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cugal

Carolina Reaper..........

cugal
10 years ago

An input on Pucker Butt pepper company's track record for producing true seeds (ie, the Carolina reaper)?

I've ordered a few of their Carolina Reaper seeds without doing a great deal of research.......... Hate to invest a growing season without some idea.......

Comments (25)

  • leafericson
    10 years ago

    Oh.. No. Here we go again. Puker But/pepper joke same jerks.
    We have covered this reaper topic many times, so has other forums.
    Stop payment immediatley ! Put a hold on your credit card or you may end up with seeds that either don't germinate, in that case he will blame it on you or you could just end up with some common pepper.
    I'm sure some generous member on GW has some reaper seeds they can share with you. Can't hurt to ask.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Pepper Joe legit?

  • peppernovice
    10 years ago

    I may be wrong Leaf, but I think Puckerbutt is ok. Pepper Joe is the one some here have an issue with. Joe doesn't run Puckerbutt. It's run by Ed Currie, and I believe he's a pretty trusted name. Someone with more experience please chime in.

    Tim

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  • ottawapepper
    10 years ago

    Oh man, I can't believe I'm wading into this... I have a strong will but a weak won't.

    Puker But is Ed Currie's company. Ed was a respected member of another pepper forum until he hooked up with a love him or hate him self promotional pepper marketing character.

    All that being said, there has been a lot of talk on forums and reports from respected members about the Reaper not being stable and not growing true.

    Whether you grow them out or not, it's your choice. You may get the real deal or, not. Personally, I'm getting seed from a fellow member and am going to grow them out so I can make up my own mind on the claims.

    Just my 2 cents,

    Bill

  • peppernovice
    10 years ago

    Thanks Bill. I'm growing plants from 3 different sources hoping I get at least one true plant.

    Tim

  • smokemaster_2007
    10 years ago

    I don't see why anyone can say Ed is any different than joe.
    Dogs that lay together get the same fleas.

    One guy hired the other to hawk the same goods.
    I see both as 1 and the same.
    Like or dislike both or neither,they BOTH are part of EVERYTHING that went on-bunk seeds,advertising etc.

    I see a LOT of good cop,bad cop going on.
    Depending what you personally think-BOTH are good or bad...
    Both guys decided on the best way to laugh all the way to the bank.
    One guy sells the others product in one way,the other says he had no idea about it and is the nice guy...
    Both are one and the same in my opinion.
    I'd never buy from either ever again.
    ESPECIALLY since after I purchased seeds from one and got threatened for posting I'm not being happy about the seeds I bought in the past.

    Anyone that would lay in bed with a snake oil salesman is one and the same in my book.

  • kypepperman
    10 years ago

    last year I ordered seeds from joe. I had a plant that was not a reaper and I posted in several forums and groups the pics of the plants. ed currie contacted me to find out if I had got my seeds from him or joe. even after I told him that I had gotten my seeds from the other vendor, he offered to send me plants , not seeds, for replacements. if this does not say that he stands behind his products, I don't know what does. IMO you can trust your purchase from ed

  • kclost
    10 years ago

    Only 7 out of 24 reaper seeds I recieved from Joe germnated. I will be sure to follow up with what I end up with.

  • seysonn
    10 years ago

    I am not into superhots and have not dealt with Joe neither Ed. But I believe Joe and Ed are two different individuals. Judging Ed by Joe's character is a kind of trying to prove "Guilt by Association" .

  • cugal
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    OP here......... In my limited scope of super hots...... No need to inquire about Pepper Joe's track record! I've been down that dead end street! I'm getting mixed reviews here on Ed Currie, so it's a bit hard to sort the wheat from the chaff....

    I've propagated (ie, seeds in general) enough years to know how painful bunk seed stock can be.....

    Sooooo........ I'm putting myself out there...... Is there a forum member here that would be kind enough to part with solid isolated seeds from the Reaper? Don't need many.... If so, please PM me.....

    Again thanks everyone for taking time to set the record straight!

  • kclost
    10 years ago

    I "may" have a plant or two for you in a month or so from Pepper Joe Reaper Seeds. But there is no guarantee that it is from the Reaper... How will anyone know for sure anyway compared to a Moruga or similar.

