Will not ripen

[cheezydemon]

Seems that as it is getting colder and the sun is out less, the hundreds of green pods I have aren't ripening.
From what I can understand, I need to take the plants in question inside and either keep them alive or cut and hang them.
Some of them I intend to overwinter, so obviously I will be cutting them back.

I suppose I will let the pods ripen inside under lights before cutting back and overwintering, and hang the others. Sound right?

(P.S. the "habanero ale" I am brewing smells incredible!!)

[wordwiz]

That's the dilemma I'm facing. I have three habs with bunches of fruits that were blooms just 10 days ago. If this was the middle of summer, I would think that in 10 days, I would have 100-150 peppers to pick. But with the sun not rising until after 7:30 and staying up only for 12 hours at most, they are probably going to take 15-20 days to ripen. I'm watching the weather and the coolest it is supposed to get in the next five days is 42, but we are at the end of October. I'm looking to see what kind of responses you get. :lol:

[chuk hell]

I'm in the same boat.

Jack Frost...STAY AWAY!

[DevilDuck]

I'm in the same boat.

Jack Frost...STAY AWAY!

Yeah...That Jack Frost guy is a bastard!

[wordwiz]

They revised the forecast - downward. 38 degrees. My game plan - I called the local grocery store and asked them to save me some large boxes - ones I can put over the plants. I'll stick a 60 watt or 100 watt light bulb inside it. That should protect me overnight but it won't do anything to speed the ripening process. And I don't see many days with temps in the mid-70s coming - we have gone three months with almost every day far above the average temp - that is not going to continue.

A follow-up question - if I dig the plants up, five inches from the plant and about eight inches deep, is that likely going to preserve the root system?

I had a Jolokia plant that a cat managed to pull up. It had next to no root system (it was only about 1-3/4" tall) and stuck it in potting soil, watered it until it was soaked and crossed my fingers. That was a week ago and now it is three inches tall and looking fine.

[chuk hell]

A follow-up question - if I dig the plants up, five inches from the plant and about eight inches deep, is that likely going to preserve the root system?


Yes. I dug up 2 hab plants last fall and overwintered them in pots. They are both still alive. I re-planted one of them in my wife's herb bed and it's been doing great.

I wouldn't worry too much about 38˚. It's freezing that will kill them.

[DevilDuck]

Yeah... I'm not too worried, yet. It's mid 70's here during the day and mid 30's at night. The only two plants that are ripening peppers are my serrano and my tabasco because they get about 4 hours of direct sun. The rest are in the shade most of the day because my house blocks the sun.

The plants never looked healthier though. My habs have to be 24" across!

[Pam]

In my experience, it's a cold wind that does the most damage if the temps are above freezing.

Geeez, it's almost November, isn't it? I guess I better break out the old sheets and blankets and stand ready to fight off those first few frosts.

[cheezydemon]

I went ahead and chopped the hangers and potted up the keepers. I found that I had to go ahead and cut back the keepers because they took up so much room. Either that or sacrifice keeping a few. So the garage probably looks like a pot factory from the road, hanging plants everywhere. The keepers are looking kind of small and pitiful under the lights in the basement, having recently had the mother of all haircuts.
They are in the company of my habanero ale which is almost ready to bottle, hopefully they will impart some good vibes to each other.
Adios Garden! See you in the spring.

[cheezydemon]

Yeah... I'm not too worried, yet. It's mid 70's here during the day and mid 30's at night. The only two plants that are ripening peppers are my serrano and my tabasco because they get about 4 hours of direct sun. The rest are in the shade most of the day because my house blocks the sun.

The plants never looked healthier though. My habs have to be 24" across!

HA HA!!! Mod that you are, I must still gloat when I can!!

My hab (god rest her soul) was Damn near 37 inches across and more blest with peppers than any plant I hav ever seen, yea though I am regionally challenged( as far as zone) MY HAB COULD BEAT UP YOUR HAB!! Lol

It wasn't more than 3 ft tall, I'll not mis-represent, but she was a beauty.

