Hot Dunstable

Dunstable is no stranger to spicy characters. Heck, legend once had it that the town was named after a local renegade and his horsey house! That guy stole the King’s ring! And goods don’t get much hotter than that. Or do they?

Making a blazing, brazen, Bedfordshire-based bid to best Thomas Dun with his very own rebellious flavour, Hot Dunstable (AKA Mike O’Connell) is sowing a little anarchy with an excellent range of AutoPot-grown chilli pods and sauces. 

Verily, we’d have been the outlaws had we not taken the opportunity to find out more about Mike’s epic adventures in cultivation. Join us as he takes us for a tour of his incredible setup – with sage advice galore!

Whilst rebellious flavours may be of interest to Mike, his base is no vagabond’s den of iniquity. Quite the opposite. Frankly, we’ve rarely seen such immaculate systems, set out perfectly in a textbook set of polytunnels and propagation areas. 

The first takeaway from this is just how much a well organised space can do for your growing. Yes, gardening can be inherently messy and regardless of cleanliness you still have to know your stuff. But keeping on top of basic housekeeping seriously improves your chances of decent results. Tidy growing spaces allow for better plant access, better airflow, easier pruning and care, and fewer places for nasties to lurk. Like most keen growers Mike invests in his setup, so why wouldn’t he want to keep it in good nick? Not least given the sweet upgrades he made for 2023.

As Mike explains, ‘this year’s growing season has brought some changes. I decided to expand my growing area and have one polytunnel set up exclusively with a 25L / 6.6 gal 1Pot XL system.’ The large capacity modules in this system caught Mike’s attention for a number of reasons, not least their undeniable performance as seen online.

By Mike’s admission, ‘the system’s simplicity initially drew me in, but it was the impressive reported yields and the photos of chilli farms on social media that played a big role in persuading me about the advantages of this growing method.’ But how did the online dream match up to reality?

All too often life online doesn’t quite square with real world, but Mike’s system seems to be treating him very well indeed. ‘As a plumber by trade, setting up such a system was second nature to me, although I believe anyone could manage it without much difficulty. I grow hydroponically which does require some initial research, but the effort pays off significantly with the impressive yields achievable compared to traditional soil-based methods.’

Mike’s plants are tucked up in Atami Coco Coir with perlite mixed in. This grow media combination provides the perfect degree of aeration for healthy root development and nutrient uptake. The nutrients in question are by Dutchpro whose full range Mike has been using this year – to stunning effect. Together the systems, media, nutrients, and techniques used by Mike have produced abundant, high quality examples of his favourite ‘cult classics’ plus the odd zeitgeist-y variety. 

Every year Mike dedicates a proportion of his systems to staples such as Jalapeño, Habanero, Naga, Cayenne, and Peri Peri. For 2023 he’s added Moruga Scorpion, Sugar Rush Stripey, and De Arbol to lend his recipes extra depth and complexity. 

By his own admission Mike is lucky to have the space and scale of systems to experiment with cultivation and flavours. ‘I’m fortunate to have such a wide range of chilli varieties to play with. Each chilli has its own distinct flavour and level of heat, making both the growing process and sauce making really interesting. One of my favourite sauces to make is chipotle using my cherry wood-smoked jalapeños.’ 

Notwithstanding the scope of his setup, Mike faces the same issues that beset most chilli growers in northerly climes – not least this year. ‘The weather in 2023 was a bit tricky. We got hit with a super hot June that actually burned a bunch of my plants at the start. The rest of the summer wasn’t all that great, but thankfully, a warm October helped with the ripening process.’

‘I’ve learned a couple of important lessons in this year. Firstly, staying organised is a must, especially with our short chilli-growing season here in the UK. Every day counts! Also, using shade netting during the hot spell in June would have helped protect my young plants.’

Given the mixed conditions experienced this summer Mike’s focus on airflow has been essential in encouraging healthy growth, maximising yield, and keeping pathogens at bay. ‘I don’t follow a scientific approach to plant spacing. If I had more space, I’d likely give my plants even more room to grow. However, I do make it a point to trim back excess branches and leaves around mid-season to ensure optimal airflow, maximise growth, and allow the remaining chillies to receive more energy for optimal ripening.’

‘That airflow is crucial in preventing the formation of mold and diseases, especially during the cold and damp conditions at the end of each season, which I often encountered in my early days.’ Airflow, however, will do nothing to deter nuisances of a larger order.

Mike has been plagued by a fox. ‘That animal has been the bane of my existence! She/He has left me with some unwelcome presents in the polytunnel, including chewed-up pipes, plastic and an emptied tank. While they’re beautiful creatures, I do wish they’d nibble on a super hot chilli once in a while!’ 

Fox aside, Mike is very much looking forward to 2024, including the renewal of his propagation areas. ‘Next year, my plans include revamping that room with new racks and the installation of energy-efficient LED grow lights, replacing my outdated T5 tube lights. Both my electricity bill and wallet will surely appreciate the upgrade. Additionally, I’m eager to experiment with the AutoPot Tray2Grow System!’

Come February, Hot Dunstable’s crop of ’24 will be starting to peep and sprout out. It’s not long now! The seeds, often originating from previous crops or other online growers, are being squirrelled away as we speak. 

With exciting times ahead, Mike would like thank those who’ve helped him on the journey so far. Of special note are Dutchpro ‘for their invaluable support this year, providing top-quality nutrients for my grow. He’d also like to extend his thanks to The Green House Effect, ‘a hydroponics shop in Milton Keynes, for their constant assistance and support.’ Last but not least, ‘a big shout out to @ProfessorPods, who is a true Mr. Miyagi in the chilli world. His generous sharing of knowledge about hydroponic chilli growing has been invaluable to me.’

Mike would also like to thank AutoPot ‘for the opportunity to share my hobby and passion’, but we’re far too bashful to mention that!