I ended up having to purchase Carolina Reaper plants from a local nursery - the seeds I planted were doing great until they failed to be watered (oops) while I was recovering from an injury. So, the plant is in a 5 gallon container and I hope to bring it in later in the fall and keep it under lights in the basement. I'm bringing several to a poker game tonight to taunt some people who claim 'I can eat anything'. Personally, I'm afraid to get near them <g> Andy

Good luck. I have germinated and grown Carolina Reaper. I haven't soak the seeds for 24 hours but a couple of minutes in Camellia tea. I use two methods of germination one is in small pot and the other is paper towel. Since last few years I used only small pot method. In one pot I sow many seeds. After germination I do re-potted. I use a small fan for the seedlings and overwintered plants.

I haven't grown reapers, but plenty of other hots (and sweets) habanero, jalapeno, cayenne, thai, scotch bonnet. I don't start peppers this early. I start two sets - one four weeks before the expected last frost, the other two weeks. Seeds soaked overnight then put in potting soil in trays (or starter cups). The four week is really for the option of an early spring to put them out early. The two weeks, I keep inside until I'm sure that a late freeze comes through. If you start them now for the spring, you will need a real grow light setup, because they will be full grown bushes by spring.

I spent 244 days making one 3 minute video. It's the first time I've made a youtube video in a couple years. I hope it's worth it. This is the type of video I'm always hoping someone has already made every time I plant a new type of seed and am waiting for it to grow. I break down the timeline for my plants with milestones, dates and number of days since sowing seeds. Let me know if you like it. I have two older videos from years ago on my channel for growing Bhut Jolokia and Landrace 7-Pot. I think this one's a little higher quality though... Thank you so much if you watched this! If you would be willing to like / subscribe / share I might be motivated to make more full season grow videos next season. I'm open to requests; any type of vegetable species or variety. If you send me seeds I'll definitely make a special video just for you!