Any tips for ripening sweet peppers?

[J.V.]

Hi all,

I have a fair number of stubornly green peppers that ought to be a nice yellow/orange/red by now. What with the weather and delays in getting my polytunnel built, they are a bit behind.

We had our first hint of frost a few days ago, and I don't imagine they will get a chance to ripen now - havent had a nice sunny day for ages

Does anyone have any tips for what might be done to encourage them to ripen, on or off the plant, before the weather gets to them? I am not so fond of green peppers...

cheers,
JV

[redser]

It's my first year growing peppers but have done some reading. A book suggested placing silver kitchen foil around the base of the plant to reflect light up. More light the better. The reassuring thing I read is that even though the leaves will be starting to get ragged looking the peppers should continue to ripen, even in November.

[greenishfing]

I'm not too fond of green peppers raw but think they're good in stir fries and stews etc, so as our weather here in yorkshire is supposed to be turning wintry this weekend i'm picking mine and freezing them for the winter.

[Vince G]

Still got 3 plants producing fruit in the poly. As day length reduces they'll take longer to ripen, but I'm defo not taking them off the plant to ripen elsewhere. Eventually the plant will succumb to the cold, and only then will I dig it up. So be patient and they'll come good for you

[Lisamcflisa]

i've had the same thing with my chillies, i've put them on a metal serving plate in the window and they are slowly turning red, dunno if that would work for you but its worth a try, good luck

[horticultural_hobbit]

I've yet to get peppers or chillies to 'turn' on the plant. The closest I have got is to have a red smudge on the one bell. What I have done with chillies, once one has started to turn and go red, take them off, and put them into a pyrex bowl and place onto a warm sunnny window sill. So they that they are still firm and fleshy; otherwise if left too long, they start to dehydrate and go a bit wrinkly.

[J.V.]

Thanks folks. I shall exercise a little patience and hope the forthcoming cold snap doesn't do them in - I still haven't got around to putting on the door for the polytunnel, so it's going to get cold in there.

[redser]

Try some fleece around them for the odd nights of frost up ahead, even newspaper will keep it off.

[BertieFox]

I'm picking them every day and both in the tunnel and outside most are just turning red. Picking them just on the turn is fine as they ripen rapidly in a warm kitchen. The classic ripening thing of putting them in a polybag with a ripe banana for the ethylene gas given off also works. But most should ripen easily now by picking and just leaving for a week.