# 2019 Carolina Reapers



## dr k (May 16, 2019)

The cold and wet Spring has been delaying the hardening process for these two CR plants but are better than the two Chocolate Habaneros last year. Last years CH got sunburned and barely survived before producing over one thousand fruits from two plants. Since this years plants have been also getting sun light as well as artificial light they are doing well outside in the sun for two hours/day and also to get acclimated to light wind. These are from 

 tropics
 last years CR seeds.


----------



## fivetricks (May 16, 2019)

I can't wait to get into growing these next year :-)


----------



## SmokinVOLfan (May 16, 2019)

Man I would love to have some of those. I bet they are going to be great. What all do you use them for?


----------



## dr k (May 16, 2019)

SmokinVOLfan said:


> Man I would love to have some of those. I bet they are going to be great. What all do you use them for?


I'll make hot sauce with them. Give them away while fresh and use fresh as needed with chili. When they start to soften I'll dehydrate to make powder or bag them dried cut in half. I do prefer smoking/drying in the smoker 24 hours at 150° for a Chipotle style dried smoked pepper.


----------



## Bubba90 (May 16, 2019)

I started growing last year and had very good returns. 

Chili Tai
Orange Habs
Chocolate Habs
Carolina Reapers (Yellow and Red)
Ghost peppers 
Jalapeño 
Salsa peppers


----------



## Jonok (May 16, 2019)

I have to hand it to you guys, I don’t know how you do it.
Just reading this thread is making my mouth hurt....


----------



## fivetricks (May 16, 2019)

Admit it. It hurts so good though :-)


----------



## tropics (May 20, 2019)

Kurt they look good my seeds didn't survive the move,they were in the garage and froze for almost 2 months before I found them.
Richie


----------



## bluewhisper (May 20, 2019)

I haven't grown reapers yet but I did plant two red ghosts yesterday. I haven't found hab plants at the stores yet.

I grew ghosts for my first time last year. I dried and ground them (*OUTSIDE*) and I've been using them in seasoning blends. Kind of like putting solid rocket boosters onto a recipe.

BTW if you don't want intense heat, try a variety called Zavory. It's kind of a heatless habanero.


----------



## HalfSmoked (May 20, 2019)

Looking good Kurt my CH now have their second leaf.

Warren


----------



## dr k (May 20, 2019)

HalfSmoked said:


> Looking good Kurt my CH now have their second leaf.
> 
> Warren


How many plants are you growing.  I'm glad the seeds were good.  I just needed a couple CR plants this year since I have so much dehydrated and smoke dried Chipotle style hot peppers.


----------



## dr k (May 20, 2019)

tropics said:


> Kurt they look good my seeds didn't survive the move,they were in the garage and froze for almost 2 months before I found them.
> Richie


Did you have time this growing season to see if they were viable with your move?  I thought seeds could be preserved by freezing like all the seeds that are frozen in case of a global catastrophe but maybe at a specific range.  I have plenty so just let me know when you need more now or later.


----------



## HalfSmoked (May 20, 2019)

Kurt 
I have 4 plants growing most of the seeds were not very good at germinating.
I was going to say the same thing Richie I have all kinds of volunteer plants come up through out my garden and in the compose pile. and they have been out there all winter. So plant some and see what happens.

Kurt Thanks for the like it is appreciated.

Warren


----------



## HalfSmoked (May 21, 2019)

Here they are Kurt







Waiting for the move to the garden.

Warren


----------



## dr k (May 21, 2019)

It's been wet, cold and windy here with night temps in the forties and highs in the fifties which makes it tough to harden and get them underway outside. Latest start to the growing season I've ever experienced. Will be 80 tomorrow and back to a couple hours putting the plants outside. Two of those CH plants got me a thousand or so peppers.


----------



## dr k (Jul 3, 2019)

Don't know if I'm growing tobacco or CR with these monster leaves. Pepper plants are finally picking up speed.


----------



## dr k (Jul 17, 2019)

Cold and wet Spring delayed planting then very hot, causing blossom drop so no fruit with lots of flowers. Terrible season for these two CR plants. Getting close to 100° next several days. Ugh!


----------



## DanMcG (Jul 17, 2019)

dr k said:


> Getting close to 100° next several days. Ugh!



Sounds like the same weather pattern we're getting in NY, and also having a lot of blossom drop, but also have some nice pods going.

