Ripening Peppers

[Creemteez]

Ok, at risk of joining the ranks of "The Its-Not-Ripening-Quick-Enough-For-
Me Club", I have to ask....
This year, my Peppers (Californian Wonder and a mini sweet pepper from seed saved from a selection from Tezzi's) are doing SUPERBLY! Massive bushy plants, with- more importantly - PEPPERS ON THEM!!!!!. Have not done an official "head-count", but anything is better than last years "Pepper Debacle" when the few miserable specimens that did put in an appearance were promptly eaten by hoards of ravening slugs wearing Viking helmets.
Anyway, I digress... Having spotted at least half a dozen peppers that seem to be even larger than your average supermarket beastie, I was trying to remember how long it takes for them to ripen? (Yes, it's been THAT long since a home-grown pepper came even close to making it to my plate) Should I remove any of the lush, glossy leaves from the plant to let the light get to them? I have heard that removing the first pepper early encourages more to set and ripen, but am afraid of upsetting the status quo. Besides, though I am a BIG fan of a fully ripened pepper, I look upon green ones as the food of the very devil. The DEVIL, I tell you!!..
A'hem. Sorry. Can only put the above down to excitement at the prospect of my harvest this year! Suggestions?...Anyone?.....Hello????

[vikkib]

Well I nearly splurted my coffee over my keyboard a few times whilst reading your post so thank you for the morning chuckle!

I have no real useful information at all... I'm waiting for my peppers to ripen and would like to add my support to the statement that green peppers are the food of the very devil.

That is all.

[Two_Sheds]

Mine didn't ripen at all last summer (too cool) until I put them on a sunny windowsill, then they all turned. That was in Sept/oct if I remember rightly.

[Thelma Sanders]

some of mine are beginning to ripen this week - so there's hope for yours

[kathyd]

Some of mine are turning funny colours... not sure if that's a good or bad thing to be honest! They seem to go almost black in places before the orange or red shows through... is this normal?? I did get a couple of tiny weeny orange ones a week or two ago, but they were really bitter and nasty. Hope the others are better (the ones the slugs don't get first!). And I like green peppers! Nice roasted, then allowed to go cold and eaten with feta cheese in sarnies . Oh, and OK in quiches too, honest! OH's on your side though. I always did like to be difficult .

[carolineholding]

whenever i pick them green and leave them in a sunny place they just seem to turn brown. maybe its too hot here for that ploy? I don't HATE green peppers but i much prefer the riper ones. have had mine go black first Kathyd, not sure why it happens but it has to me

[Farmer_Gyles]

pah .... i've only just got the first few flowers opening ....

[BUFFS]

despite the rubbish weather and constant gloom last year,our peppers/chillies in the greenhouse gave us a late but bumper crop,we dont know why as it never seemed to warm up,this year ,with the cold spring,they are about 6/7 weeks behind,but starting to show some promise ,sweet peppers are leading the way,big but still green,the bulgarian black are really beginning to show,but the best are the big,long,red,californian type that i picked up for 20p in an end of season bin in homebase,20/21 plants means about 1p each plant,i like that,i like that a lot,you can guess where i will be at the end of the season,just in case they have some more,should i ask for an end of sale discount?...

[mothhawk]

I grow sweet peppers on the windowsill, not having a GH. I find the best way to make them ripen fast is to lay a banana skin on the surface of the compost. Even small peppers get a move on and blush very quickly.

I was going to throw out my remaining plant when I took off the last pepper, but it was upstairs and I couldn't be bothered to carry it down at the time. Glad I didn't now. it's having a flush of new growth and flowers. Peppers for C*****mas!