Vertical farming 54 chili pepper plants on just 3 aeroponic towers! We grew all 54 plants inside a custom-built grow cage designed to support the plants as they became loaded with chilies. To maximize production, we planted 2 chili plants per level on opposing sides of each 9-level tower, giving us 18 plants per tower and 54 chili plants across just 3 towers. We grew four different varieties, ranging from mild to seriously hot: 1. Jalapeño: 2,500–8,000 SHU 2. Hungarian Wax: 5,000–15,000 SHU 3. Serrano: 10,000–23,000 SHU 4. Habanero: 100,000–350,000 SHU Early in production, we noticed blossom end rot on roughly 5% of the chilies. Normally, blossom end rot is associated with inadequate calcium reaching the developing fruit, but our nutrient solution and calcium levels were properly calibrated. We believe the extreme heat played a major role. We had a heatwave lasting nearly 6 weeks, with temperatures regularly exceeding 40°C (104°F). Under those conditions, water uptake and calcium trans...