Aloha, I have been receiving some emails regarding pests eating your young Bhut Jolokia transplants. Yes they are young and tender and many a pest likes to dine on the young stems. What you must do is to protect the stems with a drinking straw. Cut a one inch long piece and put a slit in the side all the way down. Now you will be able to open up the straw at the slit and put it around the stem of the Bhut. It’s OK to have part of the straw in the dirt. This now makes it impossible for a cutworm or the like to eat the young, tender stem.
The Hottest Pepper Blog
April 19, 2010
April 15, 2010
The Hottest Pepper Recipe Contest
Big announcement, in case you guys didn’t get the hot memo, The Hottest Pepper is hosting a hot sauce and salsa contest. Do you have a killer recipe that is not just hot but incredibly tasty? Then show us your Iron Chef skills by emailing pictures, and your recipe to enter.
One winner from each category, Hot Sauce and Salsa, will receive a $100 cash prize.
Contest Details
Submit an email with the recipe to your salsa or hot sauce
and pictures of your dish by May 1st 2010.
and pictures of your dish by May 1st 2010.
Your recipe must contain some sort of pepper element. It does not have to be a Bhut Jolokia, any pepper will do.
It has to be YOUR original recipe, so no cruising
Food Network here folks!
How The Winner Will Be Determined
Winning Salsa and Hot Sauced will be based on
1) Creativity and originality of ingredients
2) Ease of recipe instructions
(we can’t make it if we can’t follow it)
3) How the Pepper is used
(zest, pepper flakes, whole, what makes your way unique?)
Remember it’s not about making the HOTTEST salsa or hot sauce, it’s about making something original. This contest is not gauged on heat!
So send in your recipes, pictures and stories! One winner from each category will receive $100, a feature on our website and a chance for us to enter your recipe for you in the Austin Texas Chili contest!
April 13, 2010
Healthy and Happy
Hanakapiai Falls and Jamie among a vast Bamboo forest.
Jamie Rock climbing, and the beautiful green hues of the forest.
Aloha Everyone,
Thank you very much for reading my blogs. Last November I tore my right MCL surfing at off The Wall. The tear did not require surgery, but has kept me out of the water for more than 4 months. I have been stitched up countless times over the years from my surfboard hitting me, fin cuts, reef cuts, etc. but I have never had an injury that kept me out of the water for more than a few days. This was undoubtedly the worst, and I missed a very, very good winter here on the North Shore. I seldom went to the beach to watch the surf as I couldn’t stand not being in the action.
I have been surfing with a brace on my right knee for the past few weeks and even though I am a little stiff, it is great just to be in the water again. I started running a few weeks ago as well and even though I can’t go full-speed, it is great just to sweat naturally instead of from some man made machine.
Yesterday, I was on Kauai and did a day hike to Hanakapiai Falls. The weather was fantastic, I brought a great lunch and the day couldn’t have been better. The eight mile round trip from the end of the road in Haena was very muddy, slippery, and dangerous at times, but well worth the effort.
I am writing this blog is to tell any of you that are currently injured that there will be a day when you will be well again and able to resume your daily activities. Whether it’s working in the garden, taking a walk around the neighborhood, or training for a marathon–that day will come.
Here are a few pictures for your enjoyment.
Cheers,
Jamie
Habaneros and Growing Season
We bring you another edition of Ask Jamie !
Q: Any hints or precautions for growing the habaneros here in south florida? I would like to keep them potted if possible. ~Jesse
A: Aloha Jesse,
Loamy, organic soil with plenty of compost, the bigger to pot the better-I recommend 15 gallon, and fertilize with fish emulsion, horse manure, or kelp every few weeks when the plants are established. Do not over fertilizer. Deep water to 16″ every 2 days when it is hot (when is it not in FL??).
Good luck
Jamie
Testimonial: I received the order last week. Due to our unpredictable Spring weather this year, I am waiting until the first of May to start all of my hot peppers. Actually, our grandson, Dalton, had seen a special on the “Ghost Peppers” in 2008 and I had promised him some.
So again, thank you.
