Have I been juked! Am I growing reapers or not ?

[Martin Viljoen]

I bought Carolina reaper seeds from a local seed company.

I battled to grow them because I started them in winter July 2016.
So using my own weird but successful method I got them germinated in 10 Days

I made heat pad controlled with some electronics too keep the temperature stable.


I made a write up of it if you are interested.
https://techtinker.co.za/2016/09/17/the- ... ectronics/

Fast forward to Feb 2017, I now have tree! and they are fruiting!
However the peppers growing on the tree don't look like Carolina reapers when comparing to image off Goolge.

This one looks like a Reaper in the making.

But the below doesn't, all from the same tree. Is it too early to tell ?

[gumbo2176]

From your pictures of them with the tails, they look like Reapers in the making. I just got my Reaper seeds yesterday and put them in starter pots early this morning along with the Ozark Giant Peppers to see how the fair in my garden since many folks seem to like they size and productivity.

I'd say give the Reapers a bit more time since they still have a ways to go before maturing and finish growing before turning red on the plant. I grew Trinidad Scorpion Butch T's last year and they look very much like the Reaper peppers with the small tail out the bottom of the pepper, and they took a while to go from green to red.

[applestar]

I would be more concerned if you had obtained the seeds from a non-professional source since I believe Carolina Reaper is a hybrid variety and seeds cannot be saved.

[gumbo2176]

I would be more concerned if you had obtained the seeds from a non-professional source since I believe Carolina Reaper is a hybrid variety and seeds cannot be saved.

,
Hmmm, that's food for thought if true. I bought a couple packs of seeds, one Ozark Giant and one Carolina Reaper from Baker Creek Seed Co. out of Mansfield, MO. So let's just wait and see how this goes.

There is a local nursery that said they would be handling the Carolina Reaper already started and should be in stock in a couple weeks time. I'll probably get a couple plants already started from them just to be on the safe side-------as if growing these hot things can possibly be safe.

[imafan26]

Reapers may not be stable for a few generations, so it is possible for them to revert. Many of the newer hybrids have problems with instability until they are more than 10 generations out. Some peppers may be hot and some not. I had a reaper that had zero heat, but it was a reaper. It is why I don't like Jalapeno M, I have had multiple issues with its variability in heat on the same plant. I have switched to more stable varieties.

[cfuller43]

,
Hmmm, that's food for thought if true. I bought a couple packs of seeds, one Ozark Giant and one Carolina Reaper from Baker Creek Seed Co. out of Mansfield, MO. So let's just wait and see how this goes.

There is a local nursery that said they would be handling the Carolina Reaper already started and should be in stock in a couple weeks time. I'll probably get a couple plants already started from them just to be on the safe side-------as if growing these hot things can possibly be safe.

This is the first year I've ordered anything from Baker Creek. Very satisfied.
The only exception was the chocolate bhutlah, 0% germination. But, completely my fault.

REALLY want to try some Reapers next year! And chocolate bhutlah (again!) I'll do my homework better before I try again.

[imafan26]

The superhots especially the ghost pepper does not germinate well until it gets to be 80 degrees. I found that out the hard way. I planted 30 seeds (at a dollar a seed) and got three seeds to germinate because it was not warm enough. When I waited for the warmer days I got 80% germination.