The Hottest Pepper Blog

September 19, 2011

Getting Bhuts to Ripen

Filed under: Ask Jamie — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 2:37 pm

Question:

Hello Jamie,
After 2 years I have had my best success with the peppers: 25″ plants with over 12 peppers about full size. I live in southest PA we have had 25″ of rain in the last 30 day’s. The plant is in a 15 gallon bucket. Last night it was 50 degrees, 80 during the day . What should I do to get these fruits red? I have a grow light if you think it is necessary.
Thanks,
Mike

Answer:

Hi Mike,
Nice, but if possible, you gotta get your plants in the ground next year. Your yield will go up to more than 300 peppers per plant if grown properly and your plants will be more than 5 feet tall and 3 feet wide. The Bhut Jolokia hates to be in pots. I have tried this many times and it just doesn’t work right.
As far as getting your fruits to ripen now, I have written a blog on this very thing on our website. Check it out and if you need more info. Get back to me.
Cheers,
Jamie

My Vermont Earthbox Ghost Peppers are Feaking Hot.

Filed under: Ask Jamie — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 2:30 pm

Question:

Hi Jamie-
I ate one of my peppers and the good Lord spared me it must have been a mild one. I chewed about five times and it felt like I got hit in the back of my toungue with a hammer. It didn’t have great hang time though, THANK YOU.
My one plant in the Earth Box had over 40 peppers, 3/4 will turn red.
Do you have any Trinadad Scorpion Butch T seeds? Time to have some Vermont Scorpions :) I can trade you 3 to 1 for ghost seeds.
Thanks again,
Jim

Answer:

Aloha Jim,
Great news. Let your peppers turn deep red and you will get maximum heat. We sell only Bhut Jolokia seeds so, no we do not sell the Trinidad Scorpion Butch T.
Are you growing in a pot? If so, next year get your peppers in the ground as soon as all danger of frost is gone and you will have plants that yield 300 plus peppers.
Cya Bro,
Jamie

Drying Pepper Seeds

Filed under: Ask Jamie — Tags: , , — admin @ 2:25 pm

Question:

Hi Jamie,
I purchased some of your ghost pepper seeds this spring and was wondering how to dry the seeds from our peppers. We were very excited the plants produced this year as we live 30 miles from the Canadian border in upstate New York.
Thank you for your time.
Francis Sibrava

Answer:

Aloha Francis,
All you have to do is rinse the seeds briefly and then put them on a cutting board, or baking pan for a few days at room temperature. Do not put them in the sun or use heat to dry. That will kill the embryo. Also, do not dry on napkins or paper towels as the seeds will stick and make them difficult to remove.
After your seeds are dried, put them in a cool dark place (best if you can shrink wrap) or in the freezer. They will keep for at least 5 years.
Cheers and Aloha,
Jamie

August 25, 2011

Success in New Hampshire!

Filed under: Ask Jamie — Tags: , , , — admin @ 10:41 am

Question:
Hello Jamie,
Just thought I would drop you an email because my peppers look like they are finally coming. I have little hanging bulbs appearing. Out of 20 seeds I had 5 Naga’s make it and 1 Red Savina. Wow, are these things temperamental!
With growing season coming to an end, they will be going inside. I will send pictures soon.
Biggest thing I can pass on to others growing in New England: find a good spot with indirect sunlight in the middle of the day and DON’T touch them. Just water and feed about once a week.
Thanks,
Marc Coffin
Tilton, NH

Answer:
Aloha Marc,
Thank you for your feedback. Yes, they are very, very temperamental. In fact, the Chili Pepper Institute does not recommend them for the “novice” grower. It is difficult to grow the Bhuts in Hawaii, but most of the USA gets way too hot as they will start dropping their flowers when the temperatures are 90 or greater. So, you did well! I will post your email so others can learn from you.
Cheers and Aloha Bro,
Jamie

Success in Georgia!

Filed under: Ask Jamie — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 10:31 am

Question:
Just a quick note to say I purchased some of your seeds online last winter. I live in southern Georgia, right above Florida, where it is hot and humid for easily half the year. Long story short, I have 7 plants now over 4 ft tall and ghost peppers are popping up routinely with my biggest ones being averaging 3+in long and nicely filled out. They are all a deep to bright shade of green right now.
I’m wondering if I pick them in this state, will they redden? Or do they ripen and mature to the deep red color I keep seeing pictures of online while still on the plant?
Thanks & best regards,
John Roberts in Valdosta, GA

Answer:
JOHN !!!!
Don’t pick your peppers until they are red, red, red. Every day you pick them premature will result in a reduction in heat. And, if you pick them green, they will not be hot at all.
BTW, nice job in Georgia!
Cheers and Aloha,
Jamie

August 10, 2011

Happy Plants

Filed under: Testimonials — Tags: , — admin @ 10:02 am

I’m very pleased with the results your bhut seeds have delivered at 2 month old they are 18″ tall and very bushy and all have flowers popping out all over.

