# Building the Towers

- Link: https://chillimango.co/building-the-towers/
- Published: 2026-05-31T10:00:00+01:00
- Author: divydovy

The grow started with indoor germination under LED in the living room. I then graduated
the plants to an indoor hydroponic NFT system which was super problematic.

![An empty silver-lined grow tent](https://chillimango.co/wp-content/uploads/2026/
10/journal-img_1138.jpg)

The grow tent, January.

![A tray of rockwool seed cubes, each with a coloured variety tag](https://chillimango.
co/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/journal-img_1221.jpg)

Every seedling labelled, January.

![Seedlings in net pots with coloured tags, seen from above](https://chillimango.
co/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/journal-img_1617.jpg)

Seedlings in net pots, March.

![Seedlings in a white NFT board inside the grow tent](https://chillimango.co/wp-
content/uploads/2026/10/journal-img_1796.jpg)

The indoor NFT system, March.

![Young chilli plants with tags filling out in the grow tent](https://chillimango.
co/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/journal-img_4012.jpg)

Filling out indoors, April.

Eventually they got big enough to be moved into the outdoor vertical towers in a
converted car port. Germination through the early months, a system setup in March,
then a stretch through April and May of cuttings, pest control pivots, and lots 
of build pivots. I still haven’t found a solution to mosquitos (turns out a big 
water reservoir in the Algarve is also a handy mosquito farm) so know that for every
tasty bite of spice, I’ve been bitten to get it to you.

![An empty carport in a green field](https://chillimango.co/wp-content/uploads/2026/
10/journal-img_1215.jpg)

The carport, January.

![A freshly dug rectangular pit beside the carport](https://chillimango.co/wp-content/
uploads/2026/10/journal-img_1338.jpg)

Digging the reservoir pit, February.

![The reservoir pit dug deeper in dry ground](https://chillimango.co/wp-content/
uploads/2026/10/journal-img_4304.jpg)

Digging again, May.

![Grey tower pipes with rows of drilled holes](https://chillimango.co/wp-content/
uploads/2026/10/journal-img_4299.jpg)

Tower pipes, drilled.

![A black liner laid in the pit with a hose filling it](https://chillimango.co/wp-
content/uploads/2026/10/journal-img_4485.jpg)

Lining the reservoir, 30 May.

![A timber frame standing over the lined reservoir under the carport](https://chillimango.
co/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/journal-img_4488.jpg)

The frame over the reservoir, 30 May.

Nothing about it went in a straight line. Power cuts, algal blooms, aphid attacks,
more power cuts, EC and pH trial and error, re-learning chemistry, learning a lot
about light pollution, and often having a day or two to get the farm turned around
between business trips.

By late May the frames were built and the system was stable enough to stop firefighting
daily. It took about five months from “I saw a reel” to towers full of plants that
looked like they might actually fruit.

---

**ChilliMango**: small-batch fermented hot sauce from one garden in Loulé, Algarve, Portugal. Sold by waitlist: join the list on a product page and you get one email when it is ready to order. Orders are paid by bank transfer or MB WAY (no card payments). Shipping: mainland Portugal €5, nine EU countries €12, free collection in Loulé. Contact: hotline@chillimango.co. [Shop](https://chillimango.co/shop/) · [Shipping and returns](https://chillimango.co/shipping-and-returns/) · [Allergens](https://chillimango.co/allergens-and-food-safety/) · [Privacy](https://chillimango.co/privacy-policy/)