{"id":76601,"date":"2023-11-30T08:59:01","date_gmt":"2023-11-30T08:59:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/autopot.co.uk\/specialist\/?p=76601"},"modified":"2024-05-22T23:53:59","modified_gmt":"2024-05-22T23:53:59","slug":"hot-dunstable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/autopot.co.uk\/specialist\/2023\/11\/30\/hot-dunstable\/","title":{"rendered":"Hot Dunstable"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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!<\/a> That guy stole the King\u2019s ring! And goods don\u2019t get much hotter than that. Or do they?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Making a blazing, brazen, Bedfordshire-based bid to best Thomas Dun with his very own rebellious flavour, Hot Dunstable (AKA Mike O\u2019Connell)<\/a> is sowing a little anarchy with an excellent range of AutoPot-grown chilli pods and sauces. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Verily, we\u2019d have been the outlaws had we not taken the opportunity to find out more about Mike\u2019s epic adventures in cultivation. Join us as he takes us for a tour of his incredible setup – with sage advice galore!<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Above:
Above: Chilli Dog! Mike\u2019s pooch stands (lies) guard over his master\u2019s exemplary poly\u2019s<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Whilst rebellious flavours may be of interest to Mike, his base is no vagabond\u2019s den of iniquity. Quite the opposite. Frankly, we\u2019ve rarely seen such immaculate systems<\/a>, set out perfectly in a textbook set of polytunnels and propagation areas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u2019t he want to keep it in good nick? Not least given the sweet upgrades he made for 2023.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Above:<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

As Mike explains, \u2018this 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<\/a>.\u2019 The large capacity modules in this system caught Mike\u2019s attention for a number of reasons, not least their undeniable performance as seen online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Mike\u2019s admission, \u2018the system’s simplicity initially drew me in, but it was the impressive reported yields and the photos of chilli farms<\/a> on social media that played a big role in persuading me about the advantages of this growing method.\u2019 But how did the online dream match up to reality?<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Above:
Above: Time to shine. Chilli plants taking hold in Mike\u2019s 25L\/6.6 gal 1Pot XL modules.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

All too often life online doesn\u2019t quite square with real world, but Mike\u2019s system seems to be treating him very well indeed. \u2018As 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.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mike\u2019s plants are tucked up in Atami Coco Coir<\/a> with perlite<\/a> 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<\/a> 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 \u2018cult classics\u2019 plus the odd zeitgeist-y variety. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Above:
Above: Hot Dunstable\u2019s media\/feed combo of choice
Atami Coco Coir with added perlite and the full Dutchpro nutrient range<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Every year Mike dedicates a proportion of his systems to staples such as Jalape\u00f1o, Habanero, Naga, Cayenne, and Peri Peri. For 2023 he\u2019s added Moruga Scorpion, Sugar Rush Stripey<\/a>, and De Arbol to lend his recipes extra depth and complexity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

By his own admission Mike is lucky to have the space and scale of systems to experiment with cultivation and flavours. \u2018I’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 jalape\u00f1os.\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Above:
Above: Sweet smoke. Sugar Rush Stripey chillies (L) lend a greater degree of variation to Hot Dunstable\u2019s output alongside classics such as jalape\u00f1os used for smoking<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Notwithstanding the scope of his setup, Mike faces the same issues that beset most chilli growers in northerly climes – not least this year. \u2018The 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.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018I’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<\/a> during the hot spell in June would have helped protect my young plants.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Above:
Above: Nothing to fear from the winds of change (or a refreshing breeze at least). Properly spaced plants benefit hugely from improved airflow.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Given the mixed conditions experienced this summer Mike\u2019s focus on airflow has been essential in encouraging healthy growth, maximising yield, and keeping pathogens at bay. \u2018I 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.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018That airflow is crucial in preventing the formation of mold and diseases<\/a>, especially during the cold and damp conditions at the end of each season, which I often encountered in my early days.\u2019 Airflow, however, will do nothing to deter nuisances of a larger order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Above:
Above: Bon bombs! Beautifully sweet-looking pods,
laden with explosive flavour, ripening in Hot Dunstable\u2019s XL modules<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mike has been plagued by a fox. \u2018That 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!\u2019 <\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Above:
Above: Productive as his propagation area is, Mike is looking to upgrade to a more cost-efficient, LED-led setup next year<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Fox aside, Mike is very much looking forward to 2024, including the renewal of his propagation areas. \u2018Next 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<\/a>!\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Come February, Hot Dunstable\u2019s crop of \u201924 will be starting to peep and sprout out. It\u2019s not long now! The seeds, often originating from previous crops or other online growers, are being squirrelled away as we speak. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Above
Above (L): Hot tubs all-round as harvest begins in the poly\u2019s.
Above (R): The Greenhouse Effect of Milton Keynes have been huge supporters of Hot Dunstable<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

With exciting times ahead, Mike would like thank those who\u2019ve helped him on the journey so far. Of special note are Dutchpro \u2018for their invaluable support this year, providing top-quality nutrients for my grow. He\u2019d also like to extend his thanks to The Green House Effect<\/a>, \u2018a hydroponics shop in Milton Keynes, for their constant assistance and support.\u2019 Last but not least, \u2018a big shout out to @ProfessorPods<\/a>, who is a true Mr. Miyagi in the chilli world. His generous sharing of knowledge about hydroponic chilli growing has been invaluable to me.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mike would also like to thank AutoPot \u2018for the opportunity to share my hobby and passion\u2019, but we\u2019re far too bashful to mention that!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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\u2019s ring! And goods don\u2019t get much hotter than that. Or do they? Making a blazing, brazen, Bedfordshire-based bid to best Thomas Dun with his very […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":76604,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[310],"tags":[],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/autopot.co.uk\/specialist\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2023\/11\/Hot_Dunstable_Main.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/autopot.co.uk\/specialist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76601"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/autopot.co.uk\/specialist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/autopot.co.uk\/specialist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/autopot.co.uk\/specialist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/autopot.co.uk\/specialist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=76601"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/autopot.co.uk\/specialist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76601\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":76668,"href":"https:\/\/autopot.co.uk\/specialist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/76601\/revisions\/76668"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/autopot.co.uk\/specialist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/76604"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/autopot.co.uk\/specialist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=76601"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/autopot.co.uk\/specialist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=76601"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/autopot.co.uk\/specialist\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=76601"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}