A lot of pods on my plants have not turned from green yet. I've noticed since it got colder they are doing everything slower. I don't think most of them will ripen on the plant before frost. If it comes down to me harvesting green pods, is it possible to get them to change color after the harvest? Any advice?
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ripening after harvest?
- Thread starter Schnauzer
- Start date
salsalady
Business Member
green pods can ripen in a brown paper bag
I like to use those veggie-fresh produce bags also. I have a bunch of habs in brown bags right now. Check 'em daily and as they ripen, I put them in the refer in the veggie bags. I've also heard adding an apple to the brown bag pods will accelerate the ripening process, but I've never tried that trick.
I like to use those veggie-fresh produce bags also. I have a bunch of habs in brown bags right now. Check 'em daily and as they ripen, I put them in the refer in the veggie bags. I've also heard adding an apple to the brown bag pods will accelerate the ripening process, but I've never tried that trick.
How early do you think that technique would work before you risk them going bad during the wait? I've got 50+ full-size Chocolate Habaneros that I thought would be ripe a couple weeks ago, and only 2 did. If I thought I could ripen them, I'd love to overwinter the plants this weekend, as it's already down to the mid-40s here at night.
I dont' know about an apple, but a bananna sure as heck works. Just did it a week ago on some green sweet peppers that I had to pick before the frost. A few days in a bag with a green bananna and they were ripe and so was the bananna. As they ripen banannas give off a gas that caused other veggies to ripen, or so I have been told.
Adding a banana in with them will help them ripen faster. My experience is that the pods will ripen, but ones that are still completely green when you start will never seem to be quite as good as the ones that ripen fully on the vine. My advice based on my own experience is that is a good idea, if possible, to avoid picking pods until they have at least started the ripening process.
I pulled about 10 plants from the ground last year and put them in the garage, most pods continued to ripen fine without rotting. I know some do not have room for that but worked great for me. The 4 or 5 Thai plants had well over 500 pods. As for pulling green and continue to ripen inside, I think the best advice was already given.
yhea, hanging them has worked best for me
If they are starting to turn color, the brown bag will ripen them further. If they are simply green with no indication of ripening, harvesting the green fruit and putting in a brown bag will not do anything. Green habs can be made into salsas and powders, of course, but not all peppers are useful when green...
I tried the paper bag method for the first time this year and it worked great. all the pods i picked were still green, which no indication of changing color yet, but almost all were full size. after about a week every pod i put in that bag (about 40) is ripe. going in the dehydrator today!
I find they do not taste good at all, the have almost no flavor and the heat is very minimal.
Update: the 8 Chocolate Habaneros that I harvested early at maybe only 10% ripeness have all ripened fully in a paper bag with a banana in a week's time. Ready to either be frozen, powdered, or maybe cheesecake tonight if I've got the time.
How do they taste ?
They're great, both in flavor and heat. They were ready to ripen, just needed more time than they had left this season. The ones that were still half-sized when I later overwintered the plants however, got mushy before they ever got fully brown in the bag. So you can definitely ripen the ones that are ready all inside the house, you'll just have a very short window (~2-3 days) before they go mushy to use or freeze them. They made great powder that's about to get used as we speak.