  • flipback23
    10 years ago

    Im in the same boat as you cugal, I purchased what i hope are reaper seeds from joe. I had 3 of 7 seeds germinate and are growing well but wont know what I end up with until it fruits I guess. I gave one seed to a buddy and sent in the last two seeds I had to Eric for the seed exchange. The ones I had bad luck with were the Butch T's I only had 2 germinate out of 10 that I purchased from joe. I hope at least one of the two types grow to true form of what I ordered. If each one produces properly I will have seeds but only time will tell. Good luck to ya.

  • scorpion_john
    10 years ago

    I ordered 2 packs from Ed last year. I can't remember without checking my records for sure, but there was only one or two that didn't come up. And mine all grew very true with very little variation. That being said, i agree with Smoke, he doesn't keep very good company to hang with, but i wouldn't worry about ordering from him. I was happy with what i got, and if he ends up with something else i can't get anywhere else i would order from him again.
    I have a couple thousand Reaper seeds left, but they are op. But i wouldn't wasye my time looking for isolated stuff anyway. Out of 750 plants last year, i had 3 crosses. And 2 of the crosses are great peppers i am regrowing this year hoping they stay the same. John

  • OKgrowin
    10 years ago

    buckeye sells reapers they made videos commenting about the questions of true etc showing variation in a big field. Was pretty informative for me.

    youtube vid

  • nc_crn
    10 years ago

    mmcdermott's videos on Youtube on the subject of the reaper has included some deleted comments so there's a "grain of salt" alert on that...along with being a little abrasive to others on some points he does address.

    Mike and Ed are not independent of each other when it comes to having a ground-floor financial interest in the reaper (one is growing under contract from the other who's the creator) and both are neck-deep in propaganda even if they're allegedly not coordinating on it. While I'm sure mmcdermott doesn't have as much on the line as Ed and life/work will go on just fine for him without the reaper, there's been quite an investment in it's defense.

    Usually a product does a great job of speaking for itself rather than needing a team of damage control and aggressors backing it up. Ya know? Most all of this criticism (outside of the pepper origin story criticism and the association with "Pepper Joe" criticism) is coming from people actually growing it out or who have otherwise experienced reapers...NOT former pepper heat record holders...NOT people who own pepper seed or sauce selling businesses...NOT people who will take a financial hit from any pepper's success...

    Critics on "both sides" have had their say...the next few years piling on top of what's already been found out in the past year+ will write the history if it's not white-washed by bullies and people who scream the loudest to the most outlets.

    This post was edited by nc-crn on Tue, Feb 11, 14 at 0:37

  • TNKS
    10 years ago

    Dealt with Ed week for last,Ill not be supporting his quest for world domination.
    Doing great business "after the fact" just doesnt cut it.

  • Artax97
    10 years ago

    I was given a package of seeds from a friend who bought reaper pepper seeds from Pepper Joe's. Not a single one germinated. In the same time frame, same environment, same soil/heat pads/lighting/watering schedule, seeds that were sent to me from Scorpion_John and LeifErickson ALL came up. Trust what they say. They have given me other good advice, as well.

  • pepperdave
    10 years ago

    Got seeds from Scorpion John. 90+% germination.
    Thanks John, Also your 7 pod Doughlahs I now have 78 plants 51 Reepers

  • TNKS
    10 years ago

    22 days and no germ (baggy)from any of the seeds from Ed Currie
    (11 seeds fwiw)
    Pitched them in some shallow dirt which is where they will likely compost before hatching

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    10 years ago

    Interestingly, I received seeds through a friend from Ed Currie, and all three seeds germinated in 5 days without any bottom-heat. That's a superhot record for me.

    Josh

  • jutsFL
    10 years ago

    ...some of mine this year are from PJ, Carolina reaper to be specific. They have sprouted, and are doing just fine - but only time will tell what they produce. Either way - they look mighty fine for now

    (About 5 of the 14 shown are from the reaper seed - I believe... Could be 4, could be 6. I should have kept better track)

  • kkamm
    9 years ago

    I bought reaper seeds from Pepper Joe a couple weeks ago and unfortunately share the same experience with the majority. None of them have germinated or show any sign of germinating.. I even separated the seeds and tried some in paper towel, some in rockwool, and some in jiffy pots. Not one is looking viable.

    Where is the best place to get true reaper seeds or plants? I would love to get at least one plant so that I can clone others.

  • jutsFL
    9 years ago

    Honestly, whatever the controversy may be... I'll leave it at this - which is my personal experience, and the only thing I can base 100% as true.

    These are my peppers, many of which came from PJ. All are indeed 'growing'. I did lose track of how many were from the C Reaper variety... BUT I indeed have plants growing true. YMMV. Just what I experienced is all.