Kentucky is known for growing unbeatable horses, world class pot, and now.....could it be?.... are these caribbean beauties better suited to these climes? Probably not, but I sure lucked into one genetically unbelieveable specimen.........and Yes......
I am overwintering her, though now she is a mere 10 inches across. But imagine her next year.....and tremble.

[wordwiz]

cheezy,

What part of the Bluegrass State do you live in. I went to school in Morehead, lived in Lexington, Louisville and Morehead, spent several nights in Franfort (got caught there one time in a blizzard), worked in Murray for a couple of weeks, had a brother who lived in Richmond. Nice state, but I'm one north of you now.

[chilliman64]

Seems that as it is getting colder and the sun is out less, the hundreds of green pods I have aren't ripening.
From what I can understand, I need to take the plants in question inside and either keep them alive or cut and hang them.
Some of them I intend to overwinter, so obviously I will be cutting them back.

I suppose I will let the pods ripen inside under lights before cutting back and overwintering, and hang the others. Sound right?

(P.S. the "habanero ale" I am brewing smells incredible!!)

nip off any buds or flowers or non-mature sized fruit you may have, don't trim any leaves - this will help the plant focus only on the big pods. also cut back on watering which may stress the plant somewhat, again forcing the plant to concentrate on the pods.

[cheezydemon]

I'm in Louisville wordwiz.(please hold any football comments until basketball season starts)
Thanks Cman 64, good info.

[wordwiz]

Cheesy,

I love that town. I lived along Bardstown Road, not far from the Toy Tiger.

[cheezydemon]

Yeah, I love it too. I'm running out of growing season but I shouldn't complain. It's nearly Halloween and the trees haven't changed color yet! Freakish in a good way I guess.

Well I 'm gonna go sip a margarita by the pool......yeah right. It's not that warm lol.

Where are you now Wiz?

[wordwiz]

Cheesy,

About 100 miles up I-71 from you - in the Queen City. So yeah, it looks like we may a little bet or two come basketball season!

We had a light freeze last night, though I think it sayed above 32 here in the Valley area (the very middle of Hamilton County). A store was suppose to save some large boxes for me but somehow the word never got around. I drove over there at 9pm to pick them up. By then, it was too late to do much else except hope.

Looks like I bought another week for the habs, jalas and Hungarians to ripen, as well as a few eggplants. I did try to pull off any flowers I saw on the jalas, just to speed up the process.

[LUCKYDOG]

Yeah...That Jack Frost guy is a bastard!

:scared: Sigh... already visited two nights in a row

Time to dig up to bad to I had literally hundreds of peppers coming in....

[bentalphanerd]

:scared: Sigh... already visited two nights in a row

Time to dig up to bad to I had literally hundreds of peppers coming in....

so you'll be starting a little earlier next season LUCKYDOG ?

[LUCKYDOG]

Muahahahahhaha -- You know it!!

Horrible sping this year really messed up the growing season very cold and rainy until mid July I started early just didnt hit 2nd and 3rd gear till late

[cheezydemon]

We are expecting the warmest winter on record here, I wonder if we couldn't plant earlier next year? I guess it's always a gamble.

[wordwiz]

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.

[chilliman64]

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...

[bentalphanerd]

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...

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.

[cheezydemon]

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?

[wordwiz]

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.

[wordwiz]

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.

[bentalphanerd]

wordwiz, your name isn't peter is it?... so far your picking repotted peppers perhaps for pickling or poppers...

[wordwiz]

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.

[chilliman64]

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.

you're the handyman, how about you rig one up for me in exchange for a few sticks of beef jerky...

[bentalphanerd]

you're the handyman, how about you rig one up for me in exchange for a few sticks of beef jerky...

I'll send the tap timer, you can attach the hose.:cool:

[wordwiz]

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?

[Pam]

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?

What color are they supposed to ripen to?

[wordwiz]

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:

[Pam]

*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.

[wordwiz]

*sticks tongue out at wordwiz*

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

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?

[Pam]

Oh Baby! Do it again!

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?


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.

[LUCKYDOG]

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