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Cold Temperatures - Issue

frankandsteph

frankandsteph

I have a bunch of plants that have a good number of pods that are still green. Problem is, our night temps are in the 40's now and the plants are hurting. I can't move them inside, so what do i do? Can I pick them and let them ripen inside?

-frank
 
Below 50 the plants will generally stop growing and ripening pods. Covering will prevent frost from killing them, but that's it. Some people build covers and heat them, though that's more than I care to do. I grow mine in pots (I'm in Ohio) specifically so I can move them as the weather demands - into and out of the house as needed. You can dig them up and put them into pots though.
 
Yeah, this is the time of year of not so fun for us northern folk. I personally cover all my plants that are not in pots when the nighttime temp goes below freezing and bring in the potted ones as needed. It is a lot of work, at least for me, but it does allow some more pods to ripen on the plant. If you are not into the covering and uncovering scene, when the temps went really south for me last season, I picked everything, including the bigger green pods and froze some, dried some for later powder making, made some salsa, etc. I mixed all my green pods together and dried them and even they made a relatively spicy power.
 
Don't do this, but just curious... If he cut the branch at the fork the pepper was on and stuck it in a glass of water, would it survive long enough to ripen the pod?

I'm thinking more for the ones at the end of the branches, but I guess if the plant's dying in winter anyway you could just hack the thing apart to have a whole bunch of peppers on sticks in a tub of water....
 
Wulf said:
Don't do this, but just curious... If he cut the branch at the fork the pepper was on and stuck it in a glass of water, would it survive long enough to ripen the pod?

I'm thinking more for the ones at the end of the branches, but I guess if the plant's dying in winter anyway you could just hack the thing apart to have a whole bunch of peppers on sticks in a tub of water....
Click to expand...

I just did this with one of my cayennes and it worked great. Just stuck the branch that the pepper was on in a glass of water and in about 12 days it ripend fine.
 
There is no reason to pick them until just before it frosts. They will ripen more fully if left on the plant as long as possible THEN pick them and finish up any ripening that remains needed inside. It is true they won't ripen much or fast in 40-something degree weather but so long as it's still getting warmer in the daytime they will be getting closer to ripe, and more time will pass to allow ripening before they either dry out or rot.
 
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