Madre Vieja – are you ready for a flavour explosion? Hot and fruity with hints of grapefruit and a floral aroma (10,000–30,000 SHU). The chillies are crisp and juicy, maturing from pale green to deep yellow-orange. Plants are compact for a baccatum, with tight leaf spacing and a branching habit that makes them ideal for pots. Long season, productive, and a good one to overwinter.
SOW: from February to May, indoors in warm compost. Sow into trays or modules and press seeds in lightly – they need light to germinate. Pot on at the 2–3 leaf stage into 7cm pots, then up to a 3L (19cm) or slightly larger pot when plants reach 10cm tall.
GROW: ideal for pots or raised beds. Grows to around 90cm in a 3L container and stays nicely compact. Feed regularly with a high potash fertiliser (like tomato food) once flowering starts, and keep in a sunny spot and you’ll get a strong, reliable crop right through the season.
ENJOY: great fresh, cooked into sauces, or preserved by drying or freezing. The fruity heat and juicy texture work especially well in hot salsas.
Did you know? Madre Vieja means “old mother” in Spanish. This variety comes from Guatemala.
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