Fear of Clowns

But I found an awesome chili pepper identification routine.

Labels: chili peppers, gardening

// posted by Erik @ 9/22/2009 10:24:00 PM
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Two of my favorite topics in one,

According to agriculture experts, the demand for Bhut Jolokia has increased recently, especially after it was established that it is the hottest pepper about two years ago. "The demand for Bhut Jolokia abroad is especially for its spice usage. In fact, it is also the tastiest pepper in the world. Moreover, different experiments on multiple uses of Bhut Jolokia has increased its demand," agriculture information officer Mowsam Haziraka said.

According to elephant conservationists, the chilli can be used as a powder to chase away marauding herds of elephants. Chilli cakes and fences have proved effective in keeping wild elephants at bay. So far, Bhut Jolokia cultivation is more or less confined to kitchen gardens. Wildlife conservationists have suggested that organized farming can only bring about a visible result in using the chilli products for driving out elephants.

Labels: chili peppers, elephants amok

// posted by Erik @ 9/07/2009 12:07:00 AM
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I didn't set this seedling deep enough to get water,

Twelve hours later,

Labels: chili peppers, gardening, hydroponics, peppers

// posted by Erik @ 2/26/2009 11:22:00 PM
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All plants other than the new sprouts and pepper cuttings were started in peat pellets and established in a flood and drain system with 500 PPM Supernatural GrowAqua solution under 16 hours light/day from 4 x 54W T5 bulbs. The pepper cuttings were put in the hydro system at the same time as the herbs. After about two weeks the solution was changed out and upped to 850 PPM, significantly higher than I intended but everyone seems to be doing OK despite the recently conquered spider mite infestation.

Italian basil, today and on December 3rd, pinched back once two weeks ago at 10 - 12 leaves, maybe a little late,

Sage today and a month ago. This it the first time I've grown sage, but it seemed to respond violently to pinching back - went from six or 8 to all these leaves in two weeks,

Parsley today and a month ago,

Bhut jolokia pepper cutting, today and a month ago which was about six weeks after taking the cutting,

Chocolate habanero cutting, today and a month ago - new growth starting at top and base after losing all its leaves to a spider mite infestation,

Lettuce,

French rosemary,

Spearmint, started last week,

Tomato, started a few days ago,

Peas, started a few days ago,

Labels: chili peppers, gardening, hydroponics

// posted by Erik @ 1/05/2009 09:52:00 PM
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My hot lemon pepper a few weeks ago - came back from having no leaves due to neglect in a flood and drain system - after 1 week in the deep water culture system:

Two weeks:

Three weeks:

From seeds purchased on eBay, "Punjab small hot". This pepper seems to be low growing and bushy, unlike most hot peppers. At two weeks in DWC:

Three weeks:

Naga jolokia, in DWC since seedling stage, a week ago:

Today - dozens and dozens of flowers:

All eight of my hot chilis in hydroponic deep water culture today. I added some bloom nutrients as most are budding now:

Labels: chili peppers, diy, gardening, hydroponics, peppers

// posted by Erik @ 8/07/2008 10:13:00 PM
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• 3 habenero chili peppers
• 6 cloves garlic
• 3 Roma tomatoes
• salt

I first diced then slightly browned the habaneros and garlic in chili oil, adding salt and the diced tomatoes later.

This mixture was blended and pureed with about 8 oz. of each of three bases,

• mango
• avacodo and honeydew
• carrot and lime juice

Served with chips and black beans,

Labels: chili peppers, photos, recipes

// posted by Erik @ 4/29/2008 06:30:00 PM
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My eBay auctions.

The famous Dorsert naga, various jolokia strains and other chilis among the worl;d's hottest peppers.

Labels: chili peppers, eBay, gardening, peppers

// posted by Erik @ 4/20/2008 06:40:00 PM
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I started 5 flats of pepper seedlings for myself and my friends but mostly for selling on eBay. This round, it's

Dorset naga, bih jolokia and various habaneros:

The Dorset Naga seedlings are grown from seed purchased directly from the breeders of the famous Dorset Naga, holder of the Guinness World Record for hottest chilli pepper. Others claim that a pepper from the jokolia strain is actually the world's hottest pepper. I purchased seeds of the varied jolokia strains from The Chile Seed Company.

