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Ethylene Gas

C

Captain Capsaicin

Two quick questions:

1) When people reference ethylene gas it's always in the context of an apple/banana in a paper bag. Is there any reason not to put peppers in Tupperware with a banana? Is airtight bad?

2) Roughly how long should it take if I'm trying to ripen bhuts that have just barely started to turn?


Thanks
 
I'm not 100% on number 1 but I believe if the gas is trapped in a sealed container it turns the pepper to mush as fast as it turns the color.

For number two I have a few B. J.'s that had just a touch of red around the stem take 4 - 5 days just sitting on the counter under a paper towel to get most of the way ripe. No fruit involved.
 
patrick said:
I'm not 100% on number 1 but I believe if the gas is trapped in a sealed container it turns the pepper to mush as fast as it turns the color.

For number two I have a few B. J.'s that had just a touch of red around the stem take 4 - 5 days just sitting on the counter under a paper towel to get most of the way ripe. No fruit involved.
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Thanks. I appreciate the info.
 
I'm with patrick on the sealed container thought. I have a morning sun window sill that mine go on to finish turning. A few days and they are good.
 
i have 2 containers of sannam plants that have a number of pods that are green and seem to be going soft, i just through a banana peel into both pots 2 days ago, 1 pot now has 3 red pods the other 2 starting to change. the containers are inside the house as it is too cold now outside for peppers and they get almost no direct sunlight.
 
also, i would like to add, i was cleaning out my daughters lunch box and found the sliced apples she didn't eat yesterday still in the ziplock baggy and they were really browning, so i tossed them into my compost pail that sits on my kitchen counter. after breakfast, i found a banana peel that my other daughter didn't toss away so, into the compost pail it went, on top of the apple slices. after just adding my previous post, i thought, i had better go and take out the banana peel and place it into some of my other containers with green pods..... the banana peel was completely black and mushy. The peels from 2 days ago that are already in the container, still are yellowish with brown spotting.

so, i just moved the sliced apples into my other containers to see what happens, what an experiment.
 
PIC 1: So then am I correct to assume that it's a bad idea to store ripe peppers by putting them in Tupperware and then placing the container in the refrigerator? After reading your post I removed the top. I have a bunch of ripe bhuts now and as soon as I can augment my supply with some of my green pods that are just starting to redden then it shall be mash time.

Burning Colon: It's good to hear that you've gotten such dramatic results by just putting a banana peel in an unenclosed plant's pot. I'm genuinely curious to know how your experiment goes. Please keep us updated.

The temps are starting to get cold in my neck of the woods. The weather forecast has predicted a low on Saturday of 33F. I have so many green pods. Would it be possible to cut off the branches, take them inside and put them in water? Would they last for a week+? If I could somehow drag out this season by a week or two my yield would be dramatically increased.
 
Captain Capsaicin said:
... The weather forecast has predicted a low on Saturday of 33F. I have so many green pods. Would it be possible to cut off the branches, take them inside and put them in water? Would they last for a week+? If I could somehow drag out this season by a week or two my yield would be dramatically increased.
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Why not just cover them for the one cold night, then uncover and get some additional grow time? There is a point of diminishing returns, but looking at your forecast, you could buy some time with just a bit of covering work. I recommend two layers when covering--I think it helps by a few degrees.

As for Tupperware in fridge storage, I'd at least crack the lid open for a little air circulation or leave it slightly ajar. I don't know about the branch in the water jar trick. Pull one and try it, but I wouldn't bank on it.

I've been messing around with various green pod ripening. Hanging plant upside down in garage seems to be working on my smaller pods: cayenne, de Arbol and pequins. Did not work on a larger pod Chimayo.

For others, the 'ol banana in paper bag trick doing well, taking about a week. The thicker the pod, the longer the time. I check them daily, rattle them around and pull anything that feels like it is going mush. I'm skeptical about getting green jalapenos very far along--thickest walls. Will dehydrate those that are 'ripe enough' and make powder. First batch was outstanding!

Good luck on your garden end game.... :cool:
 
Captain Capsaicin said:
PIC 1: So then am I correct to assume that it's a bad idea to store ripe peppers by putting them in Tupperware and then placing the container in the refrigerator? After reading your post I removed the top. I have a bunch of ripe bhuts now and as soon as I can augment my supply with some of my green pods that are just starting to redden then it shall be mash time.

Burning Colon: It's good to hear that you've gotten such dramatic results by just putting a banana peel in an unenclosed plant's pot. I'm genuinely curious to know how your experiment goes. Please keep us updated.

The temps are starting to get cold in my neck of the woods. The weather forecast has predicted a low on Saturday of 33F. I have so many green pods. Would it be possible to cut off the branches, take them inside and put them in water? Would they last for a week+? If I could somehow drag out this season by a week or two my yield would be dramatically increased.
Click to expand...



Oops, ...nothing wrong with storing ripe peppers in tup ware or zip bags in the fridge.
As far as trying to ripen peppers that way, I could not recommend it.
I've let them ripen off the plants outdoors in bushel baskets, weather permitting, on my kitchen counter, papper bags in the basement...
Although, I prefer not to store peppers nor tomatoes in the fridge, since I feel it imparts the fresh flavor when using them raw...just my opinion

But I do have dozens of bags in the storage freezer waiting to get "sauced"

Greg
 
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