When Are They Fully Ripe?

I have some Ghost Peppers and had only harvested around 3 peppers, and they tasted horrible except for one I harvested, cut a slice off, put the rest in the fridge and forgot about, that one tasted great when I remembered it was in there....
 
So after they change to red, how long till they are really fully ripe?
 
I have heard that if they are really ready the pod should 'pop' off when you pull on it, but I have also heard some types of peppers will need to be cut off, which is the right method for ghosts?
 
Here's what four grow seasons have taught me.

If they are red ghosts, once they're fully red they're ripe. You can pull or cut. Cutting mitigates the risk of damaging the branches, but other than that, it doesn't matter.

When you purchase other varieties, research the color they ripen to. Once they turn to that color, they're ostensibly ripened.

These days I don't go crazy waiting till every pepper has turned completely ripe. Many times I'll let them go 95-98% guestimate ripe, pull them, and let them finish out with my other pods in a bag. I've heard the ripening peppers release gases in the bag that trigger further ripening. Can't verify science on this.

In any case, not waiting to harvest until 100% will allow your plants to focus on setting new and more numerous pods.
 
Well I think after very careful scrutiny, they are Butch T's....
 
Would it be the same for them?
 
 
20160902_060822_zpseowbz0te.jpg
 
only126db said:
Well I think after very careful scrutiny, they are Butch T's....
 
Would it be the same for them?
 
 
20160902_060822_zpseowbz0te.jpg
Those are really nice and look right. I submitted a long winded modified post that I apply to any variety I grow.
 
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