BHUT JOLOKIA PEPPERS

Bhut Jolokia Seeds For Sale

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These Bhut Jolokia Seeds were harvested in 2009. These plants were grown in all natural conditions with no chemicals in total isolation from other peppers to insure absolute genetic purity. All of our peppers were grown in pots with Fox Farm Ocean Forest soil and fertilizers with filtered water.

Bhut Jolokia seeds are difficult to grow and is not recommended for the novice gardener. When starting your seeds indoors, soil temperature must be 80 to 90 degrees. Plant in a good rich organic well drained growing medium. The seeds can take up to 36 days just to germinate and 160 days before harvesting. It is the warmth rather than sun light that causes seed to germinate. Sow your Bhut seeds 8-10 weeks indoors before it is safe to plant in the garden. After plants sprout, keep under lights (CFL - T5 - Florescent) for up to 18 hours a day until ready to set outdoors. Keep soil moist and never allow it to dry out and never allow it to become soggy. Temper plants before planting outside. Keep in full sun. Chiles like a rich, well drained growing medium. This type pepper does not seem to set fruit well. Flower drop can be caused by - Air temperature of over 95 deg - Too much nitrogen, or even small amounts of stress. Try to avoid transplanting more than once.

This is such a potent Chile that one seed can cause intense pain for up to 30 minutes! Extreme care should be taken with the pepper, especially to avoid the eyes, as it can cause severe burns. The official Scoville heat rating is 1,041,427 SHU (Scoville Heat Unit). Wear rubber gloves and safety glasses when processing. Even the seeds can burn when handling them! Scroll down for some recipes and my 2010 grow log

2010 BHUT JOLOKIA JOURNAL

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Start (January 31)

We started our crop a little later this year, (end of January instead of end of December) so the plants would not get to big before they get transferred to bigger pots and put outside (end of May Zone 5). The seeds used are randomly selected from the same batch that is shipped to you. I am setting 18 - 3x3 pots/cells per tray. Each starter cell is filled with Fox Farms Ocean Forest growing medium and a starter plug/cube. I use Rapid Rooter starter plugs and/or Rockwool cubes. Be sure to soak the cubes for 24 hours before use. We use plugs/cubes because they give the plant more support as they grow and hold moisture for germination. The solution that is used to soak the cubes as well as what is used to mist the seeds is made up of a variety of sources. In a gallon of filtered water, Fox Farms 'Grow Big', and 'Big Bloom' is mixed with Garden's Alive Liquid Kelp and a few drops of Super Thrive. After the pots are filled and plugged/cubed, they are drenched with the nutrient solution. Next the seed is placed into the hole and a light layer of soil is sprinkled on top. The seeds are then misted again. A spray mist is used so that the seeds do not float away. They will be kept moist at 75˚F - 80˚F. Seven trays of 126 plants will be started this year.

Day 7 (February 7)

Trays are kept moist and sprayed with the same mix that was originally used for cube soaking and spray. This Plant Juice mix will be used until flowering time. The trays have been covered to conserve moisture and lightly sprayed every morning. A single florescent tube is used for light and set for 18 hours. Light is not that important now because it has no effect on germination, but I like to keep one on in case any seeds get started. Temperature is kept at about 80˚F. Surprising to me... Some activity is happening already. Last year I did not get a single sprout until over two weeks of watering dirt. Using the covers seems to help keep humidity levels higher. There was some condensation on them. I did not use them last year.

Day 14 (February 14)

Sprouts are beginning to start poking out! There are about 8 - 12 per tray with more to come. Since the spout ratio is greater, the lids will be removed. Four foot florescent tubes are used for light. I use one plant/aquarium (bluish spectrum) and one natural sunlight (more of the orange/red spectrum) tube in an 'el cheap-o' fixture. The lights are turned on (with a timer) for 18 hours a day and lowered to about 12" above the sprouts. No need for fancy metal halide - you just want to give the plants enough of the spectrum until they go to hardening off for outside (unless you have a set-up that is indoor for the complete cycle of the plant). By next week I will see which cells are sprouting and which are not. I will combine all of the seedlings and then re-seed the cubes/plugs that did not sprout. I water/mist seedlings daily.

Day 21 (February 21)

Growing is in full swing right now. I seem to be getting about 13- 15 seedlings per tray for roughly 80% germination rate. I separated the seedlings from the non-sprouts and will give those another week to show some progress. If nothing comes up by the end of the week I will reseed those cells. A few seedlings are beginning to show the first set of true leaves (after the Cotyledon). The height is a bit over an inch.

Week 5

The plants are looking great. I had a few die off for some reason. I reseeded those cells. I also reseeded the other cells that did not show any activity. I did have a few pop up eventually. The watering schedule is the same and the lights are on for 18 hours still.

Week 6

A lot of the reseeded cells are now beginning to sprout. The peppers will be rearranged so that the bigger ones do not block out the smaller ones. Now it is a matter of giving them the best care until we are ready to transfer them into a bigger pot. The peppers vary from about 2.5 inches to seedlings in size.

Week 7

As you can see in the photo, a few of them are really taking off! A mix of the same juice I use for watering will be slowly used as a foliar spray on some of the bigger (four true leaves) plants.

Week 12

Long overdue for an update. I have been taking advantage of the record breaking weather to work on a hoop house in the garden. Check back in a few months to see how I did it! Back to the BHUTs - As you can see from the photos, the majority of peppers are ready for transplant. That will be the next update. Next year I will wait until March 1 to plant. I have been using the same watering mix for the plants. There have been times I used just filtered water during the weeks past as well as missed watering altogether. Once the seedlings have their second set of true leaves, they will be able to survive. I would say the average size is about 5-6 inches now. A few are over 8 inches. Things are looking good, accept my last frost date is May 15. I will now make room and add lights for transplants.

Week 13

I took the first 10 of the biggest plants out and started transplanting. These will be the final pot for these plants. A few may be put in larger pots to see how big I can get it to grow. I am using a mix of Fox Farms Ocean Forest growing medium and left over soil that came from the pots of the last crop. This soil has been conditioning in bins in the shed with added endo - and ectomycorrhizal fungi and beneficial microorganisms. The spores were added one week prior to use. They promote fast plant and root growth, increase nutrient and water uptake and reduce fertilizer use (This is the stuff to use for the super pumpkins!). A few plants have hit the 10 inch mark. I will keep these plants under florescent lights until it is time to go outside.

Week 14 (May 2)

These peppers must like these conditions... a few of them are getting ready to send out the first set of flowers! I have been busy transplanting this past week. Only about a hundred more to go!

Week 17

The weather is finally turning into summer and last week I started to bring out the flowering peppers. Just as long as night temps stay above 60 degrees, you should be OK. Whatever you do, do not bring out your plants and put them in full sun right away. They will bend over and wilt. I have mine on the north side of the garage in the shade. Plants spent a week in the shade and then get put into the sun. Slowly get them used to the outdoors and you will not have flower drop and leaf drop.

Ingredients: In a bowl, add dried chilies, and cover with hot water. Re-hydrate for 15 minutes. In a blender, combine chilies and 1/3 cup soaking water, and then add garlic and vinegar; purée. In a bowl, add chili purée to tomatoes, and combine.