When to harvest 'carolina reaper' pepper

Full colour, slight give to gentle pressure, and the fruit releases easily. 'Carolina Reaper' Pepper is picked on ripeness cues rather than the calendar — colour, a slight give under gentle pressure, and fruit that parts from the plant without a fight. Harvesting regularly encourages the plant to keep setting more, so pick as things ripen rather than waiting to gather everything at once.

Cut or twist gently, supporting the stem — do not drag the fruit off, which tears the plant and often takes the growing tip with it. Handle carefully; bruises spread in storage.

Most crops keep best at cool room temperature rather than the fridge, which flattens flavour and texture. Refrigerate only once fully ripe, and only if you cannot eat it soon.

Leaving ripe fruit on the plant. Every fruit left signals 'carolina reaper' pepper to stop producing, so the harvest ends sooner than it needed to.