Try Turbo-1's Habanero Sauce - Hot Stuff!

[rhody]

OK, don't laugh, on second thought go ahead and laugh...

The first is (left to right) about a months worth of growth of coleus and red peppers, all doing well, on the far right are the, yes, you guessed it, the ghost (bhut jolokia) peppers, that were started the same time as the other two, but because of the long germination time are only beginning to grow (and very slowly I might add). I wanted to have something for you to visualize the tremendous difference in germination and growth rate(s) of the the three plant species.

These little suckers are hard enough to grow as is, so I decided, see second picture below is to turn the ghost peppers into a "bonsai ghost tree". What you see below is not a ghost pepper tree (but it is a pepper bonsai plant). This gives you some idea of what you can achieve with proper training.

Ghost peppers are perennials and should live a long time. I will have something that I can spend even more time training and watch slowly grow into a small tree. Hopefully I won't die of old age first... lol. Trees, as one would expect are the most long lived bonsai examples. See edit below: Maybe we can figure out how to create a bhut jolokia tree species in the meantime. One can only hope...

Edit: In continued reading the book I got the bonsai pepper picture from they claim that Bonsai Pepper Plants live about 10 years. If that is in fact true, then passing a Bonsai on to loved ones may not be possible. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bonsai" It seems that the history is ancient almost 1000 years, in the late 1800 to early 1900's became increasingly popular, note the quote below claiming of a 500 year old example.

One of the oldest-known living bonsai trees, considered one of the National Treasures of Japan, is in the Tokyo Imperial Palace collection. A five-needle pine (Pinus pentaphylla var. negishi) known as Sandai-Shogun-No Matsu is documented as having been cared for by Tokugawa Iemitsu. The tree is considered to be at least 500 years old and was first trained as a bonsai by the year 1610.[16] Older plants have been made more recently into bonsai as well

Rhody...

 

[turbo]

Bonsai peppers! Why didn't I think of that? I have a sister-in-law that digs up pepper plants, puts them in big pots and over-winters them in her south windows. I may have to do her one better, and try to make some bonsai pepper plants that can be re-planted in the garden in the spring.

 

[Evo]

Cool Rhody! Take care of those little seedlings!

 

[rhody]

Cool Rhody! Take care of those little seedlings!

Evo,

I feel like an explorer in uncharted territory with these stubborn, finicky plants, I have asked around locally far and wide, and as far as I am aware except for a friend I gave some seeds to, am the only person north of the deep south, southwest, or Florida who is attempting to grow these damn things. A buddy who built this PC has some plants as well, and I may get to see them this weekend.

Second, nurturing and growing some kind of bonsai was always on my "to do" list anyway, so what better way to practice than with these hard to grow plants, sort of like some kind of sick poetic justice, at least in my own mind.

I think looking at something beautiful when you are long gone that your skill contributed to making is a really cool idea, well mine anyway. I hope to pass on some bonsai plants to special people that with a little TLC will live for another 50 to 100 years.

Rhody...

 

[turbo]

My chili seeds are all planted in flats with Pro Mix and bone meal. Assuming a decent germination rate (and cooperative weather) I should have a large crop of peppers this year.

 

[rhody]

My chili seeds are all planted in flats with Pro Mix and bone meal. Assuming a decent germination rate (and cooperative weather) I should have a large crop of peppers this year.

turbo,

http://www.organicconsumers.org/madcow/fertilizer1804.cfm"

I tend to err on the side of caution, and I realize bone meal is in some fertilizers, having said that, the proteins in Mad Cow disease have been proven to not be destroyed when boiled or even burned was what led me to stop using the stuff a number of years ago.

The risk of getting http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creutzfeldt%E2%80%93Jakob_disease" is pretty low and I am told only after multiple exposures to the prion or protein in it can you get Mad Cow disease. For that reason I tend to stay away from it. At the very least if you spread it (bone meal) around in dust form you may want to consider using a mask to keep from inhaling it.

Rhody...

 

[turbo]

Thanks, Rhody. I'm not too worried, though. I trowel it into dampened potting mix so dust is minimized. With my respiratory problems, I tend to avoid fine dusts of all kinds.

I use bone meal because tomatoes and peppers need phosphorus for good rooting, and it does not raise the nitrogen level like some organic fertilizers. Nitrogen promotes bushy growth in both peppers and tomatoes, but can suppress flowering and fruiting. I use rotted manure in the garden because it releases nitrogen very slowly and steadily, and the plants never get a real "kick" like they can with organic fertilizer mixes.

 

[rhody]

I just ordered some of these: tricolor ornamental peppers, will look cool planted around the house all summer, may use some as gifts:

I would have ordered these back in February but the were not available: http://gurneys.com/product.asp?pn=73606&bhcd2=1272316176" in case anyone else wants to order.

Rhody...