Patricia Snyder
Reply: It’s a pleasure. Be sure to soak the seeds in water overnight. You can start them now indoors, then transplants after all danger of frost is past. Use a rich, loamy, organic soil with plenty of compost. Fertilize ( I use well composted horse manure, fish emulsion, and kelp) every 2-3 weeks after the plant is established but do not over fertilize. Deep water to a depth of 16″ every 2 days in hot weather.
I would also cut a 1″ section of a drinking straw silt down the long way around the stem to protect the seedling from cutworms and the like.
Good luck and have fun!
Jamie
April 11, 2010
Helping Haiti – a Thank You to All
We recently received a Thank You letter from the American Red Cross, to which we’d like to share with you. Your purchases during our Haiti Fundraiser helped to send $1000 towards the Haiti relief. Many people were left without homes, food, clothing and other necessities, to which our aid helped provide a bit more for everyone there in need.
To view the letter please click the image below.
April 9, 2010
Organic Food-It’s More Nutritious
Aloha,
Several months ago I received a comment online that disagreed with my contention that organic food is more nutritious than commercially grown food. I finally found the research I had used regarding this information.
According to studies comparing 11 main nutrients by scientists at Washington State University, and the University of Florida, organic food averages 25% higher in content of these 11 nutrients.
The comparisons studied numbered 236 between food grown organically, and commercially and the scientists used all available data at that time. The report titled ’State of Science Review: Nutritional Superiority of Organic Foods’ can be view by going to the following website- www.organic-center.org.
Jamie
April 6, 2010
Ask Jamie: A Leafy Issue
Aloha Gang,
You ask em and I post em. One thing I want to make certain when you purchase seeds from me is that you’re learning everything you possibly can so that you have a bountiful harvest of hot hot peppers. Sometimes it takes a little luck, a little patience, a little tender love & care and just knowing what to do. Here’s another great question about the Bhut Jolokias and looking at possible leaf problems.
Q: Hello my name is Bob and I have started growing my Jolokias. They are decent size plants now. The trouble I’m having is that the new leaves on the plant are turning white. Are my Jolokias a lost cause or is there anything i can do to save them? Should I throw the plants out and start over? Please help me out with this, Thanks!
~Bob
A: Aloha Bob. Have you recently moved your peppers outside? If so, they may not have acclimated to outside yet. You may need to take more time to harden them off. If this isn’t the case, can you see white flies on them? Are the leaves curling?
Don’t give up and throw them out just yet. They will recover even if you cut the plant way back. To help with white flies, wash your plants with water, then spray with organic neem oil every 7 -10 days.
Q2: The leaves look like they are dried out and they have some curling to them. I have just started to place them out side. I noticed there where little red bugs all over them. I live in Virginia where the temperature during the days have been in the high 70s to low 80s. I was wondering to if it might be the tap water I’m using, as it is city water. I grew Habanero’s, Cayenne and hot peppers last year and ended up with real big plants. The one Habanero plant I had ended up with over 100 pods from it. I have noticed new leaf growth on them. They didn’t start to turn white till I moved them outside. I will try and leave them out for just a few hours each day and wash the leafs. I will keep you posted on how they are doing. Thanks for the help.
Bob
A2: You need to harden them off more slowly. Don’t rush the process. They need time to adjust to the sun. Dot worry, they will be OK.
April 5, 2010
The Slug Fest
Boy ‘ol boy, what a night! I was on the Mainland for 3 days and tonight was the first time since I left that I was able to hunt slugs in the garden. Those little SOB’s were everywhere. I must have killed more than 70! Makes one wonder how fast those little destroyers reproduce. We had a lot of rain during those 3 days which makes them more active. There was also a 10″ long centipede, many cockroaches, and some rock lizards who couldn’t sleep. So, it will be about a week before I get the slugs back under control and then won’t have to worry about the destruction they can do in a very short period of time. Yeah, I have tried beer, upside down cantaloupe, cardboard, salt, etc. Nothing works better than a sharp pair of scissors, a good set of eyes and a bright flashlight.
Aloha and Mahalo,
Jamie