I have quite a few pods that aren't ripe yet, keeping fingers crossed they ripen before the cold gets to them first. Thanks everyone for bearing with me at the pics I posted!

In August a year ago, a friend gave me a Bhut Jolokia seedling and taught me about over wintering it. Not great with house plants, I would water it when I saw it drooped. Turned out that's what it liked and in Feb it started flowering. Much reading of pepper forums ensued. In April I started five kinds of peppers and four kinds of tomatoes. Gave seedlings away and planted about twenty peppers and twenty tomatoes. Plus radishes, beets, peas, purple podded beans. Best vegetable garden I've had as an adult. And now that overwintered Bhut Jolokia is covered with pods, including a bright red one. The wisdom and experience in the chili head forums was invaluable and inspiring. Thanks, friends.

Thanks Kevin, maybe using Peter Peppers are the happy medium LOL! They are supposedly 10 times hotter than a jalepeno! LOL

Wow cotton, That sounds great I hope all your gardens in the future turn out as good! if everything works out right I will be having a bigger garden so I can grow more veggies like you did. There is nothing more satisfying than eating all the veggies that you started from seed, even seedlings. This may sound crazy but I am totally amazed that the seeds that are so tiny,can grow to a plant that produces veggies to eat. I have a stupid question though, by "overwintering" do you mean that you grew the pepper plant all winter long until you were ready to plant them outside? I have heard that word used before but I'm just not sure what it means.

Wow cotton, That sounds great I hope all your gardens in the future turn out as good! if everything works out right I will be having a bigger garden so I can grow more veggies like you did. There is nothing more satisfying than eating all the veggies that you started from seed, even seedlings. This may sound crazy but I am totally amazed that the seeds that are so tiny,can grow to a plant that produces veggies to eat. I have a stupid question though, by "overwintering" do you mean that you grew the pepper plant all winter long inside until you were ready to plant them outside? I have heard that word used before but I'm just not sure what it means. Does anyone know if you use cuttings from a pepper plant and use rooting powder works to keep what you have growing?

I apologize for the duplicate post.

I feel these pictures would get more attention if you were to create a separate thread.

judo_and_peppers: thank you so much for the offer to resend seeds. I might take you up on it, but I am waiting to figure out when I am going abroad I in the interests of U.S. diplomacy, so I'm not quite sure whether I will be able to have a garden at all next year!

Channeling Groucho Marx: "And America could use a Broad Diplomat right about now!"

Sorry, couldn't resist. :-)

judo, I am new to this type of forum, I chose to post here because the last time I posted to another forum I didn't like the way I got treated, when I found this thread it was a whole different atmosphere (better). I am not looking to seek any glory about my reapers, just wanted to share with the people in this thread, the people here seem much, much more laid back. Besides, I don't know how to start a thread, I have only been on GW for a few days and haven't learned how to do much with it. It's a whole new learning process for me, in time I will learn how to do more things.

understandable. you'll find that people on here won't give you a hard time unless you're being an a-hole (which you're certainly not doing). feel free to start new threads whenever you see fit. just scroll to the bottom of the forum page, and fill in the box that looks similar to the one at the bottom of this thread to start a new one.

nice looking plants btw. I can't remember the last time I saw a male forum member post a pic of themselves and they didn't have facial hair of some sort. that seems to be another forum trend (I have a beard too, but haven't posted any pics of myself yet that weren't in cartoon form).

btw welcome aboard.

See, I just knew that people here were cool and understanding, and I learned something new today!
Thanks for the comment about my plants, I wasn't sure when I got the seeds from Puckerbutt, that I would expect these results that I got. I have learned that I should start them sooner than the other plants that I grow from the people in this forum.
LOL about the facial hair, I always have a fumanchu but once it starts to get colder I let it all grow out, I live in northern Ohio and was a framing carpenter at one time and worked outside in the winter . Besides it's not like I like growing a beard, I just hate shaving LOL.
Thank you for letting me aboard!

> " I am going abroad I in the interests of U.S. diplomacy"

Our diplomacy improves when you leave the country? ÃÂ ÃÂ Hmm. I think I like the Groucho line better.

