Do I need to wait until the peppers are completely ripe before harvesting them or can they be harvested green? If harvested green will they still ripen off the vine? I still have a bunch of Red Hot Chili's left on the one plant I grew this year and am wanting to harvest them, but most are still green.
-
If you need help identifying a pepper, disease, or plant issue, please post in Identification.
harvesting When to harvest
- Thread starter creardon
- Start date
AlabamaJack
Extreme Member
as a general rule, when the pods turn red (or their true ripe color), they are "sweeter" than when green...however, I love my green corked jalapenos...
it is actually up to you when you pick...immature green pods do not have near the heat level as mature green pods do...
if you want the pods at their hottest, pick them when the first blush of "ripe" color appears...I can't find the link but I read a scholarly article about "when peppers are their hottest"....
tabascos that are used for pepper sauce are usually yellowish in color, but the standard tabasco sauce uses red pods...
the color of the pods generally determine the color of the sauce unless the color is covered up by other things such as plums or other deeply colored fruits...
+1 for ripening pods off the vine not as good as on the vine...
it is actually up to you when you pick...immature green pods do not have near the heat level as mature green pods do...
if you want the pods at their hottest, pick them when the first blush of "ripe" color appears...I can't find the link but I read a scholarly article about "when peppers are their hottest"....
tabascos that are used for pepper sauce are usually yellowish in color, but the standard tabasco sauce uses red pods...
the color of the pods generally determine the color of the sauce unless the color is covered up by other things such as plums or other deeply colored fruits...
+1 for ripening pods off the vine not as good as on the vine...
I would have just left them on the plant. They wouldn't go bad sitting on the plant from some frost based on what I hear. I've been told that they will ripen on the plant as long as they don't FREEZE. I have a ton of pods on the plant and some still forming. I think we had a frost the other nights and all the pods out there still felt the same. Worst thing is that they might become soft over many frosts. But that sounds better when you consider that it's gonna be hard to get green pods to ripen off the plant and most will soften anyway and more likely rot. However your best bet is to put them in a paper bag with an apple or two since they produce a lot of the gas that causes peppers to ripen, ethylene.