    (Noted though, I did have seeds from a different supplier which were supposed to be TM Scorpion that are not growing true. This was not a PJ issue though.)

    Jay

  • mmcdermott1
    9 years ago

    nc-crn I am not sure who you are and I am not sure what comments you think were deleted but there were no comments deleted to my knowledge other than possibly trolls..and we all know they are out and about.
    In terms of the videos I made, that was simply to hush some critics and I would do that with any pepper I knew to be true and right. We have grow for two years now the carolina reaper. I think I have a voice hear because other than Ed we are the largest grower of them in the world. Each of the last two years ALL our seed came directly from Ed. Last year we had around 2200 plants and all but I think 22 (have to watch vid again because I dont remember) were true and good producers. This year we are doing 2800 plants and got about 85% germination. thats a good germ rate by any standard.
    In terms of what I gain, no I cant say I dont gain anything because obviously I sell these pods back to ed but if i were not doing that, I would simply use that land for other peppers and sell them at the same price as the reaper so no, the "reaper" itself really makes no difference to me. I was simply making a point to all the people that say they dont germinate or they dont grow true. Fact is, they do on both counts.
    Are there some bad seeds out there? Im sure there are, but in most instances they didnt come from Ed. And remember also that when dealing with hundreds of thousands of seeds it is always possible to mix a bag. No that shouldnt happen but we are all human. If there was a mix up and you bought from me or ed I assure you it would be fixed immediately.
    Say what you want about Ed but if you think he is bad or evil or whatever then I will say for 100% fact that you don't know this man at all. If and when the day comes that I dont sell to Ed anymore, I assure you I will still talk highly of him and will still call him a friend. No, Ed might not be perfect but are you? Ed is an extremely busy guy right now with the attention on the reaper, his family, his business and other things like planting for this year so yea maybe he directly might be hard to get in touch with personally at times but if you email he will get back with you or someone at PB will. Again, you don't know him if you have nothing but bad things to say so you really have no voice in the matter.

    By the way, I love the comment about not buying from Ed because his seeds are junk but to go get from others that will give them away. Where do you think ALL of the seeds orginated? ED CURRIE. Now if other sellers water them down so to speak, that isn't Ed's fault.
    And you might want to do a recheck on his relationship with someone else mentioned in this thread....

    Thanks

    This post was edited by mmcdermott1 on Wed, Apr 30, 14 at 8:46

  • TNKS
    9 years ago

    LOL!! we all have our own gods I guess ??
    I have him on 4 vids from the recent Dallas show
    Quite the guy no doubt . . . . . may just have to get the vids up on "the tube" and let folks see Ed Currie in his own words.
    There is not anything special about the reaper strain,its hot and there are plenty others just as hot,if not hotter.Flavor by far is sub standard to many other well known strains,those that eat supers know well of what I just said.
    The C Reapers are the "Air Jordon" of the super hot pepper club.
    His "survive" depends on marketing . . . . . . dont buy into it,grow the good stuff!

  • nc_crn
    9 years ago

    "By the way, I love the comment about not buying from Ed because his seeds are junk but to go get from others that will give them away. Where do you think ALL of the seeds orginated? ED CURRIE."

    For some, the point of this even being said (though your comment is more dramatic than what's really being said) or happening is that with the amount of variation appearing from what people are growing from seed vs what's expected/promised by the sellers of the seed...well...some people are relying on others who have pods that did come true to type and collected seed to share. This wouldn't be happening without so much variation.

    Granted, even that isn't a slam dunk because genetic expression isn't that linear, but there's a lot of variation in this pepper for something that's supposed to be a completed breeding project.

    There cannot be this many people getting the "freak/off" seeds by random chance who happen to all be on the internet and participate in message boards. Yes, variation happens...yes, it's not like it's as bad as 50/50 on/off...but it sure as heck seems to be happening too much in a such a small community of growers who happen to be on message boards.

    Long story short, people are doing this because there's too much variation in the product being sold and people giving away seed are at least harvesting seeds from pods that are more true to type as promised. It still may not come true, but at least there's a better chance it will...and quite honestly, if all the work has been done it should come true with an extremely high amount of certainty.

    Full disclosure: I'm a breeder (professional and hobby) but I do not breed super-hots and I have no gains to make in this for myself or my friends/peers/employers.

    This post was edited by nc-crn on Fri, May 2, 14 at 3:14

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