> " just scroll to the bottom of the forum page, and fill in the box that looks similar to the one at the bottom of this thread to start a new one."

Does that work? I use the 'Post a Message' link on the little menu at the top of the thread list, under the blue bar. pete, this isn't the world's most intuitive forum software. I'm still trying to figure out how to embed an image with the HTML img tag. If I do, you'll see one in this post.

Dennis

P.S. I have a mustache.

This post was edited by DMForcier on Mon, Sep 15, 14 at 13:02

May I should have phrased that differently. I'm in the process of becoming a diplomat. I expect to be going overseas as a diplomat, i.e. some junior attaché of an embassy or consulate somewhere. :)

Angie

P.S. I don't have a mustache.

Love this forum, I agree with the others, it is helpful and entertaining. Zero moaning and groaning and beyotching, just folks having fun and giving and getting info.

Well good luck to you. I hope they assign you to some country with no ebola and plenty of exotic peppers!

OK, who the heck told Dennis how it include HTML tags in his posts???

I fear no good will come of this!

My problem was I spel too good. "source=" looks absolutely correct, but the attribute is "src=".

Obviously HTML was designed by a dweeb.

Dennis

Petesapie
Yes, I had a six inch high seedling. I put in a bigger pot that it could stay in all winter. I had it outside in the daytime, and knocked that off as it got too cold. In the spring, I reversed that and started putting it out in the daytime. When it was warm enough to stay out, I planted it in a bigger container. Sunny east and south windows here.
I am told a plant will last four years this way.

Funny story: Funny to me anyway. From reading all the forum stuff about low germination and helmut heads and all that, I really learned how to get germination right. My friend had also given me six pods last fall and I saved all those seeds. Yes, I learned the hard way where not to touch yourself. I expected someone to take half the seedlings. I thought I was planting about fifty seeds, I got tired of counting them. Remember I'm expecting all these much discussed germination issues. Well, one hundred and ten seedlings came up. I learned do not plant more than you can up pot and have potting soil for.

Hey Cotton,
Thank you for the explanation on overwintering, I kind of thought that's what it meant, but I really do appreciate you helping me understand. I have grow lights setup in my upstairs of my house but the wife would shoot me if I did that all winter LOL. I do start all of my plants by seed with the lights and I am starting to learn what plants I need to start before other plants. I will be starting my reapers first from now on, then the jalepenos, then peter peppers, then my sweet peppers.
Your funny story about the seedlings is exactly what happened to my brother-in-law, couldn't get them started, then tried more and then they all started at the same time, he too had more than he could use. I did the same thing too, but fortunately I was able to give them to 2 people who used them, but it wasn't an extreme amount.
My funny story (not at first) was when I took the seeds out of some reaper pods and peter peppers, with gloves on, and some of the veins they were attached to. Put them on a paper towel and set them out to dry, the next day I started taking the seeds off the veins , without gloves, thinking that they were dry enough to work with. I finished up then went the bathroom to take a leak, without washing my hands first, needless to say they weren't dry enough LOL. Well you can imagine the results, found some desitin and applied it, after an hour it was "better". The wife "as you can imagine" thought it was hysterical LOL and I had to agree with her, now when I tell that story, it's great, and it gives people a good reason to laugh, right along with me LOL. Lesson learned!

I had removed those seeds, left them to dry on a paper towel.
A few days later I stirred them with my finger, stuck my nose down in them and "cough,cough sputter, choke". Just stirred the capsaicin right into the air.

I just put long broad tiles over my stove and the pilot light heat kept germinating seeds just right, I was moving all those kinds of seedlings back and forth, front window days, stove at night.

I'm still waiting for my Lemon Drops peppers to get ripe. The Melrose peppers are showing some red. The Jalapenos are almost done. The Red Savina Habaneros did not recover from the thunderstorm when they were hardening off on the deck. The Bhut Jolokia is in a big pot, too big for me to move it outside everyday. Still I might try. Definitely coming back in for the winter.

