. I haven’t grown one for a few years, usually favouring habaneros for their flavour and ease. But this summer’s sunshine suited the Scotch Bonnet perfectly, and it rewarded me with a fair crop. I’ll be using them in rustic curries and maybe a proper Scotch Bonnet sauce — like welcoming an old friend back.
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Farmers Market Jalapeño. This plant had me second-guessing all season. It started well, then sulked in the heat until I moved it outside, where it slowly recovered. Growth never became vigorous, but when the pods formed their trademark heavy corking, I began to see the charm. The fruits are large, with plenty more on the way — I haven’t tasted them yet, so the jury’s still out.
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Devil’s Tongue x Scorpion. This new hybrid was a joy from the start — neat plants that shot up like rockets and fruited in the same fashion. The glossy pods almost look like plastic, and there are plenty of them. Heat sits midway between a habanero and a true superhot, with that lovely fruity edge of a hab. Indoors gave bigger yields, but the outdoor plant still held its own.
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Raging Bull (Biquinho x Habanero). Our very first Chilli of the Week this season, and it lived up to the wait. Plants drip with big red teardrops — not quite habanero hot, but carrying all that bright, fruity Biquinho flavour. Like a Biquinho on steroids. Brilliant for cooking, or preserving just like the original.
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Chocolate Primo. My superhot of the year. Deep chocolate pods with that unmistakeable smoky undertone of the chocolate types, and a vicious sting to match. In the greenhouse it ripened earliest of all the superhots; outdoors it lagged and only just started forming. A strong, vigorous plant for those who like it fierce.
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Sugar Rush Stripey. I was excited to try this one — peachy pods striped with red. The plant went tall and leafy (classic baccatum), and was late to start fruiting. At first I thought I’d got the wrong seed, as the pods were plain. But once ripening kicked in, the stripes appeared — they really do look like boiled sweets. Very sweet flavour, just like the standard Sugar Rush, and quite possibly the world’s cutest chilli.
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Turkish Snake Chilli. A complete show-stopper. The plants were tangled with 20–30 cm curled pods, twisting and turning everywhere. They taste hotter and sweeter than they look. Struggled with the heat of the greenhouse, but thrived once planted out in the garden. Who could fail to be impressed?
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Red Seven Pot. Proof of what a warm season it’s been — this one cropped happily on my patio. The plant stayed modest in size, but loaded with fruit. As expected from a Seven Pot: blistering heat with plenty of fruitiness. I’ve got mine earmarked for chilli jelly.
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Peach Fatalii. I had a bit of a mishap here — missed watering during the early August heatwave, and the plant never recovered. Before that it was full of pods, and I still had enough to try. The flavour is outstanding: like a yellow Fatalii, but more refined and delicate. I’ll certainly grow it again, with more care!
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Tonnes of Toms. One of my best harvest days: all the tumblers ripening together, joined by Yellow Submarines, Bumblebees, Romas, San Marzanos, Super Marmandes and Totems. Buckets of tomatoes destined for roasting, preserving and salads.
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San Marzano. At last, a success after two years of blossom-end rot. Careful watering paid off, both indoors and out. Famous as a sauce tomato, but I think that’s underselling them — they’re rich, meaty, and superb roasted with garlic and thyme.
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Bumblebee. Utterly gorgeous. Amber and gold streaks that run right through the flesh, not just the skin, making them look painted in watercolour. Tall plants, productive outdoors, and fruit that tastes as good as it looks — sweet, fruity, with a hint of passionfruit. A salad tomato that’s both pretty and delicious.
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Totem. Marketed as a mini bush, but mine shot up to 60–70 cm in pots. Tidy, attractive plants covered in neat bunches of 3 cm fruits. Cropped heavily outdoors — up to 3 kg from a single plant. Flavour is more robust than sweet, but excellent for compote and preserving. Looks so good in the garden I’d grow it again for that alone.
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Tutti Frutti. This one rocketed away and fruited early, even outside in our heatwave summer. Long trusses of oval fruits, uniform and plentiful. Not syrupy sweet, but balanced with a fresh, cleansing flavour. Let them go to deep red for the full effect — a real difference from the lighter red stage. Definite repeat grower.
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Yellow Tumbling Toms. Just like the red, they cropped by the bucketful. Hundreds of 2 cm fruits, all at once — brilliant for preserving. I roast them with garlic, thyme and olive oil, then jar them up. Flavour is decent rather than spectacular, but the sheer volume makes up for it. Plants tend to burn out after the first flush, so preserving is the way to go.
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Super Marmande. A true legend. Big, crumpled beefsteaks with soft folds and ribs — the tomato grower’s rite of passage. Needs a long season and plenty of support, but rewards with heavy, meaty fruits. Best roasted, or simply sliced on bread with something savoury alongside. Not the sweetest, but undeniably impressive.
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Carmen. Probably my top cucumber this year. Plants were vigorous and the fruits big, crisp and plentiful. The standout was the crunch — they stayed crisp even after days in the fridge. Clean, fresh flavour that lifts the palate. I let one go on to see how large it would grow — over 40 cm!
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Piccolino. Small, buttery-fresh cucumbers with a proper flavour and that all-important crunch. A world away from supermarket sticks of water. Lovely split lengthways with a sprinkle of sea salt, or on thick bread and butter — heaven.
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Mini Munch. The perfect little lunchbox cucumber. Plants went wild, producing fruits at speed — from flower to picking in about a week. At one point my greenhouse looked like Little Shop of Horrors! Flavour and crunch are spot-on, and the plants keep on giving.
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Passandra. Mid-sized, around 15 cm, with the same freshness and crunch as Piccolino but a little more substance. Plants grew rampantly and cropped from July through September, indoors and out. Give them plenty of room — they’ll fill it.
Start Small. Harvest Big
This whole harvest began with a tray of super plugs back in spring. If you’d like the same head start, here are five reasons why plugs make all the difference.
1, More for your money – plugs cost less than larger plants, yet given a head start they’ll often overtake them.
2. Early advantage – raised indoors and hardened off, they hit the ground running as soon as the weather warms.
3. Greater choice – starting with plugs means you can grow varieties you’ll never find as mature plants in a garden centre.
4. Bigger harvests – early plugs can grow into full-sized plants that fruit sooner, longer, and heavier.
5. Simple joy – there’s nothing more rewarding than watching a small plug transform into a plant dripping with chillies.
World of Chillies was set up by Sarah Hunt in 2011 to promote chilli growing and the enjoyment of everything hot and spicy.
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