Carolina Reapers


----------



## dr k (Jul 17, 2019)

Nice! With the giant CR leaves and no fruit yet on mine it looks like I'm growing tobacco. Lol


danmcg said:


> Sounds like the same weather pattern we're getting in NY, and also having a lot of blossom drop, but also have some nice pods going.
> 
> Carolina Reapers
> View attachment 400781


----------



## dr k (Jul 19, 2019)

I found a few small ones identical to the smooth ones in your pic.


----------



## SmokinVOLfan (Jul 19, 2019)

Man those are going to be good. I got started too late this year to do any. But you know I'll gladly take any leftovers you have after the harvest


----------



## DanMcG (Jul 23, 2019)

My reapers are going crazy after the last heat wave and rain.


----------



## bluewhisper (Jul 23, 2019)

My ghosts have plenty of pods but they're all still green. My habs are nothing to brag about.


----------



## DanMcG (Aug 9, 2019)

6 reapers in the one batch? I hope it's a big batch.

care to share the self watering pots Idea?


----------



## dr k (Aug 9, 2019)

The fruits look wicked on mine and some are pointy but not a stinger like 

 DanMcG
.


----------



## dr k (Aug 9, 2019)

Holly2015 said:


> Here's my buckets. These get watered on Sunday and take about 3 quarts. The herb garden built in a galvanized wash tub and the poinsettia peppers in clay pots get watered every other day if not every day when really hot.
> 
> Next season the wash tub is getting converted to self watering.
> 
> ...


Very nice.


----------



## HalfSmoked (Aug 11, 2019)

Gee guys lucky you. We had a storm downed trees in my yard and right on top of my pepper plants the chocolate habaneros. 

Warren


----------



## DanMcG (Aug 11, 2019)

HalfSmoked said:


> Gee guys lucky you. We had a storm downed trees in my yard and right on top of my pepper plants the chocolate habaneros.
> Warren



That sucks Warren, If ya need some reapers let me know. It looks like I'm going to have a bumper crop.


----------



## drdon (Aug 11, 2019)

Yikes! I'll stick with my Thai birds eye peppers. That's enough. But I DO like the watering system. Thanks for the info.


----------



## dr k (Aug 11, 2019)

HalfSmoked said:


> Gee guys lucky you. We had a storm downed trees in my yard and right on top of my pepper plants the chocolate habaneros.
> 
> Warren


Bummer. Let us know if you need peppers. I have dried Choc Habs and powder.


----------



## HalfSmoked (Aug 11, 2019)

Hey thanks will let you guys know.

Warren


----------



## dr k (Aug 19, 2019)

1st CR pepper from tropics seeds.


----------



## blackwrx04 (Sep 7, 2019)

This so batch so far. Already had one cut. Made pineapple and reaper hot sauce


----------



## DanMcG (Sep 7, 2019)

This is the first real harvest of reapers, depending on the weather I might get a couple more this season.


----------



## DanMcG (Sep 7, 2019)

Ha, I couldn't figure out why my original post didn't show up on here.....then I realized there are two reaper posts going on. Sorry for the double post.


----------



## dr k (Sep 7, 2019)

These two plants are perpetually flowering/fruiting with fruits at different stages. Big harvest this year.


----------



## fivetricks (Sep 8, 2019)

Those are amazing looking plants. 

So what are you all doing with your peppers? I ask because I have a few dozen dried and I love the top end heat stuff, yet I find myself lacking inspiration as to what to do with them. 

Plus I'd like to grow my own next year, but I'll be left with more peppers that I'm not sure what do do with.


----------



## DanMcG (Sep 8, 2019)

fivetricks said:


> T
> So what are you all doing with your peppers?


I'll be giving most of mine away, or selling them. I'm not a real big fan of super hots.


----------



## tropics (Sep 8, 2019)

dr k said:


> 1st CR pepper from tropics seeds.
> View attachment 403521
> 
> View attachment 403522



Kurt Looks good I bought a Habanero Plant it gave me 6 peppers so far.Making a sauce with them.
Richie


----------



## blackwrx04 (Sep 8, 2019)

fivetricks said:


> Those are amazing looking plants.
> 
> So what are you all doing with your peppers? I ask because I have a few dozen dried and I love the top end heat stuff, yet I find myself lacking inspiration as to what to do with them.
> 
> Plus I'd like to grow my own next year, but I'll be left with more peppers that I'm not sure what do do with.


I use mind for a dry rub also I make a mango, reaper salsa, and different kinds of hot sauce.


----------



## dr k (Sep 8, 2019)

I've been giving them away but will dehydrate for powder to make hot sauce and add to sauces and chili. Less than 1/8 teaspoon on a whole pizza.


