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How long do you leave ripe pods on the plant?

FiveStar

FiveStar

I guess the title says it all, but in the past I'd always just harvested pods as they ripened fully. However, I see some of you guys have plants that are LOADED with lots of ripe pods that I'm assuming didn't all ripen at exactly the same time.

For example, I've got a few cayenne pods ripening at the moment, but I'd like to leave them on the plant and get more at once for drying and making flakes, or making a sauce or something.

So how long will ripe chiles stay good on the plant?
 
If you pick them as they ripen, the other pods will ripen much quicker. I put my less ripened picked pods on top of my fully ripened ones and the ethylene gas helps ripen them quicker
 
I pick them whenever I am going to use them (the only kill what you are going to eat phylosphy).

Hey, 5star, that second PMD quote is classic. Made my head hurt reading it.
 
OK, that all makes sense! Does the freezing bit mess with dehydrating them at all? I know I've frozen Jalapenos in the past and their texture left lots to be desired when thawed, so I wondered if it would effect the final dehydrated product.
 
imaguitargod said:
I pick them whenever I am going to use them (the only kill what you are going to eat phylosphy).

Hey, 5star, that second PMD quote is classic. Made my head hurt reading it.
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HAHAHAH!!! Yeah, I dug up a few old PMD posts the other day and I had to add that to the sig. That whole thread was rediculous. Something about frying Jalapeno slices and then putting a Dr. pepper and banana sauce on them? Dude was nuking futz man.
 
Hey, no problem Patty! These were all questions I had as well. Just trying to figure out how to preserve enough pods from each variety to have some single source powders/flakes. Maybe I'll blend them from there.


And as far as hijacking goes, if you'll look about four posts above your first one, I Hijacked my own thread! I don't care where these threads go as long as there are a few answers to the que.....


TAG! YOU"RE IT PATRICK!


BWAHAHAHAHAHAH@!
 
FiveStar said:
I guess the title says it all, but in the past I'd always just harvested pods as they ripened fully. However, I see some of you guys have plants that are LOADED with lots of ripe pods that I'm assuming didn't all ripen at exactly the same time.

For example, I've got a few cayenne pods ripening at the moment, but I'd like to leave them on the plant and get more at once for drying and making flakes, or making a sauce or something.

So how long will ripe chiles stay good on the plant?
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At the rate they're ripening now I pick them every 2 or 3 days. Earlier this year I waited about a week between harvests (Nagas and Habs). The ripe ones seem ok and don't lose texture for about 2 days, after that if fully ripe the heat takes some of the crispness from them. The Datils last longer on the plant and turn a deeper shade of orange. I imagine the time varies with the type of chili and local weather, so test your variety and see how long you can leave it and still be satisfied with the quality. ;)
 
Cool, thanks SS. I've only got a few pods ripening at the moment on my mystery hab (turned out to be orange!) and some cayennes. They cayennes are easy cause I can just string them up to dry. The habs on the other hand I've never had any luck air drying. Guess I'll just eat them until they flush and I get a bunch at once.
 
patrick said:
Thanks Iggy. Can't you still put the mushy ones in the dehydrator? Do they lose some heat?
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I haven't done it but I think cmpman1974 does just that for the reason it does burst the cell wall and makes the dehydrator work quicker and a lower heat on thicker walled peppers. Don't see how you lose any heat in freezing and thawing and dehydrating and then grinding. Who cares what they look like if they're going in the coffee grinder to make powder with. What about dehydrating as they ripen and storing enough in jars until you grind them to have just one type of chili powder? Just rambling here now...:)
 
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