Growing Chocolate Bhut Jolokia in DWC

This will be the post I update with my progress growing a chocolate bhut jolokia pepper plant (sometimes referred to as the “chocolate ghost pepper”) in a DWC bucket. I pulled the seeds from some pods I acquired earlier this year:

The pods were HOT. The normal red bhut jolokia typically has a scoville rating between 855,000–1,359,000 and I can say without a doubt the chocolate bhut jolokia is every bit as hot as it’s red counterpart. Has a nice smokey flavor too.

I started the seeds on November 14, 2010. I simply inserted them in soaked (ph adjusted water) rock wool and put them straight in the dwc bucket to germinate. Temps were in the mid 60’s and I top watered every couple days. I started 3 seeds and 2 lived.

December 4, 2010 chocolate bhut jolokia sprouts:

December 18, 2010 chocolate bhut jolokia sprouts:

Somewhere between the 4th and the 18th I added heavily diluted nutrients. Still may have been a little much as I had some issues with leaf curl. Could have also been the lights – I had them on 24/7 and about an inch off the top of the seedlings. I moved the light up a few inches and switched a 16/8 light cycle.

December 28, 2010 chocolate bhut jolokias:

Leaf curl a little better and practically non existent on new growth. Think i was giving them too much light.

Growth seems to be picking up now that they have a heavier concentration of nutes.

January 2, 2011 chocolate bhut jolokias:

Here’s how things are shaping up for the chocolate jolokias as of January 8, 2011. Growth seems to be picking up now that they have some nutes.

Here’s how the chocolates are looking on January 18, 2011. Growth is picking up. Took quite awhile for the seeds to sprout but now that roots have set and nutrients have been added these things are really growing fast. Planning on isolating these to get true chocolate bhut jolokia seed stock for use in the garden or possible sale.

This is the January 28, 2011 update. The Chocolate Jolokias are growing fast, especially considering the cool temps in the basement.

February 12, 2011 update. Both chocolate bhut jolokias have been growing quickly. starting to look a little droopy, might be time to add some more water to the bucket and/or do a water/nute change.

March 5, 2011 update.
A few weeks ago I transplanted one of the dwc chocolate bhut jolokias I was growing and moved the remaining plant to it’s own bucket. I’m letting this plant form flowers and hopefully some pods. It’s my experiment plant and I may just use it for chocolate bhut jolokia seeds.

March 27, 2011 update.
This thing’s growing like crazy. The little T5 i have it under won’t cut it…hoping to put it under my 4×4 T5 in about 6 weeks when I move all my pepper sprouts outside.

16 thoughts on “Growing Chocolate Bhut Jolokia in DWC

  1. Chillinutter

    Been Growing/Crossing/Cultivating/Experimenting With Chillis For About 25 Yrs Now, Up North In Hexham, Tried Hydroponics/Lights/Indoors/Outdoors/Special Feeds/Etc, Done It All. Grow Natural Fed Plants,In A Mix Of Compost/Vermiculitte/Perlitte In Equal Amounts. Keep All Bugs Off, Give Natural Light/Heat/Water Every Day/Feed Every Sunday/And Leave Them To Grow Themselves, Just Watch What Happens. In My Second Year Of Crossing The Trinidad Scorpion/Naga Morich With A Special Strain Of The Bhut Jolokia, Got 173 Plants At Present, Most With Fruits On Them, Hopefully, May Have The Hot One.

    Reply
    1. pepperseed Post author

      Hi Robert,

      If you’re just getting them started as seedlings and plan to move them out CFL or even old school florescent will work fine. If you actually want fruit indoors you’ll probably need something like a metal halide or high pressure sodium setup.

      Reply
        1. pepperseed Post author

          Cool, I’ve heard good things about the ufo lights but have never used one to take a pepper plant all the way to fruit indoors. Would love to know how it goes!

          Reply
          1. robert luciano

            I’ll definitely let you know how it goes–bought a 5500k cfl for vegging that seemed to work great-$8 on amazon–they sell 2300(?)k cfl’s for blooming but I didn’t end up needing it with the ufo… at that price though they are worth looking into…was planning on a semi-commercial outdoor basil/ arugula garden this summer but like the idea of peppers as well-is there a site for pepper seeds that you would recommend?

            Reply
  2. Brad

    i just planted bhut jolokia seeds & 7pot in a seed germination kit in my green house under a red heat lamp with a heat pad under the kit only because it been getting in the low 70s to high 60s here in in texas at night…will i be fine with that process or what should u suggest i do to make sure im on the right track? thank you

    Reply
  3. Aji

    Helo my friend,i wanna germinate my chocolate bhutlah seed in rockwool,can you teach me how to germinate my chocolate bhutlah seed in rockwool,please reply!
    *wasitaaji@gmail.com

    Reply
  4. Kevin

    How often should chocolate bhutlah plants be watered?I have 4outside in my garden their growing great white flowers all over

    Reply
    1. pepperseed Post author

      Don’t water until the soil is completely dry at least a few inches deep. I wait until it starts to wilt a little. Better to slightly under water vs over watering.

      Reply

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