Cotton,
When I was cutting my peppers open to harvest my seeds, I noticed that the peppers were starting to get to my eyes after about 20 minutes. I have allergies in my eyes that require me to put drops in them twice a day, so next time I will have to limit my exposure to them, or wear goggles LOL.
I have found that keeping the air temps between 75-80 degrees and thus keeping the soil temp elevated has helped in germinating the super hots. I use the thin black plastic containers that flowers come in, especially the larger ones, 3"x3"x3" is very successful in starting all of my seeds. Keeping the soil moist aids in the process as well, not water logged, but moist, and when I water the trays I use a spray bottle, as when you pour water out of a container it dislodges the seeds and germination is not as successful. I have a "grow box" that I made from plywood with the windows out of a storm door that opens and closes with grow bulbs attached to the doors that helps raise temps inside the grow box. 2 grow lights are screw in bulbs that are 120 watts but they generate heat especially with the storm door windows in place, with 2, 4' double bulb flouresents on both sides of them. After the seedlings get going well, I transplant them into 2 liter bottles and place them under 4' grow lights in 2 liter bottle carriers so that they can moved easily when need be. I start all of my seeds this way and I have found that I can speed up the germination times faster than what the instructions say that it will take, sometimes days ahead of time. I can post some pics of what I use if you'd like to see it. It took me 3 years to get it figured out, with some modifications of course along the way, but it is starting to work well.

What you are doing with two liter bottles and bottle carriers, is similar to what I was doing. I started the seeds in a tray, misted them just like you and then up potted to styrofoam cups. First I was moving the trays every day, after germination. At dawn, out to the sunporch and
to the kitchen western windows, and back on the stove to keep warm over night. I started the Bhut Jolokia April 1st.

Yeah, when you have a chance post the pictures.

Hey Cotton,
Been pretty sick the past few days, ( I have crohn's disease), and haven't had a chance to get hardly anything done. I didn't want you to think I forgot about pics, or was trying to blow you off. Feeling a little better today, will try to get them posted tomorrow or Sunday, my apologies.

Pete

Donna, do you drive a Camaro?

Now the Bhut Jolokia has one red, three orange, many green. The Melrose peppers (far away) are showing color. And the Lemon Drops ... covered with green peppers, pointing up and down. More Jalapenos coming along. Might bonchi a couple of those, the best ones.

Feel better, Pete.

Now the Bhut Jolokia has one red, three orange, many green. The Melrose peppers (far away) are showing color. And the Lemon Drops ... covered with green peppers, pointing up and down. More Jalapenos coming along. Might bonchi a couple of those, the best ones.

Feel better, Pete.

Wow Cotton,
That sounds like everything is going as planned, and you sound happy with the results! I haven't been to my garden today, had to help my daughter do some work on the house she is moving into. I am going to try to get there tomorrow and harvest. I know that I should have reapers, peter peppers and a few sweet peppers ready. Hopefully some more cukes and tomatoes will be ready also as the season is starting to wind down, need to cut and freeze peppers that are in the fridge. Since I have been sick, it just seems that all the things that I need to do pile up so fast, and no help getting them done LOL! Trying to get our pool taken down too, I hate being disabled, everything takes to long to get done, so used to just jumping in and knocking the list out. I have a stupid question, what does "bonchi" mean?

Thanks,
Pete

Like "bonsai" - miniature plant that mimics a big one.

Thank you Dennis for the meaning of "bonchi", I sincerely appreciate it, I am so glad that I posted to this forum, everyone has truly been kind to me here. It makes for a better learning environment, which I can truly say that I have learned some things since I started posting here! Have a great day today!

Pete

Hey, I learned everything I know here.

Dennis

.. especially how to be more mellow in the face of irritating alkaloids and other things.

I haven't done it, but there is a way to bring the plant in for the winter and cut it down before repotting it in a smaller pot. Then you have a little pepper bonsai to look at over the winter. Put it back outside next season in the ground or in one of those five gallon containers. I read about it in the other hot pepper forum last spring. Google bonchi pepper images.

Jeeper Reapers!
Just wanted to share photo of recent reaper harvest, 33 pods plus 3 peter peppers to boot! Plants have grown another 12" tall, weather here has been very cooperative 70's for highs 50's for lows and a ton of sunshine!!

Pete

This post was edited by petesapie5 on Thu, Sep 25, 14 at 13:05

That's amazing, look at those intimidating tails!

