The Bhut Jolokia

[GartenSpinnen]

I have a conjoined flower that developed. It has two flowers out of one flower shoot, so I am really curious how the peppers will develop? They might be conjoined peppers if they both come on. It seems healthy and sturdy so I don't think it will drop on me, should be interesting. My peppers that have come on are smaller than I thought they would be, but they are interesting looking for sure. Very bumpy and wrinkled looking, very unique for me because its the first time I have seen them like that in person. I have over a dozen fully developed larger peppers now and bunches of little ones coming on all over. I've learned that one the flowers grow straight up they generally drop, whereas the flowers that grow more against the stem or at angles seem to develop peppers. Hard to explain it... its kinda weird but interesting none-the-less . I've been letting the plant wilt each day in order to stress it somewhat, I want capsaicin production to be as high as I can get it. When the plant gets to this semi-dry stage (which I check by lifting the bucket its in to check the weight), I flood them at night. Epsom salt.... Epsom salt.... Epsom salt... if you haven't given it a go with your plants try it! Take 2 tbs/gallon dissolved in warm water and add a bit to your plants and the next day your plant will look so lush and happy. BTW I took 3 Bhut plants and planted them in the ground to see what would happen, all of them ceased flower production and dropped whatever they had. They were put in an area where they were surrounded by yellow habs. I've read that people recommend doing this, but I wouldn't do it again, what a waste of plants! If they would have been put in 5 gal buckets they would probably be as big as the one I am babying is now. On another note... I am pondering the use of these peppers as organic pesticide. Anybody tried it? The first ripe pepper might very well go to that use because I am very interested in this use for these. I can't believe how big this plant is getting, I want to get a good cam and take some nice pics of it so I can share, the phone cam pics just don't do it justice, what a beast hehe

 

[Mojo Jojo]

I had a random dream last night that I was eating small pieces of roasted Fatalli peppers. My dad wanted to try some, but I told him that he couldn't have any because they are habaneros. I know its a different cultivar, but a dream is a dream. I really want to get around to trying this pepper some day. Perhaps I'll order some seeds next year.

 

[GartenSpinnen]

Okay... so my plants are doing fantastic. I have about 14 large peppers on now, some of them are almost 4" long, and still have smaller peppers coming on, which are going to be doomed because i decided this plant is a bit too big to try and save over winter.

So now the task is getting them to ripen...

I wonder if there is a trick to do this? I noticed I had issues with my mystery tomato putting on crap loads of tomatoes but they ripened very, very, very slowly...

So I moved the plant into the shade more and out of the sun and then they started ripening.

I am wonder if this might work on bhut as well? Which nutrients regulate plant ripening? I know there is a gas that contributes to a plant ripening, so maybe I could tie a paper bag with a slice of apple in it over the the pepper and see if it causes it to ripen faster on the plant?

 

[GartenSpinnen]

The plant itself had a great deal of promise but unfortunately had some issues getting it fed like it should have been. Next year I am gonna try again with the knowledge I have picked up. Starting the plant earlier in the year will hopefully make for a more bountiful harvest. I started worrying about quantity of peppers, then eventually started to concentrate more on how how they are gonna be. I expect that they will be quite hot.


And heres a pic of my tomato plant that I let go-

Got about 20 tomatoes off of it. It is a mystery variety, perhaps Oregon Spring type. What it was supposed to be was an Orange Jubilee, but sometimes seeds get mixed a bit in the growing excitement...heh

 

[Mojo Jojo]

On a milder note, I just came to the conclusion that serrano peppers taste better than jalapeno peppers.

 

[james broad]

Me fond of plants but yet me not growing this...
here i have read some good things about this plant hope it would help

The World Record Holder for chile heat is called the Bhut Jolokia. It was tested and found to have a record heat of over 1,000,000 Scoville units!! It also is named the Ghost Chile by the locals. Locals say that the intense heat of the Bhut Jolokia Pepper has made those that eat it appear to look like they have seen a ghost.

Now that's what I call really hot!

Other names are the Bih Jolokia and Naga Jolokia. Another chile that is not a capsicum chinense species also goes by the name Naga Jolokia. It is a capsicum frutescens species called the Indian PC 1.

The Bhut Jolokia came to fame when it was tested in 2006 by Dr. Paul Bosland of the Chile Pepper Institute at New Mexico State University. Some say this strain is different from the ones grown in Assam province in the country of India. So how is it different? As far as chile growers go the New Mexico plants grow less pods but they are larger. Heat and flavor are the same. I am growing both. Now chile people say there is a third normal strain. It is called the Bih Jolokia.

 

[GartenSpinnen]

My plant threw off about 20 peppers total. They fully ripened and they are so hot I cannot even get a tiny sliver down without crying like a little girl. Going to grow them commercially next year, already have some property reserved for it. I intend to grow about 30-40 plants and also going to be growing another to be determined variety, which will most likely be fatalli or some other unique tasting hot pepper. Intend to start all my plants indoors around December and move them outdoors by mid March. Going to make flavored hot pepper oils out of the ones I got this year. I learned several things through trial and error which I think will help me tremendously next year. I intend to have no less than 60-100 peppers per plant next year.

Wish me luck


Oh ya, if anyone knows where I can get some nice glass jars for the oil I would be much obliged. I want the tall glass jars like you see the fancy cooking oils come in. Ideas for different flavors of oils like this that people have tried and enjoyed would also be helpful.

 

[Toirtis]

Garten, you really should write a comprehensive page on all you learned with the jolokia this season...it would be a fantastic resource for pepper-growers.

 

[J Morningstar]

Hey everyone, it's growing season again and I got me some new peppers this year!!! Pics to follow!

---------- Post added 05-06-2012 at 12:18 PM ----------

Wish me luck


Oh ya, if anyone knows where I can get some nice glass jars for the oil I would be much obliged. I want the tall glass jars like you see the fancy cooking oils come in. Ideas for different flavors of oils like this that people have tried and enjoyed would also be helpful.

Bed bath and Beyond stores...Also TJ Max and some of the bigger supermarkets (at least here) have the glass bottles you seek...

 

[BrettG]

I have seedlings under light right now (Thanks for the seeds,Patrick!)So far we have:
Inca Berry
Lemon Drop
Red Savina
Scotch bonnet
7 Pot Barrackapore
Antilles Fire
Dorset Naga
This is my first attempt growing peppers here in Az.Also my first time starting from seed under lights and using pots outdoors. In Illinois I had GREAT luck with Hab's and other hot's,but always started with small plants from a nursery.The climate was much more forgiving than here.

 

[J Morningstar]

I have also started some seeds that were gifted to me also was given A Bhut Jolokia as well as a Kung Pow plant, and my Habanero from last year has it's first pepper, the seeds that came up were:
Red serrano pepper Smokey Red
Mustard habanero pepper
Big Chili Serrano
Chocobelle Hybrid Sweet Pepper
Italian pepperoncini
I'm looking to expand the collection for the summer...