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nutrients Nutrients for quicker ripening

Niclassj

Niclassj

Hey guys
 
I just ordered the product GHE Ripen. This product is claimed to speed up the ripening process and make the plant think its life is coming to an end, making it ripen its pods to assure it can reproduce. So, has anyone tried this? I am currently in a challenge where you count how many ripe pods one plant can produce in a season, and from previous experiences, when the season is over, there are still many green pods on the plants. To prevent this, I thought this product could boost my result in the challenge. The only thing, though, is that I don't know WHEN to use it. 
 
Here is a little info about the product:
 
product-1200-2040.jpg

 
  • Ripen is a comprehensive plant nutrient used during the late flowering stage of the plant. It is specifically designed to speed up and enhance the ripening process, while increasing the content in active principles of medicinal, aromatic and culinary plants. 
  • It gives the plant a strong signal that it is coming to the end of its life. The plant reacts by speeding the ripening process, in a last effort to spread its genes. Use Ripen the last 10 days of flowering and dilute in water with adjusted pH (between 5,5 and 6,5)
 
I do suspect that if mostly refers to a certain "medical" plant, but it should work for peppers too. But peppers continue flowering even though it pods are starting to form, so there is no "last 10 days of flowering", but could I use it the last 10 days before the challenge ends (1 October)? 
 
Thanks in advance. 
 
 
 
If you have a crown of chiles that you want to ripen as quickly as possible, I find that picking one or two of the chiles that are almost ripe will induce the others to start ripening faster.  In other words, you should be constantly picking the peppers as they ripen individually, even if they are not completely ripe.  They will continue to ripen while they sit on your counter.  As far as how to get that first pod to ripen.... there arent too many tricks without the use of hormones.  Sun, heat, and sometimes letting the plant dry out will promote faster ripening.
 
I suspect that the product makes false claims, or at least dubious.  You can trick a plant into thinking it's near end of season to produce blooms, and fertilize to get pods to grow faster, but once they are grown it's all about enzymes already in the pod, a passive activity by the plant in that it is only keeping the pod a little more hydrated.
 
If the product manufacturer can make a scientifically valid argument that it boosts enzymes then I would be more apt to believe it speeds up ripening.  On that note, what are the ingredients?  I read their product page and it states only "mineral salts and buffers" which basically means water soluble fertilizer... so if the plant doesn't have an ideal amount of those salts it will help with growth.
 
Digging deeper the MSDS ( http://www.eurohydro.com/publications/publications/SAFETY-DATA-SHEETS-(MSDS)/GB/ripen.pdf ) states:
 
The chemical identity of the compounds and exact proportions used in
the mixture are a trade secret, however, they are derived from : Phosphoric Acid, Potassium
Phosphate, Magnesium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Potassium sulfate,
Ammonium Sulfate, Potassium Nitrate, and Magnesium Carbonate.
Click to expand...
 
These are useful nutrients and it'll lower soil pH a bit, but there's nothing particularly revolutionary about speeding up ripening from those ingredients.  It's merely one way to provide fertilizer vs other alternatives.
 
When to use it would be during flowering, to ensure the plant has those nutrients to keep pods growing at a good rate.  However I disagree with their claim that it should be the last 10 days of flowering but rather, IF the soil doesn't have optimal levels of those nutes, it would be helpful once the plant has a lot of blooms even if nowhere near the last 10 days of flowering.
 
You could achieve a similarly useful nute level using low-N, NPK fertilizer and Cal/Mag, but inevitably the manufacturer thinks or at least markets that they have a "trade secret" combination of these for best results.
 
The above nutrient formula is only going to state ingredients/derivatives that is has to, and will be as vague as possible. I would think there is something more than just a specific mixture.
 
 
 
As far as speeding it up, anything that can coax the plant towards understanding that the season is over should help. Apical stem and root pruning come to mind. Maybe tarping it with a few banana leaves underneath? XD
 
^  Something more in it like what?  If there is another chemical or hormone, etc, especially one with biological effects, then wouldn't that be required to be listed on the MSDS, and they'd market that as a primary feature of the product?
 
The chemical identity of the compounds and exact proportions used in
the mixture are a trade secret, however, they are derived from : Phosphoric Acid, Potassium
Phosphate, Magnesium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Magnesium Sulfate, Potassium sulfate,
Ammonium Sulfate, Potassium Nitrate, and Magnesium Carbonate.
Click to expand...
 
Listing the absolute minimum, vagueness. Two hallmarks of many cannabis orientated nutrient companies, some of which have had products removed from shelves for including banned (in food crop) growth hormones, inaccurate labeling, etc. Paclobutrazol comes to mind.
 
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