----------



## blackwrx04 (Sep 8, 2019)

Today we made reaper gummies


----------



## dr k (Sep 8, 2019)

blackwrx04 said:


> Today we made reaper gummies
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I've never seen those mats. Are they silicone? Sounds interesting. Sweet n hot


----------



## blackwrx04 (Sep 8, 2019)

dr k said:


> I've never seen those mats. Are they silicone? Sounds interesting. Sweet n hot


They are silicone. We got them on Amazon. And yes she used strawberry flavor and they are very sweet


----------



## mneeley490 (Sep 8, 2019)

Wow, guys. Just looking at those beautiful peppers makes my eyes hurt.


----------



## dr k (Oct 11, 2019)

I picked these 103 CR peppers from my two plants because tonight will/may get to 32f. So any pepper with color was picked this morning. I have the same amount that are totally green. If it doesn't freeze the forcast shows no freezing temps and Nov is going to be not so cool. Should I pick the green ones as well or risk the freeze? The plants are way too big to move. I have harvested 400 with this batch today so it has been a decent growing season but have another hundred green. I'm leaning toward leaving them to ripen on the plant.


----------



## dr k (Dec 5, 2020)

*****Update one year fermented Carlonia Reaper hot sauce in 4% brine.
November 2019 before:






November 2020 after:






Pureed mash and used all brine for a thin McIlhenny's style Tabasco sauce.  No vinegar so the lactobacillus probiotic is still alive and beneficial to your gut health but has to be stored in the refrigerator. Just pureed mash and two cups 4% brine.






Very bright fruity CR pepper flavor not masked by anything with a tangy fermented flavor that is much more mild in spiciness than I expected from the long ferment. It's a great way to taste the actual pepper without the intense heat distraction. This is my favorite hot sauce and so simple. I'll do this again next Spring with dried pods I have and use a tablespoon of this batch as a starter. 






Too thin to control from the condiment bottle so I picked up a couple 60 ml dropper bottles at the local compounding pharmacy to more easily dose. 1/4-1/2 a dropper full for a taco/slice of pizza so not lightning hot whereby one drop will light you up.


----------



## chopsaw (Feb 1, 2022)

dr k said:


> It's a great way to taste the actual pepper


The reapers have a great fruity flavor used in the right amount . That sauce looks fantastic . 
I put 2 seeds in an Areo garden , and they sprouted . Not sure if they will produce in there or not . Plan was to transplant , but I think I'll let them ride .


----------



## dr k (Feb 1, 2022)

chopsaw said:


> The reapers have a great fruity flavor used in the right amount . That sauce looks fantastic .
> I put 2 seeds in an Areo garden , and they sprouted . Not sure if they will produce in there or not . Plan was to transplant , but I think I'll let them ride .


I was thinking about that with my two Aerogarden Harvests.  I made a couple, be the bee, stem stakers like cheap elec kids toothbrushes that release the pollen from the flowers since tomatoes and peppers are self pollinating and need wind to naturally shake the plant but indoors won't produce fruit unless you, be the bee, and manually vibrate the flower stem. You'll need a magnifying  glass and see all the pollen released. I did this for my heirloom cherry tomatoes for 13 months. I have a lifetime supply of super hot pepper dried pods. The Harvests hold 6 plant pods but I have been doing just the four corner pod holders. Seems to get crowded with fruit. I have Oregano in one of the six harvest holders and it's about to expire from last late summer and I'm about to get that out and clean it and do both Harvests with lettuces since it grows fast and likes it below 70 so it doesnt bolt and get bitter. I did both Aerogardens last summer 8 pods with 4 kinds and they bolted in a month not keeping my area under 70°which is too expensive on the ac in the summer.  So now is a perfect time to grow lettuces and top 1/3 or pinch leafs at the bottom a couple times a weeks, being the fastest growing plant
	

		
			
		

		
	






	

		
			
		

		
	
.  One Harvest is clean and ready to go but I have been coasting this winter. Food store chain lettuces keep up taking foodbourne pathogens into the leaves from irrigation systems and iI figured growing it myself is the safest solution. Seems like a problem that just isn't getting resolved.


