harvesting Do the leaves play a part in the ripening process?

[FinInGermany]

Hi Folks,
sorry if this has already been asked, but I can't find the info anywhere.
I've been removing excess branches to prevent new growth and encourage my existing peppers to ripen, and started wondering whether photosynthesis plays a part in ripening, or is only required for plant growth?
If it only affects growth, can I remove most of the leaves as well to stop them from shading the pods and make the plants channel their energy into the ripening process?
The things you never think of until you start growing you own... .

 

[FinInGermany]

Hmmmm. 3 days, nearly 70 views, and no answers yet . Not sure whether that means that nobody knows, or that the question is too stupid to deserve a reply .
Anyway, knowing that peppers will continue to ripen off the plant, either with or without still being attached to a branch, I decided to defoliate my Lang Lang plant and see what happens. Not having a similar plant at a similar stage with leaves still on as a control, and not knowing the science behind it, I suppose I'll never know whether it actually makes a difference, but who really cares? In the end, I'm sure the peppers will still ripen, and this way I can squeeze more plants into the room at the first threat of frost .
Happy harvesting, folks.

 

[Tinkerbelle]

hey Fin - I have no idea - you can be the guinea pig

 

[Nulle]

When Tink can let you know how ignorant she is, so can I ;-)

I have absolutely no clue whatsoever

 

[DWB]

Don't know, never tried but I always love to see leaves falling off my plants. It makes it easier to find the pods.

Funny you mention defoliation. When picking yesterday I was wondering if whatever stuff they use to defoliate cotton plants for harvest would work on pepper plants.

 

[FinInGermany]

Thanks for letting me know I'm not the only clueless numpty out there, folks .
@ Tink - as long as there's a slight chance it might not hurt, I'm always up for being the guinea pig . Maybe I could use my Sarit Gat as a control for the experiment. It has about a dozen pods left on it, five of which are nearly ripe and a bright yellow colour, whereas the Lang Lang has 8 pods, 2 of which are in the process of ripening to red. That sounds close enough for Scottish science... I mean, look how penicillin was discovered .
@ Nulle - we can all be peas in a pod, then .
@ DWB - why wait for fall, when you have a perfectly good pair of shears? . At least you've taught me something today, mate. I had absolutely no idea they defoliated cotton plants for harvest. Every day's a school day .

Meantime, I decided to hit Auntie Google and found this.

"Therefore, fruit development, maturation, ripening, and quality are influenced by the process of photosynthetic activity, which is the reason for the great importance of this process (photosynthesis), not only during the development of horticultural commodities (fruits, vegetables, flowers), but also its consequences ...".

I suppose now I only have to try and find out whether plants need leaves to photosynthesise . Probably helps a little .

 

[Peppers In Keizer]

I have been trying to trim leaves branches as well but leaving half the leaves on the branches that have pods and it seems to be speeding the ripening up for me. Not sure if that helps or not.

 

[FinInGermany]

I have been trying to trim leaves branches as well but leaving half the leaves on the branches that have pods and it seems to be speeding the ripening up for me. Not sure if that helps or not.

That sounds like a pretty good idea, PIK. Getting the best of both worlds. Just this morning I trimmed back a few more plants in roughly the same way. I cut away anything which could reasonably be classed as new growth - buds, flowers, small pods, small to middle sized leaves - and left the larger, established leaves alone so they might hopefully help with the process without the plant having to put any extra effort into them. Wouldn't be human if we didn't mess around with things to see what happens, would we?

 

[CaneDog]

I saw recently the recommendation for tomato plants of pulling up on the main stem hard enough to tear roots, but not completely, in order to stress the plant into putting it's energy into ripening. No idea if it works with peppers - or even with tomatoes, for that matter

 

[Voodoo 6]

I don't know seems like a plant knows what to do on it's own. Imagine tearing off the solar panels on the international space station, might not be a good idea?

 

[Tinkerbelle]

I saw recently the recommendation for tomato plants of pulling up on the main stem hard enough to tear roots, but not completely, in order to stress the plant into putting it's energy into ripening. No idea if it works with peppers - or even with tomatoes, for that matter

I cut off the leaves on a tomato plant so the sun can get at the fruits to ripen them plus the energy thing. Seems to work

 

[FinInGermany]

I saw recently the recommendation for tomato plants of pulling up on the main stem hard enough to tear roots, but not completely, in order to stress the plant into putting it's energy into ripening. No idea if it works with peppers - or even with tomatoes, for that matter

I can see where the idea comes from - "Oh! I think I may be dying! Better try to finish my shot at procreation while I have the chance!" kind of thing. A bit like lot's of women wanting to have babies despite, or perhaps because of, the fact there's a war going on. Think I might give it a go with one of my least favourite plants and see what happens .

 

[FinInGermany]

I don't know seems like a plant knows what to do on it's own. Imagine tearing off the solar panels on the international space station, might not be a good idea?

Pissing myself at the head cinema you just gave me dude, thanks . I think it's a bit "apples and pears" though. I mean, people generally know what they have to do as well, but a swift kick up the butt helps some of them move a bit more quickly in the right direction .