Pepper Bhut Jolokia

This is probably, almost certainly the Hottest Chili Pepper ever produced. Spitefully hot - it cannot be eaten raw and even when dried or cooked has a dangerously high 'temperature' but even so, very tempting for the culinary buff. Desparately attractive when strung for drying and even remains on the bush after a frost. (The perfect answer for cheating husbands or boyfriends)! 90 days from transplanting. Heat rating: 5+++!!

!!SERIOUS WARNING!!

Do not allow fresh fruit or seeds to come into contact with mouth or eyes and rubber gloves should be used when preparing for cooking. The merest 'lick' will burn the tongue believe me! After preparation, wash hands 10 times and ditch the gloves.

How to Grow Peppers from Seed

Growing Hot Peppers and Sweet Peppers is very similar to growing Tomatoes. Best results are often achieved by growing the crop indoors with heat although some varieties have been developed to produce reliable crops outside, even in the UK climate.

Both hot and sweet peppers can be harvested from green or left to ripen on the plant until they develop their mature colours of yellow, orange, red or purple. Once ripe, fruits can remain on plant in good condition until the temperatures begin to drop. A Hot Pepper’s heat usually intensifies with maturity.

Sow the seed from February to April, into compost, either in seed trays or growing cells, modules and cover with a light layer of compost. Germination takes around 28 days at 20-24oC or 68-75F

When seedlings have developed 4 leaves, transplant them into individual 3 inch pots and grow on slightly warmer.

Once the young pepper plants become pot bound transplant them into either 9 inch pots, Gro-bags or directly into a greenhouse border. Pinch out the growing points at 6 inches for bushier plants. Once in final pot size pepper plants may need staking for support.