Here are my seedling chili plant auctions,

• Bih Jolokia & Chocolate Habanero
• Dorset Naga Jolokia & Scotch Bonnet
• Bih Jolokia & Orange Habanero
• Dorset Naga & Bih Jolokia

Labels: chili peppers, eBay, gardening, peppers

// posted by Erik @ 4/11/2008 07:54:00 PM
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• Repotted sinicuichi and lagochilus seedlings
• Started kratom seeds on top of soil (I've twice failed to establish them on rockwool)
• Transferred 7 varieties of chili pepper sprouts, pesto basil, oregano and rosemary into a flood and drain system (lower right corner of photo)
• Started 6 salvia species on rockwool cubes - they get gelatinous like basil seeds. I'm intending to come up with an interesting hybrid.
• Fed the three flats of chili seedlings I'm growing 100% organic for sale on eBay.
• Transferred a few more chili sprouts and black tomato sprouts into rockwool
• Foliar feed everything with stinky Fish-Mix solution.

Labels: chili peppers, germination, hydroponics, peppers, photos

// posted by Erik @ 3/14/2008 01:55:00 AM
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No doubt about it, chili pepper seeds germinate quicker and at a higher rate with 6.0 pHed 100 ppm giberillin solution than with plain water when using the paper towel method. I used this method exclusively with 51 Dorset Naga seeds 10 days ago (2/26), as of today 46 have sprouted.

Side by side comparisons with many chili varieties showed similar results: greater than 90% germination a week or more earlier compared to about 75% germination with plain water. The most drastic example was with a variety I purchased on eBay as "Jamacian yellow Scotch bonnet": 8/10 in the group in giberillin solution had germinated by the 11th day, while 3/10 of those in plain water have germinated as of today, the 21st day.

The deluxe paper towel method:

• With water purified by reverse osmosis or distillation, make a 100 - 150 ppm giberillin solution. If you don't have a ppm meter, follow the mixing instructions on the label.
• Place seeds and the solution in a small and tightly covered transparent or translucent plastic container. Chili pepper seeds like light while germinating. I use the 1/2 cup kitchen storage containers with blue tops you can by in grocery stores. Some people use sealable plastic bags in which case you'll have to use a different container for soaking. Place the container in a warm area, ideally 85-95 degrees F. I use a seedling heating mat. The warmest place in most homes is on top of a water heater or refrigerator.
• After 24 hours, fold a single (or half) paper towel (called "kitchen paper" outside of the US) small enough so it provides a flat surface when placed in your container. Saturate the paper towel with the same solution you've been soaking the seeds in.
• Place the seeds on top of the wet paper towel and seal the container, returning it to the warm area.

Labels: chili peppers, gardening, germination, peppers

// posted by Erik @ 3/07/2008 07:06:00 PM
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Today, I began soaking some chili pepper seeds in 6.0 pHed 100 ppm gibberillan R/O water. Generally from hottest to mildest,

• bin jolokia
• bhut jolokia
• naga jolokia
• Red Savina
• chocolate habanero
• Jamaican yellow Scotch bonnet
• orange habanero from Summer Habiscus
• Burpee orange habanero
• red habanero
• tepin
• Cayenne long slim
• Punjab

They will soak for a day after which I'll place them on paper towels in plastic containers. Hot chili peppers can take a lot longer than bell peppers to germinate. Out of the 12 tepin seeds I placed in paper towels 25 days ago, only two have sprouted.

Labels: chili peppers, gardening, germination, hydroponics, peppers

// posted by Erik @ 2/15/2008 11:30:00 PM
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• Greek oregano - 2 sprouts out of approx. 20. One each from the buried and surface sown.
• French rosemary - 1 sprout out of 10 or so. Surface sown.
• lemon basil - 10/10 - surface sown and buried
• Italian pesto basil - 10/10 - surface sown and buried
• Italian sage 3/10 so far
• Teppin chilis - 0/4. I've since read that most chili germination problems come from peat being in the medium. And these are in peat pots.

For my "just soak them in giberillin solution and wait," I've moved four seeds of each species into rockwool cubes, two cubes/two seeds. Nothing sprouting other than ones I had to mark "??" as I didn't label them and I don't recognize them. They could be roma tomato all puffed up, but I believe more than the two would have sprouted by now.

The string beans got mushy.

Labels: chili peppers, gardening, germination, hydroponics, peppers

// posted by Erik @ 2/14/2008 07:49:00 PM
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I just started germinating 6 Bhut Jolokia and 12 Tepin chile pepper seeds. The Tepin is sometimes referred to as "the hottest" and it may well be the second hottest, but the Bhut ("Ghost" in the Assamese language) Jolokia ("chile") is clearly the hottest in general, consistently ranking double that of other hot peppers and half that of pepper spray.

I placed the seeds in paper towels saturated with gibberellin @ 150 ppm in R/O water. They are in an 80 °F environment.

UPDATE 2/16 2 tepin have germinated - transfered to rockwool. Bhut abandoned.

Labels: chili peppers, gardening, peppers

// posted by Erik @ 1/23/2008 07:41:00 PM
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