----------



## chopsaw (Feb 1, 2022)

We ended up with 3 of the Harvest gardens . I knew about having to pollinate . 
Didn't want to buy the tool , so some info on what you did for tomatoes and peppers would be helpful . My Son is good with this stuff too , he's already talking about it . 
I was wondering about doing only some of the holes . My Son used the 4 corners in his , but my Daughters is probably to full . Some kind of " golden " tomato . 
I used about half of the basil plant last night in pasta sauce , and going to use some of the Thai basil tonight on chicken . He also has Thyme and parsley in his . 
I have 2 reaper plants , a jalapeno , thyme and dill .


----------



## dr k (Feb 1, 2022)

chopsaw said:


> We ended up with 3 of the Harvest gardens . I knew about having to pollinate .
> Didn't want to buy the tool , so some info on what you did for tomatoes and peppers would be helpful . My Son is good with this stuff too , he's already talking about it .
> I was wondering about doing only some of the holes . My Son used the 4 corners in his , but my Daughters is probably to full . Some kind of " golden " tomato .
> I used about half of the basil plant last night in pasta sauce , and going to use some of the Thai basil tonight on chicken . He also has Thyme and parsley in his .
> ...


I use distilled water or zero water filter 30 cup pitcher since sometimes distilled water has been unavailable last few years for easy clean up and pump longevity for less calcification. Some use a cheap kids electric toothbrush that has a spinning head that may also move forward and backwards and use the smooth back against the flower stem for the vibration to release the pollen. I had a couple cheap Remington micro trimmers that moves a small clipper forward and backwards by the plastic tip you can see. These were so under powered I cut the trimmer head off to expose a little of the plastic push rod so it's a boxing glove to punch the flower stem. I've only grown tomatoes to need the, be the bee tool. I bought the bigger qt of fertilizer and shake and transfer to the bottle that came with the Aerogardens and use a $1 or so meat njector needle with ml to draw up 8 ml every other week since cap fulls is a mess. I read aerogarden manual but for bigger fruiting plants vs herbs the tomatoes needed 12 ml every other week on their site and search the plants growing  for tips and comments. Top the 4th or 5th set of tomato leaves to grow out vs tall. Maybe the same with peppers both being nightshade variety. I did get a couple small fish stone aerators and tiny pumps to run the hose into one of the two rear holes that have plugs where the hose or auto water hose goes to super boost oxygen and ithey are on a timer to run at night and a few 1/2 hour intervals throughout the day to work with the every 30 minute 5 minute pump cycles. Good when it's warmer to keep algae away and the roots are always respiratory, sucking in oxygen, keeping them bright white healthy and can't drown when plants get big. I bought 50 seed sponges with the fertilizer and reuse the pod holders. I will use fridge magnets for empty hole covers and alum foil with a hole over the pod holders with the germination domes and keep them over plant holders as covers to keep light from growing algae after removing domes. I run the clear air hose tubing through black shrink wrap tubing just to keep light from riding into the water bowl till the black tubing is above the light hood. They come on at 4am-7pm which is 5am-8pm for daylight savings to keep regular daylight savings time light in the middle of the summer. I put my two Harvests back to back for maximum light sharing with the fast growing herbs and fast tall dill and to bridge the tomatoes for more growing area. Lots of trimming with the tomatoes make them look gangly but the stems without fruit keep the plant from growing groups of tomatoes. I had 6 plants but survival of the fittest strangles the weak so 3-4 tomato plants per Harvest next time. Takes a few month to get maters going to fruits but then 10 months of fruiting hundreds was great. I did water changes every other month at first like instructed by just filling a siphon hose in the sink and putting one end in the water filling opening and one in an empty gallon jug and lowering the jug to siphon then refill and refeed but will wait till signs show a need for it in the future. I tweezered out plants from pods that grew more than one plant and grew them under the light in solo cups with dirt and transfered outside. I have the LED panel but dirt in the house was bringing with it aphids so if I  go that route I need to microwave the dirt to kill pest eggs and need to search what to do because that aphid honey dew sticky mess sucks to clean up and the wasted time of indoor potting but I don't think they can transfer to the aerogarden plants unless touching. Not sure.  Don't know how they spread so I need to search that. I just don't want to iinfest the hydroponic plants with aphids.


----------



## chopsaw (Jul 16, 2022)

dr k said:


> 1st CR pepper from tropics seeds.


Here's mine from the seeds I got from Richie 

 tropics
 . 
Started in n Aero garden . They were healthy , but wouldn't set any fruit . 





Had 2 Reaper plants from seeds . The Jalapeno was taking all the " goods " I guess . 