 

[Evo]

They sell those in the floral department here. They're very pretty.

 

[turbo]

They are probably good to eat, though I wouldn't eat any purchased from a flower place. No telling what kind of treatments that they have experienced for fungus, nematodes, etc. I'll have to see if Johnny's or FedCo has untreated seeds so I can start my own.

 

[turbo]

Johnny's Selected Seeds has 6 ornamental and edible varieties. Prairie Fire, Sangria, Pretty in Purple, Purple Flash, Numex Twighlight, and Black Pearl.

http://www.johnnyseeds.com/search.aspx?SearchTerm=ornamental+peppers

 

[rhody]

My last batch of ghost peppers germinated in exactly 8 days, (temperature in the box: 80 - 85 F checked with some thermometer) I used wet paper towels (that's the secret to keep the seeds from drying out), inside a germination plastic container with a clear top, and put warm water on the seeds, started in peat disks, made a big difference, the batch before I did not use a heat mat and they took almost twenty days to germinate, those plants now upstairs have double in size since last weekend and have more leaves. About 3 days after starting them I added more water and made sure the peat pots were still damp, good thing is to check them every day or two because if they dry out the seeds will die or simply not germinate.

As soon as the heads popped up in the current batch, I took the clear top off and turned on my grow light, and they took off on their own, so I am starting (finally) to get the hang of growing these things, next up is the multicolor ornamental peppers, I will start a half dozen of those, the seeds are tiny compared to the ghost peppers and the package suggests about the same germination rates as the ghost peppers.

I transplant them into Miracle Grow orchid potting mix and thy seem to like it, the top of the soil dries out quickly which they like and the water retention on what is left is pretty good, only water them about every 2 to 3 days. When I fertilize, (not until they get bigger, I will use only organic fertilizer, again Miracle Grow, I don't want to use too much too soon.

Rhody...

 

[turbo]

I'm using the "lazy way" starting my peppers in large multi-compartment flats. I've got them on the top shelf of my greenhouse, and though yesterday and today have been cold and dark, they are starting to sprout. Hungarians first, then I expect the jalapenos to pop, and last, the habaneros.

 

[rhody]

Remember how tiny those Bhut Jolokia peppers looked here, https://www.physicsforums.com/showpost.php?p=2682722&postcount=361" far right.

Two months later they look like this:

They grow low and spread out, the ones to the left and front of the big pot are more ghost peppers, the ones in the rear, are habanero, and the ones in the pot to the left are the three color ornamental s I just started. They all like the Miracle Grow Orchid Potting Mix, and like it somewhat dry, especially on the surface.

Rule of thumb to start, use a heat mat, enclosed container with paper towels soaked in water, and use those peat seed starter things, put seed just below the surface and rough up the peat and barely cover, check about 5 days for water, add more if necessary, in every case they all germinated in 8 days, the fastest possible time, internal temp of the plastic starter case: 80 - 85 degrees F.

and this

Rhody...

 

[turbo]

Wow! Good luck with them. I'd love to play a bit with them, but it's too cold here.

 

[Evo]

They look great Rhody, not spindly, bright healthy color.

 

[turbo]

Safe from almost any catastrophe! Although if it keeps getting hotter, I might have luck with ghost peppers here.

http://csce.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=ContentRecords.ViewDetail&ContentRecord_id=923&ContentRecordType=P&ContentType=P&CFID=36414073&CFTOKEN=90499712

 

[Evo]

Evo Child introduced me to a hot sauce imported from Mexico, Cholula. Not hot enough for manly men like turbo & Astronuc, but it's a bit hotter than Frank's Original (which just won best tasting mild hot sauce, it *is* my favorite).

Cholula has a distinctly different flavor, it is made from arbol and piquin peppers. It also has a cool wooden cap.

http://www.cholula.com/

 

[turbo]

Last night I opened my very last jar of habanero relish. I really need this year's chili crop to come through for me, or next winter will be a sad time. I'm making a double-batch of my hot grilled jumbo shrimp for a cookout we're having at our neighbors' place tonight, and habanero relish is a critical ingredient of the marinade/glaze. No other form of heat compares - even my best jalapeno relish can't do the job.

 

[Evo]

turbo, have you tried any of the hot garlics? I just saw a show that had Korean Red (hot) garlic. It sounds perfectly suited for your climate. Al Roker said it's really fiery hot and delicious.

Korean Red is a generally a vigorous grower with large foliage that is dark green and results in a pretty good sized bulb. Being a Rocambole garlic, its flavor is very strong, hot and spicy and sticks around for a long time. From a growers perspective, it grows well in cold winter areas, but does poorly in warm winter areas, and usually grows healthy fairly uniform sized bulbs. It has thin bulb wrappers that have a lot of purple and brown in them.