Bhut Plants Happy Plants

Thank you for them again.

July 13, 2011

Transplanting and Healing

Filed under: Ask Jamie — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 11:47 am

Question:

Hi Jamie
I’m very new to planting.  I bought my first plant at 18″ tall in 4 gallon container.  I have 5 pods now and the biggest is 2″.  I am scared to transplant may loose pods; I know they are too small.  What soil would be best if you think I should repot?  I have good compost with goat manure.  Right now they are in wood chips soil.  I’m also getting some yellowing because it rained alot here. 

I ate an immature pod with no heat at all.  I would sure like to try a real pod…..

Thanks for helping me,
Preston in TN

Answer:

Aloha Preston,
Don’t worry about transplanting your pod. It will survive just fine. Do this after the sun is down, and slow water (drip) it for 30 minutes afterward. Use a loamy soil with a lot of organic amendments. Make sure the soil is loamy so it drains well, but not too sandy or the nutrients will be leached out. Keep it covered with a white bucket until 3 PM the next day. Then, if not too hot, remove the bucket, water again and you should be OK the following day. BUT, if the temperatures are above 90, you will need to get the temperature between 80 and 90 and can do so by using “shade” cloth. Check with your local nursery for this.

Good luck and let me know how it’s going,
Jamie

July 11, 2011

How Late is Too Late To Plant Bhut Jolokia?

Filed under: Ask Jamie — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 1:20 pm

Question:

Hello Jamie,
I recently planted some ghost peppers and this is my first time growing them. I live in central Pennsylvania and started them in March in the grow box.  I just now got them in the ground here on June 25th. They were all over 6 to 8 inch’s tall, but I am curious to see if this is too late in the season to plant them and will they even get to bear fruit.  Any info would be helpful. Thank you for your time.
Zach Hamor

Answer:

Aloha Zach,
I would try it for sure. But, you will need to use “shade cloth” to keep your Bhut Jolokia plants at 90 degrees or below. They hate hot weather above 90 and when the nights start to get cool in the Fall, you will have to insulated the ground and keep them watered well to a depth of 16″ when the temperatures dip below 60.

Good luck!
Jamie

July 8, 2011

The Hottest Peppers

Filed under: Testimonials — Tags: , , — admin @ 3:01 pm

Hi Jamie,
I live in the Lancaster Pennsylvania area. I purchased your seeds last year, and I kept my plant growing inside over the winter. The plant is over a year old and it is HUGE. It is about 4ft high and 5.5 ft wide. I am harvesting Bhuts daily. I am currently starting a couple more seedlings so I can keep another plant or two over the winter for next year.

I love hot peppers. I thought Habanero peppers were hot, but the Bhuts are amazingly hot.

I diced up some fresh Bhut and put about 18 tiny little pieces into rice. I had to pull 1/2 of them back out. It was too hot. I had never experienced “too hot” before the Bhuts. :)

The Bhuts are definitely hot, but they still have an excellent flavor. I have been dehydrating and grinding them into a powder. It is good on anything.

Thanks for the great seeds!!!

June 30, 2011

Protecting Dying Blooms

Filed under: Ask Jamie — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 9:20 am

Question:

Hello Jamie!
I have a question about Bhut Jolokia fruit setting. Last December I bought some seeds from you, since then I have been able to germinate almost all of them. My biggest plant was started inside in late December and is about 3 1/2 feet tall and about the same wide.  It has been getting many blossoms since mid may. Currently, I have around 140 blossoms that are just starting to open flowers, but once they open the base of the stem turns bown and they fall while they are still green.

I have tried many different things including pollination with an art brush both wet and dry, shaking the stem and even using an old electric toothbrush to shake the flowers one by one. It’s heartbreaking to go out each day and count the dropped flowers, LOL. As far as watering: I water them one every 4 or 5 days and let it get a heavy soak.  I use a 5 gallon “smart pot” that is supposed to keep the plant from being overwatered.

Overall, the plant looks very healthy; no bugs minus some gnats but very mild. I did have 2 of the bottom leaves turn yellow and then fall off over the last few weeks but the rest are fine. Do you have any suggestions to what could help with the fruiting problem?
Thank you,
Brett U

Answer:

Hi Brett,
How hot is it where you live? The Bhut Jolokia does not like temperatures over 90. If this is the case, then you will have to use a 20% heat reduction “shade cloth”. Let me know what happens.
Cheers and Aloha,
Jamie

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