shade Pepper Ripening in Half Shaded Area

[BigBones]

Hi,

I am a new pepper grower (another one!) and I have a question for you experts out there.

I am growing Mustard and Chocolate Habs, Bhut Jolokias, Assams and Lemon Drops:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/66288118@N03/sets/72157627416536496/

Most plants are producing ok and there are full size pods on pretty much each plant. However, my backyard is so shaded that they only receive full sun a couple hours in the morning and a few hours in the afternoon. So I was wondering how this would affect the ripening process. Would it take much longer to ripen? I don't know if it's sun or heat that is the main factor when it comes to ripening.

I read on previous posts that it can take over a month for peppers to ripen (even 2 months for Bhut Jolokias). As of today, I had mature peppers for about a month on all plants but... still all green.

Hopefully it will start ripening soon because nights are already getting a bit cooler up here.

Thanks for your reponses!
Benoit

 

[megamoo]

What was the question? I'm still looking at the flash slideshow I thought I was clever when I managed to post pictures.

 

[Crusher]

Sorry I cannot help with your question but those are some really cool pictures. I dig the slideshow.

 

[Jetchuka]

That sun twice a day really isn't too bad of an arrangement, and that the coming temperature change will help speed ripening.

Given your location + climate zone + full size of those peppers, i'd expect them to begin ripening any day now.

Not sure if you've tried it before but surrounding your plants with clear plastic can buy you an extra week, or three, of growing time. How much extra time you get will depend on this years weather, and how well you wrap them.