Aleppo peppers (Capsicum annum) are used to make a common Middle Eastern, Turkish and Mediterranean condiment. Typically the peppers are dried, de-seeded and then coarsely ground. Considered a flavour enhancer, like salt or pepper, it provides gentle heat with a touch of fruity sweetness and cumin-like tones. Aleppo pepper is used to season a variety of dishes including beans, salads, dips and meat.
A moderately hot chili (10,000 on the Scoville scale) with pods of a burgundy red colour growing ~8cm in length. Named after the ancient northern Syrian city which is located on the Silk Road. With the ongoing tragedy of war torn Syria, most Aleppo pepper is now produced in Turkey where it also widely grown.
Aleppo pepper plants are grown just like any other C. annum. Mine got to 80cm tall and were quite bushy with a lot of close branching. They would probably benefit from some pruning to improve air flow and access for the sun but I never got around to it.
Ailsa Craig has been grown for over a hundred years and is one of the standard tomatoes from which others are measured against. Great tasting medium sized tomatoes with a good balance of sweetness and acidity.
A small bushy (determinate) tomato plant suitable for growing in pots, hanging baskets and containers. Ideal for conservatories and balconies where space is limited. Plants get about 20cm tall and produce cascading trusses of red cherry tomatoes. A 10 – 15 liter pot with good potting compost is sufficient.
‘Persika’ is a salad cucumber (Cucumis sativus) which has been bred biodynamically. It is suitable for indoor and outdoor production. It will always be more productive indoors in Irish conditions. Very productive variety with medium sized smooth skinned fruits. They are notably free of bitterness and have great flavour
A sweet pepper sourced from Poland, ‘Nokturn’ (Capsicum annuum) has good sized fruits with an amazing plum purple colour. As they ripen a cherry red colour comes through and it is worth waiting until then to harvest them as the flavour will be much sweeter. They have a nice crunch and can be used any way you would use a bell pepper.
The fruits weigh 50-90g and are triangular in shape. Plants can be up to 80cm tall and might need staking. To save pepper seeds allow the fruit to mature until the skin is wrinkly. The seeds will then be ripe enough. Peppers will cross pollinate so take care if you have more than one variety.
A small bushy (determinate) tomato plant suitable for growing in pots and containers. Ideal for conservatories and balconies where space is limited. Plants get about 20cm tall and produce a good amount of orange cherry tomatoes. A 10 – 15 litre pot with good potting compost is sufficient.
‘Gardener’s Delight’ is considered by many as the best cherry tomato. Produces large amounts of bite sized cherry tomatoes with exceptional flavour. An indeterminate variety so needs stringing up and side shooting. Will grow to about 2 meters height if allowed.
A very productive chili (Capsicum baccatum) from Russia. The fruits are plentiful, thin walled, yellow fleshed, hot and have an amazing citrus aroma. Good for using many ways. With so many I was able to dry them for powder and make a fermented hot sauce. Ripens from green to lemon yellow and the pods are about 10cm long. Plants were about 80cm tall.
Start seeds as early as possible with supplementary heat and light if necessary.
Also known as ‘Rose de Bern’, a heirloom pink beefsteak tomato with excellent flavour. Has a tangy and slightly acidic taste. Fruits are between 5 and 7cm in diameter.
This tomato variety bears lots of pear shaped bright yellow tomatoes. They are mildly sweet and not very acidic tasting. Cherry tomato size – fruits are around 3cm long. An indeterminate potato leaf variety so needs the usual supporting and side shooting.
A variety native to Ethiopia and Eritrea. A descendant from chillies that were first brought to east Africa from South America by Portuguese explorers during the 15th century. Plants get to about 1m in height and produce a good amount of 10-15cm fruits. The chillies are medium hot and their relatively large size make them much easier to process than smaller chillies. They ripen from dark green to a chocolatey brown colour and become folded and wrinkled.
It is also known as the ‘Berbere’ pepper as it is commonly used to prepare the east African spice blend of that name. Very versatile chili which can be used for making sauces, cooking fresh, smoking, drying and making a powder from.
Take care when sowing as the capsaicinoid chemicals which give chillies their heat is abundant on the seeds.
A striking tomato which was very productive in the poor summer of 2024 when other tomatoes struggled to ripen. ‘Black Strawberry’ produces a large amount of cherry fruits (30-50mm) over a long period of time. Indeterminate so will need stringing and side shooting.
Said to have high levels of anthocyanins, which is believable when you see how the richly marbled skins display a wide spectrum of colours including yellow, purple, strawberry red and near black. The variety was created as a cross of ‘Bosque Blue’ with ‘Strawberry Tiger’.
Leave to ripen as long as possible on the vine to insure they get sweet. Flesh is firm and a little grainy. A good all round tomato but for me best cooked in a sauce.
A tasty and very decorative large cherry tomato. Yellow skin streaked with purple mottling, the extent of which depends on the sun exposure at time of ripening. Nice variety of size from large cherry to medium. Robust skins which allow the fruit to keep well.
Bred by Tom Wagner in the United States with a line from Indigo Rose.
‘Bolivian Rainbow’ chili pepper is a variety which can be grown for both its ornamental value and its small pretty-hot chilies. The fruits are small and conical and ripen through purple, yellow, orange and red as they mature. Plants are an ideal size for growing in pots on a windowsill, conservatory or anywhere that space is limited.
Start seeds as early as possible with supplementary heat and light if necessary.
Aji Ethipian Fire is a Capsicum baccatum variety. This pepper species create large upright growing plants which can reach 2 meters in height. They are high yielding and grow very well in polytunnels or glasshouses in Ireland. Pods are 3″ long, slightly fruity and moderately hot.
Take care when sowing as the capsaicinoid chemicals which give chillies their heat is abundant on the seeds.
