Kind of a general noob question as I honestly don't know, but since I'm only growing a couple of any given variety it'll be a while before I have enough ripe peppers accumulated to do anything with. I know I could just dry them or freeze them until I'm ready to use them, but I was wondering if I can just... leave them on the plant. Does this adversely affect the plant or the pepper, and how long can I leave a ripened pepper on the plant before its quality deteriorates? I mean, it sounds reasonable, as I often seed photos in seed catalogs with plants covered in ripe peppers... which doesn't exactly happen overnight, but I figured I'd ask and be safe.
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Leaving ripe peppers on the plant
- Thread starter synclinorium
- Start date
your choice I usually leave them on until I have enough to make a batch of 24/OZ puree.
a lot has to do with the type of pepper, i can leave most red type annuums on the plant longer than i can say hot lemon. the hot lemon go mushy real fast after yellowing. things like goatsweed, ceyenne, fresno, kungo pao, superchili slowly start to dry and shrivel starting at the tip, then slowly dry towards the stem. i have left orange habs on the plant for quite some time before picking. if i remember from last year, gold bullets were good left on the plant and i think caribbean reds. i don't have any experience in the super hotties as this is my first year growing them and most likely won't see any ripe pods, i am guessing until november.
i have a running small ziplock bag in the freezer collecting hot lemons.
i have a running small ziplock bag in the freezer collecting hot lemons.
I've been throwing my Cayennes in a ziplock bag until I have enough for sauce... I've noticed it doesn't take long for the tips to start shriveling. So far most of the Habs seem to be holding up pretty well on the plants.
Guess I'll just play it by ear... so to speak.