Bhut Jolokia - My Diary

[stupo74]

Hi All,
Just a quick post, to find out how your "Chillies" are getting on?????
I have not had the best season this time with my plants,,,,,

My "Bhuts" have shed all flowers & 2 fruit They appear to be putting all their energy into new "Veg" growth, again, i do have new flower heads forming, but i dont think they will reach "Full Fruit" before the season ends
I do however, have some nice pods from my Naga, Prairie Fire, & some nice 1's on the way from the small Thai varieties.

The Scotch Bonnet plants & Numex Twilight, have an abundance of flowers, but alas no fruits as yet????

Although we have not had the best of conditions this year i am still confused as to why some of my plants have done great, and others have not?? as they have "All" had the same care & attention

With this years results, it just makes me more determined, to try and better the performance next season. The experiments will continue

I hope you guys have had better results with your "Bhuts"??????? Matt B had loads of flowers on his plants, i wonder how many fruit have formed??

Good Luck all, cheers stupo.

[Reweed]

Hey Stupo.

Keep meaning to post new pics, but been mega busy with work.

My Bhut fruit are about 1cm. thats it. Tiny and don't think they will get much bigger unless we have a couple of weeks of really nice sunshine.

I've just given all my plants a really really strong feeding of tomato feed hoping the burst of nutrients will slow veg growth and allow a few more flowers to open up.

Stupo, have you tried nipping off the very tops of the bhuts? i've just removed all new growth in hope that it stresses the plants into fruit production.

My Ring of fire chillies are starting to red, got 30-50 chillies per plant on 5 plants.

[stupo74]

Hi mate,
Glad to hear you have fruits on your "Bhuts",
I would settle for a few "Small" 1's, before the end of the season

As you know, i like to experiment, & think that this is my main problem, too much fussing around, i need to just let them get on with it.

This season, due to not putting up the "Polytunnel", i have been using Mini Greenhouses & my flat to raise the plants. I think that all the moving about has not helped & certainly the lack of "Sunshine" is a key factor.

Like said, the season has not been a complete "washout", but could have been alot better, bring on the next

Good luck, with the rest of your crop,,,,,, cheers stupo.

[Reweed]

just read on the bbc that they think autumn might be delayed this year so hopefully we might get a few weeks left.

[stupo74]

Hi Mate,

Quote; just read on the bbc that they think autumn might be delayed this year so hopefully we might get a few weeks left.

The way the weather has been here mate, i think its the "Summer" thats been delayed

However, good news that, and as i write this, the sun has come out but very cloudy, so won't be out for long.

I hope Matt will post his progress later, his plants, must be doing well,,
(they get all the sun down south) if they are doing as well as his toms, he should have loads of fruit

Off for my afternoon nap now,,work to do later, cheers stupo.

[Matt_B]

Hi Stupo/ Reweed

Stupo, sorry to hear of the flower drop Glad to hear the other types are doing well, maybe your right with the weather, it's not been that great in the south for the last couple of weeks either, but apparently it's going to pick up

Reweed, good to hear youve got fruits

Heres my update..

Couple of pics of the plants





Still seem to be growing and getting bushy at the top



As you can see theres loads of flowers, and it seems none has dropped yet

And now ladies and gentlemen....





...We have fruit

Must be about a dozen between the 2 plants so far, loads of flowers have opened so i'll get my wifes makeup brush out later and start spreading the love

Bit of a rushed post as i've got to go to work

[stupo74]

Hey Matt,
"Nice", Your plants look great, i notice the suns out again in the pics
You are going to have a nice crop there, and if you could overwinter successfully, you should get a better crop next season

I have resigned myself to the fact that, my "Bhuts" will not be giving me fruit this time round, even though they have new flower buds forming, i just don't think there will be time, i will let the plant do what it likes now til sept/oct, at which time, i will prepare it for winter.

Like said in a previous post, all is not lost, i have fruits from the Nagas & some of my windowsill 1's, so keeps me going at it, for at least another year

As you like taking pictures,,, you will get some great 1's, when your "Mates" try your "Chilli Dip" Pain Unlimited But lovely flavour Especially with a glass of Malt

Catch up with you lot again soon,cheers stupo

[Matt_B]

Thanks Stupo

Yep the suns out today and the outlook is looking good

If I get any ripe fruits i'll go one better than a pic, i'll get the Mrs to video me eating one and post it here

I'm not going to spend all this time growing them and not try one!

Matt

[lisa4star]

I have an 'Apache' chilli plant and it's doing very well there must be 100 flowers on it and quite a few chillies. It says they should grow to 7cm. I have green chillies around 4cm and a few red but they are only about 1cm.

