Ghost Pepper Not Hot???

dm04 · Jul 5, 2011

I was hoping someone culd help. I have grown two Ghost Pepper plants over the winter indoors under grow lights. The first two peppers were ripe so we picked and ate them this last weekend.
They were barely hot... I'm talking less than a Jalapeno! Can someone tell me why that might be? They look like Ghost Peppers and they are fully ripe (Red).

Omri · Jul 5, 2011

Well poor conditions may decrease heat (even though stressed plants produce hotter pods), but a ripe Bhut Jolokia not as hot as a Jalapeño is somewhat bizarre. my best guess is it isn't a Bhut Jolokia at all.

Dshlogg · Jul 5, 2011

I doubt they're Bhuts (ghost peppers). Where did you get them?

millworkman · Jul 5, 2011

Get us some pictures so we can help out more.

SRBII · Jul 5, 2011

to THP fellow Iowan

I would have to agree that they r prolly not a bhut please post pics if you want identification

people get scamed all the time over the internet thinkin thye got Bhut when really they are red habs even that tho should have been much hotter than a jal

pics pics pics....

Capitone · Jul 5, 2011

Are you saying you did the entire flower to pod process indoors? If so, and it turns out what you have is indeed a bhut, that may have something to do with it.

Just a guess though, I've never grown to ripe fruit indoors so I don't know if this even matters.

dm04 · Jul 5, 2011

I bought the seeds from PepperJoe.com
I am trying to figure out how to add pictures (wants me to link to URL?) Once I fugure it out I will post them.

jessxcr · Jul 5, 2011

dm04 said:
I bought the seeds from PepperJoe.com
I am trying to figure out how to add pictures (wants me to link to URL?) Once I fugure it out I will post them.

Maybe you want to check this thread out then.

http://www.thehotpepper.com/topic/22877-fire-in-a-box/page__hl__fire

dm04 · Jul 5, 2011

OK...do I need a Photobucket account to post pictures?

dragon49 · Jul 5, 2011

There are other ways, but Photobucket is free and very easy to use. After uploading the pics to the albim, use the img code for links. Post pics not only of the pods, but of the plant as well.

dm04 · Jul 5, 2011

SRBII How cool, I am just down the road outside the Quad Cities

Justaguy · Jul 5, 2011

dm04 · Jul 6, 2011

pepperfever · Jul 6, 2011

IMO that does NOT look like any bhut I've ever seen, looks like habanero to me.

mikeinsc · Jul 6, 2011

That looks like a chinense typpe to me but different pod shape than I recall from last season.

Omri · Jul 6, 2011

In the wrong conditions Bhut Jolokias can look as chubby and short as the ones in the picture. anyhow they're no doubt a C. chinense and even if not a true Bhut Jolokia, should be considerably hotter than a Jalapeño. Dulce chiles anyone? :lol:

UrbanNoir75 · Jul 6, 2011

I'll hedge this by saying I'm relatively new, so others can correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I've read, and if my biology class taught me anything, it's possible the seeds you've gotten are second-gen cross pollinated to a homozygous recessive, low heat phenotype. In other words the seeds themselves might be the culprit. But as others have intimated, a host of variables are responsible for heat.

dm04 · Jul 6, 2011

Thank you everyone for your posts...looks like I need to get different seeds.
I also need to figure out why my plants shoot straight up and aren't as bushy
I think I might have over watered/fertilized them when they were younger. Lesson learned!!
You guys are a great help! Thanks again!!!

Omri · Jul 6, 2011

FireAlchemy75 said:
I'll hedge this by saying I'm relatively new, so others can correct me if I'm wrong, but from what I've read, and if my biology class taught me anything, it's possible the seeds you've gotten are second-gen cross pollinated to a heterozygous recessive, low heat phenotype. In other words the seeds themselves might be the culprit. But as others have intimated, a host of variables are responsible for heat.

There isn't a gene for super hot chiles. there is the genetic tendency of producing more Capsaicin. in my experience it is EXTREMELY hard to reduce the production in Bhut Jolokia crosses, especially in a single generation.

My guess, after seeing the pics, is that it doesn't matter if those are Bhut Jolokias or not... there's something else going on.
You could always purchase your Bhut Jolokia seeds from CPI, but I do think those pods should produce a heck of a lot more heat.

Try eating another whole pod fresh off the plant and report back. I hope, for your sake, it is some kind of heatless pepper. :lol:

UrbanNoir75 · Jul 6, 2011

dm04 said:
Thank you everyone for your posts...looks like I need to get different seeds.
I also need to figure out why my plants shoot straight up and aren't as bushy
I think I might have over watered/fertilized them when they were younger. Lesson learned!!
You guys are a great help! Thanks again!!!

I would add, make sure it's in a potting soil that has a ph around 6.5 to 7 (cheap tester kits can show this). I've also read that as with other plants you shouldn't over-fertilize them (fertilize once every 2 weeks or once a month). As Omri mentioned, stressing hot pepper plants (don't give them water for a few weeks) is said to increase their heat. I've actually seen a video of this on youtube where a successful grower had a great looking crop he had just stressed, mentioning that he would water now that it had been two weeks. I'm only now starting to grow myself, but I plan on going this route to insure maximum heat.