When you get your pepper plants removed from from the box and give them some water slowly take a week or more gradually getting them used to sun exposure transplant about two hours before dark, or in the morning when it's cool. Make the hole in soil or pot about twice the size of the transplant. Use about half of the recommended strength of fertilizer, mixed with water, then place plant in its hole carefully.
Spread soil in whole round plant and water again diluted fertilizer. I use a seaweed or kelp with this emulsion mix called Neptune. The plant with this diluted mix once a week for four weeks. Then once a week at full strength every other week after that. When your plants get lots of flowers by a bloom fertilizer or dilute your fertilizer again. If you don't flowers may fall off, especially with bhut jolokia pepper. No flowers and you get no peppers. If you grow in a pot. I use either sunshine growers mix number one by son grow or parole mix by Premier horticulture. I use 15 gallon plastic nursery pots which can hold two plants or one. If you use a seven or 10 gallon pot use only one plant. Once a month flood your pots to read some fertilizer residue, which is mostly toxic salts. One of the many benefits of pots is they are mobile. If you get a heat wave, you can drag them into the shade. Likewise, one can move them into the sun. If you're not getting enough. You can also keep them under a light indoors during the winter to keep them alive until next year. Hot pepper plants don't necessarily need full sun all day long. A few hours shade time is good, especially if you live in the Southwest. Or if Sun is a problem, one could also get a 30 to 40% grade shade cloth.
A few other notes;
Bhut Jolokia plants are not easy to grow and be patient. According to New Mexico State University, (pro-growers of the Bhut Jolokia.) They are not for the novice grower.
Good alternatives to the Bhut Jolokia could be the Trinidad scorpion, Trinidad 7 pot, or naga morich.
For those interested in growing these fiery pods. Check out refining fire chilies. They have over 20 different types of hot pepper plants and seeds available.
According to the Guinness Book of World Records who has determined the bhut jolokia is the hottest pepper in the world, peppers are based off a scale known as a Scoville Heat Unit. Your average bell pepper runs at about 0 SHU, your average jalapeno pepper has a rating of 10,000 SHU, and the world record holder is the Bhut Jolokia pepper from India, having a SHU of 1,001,304.
Delighted to grow the fiery pepper but refusing to try it, a north Wales gardener who has won 10 gold medals at a Show said: "Tests showed the bhut jolokia pepper has a Scoville scale reading of more than one million, three times the reading of the Savina hot pepper." He warns that one has to be careful while handling the deep red or orange hot peppers which have a wrinkled and warty texture.
The culprit: the bhut jolokia pepper, native to India, cultivated in the United States at New Mexico State University and certified by the Guinness Book of World Records to be the hottest pepper on the planet.
Hot Pepper Recipe By Florita Wimbs
Hot Salsa
1 Onion
4 Tomatoes
1 Basil Leaf
4 Garlic Cloves
1 Lime
¼ Slice Tomatillo
Cilantro to taste
Salt
Hot pepper of Choice ( Jalapeno, Bhut Jolokia , etc)
Choose your hot pepper depending on the heat element you wish for your salsa.
We are growing the bhut jolokia and jalapeno peppers and will be making salsa with both when the peppers mature. We also grow our own tomatoes, onions, basil in our garden for fresh salsa.
I use a hand operated chopper and use only fresh ingredients when making my salsa, for you who like your salsa less chunky you can use a blender instead of chopping by hand.
You can also add beans, pineapple, etc to salsa to customize it to your taste.
Dip with your favorite chip, or use for tacos, burritos, etc...
When using jolokia hot pepper; Be careful it does not take much to make it to hot.