I cleared everything out except the Jalapeno , and planted the Reapers outside . They struggled , and dropped some blossoms , but now they are starting to produce . 
Been hot here the last couple weeks . High 90's . 
Not sure if they like the heat or not , but they look healthy . 
Not sure how big they should be , but here's the 2 I picked this morning . Almost 90 degrees at 8:30 . 






Now what ??


----------



## dr k (Jul 17, 2022)

chopsaw said:


> Here's mine from the seeds I got from Richie
> 
> tropics
> .
> ...


Some .may develop a wicked smaller curled pointed stinger from the seeds we have but most are large reapers. They are hot and i still have the powder he sent with the seeds. I dried all my choc habs and reapers other than the fresh reapers I made into fermented reaper sauce. I am doing a choc hab ferment from dehydrated habs. I didn't rehydrate with distilled water. I just added a 4% brine of distilled water to the dehydrated peppers with the airlock of distilled water. Not much activity but should be ok. I used a Tbls of fermented reaper sauce as a starter. No kahm yeast or cloudiness. Looks like clear strong tea. It's been a couple months the reaper ferment was a year. As long as it doesnt taste like salty chilies and has the tanginess, then it fermented. This is day one before the brine turned  to tea.  
	

		
			
		

		
	








All the dehydrated pods I have I put in enough in a dedicated coffee grinder to make it as I need it and leave the rest whole and outside with my back to the wind turn them to powder seeds and all. Then find some spice .measuring spoons,  Tad=1/4 tsp, Dash=1/8, Pinch=1/16 and Smidgen=1/32. I use a Dash for an entire frozen pizza.  Or, weigh a whole dried pod on your cure scale that goes to a hundreth of a gram or a few one at a time to get an average weight for one and you can weigh out powder and crushed pods to get a 1/4, 1/2 etc of a pod for chili, enchiladas etc These two methods seem to be the only way to consistenly dose this stuff.


----------



## chopsaw (Jul 17, 2022)

Nice . I have a couple of those same measuring spoons . 
I wish I understood the fermented hot sauce stuff . 
I have 2 packs of powder he sent me . The second one he sent is really fruity used in the right amount . 
I use it in sausage and dried beef . It's really good , but like you say it doesn't take much . Get it right , and the heat is good with a nice fruity flavor . 

I'm not sure how much mine will produce , but I'd like to over winter one . 
Dried beef cured with Reaper powder added . You can see how red it makes the meat . It's addicting . 





Also , since I cleared everything out of the Aero gardens except the Jalapenos , they are going crazy . Struggled right after I did the cleaning , but have 5 nice peppers on the plant now and a bunch of flowers .


----------



## chopsaw (Sep 29, 2022)

Well once again the weather in this area is gonna bite me . Both my Reaper plants are loaded with peppers but they're still green . 
Areo garden is still producing Jalapenos . I have a bunch of green bells too , they always come on to late . At least I can use those .


----------



## GonnaSmoke (Sep 29, 2022)

chopsaw said:


> Well once again the weather in this area is gonna bite me . Both my Reaper plants are loaded with peppers but they're still green .
> Areo garden is still producing Jalapenos . I have a bunch of green bells too , they always come on to late . At least I can use those .


We've got a lot of jalapenos, too. They just seem to keep on and on producing...


----------



## chopsaw (Sep 29, 2022)

GonnaSmoke said:


> We've got a lot of jalapenos, too.


Mine are in an Aero garden in my laundry room . I'm hoping to keep them going through the winter . 
Hopefully I get some ripe reapers this week .


----------



## mneeley490 (Sep 29, 2022)

I went the other direction this year and planted Nadapenos. They have the flavor of a jalapeno, but none of the heat. Nada. Yeah, my family are wimps about that.


----------



## dr k (Sep 29, 2022)

chopsaw said:


> Well once again the weather in this area is gonna bite me . Both my Reaper plants are loaded with peppers but they're still green .
> Areo garden is still producing Jalapenos . I have a bunch of green bells too , they always come on to late . At least I can use those .


I just kept picking the ripe ones till the day before the first frost, then picked them all and put in a paper bag to ripen what could ripen on the kitchen table. This last harvest day was 10.11.19


----------



## chopsaw (Oct 12, 2022)

dr k said:


> This last harvest day was 10.11.19


Looks like it's gonna be about the same for a date . 
This last week of warmer temps helped out some . 
I picked the ones on the left last week . They looked like the ones on the right , but ripened up nice just sitting on the counter . Picked the ones on the right this morning . 
I still have some 50 / 50 and all green on the plants . 
Temps are supposed to hold up for another few days .


----------

