I have already started pulling ripe pods off of one Bhut but with my first frost only a month away (5B) I'm worried about my other Bhut plant that hasn't started ripening yet. Should I be trimming off flowers to increase the ripening energy? Pods are formed but are really taking their time getting red. Still doing by weekly feed of Tomato food and every other week with espom salt foliar spray.
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will my bhut ripen before first frost?
- Thread starter bionic
- Start date
The cold weather will force ripen most if need be
Ripening of existing pods is effected by time and temperature. It uses no energy from the plant once the pods are full sized, and will not be sped up by pulling off new blooms. Well there is the minor exception that the plant continues to pump water to them so that uses a tiny bit of energy but not energy that would change ripening rate... a dried out pepper stops ripening.
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However pulling off new blooms will allow the plant to put more energy into growing to full size, any pods that are not there yet. With a month to go you might get a significant % ripe on the plant before 1st frost but you can always put a blanket over the plant if it doesn't get very cold overnight to give it a little extra time, or bring inside if potted, or in worst case / last resort you can pull and hang t inside where it stays above freezing then you can take your time picking them off later.
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However pulling off new blooms will allow the plant to put more energy into growing to full size, any pods that are not there yet. With a month to go you might get a significant % ripe on the plant before 1st frost but you can always put a blanket over the plant if it doesn't get very cold overnight to give it a little extra time, or bring inside if potted, or in worst case / last resort you can pull and hang t inside where it stays above freezing then you can take your time picking them off later.