Amazing harvest. I recently received some reaper seeds in a trade and was wondering what I could expect. Now I know. Let's know what the flavour is like...if you can get past the heat.

Thanks Cotton, hoping to get some more pods in the next couple of days, can't believe the weather we're having. Since it was a cold damp spring, I wasn't quite sure of the summer we were going to have, let alone the fall.
Northener,
Unfortunately, with the crohn's disease I have, eating anything hot like reapers are out of the question. I grew them for the challenge and because my wife's friends said the jalepeno poppers she made last year weren't hot enough, needless to say they are hot enough this year LOL, I plan on harvesting seeds for resell for next year's gardening funds/trade/giveaway and making reaper powder. Being from northern Ohio I am happy with the results but have learned to start them indoors early, like early February.

Hey Cotton,
Here are the pics of my grow box setup that I use. The box itself has curtain rod brackets with the lights screwed to them, screwed to the storm door window frames, for removal of light assembly as a unit. The curtain rods pictured are kind of butchered because the plant light bulbs stick out lower than the fluorescent bulbs, which I plan on refabricating. The 2 liter bottles I use are coke bottles that I cut approximately 1" above where the curved part starts and I cut the tops right below of other ones where the straight part starts. Doing this enables me to "snap" the tops into place for transport, bug protection, and create a "greenhouse". I also have tops that I cut out a space for a screen for air circulation as I have fried some seedlings with the tops on them. I use a timer to control the lights, using them overnight to keep electric bills down.

Inside of grow box

2 liter bottle setup

2 liter bottle setup

2 liter bottle setup in coke bottle holders, using bottles makes keeping track of plants very easy, especially with adhesive labels. BTW I drill 5 holes in bottom of bottles and they drain extremely well! When I transplant I dig hole deep and wide enough to cut the bottle away from seedling and roots.

That's interesting. Do you drill the bottoms? I suppose that being clear you can see the moisture level, but I'd still feel better if the container drained well.

Dennis

BTW, this discussion should be in a different (new) thread.

This post was edited by DMForcier on Sat, Sep 27, 14 at 14:10

Nice Reaper pictures. Shows the variation in pod for well. Mine have the same variation only about 20% elongated and some smooth still 80% true reaper form.
I got the seed on this Forum so have no comment on what is sold by venders but Im really happy with the results and will grow more next year from seed I saved from select peppers.
PS the long ones have the same heat level and are just as nice a pepper.

Thanks Dave, I am pleased with the results as well considering I never grew them before. I bought my seeds from Puckerbutt, figuring that since they created them, the results would be the best. I did purchase seeds from an ebay vendor and that plant is producing good results as well.

Dennis,
OK, sorry if I crossed the rules somewhere, be assured it won't happen again.

Oh BTW Dennis, the water usually drains out as I am watering the plants, I just use good draining potting soil and the clear bottles let you see EVERYTHING that's happening.

PeteSaPie.... You broke no rules! Your pictures, helpful information and and unique starting system needs its own thread so that it has it's own "title" so everyone can find and learn from. I read your posts to this point and I have some changes I might try for my own application.

Keep on keepin' on!

The 2 liter bottle method is an old sea of green trick for growing Reefer under lights,9 clones / Sq. Ft.Very effective under HD lighting. A lot of advances in horticulture have come from underground gardening and I for one am impressed with its use in growing peppers.All your pots are recycled what can be better then that. And its legal.

Hey Dave,
The 2 liter bottle idea is one I came up with, I had never heard nor thought of until I started gardening, and a good way to re-use all the coke bottles that we kept recycling. The gardening use is just a pit stop before the recycling bin for them now, I use them for all my veggies except sweet corn, I start them in the black plastic flower containers, 3" x 3"s and transplant them straight into the ground. Using them helps to maintain a good soil temperature in the starter box.
Pete

Its a good Idea and thanks for sharing it with other forum members. Deep roots in a small aria and free pots.
I did read about it being used probably 20 years ago by a Dutchman who wrote a book called Sea of Green and find it very interesting that it has other more down to earth uses . Might have to use it myself next year it can really minimize the space needed to get a good root system going before planting out. If growing starts under lights that is important and I think you will not be the only member using it next year.
Thanks