Chilli peppers ripening

[devon-surfer]

Had to tell you, my chilli's are starting to ripen, some have gone yellow and some red, im so chuffed, i must learn not to be inpatient!!!! Im going to have so many, now I need to learn how to dry them out. Ive 9 plants of different variety.

1 quick question, when I take them in over winter, should I trim them back? (plants)

[Cutecumber]

Good question... some say yes, some say no!

I think I'll try it this year and I haven't decided which advice to follow, so I shall wait with you for further advice

[kernowyon]

why not try your own experiment, get two plants of the same variety, cut one back and leave the other, then wait and see.

i have previously cut back plants for overwintering, and have always had a good crop the following year, but i am always trying new varieties so they only ever last two seasons

[veg4681]

Had to tell you, my chilli's are starting to ripen, some have gone yellow and some red, im so chuffed, i must learn not to be inpatient!!!! Im going to have so many, now I need to learn how to dry them out. Ive 9 plants of different variety.

1 quick question, when I take them in over winter, should I trim them back? (plants)

Congratulation on your ripening peppers. I've never had success with peppers even though I've always started out from bought plants. Are yours grown in greenhouse? I don't have the luxury of a decent size greenhouse.

I think peppers can be made into Italian pepper antipasto and presumably they would preserve well in a jar???, then there is red pepper pesto.

[Alice]

Here are some of my chillies grown on the windowsill. The varieties are Big Jim Numex, Hungarian Hotwax and Unknown. I've tried overwintering the plants without success but they are easy to grow from seed so not worth the bother. Just start them early on the windowsill.

[sewer rat]

Mine have just started to put on a bit of colour too - that's what two days sun does for you !!

[Sebbster]

I have mine in a plastic greenhouse which gets 2 hours of sun a day. Loads of chili's now so moving tomorrow to the patio to ripen them up properly.

[Alison]

Some of mine are ripening nicely, my Prairie Fire is full of bright red and orange chillies, it seems a shame to pick them as it looks so pretty. I've never really had much luck keeping chillies over winter in the past but as this is such a small and neat plant I think I may try, especially as it's in a pot already. We're having some friends round this weekend for a BBQ so think I'll leave loads on until after they've been as it looks so impressive! Got to show off your sucesses!

[devon-surfer]

i have mine in a plastic greenhouse with toms and que's as you say the sun is out and everything happens. I did put them on the decking yesterday to get more sun which I think helped. Im going to dry some, pickle others and eat loads more....toilet roll in the fridge please lol

Oh and half are brought and other half grown from seed, which was a little troublesome to start with, but as with everything...patience !!

[Mushroom]

Hi
My chillies and peppers are still green, so hoping they'll ripen soon.
Its a good idea to plant chillies & peppers as early as Feb inside so you get a good crop when its warm.
You also need an early variety in the UK.
I am hoping to pickle my little cherry peppers for winter eating, you need a pressure cooker for that though.
I dried mine last year in a very low oven and am still using them!

[devon-surfer]

Ive dried some that are green, and they change colour to a dirty yellow, do red ones stay red. I tied mine together and hung then inside the car 'someones advise' they dried with in a week. ps the car was not in use :-)

[Eternal Sunshine]

Ours are starting to ripen aswell! Just shows how much we all need the sun.

[Cutecumber]

devon-surfer - I think that drying ripe chillies is the way to go. Green ones are used fresh. Ripe (red) chillies just go a slightly darker red when they are dried.

[Alison]

Red chillies tend to ripen to a dark reddy / brown colour although I think it depends on the type of chillie and the thinner ones keep better colour (think I've got that the right way around!)

[raine]

Can I ask how you over winter the plants? I've got two plants grown from seed (first time ever ) and would love to keep hold of them if I can!