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Will not ripen

I collected about three dozen jalas this evening - they are red but not growing any more and are much shorter than earlier this year. The habs appear to be full size, or at least as big as they were this summer, so all they need to do is turn orange. A week from now we will likely have a killing frost. It's suppose to get down to 35 Tuesday night but only up to 45 Wednesday. By then, I will have my tents ready to cover them with.

90 minutes later - I hate weather forecasters. Now they are saying a low of 32 in the city, 28 or lower in outlying areas. I dug up one hab and hope it survives - it is loaded with fruit and blooms. Cut a couple of the biggest and heaviest laden branches off and brought them inside also - hoping they ripen. I would try a tent but it's only going to get colder for the next week - if the TV idiots are correct.

I ended up saving all the Thai Dragons without much of a loss of leaf and am keeping my fingers crossed on this hab. The plant has a 34" crown and more peppers than I can count.

I'll be honest - if it doesn't flourish and keep flowering I won't be disappointed. If it lingers long enough to ripen what's on it now, I'll have more than enough peppers to last until next year's crop.
 
I think next year I'll be starting about three months earlier! damn Byron Bay Chilli Festival and Phillip Island MotoGP weekends away delayed my season. now the trips are a distant memory and my seedlings are 3cm tall I regret not starting them off sooner and staying home to nurse my babies along...
 
chilliman64 said:
I think next year I'll be starting about three months earlier! damn Byron Bay Chilli Festival and Phillip Island MotoGP weekends away delayed my season. now the trips are a distant memory and my seedlings are 3cm tall I regret not starting them off sooner and staying home to nurse my babies along...
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What you need is a timer tap with a misting spray nozzle & some shade cloth, they'll be fine for a w/end at a time.
 
UPDATE

The habs responded well to being cut and hung to ripen in the garage. Nothing else did.

Everything else just got mushy.

They were in the garage, which is warmer than the outside but hardly climate controlled. It has not gone below 38 or so outside.

Peppers in the fridge last a while without becoming mush, was it the cold temps then? Probably not. Oh well. In the future hanging branches in the garage to ripen will not be an option.

Any one else tried this?
 
Cheezy,

Haven't tried that though I have a small branch hanging upstairs where it does stay warm.

Instead, I dug up the entire plant and repotted it. Did it Thursday and while it had dozens and dozens of peppers and blooms, nary a single one was turning orange. Now five of them are turning, with three nearly complete. None of the blooms have fleed the bush and the smaller peppers seem to be growing.

I'll keep track of how many peppers I pick before it is done.
 
Cheezy,

As they say in the NFL:

Upon further review - yes, the mature pods will ripen. I had a branch that broke off which had maybe 14 pods on it, in various sizes. I had looked at it earlier and it was just hanging there, wilting. But I took a complete look at it and sure 'nuff, one smaller hab is now bright orange.

This is knowledge I need to stow until next fall when Jack starts visiting.
 
bental,

Nope, my kids call me Michael, though I go by Mike! But I have a brother named Paul, but note Peter, Pele, Phil or Pope, who doesn't pick peppers for pickling, poppers or popcorn. I have picked what peppers to pot for later plump picking and prosperity and perhaps for profit, but not for pickling or poppers.

I would add more, but I have to pee pee.
 
bentalphanerd said:
What you need is a timer tap with a misting spray nozzle & some shade cloth, they'll be fine for a w/end at a time.
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you're the handyman, how about you rig one up for me in exchange for a few sticks of beef jerky...
 
When are habs ripe for picking? I have some that are completely orange, but I don't know if now is the best time to pluck them or not. Do I wait until they start turning white?
 
wordwiz said:
When are habs ripe for picking? I have some that are completely orange, but I don't know if now is the best time to pluck them or not. Do I wait until they start turning white?
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What color are they supposed to ripen to?
 
Pam,

Is this a trick question?

How the heck do I know? I've never grown them before! This summer, once they turned from orange to a little white, they fell off the plant. If they didn't fall off, and I cut them open, on a couple the seeds/membrane was turning black.

You have to remember, if I had the answer, I wouldn't need to ask the question! :!::!::rolleyes::rolleyes:
 
*sticks tongue out at wordwiz*


Ok, where did you get the plant, and did it come with a label?

It sounds like orange is the ripe color, though.
 
*sticks tongue out at wordwiz*

Ok, where did you get the plant, and did it come with a label?
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Oh Baby! Do it again!

Seriously, Pam, Linda picked it up someplace. I was trying to increase participation at the local county fair and figured I would grow about 20 different types of veggies/herbs, including stuff I had never ate, let alone raised before. One of them was hot peppers, so my wife picked up three different types: habanero, jalapeno and Hungarian Hot Wax. I'm not sure they even siad what kind of habanero. They match the pictures of orange habs I've seen, so I take it when they turn completely orange is the best time? Or do I wait a few days later?
 
wordwiz said:
Oh Baby! Do it again!
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phfffffffpt!


They match the pictures of orange habs I've seen, so I take it when they turn completely orange is the best time? Or do I wait a few days later?
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I think as soon as it's fully orange is fine. I don't munch them straight up, though, so you might want to ask one of the crazy heat lovers around here about the subtleties of orange habanero flavor.

I know with the milder Chinense varieties like Trinidad or Tobago Seasoning peppers the best, juiciest flavor is when they're at their reddest. Waiting a few days after they turn works better for me with those varieties, and you can tell they're at their ripest when they separate easily from the plant instead of needing to be tugged.
 
Bright orange is the color -- Ive grown/ate them this season... its a sneaky heat that comes from behind and holds your throat hostage :mouthonfire: tasty
 
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