I have a hard time deciding which hot garlic should be ranked where, but Korean Red Hot is certainly up there and I will just have to continue eating as many different ones as I can in an effort to improve. When I die, don't bother to bury me, just plant in the fall and water me, I'll probably sprout and grow.

Korean Red Hot usually has anywhere from 8 or 9 easy to peel cloves that are of good size, with no smaller inner cloves. The outer bulb wrappers are thin and flake off easily so it is not a very good storer, but no Rocambole is - through the fall and into winter. Great taste is their claim to fame, not long storage. For those up North who want to grow their own garlic it only takes a year or two to grow all you can eat. It harvests in early summer along with most of the other Rocamboles. Bulbs are usually over 2 1/2 inches in diameter and are of good size are grown primarily for their particularly rich flavor.

http://www.gourmetgarlicgardens.com/rocamboles.htm

 

[leroyjenkens]

My friend gave me some hot sauce that made me think I might die. I stuck one tine of a fork into it and put it on my tongue and I was miserable for about 10 minutes. I felt nauseous afterward.

 

[turbo]

No, I haven't tried Korean garlic, in large part because I'm saving my garden space for the English and Russian hard-neck varieties that store well all winter in my cold cellar. Since you get a single bulb per plant, garlic takes up a lot of space in the garden compared to other vegetables. For instance, one 35-foot row of buttercup squash will keep us in squash all winter long, assuming we get a decent season. To get enough garlic for our needs, reserve enough of the biggest ones for the winter planting, and to give some to family (saves them money at the grocer's) I have to plant 3 35-foot beds hoed up about 2 feet wide.

 

[Evo]

I might order some to see if they're as good as everyone says.

 

[turbo]

I might order some to see if they're as good as everyone says.

I like pungent garlic, so I'll have my wife keep an eye out for some at farmers' markets or produce departments.

Wal-Mart is building their store into a super Wal-Mart with groceries and produce, so the local Hannaford supermarket is beefing up its offerings in a bid to keep customers, including some ethnic foods and produce. Hannaford is a big chain up here, but Wal-Mart is country-wide with deep pockets. I imagine their grand opening will feature tones of loss-leaders just to get new customers in the door.

 

[HeLiXe]

I agree! ...Oh wait...we're talking about peppers? Oh...

 

[HeLiXe]

Evo Child introduced me to a hot sauce imported from Mexico, Cholula. Not hot enough for manly men like turbo & Astronuc, but it's a bit hotter than Frank's Original (which just won best tasting mild hot sauce, it *is* my favorite).

Cholula has a distinctly different flavor, it is made from arbol and piquin peppers. It also has a cool wooden cap.

http://www.cholula.com/

I like this stuff too...the first time I had it was at IHOP with some southwestern steak omlette thing. Then I saw it in the stores.

 

[Astronuc]

My friend gave me some hot sauce that made me think I might die. I stuck one tine of a fork into it and put it on my tongue and I was miserable for about 10 minutes. I felt nauseous afterward.

That sounds like one of my habaneros fresh from the plant. The heat sneak up on one as the capsaicin hydrolyzes from the saliva. The burn is great, and after one swallows them, it feels like someone kicked one in the abdomen.

Great stuff!

I like Dave's Insanity and Special Reserves. I was first introduced to Dave's After Death Hot Sauce about 14 years ago, and I've been a collector ever since.

Mad Dog hot sauces are great too!

I've also got a small vile of Satan's Blood. I had to sign a waiver to buy it. It's has a warning to keep away from children and animals, and not to get allow contact with eyes.

 

[turbo]

My friend gave me some hot sauce that made me think I might die. I stuck one tine of a fork into it and put it on my tongue and I was miserable for about 10 minutes. I felt nauseous afterward.

Sounds like one of my weaponized habanero relishes, made from only red ripe chilies. When people would see me putting it on a burger or a hot dog, sometimes they would suggest that they try it out on theirs. Rather than waste good grilled food, I'd give them a toothpick, have them stick it in the juice only (no fishing out a piece of pepper) and put that drop of juice on their tongue. Only my organic gardener neighbor was willing to put some on his food after a taste, and even he hasn't taken any for a long time. He's a vegetarian, so he grills soy dogs and soy sausages for himself, and needs SOMETHING to dress up the taste. Now he sticks pretty much to my tomato-based hot salsas. Chili relishes are a bit too much even for him.

 

[Evo]

This site has a really great hot sauce list.

http://www.scottrobertsweb.com/scoville-scale.php

 

[turbo]

Nearly everything in the top half of the list is an extractive, to be used as a food additive. I like heat in my food, but I demand that it taste good, too, thus the chili relishes made from habanero, cayenne, jalapeno, Hungarian yellows and mixes of those, along with some red Russian garlic. I made a jalapeno/garlic relish last year that my wife loves on hot dogs, etc. She leaves the habanero relish to me, although if I'm eating hot dogs and she can't resist the smell, she'll ask for ONE bite.