Once they are red, will they still grow? I picked a red one tonight just to see what it was like. There were no seeds in it and wasn't hot one little bit, it just tasted like a pepper.

[Matt_B]

Originally Posted by lisa4star

I have an 'Apache' chilli plant and it's doing very well there must be 100 flowers on it and quite a few chillies. It says they should grow to 7cm. I have green chillies around 4cm and a few red but they are only about 1cm.

Once they are red, will they still grow? I picked a red one tonight just to see what it was like. There were no seeds in it and wasn't hot one little bit, it just tasted like a pepper.

I'm no expert, but after googling apache it should have had agood kick!

Must admit, I thought once a chilli or pepper turns red they was ready?

Maybe Stupo has grown some and can tell you a bit more

[stupo74]

Hi "All",
I Have never grown "Apache" before,(but will try some next season),
So,,,

I would find it hard to give "accurate" info, but i have read about the "Symtoms" you say, and can only give the following advice,,
.
There are a couple of reasons, why you may not get the "Kick" you require from your chillies,,
These include, not enough "Sun", too much water, too much fertiliser, "weather" conditions do play a major part in how the fruit grows & "Ripens"
I have a "Naga" that has fruit, and i have taken a couple already, so the "New Fruit" can develope properly

[stupo74]

Sorry,Got cut off before finishing last post????

Some pics of the fruit on the plant now, i will take them off, very soon, to allow the rest of the flowers to sett.

Like said in previous posts, alot to growing these plants in our climate, is down to trial & error, However, alot of people have great success, which keeps me wanting, to try again.

Try taking off, a couple of the smaller fruits (Red 1's) and give a "Blitz Feed" removing any near ripe fruits, as poss, you may have hundreds on the plants, but they are all fighting for the food, and with the sun in short supply, fighting to ripen "Thoroughly".

No Expert here, but read alot here;
Chillis Galore

Hope the above helps,,,, cheers stupo.

[lisa4star]

Thanks Stupo and Matt,

Great advice. I will pick off the ripe ones tonight to allow for the larger ones to ripen and hopefully pack a punch (but not too much). Here is a picture of them:

[Reweed]

Lisa,

size and heat depend on so many variables. My apaches didn;t get much bigger than 2cm last year. Best Thing would be too remove the red ones, eat them and hope that the green ones continue to grow.

[Matt_B]

Suns out today so thought i'd post a couple of pictures





It got to 90 in the greenhouse earlier

[Matt_B]

Little update for anyone left on the forum

They are still growing but none have turned yet, think I might be running out of time now The other types of chilli and peppers are still turning red, and we are still getting stupid amounts of tomato's so maybe all hope is not lost just yet?

couple of pics







Stupo
i'll be interested to see any pics of your overwintering plants when you do them

Matt

[stupo74]

Hi Matt,
"Nice",,,,, lots of fruits there
Good size as well, you "First Timers" really take the biscuit

I have had a bad year, regarding my "superhots",( kept moving them in & out,due to weather, & no polytunnel erected this year) but will post some pics tomorrow of my other plants, that have not fared too bad.

The Scotch bonnet plant, in a small pot (1st year from seed) has done really well, like said, some pics tomorrow

Try & get at least 1, to ripen fully, mate, to ensure some seed for next time.

Will post, tomorrow, cheers stupo.

[stupo74]

Hi Matt,
I have attached a few snaps of some of the plants that are still ok, not my best year, but still got some fruits, to munch on.

I have already given my Bhuts and Nagas, a "haircut", however this was done earlier than usual, due to all that flower drop. They have started new veg growth, but with the light levels and temps falling, not much will come of them, i just hope they survive after the next cut, (probably end of next month) then i will pop them to sleep til the spring.

I will have to put the other pics in another post, it will only let me attach 5 at the moment. cheers stupo.

[stupo74]

Me again, couple more of plants and fruits, and a very funny looking Tomato???
The scotch bonnets along with my Prairie Fire have given me the best results this season, but i have had fruits from the small Thai plants as well, so not that dissatisfied with the crop.
It has been another season of learning for me, hopefully, giving me the edge for Next Time.

Great results for your 1st try with these plants mate, you have some lovely fruits there, We all know where to come for our seeds now

I wonder how Reweeds are doing??

Take care mate, cya around soon, cheers stupo

[Matt_B]

Thanks for the pictures Stupo

Some nice looking chilli's there, shame about the bhuts, guess it's beginners luck for me

Nice tomato, i've got a few images in my mind of what it looks like but better keep them to myself!!

I did pick one of the bhuts off yesterday and had a look inside, theres loads of seeds, so if any do mature your more than welcome to some seeds

I think i'll keep the plants going untill they start looking sad for themselves then try to overwinter

Good luck Stupo

Matt