Re: [gardeners] gardeners Digest V1 #608

Kari Whittenberger-Keith (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Thu, 29 Jul 1999 08:30:31 -0700 

>Date: Wed, 28 Jul 1999 21:46:38 -0400
>From: Cynthia Mayeaux <cmayeaux@traverse.com>
>Subject: [gardeners] Chile harvesting
>
>I think I've got a few chile's ready to harvest... I could sure use some
>advice please.  These are all seeds I got from George :-)
>
Generally we start harvesting chiles for immediate use as soon as they are
a decent size.  The nice thing abotu peppers is you can use them green or
when fully ripe...or any place in between.

>Khatmandu -- I've got some 3" and longer, turning black on the side exposed
>to the sun, they are still bright green on the underside.... Should they be
>totally black before I pick them?
>
The black is probably sunscald.  My guess would be that they turn red when
fully ripe (George?).  The sunscald doesn't affect their taste, though.

>Piri Piri -- real cute little guys that are still a chartreuse.  Do I
>harvest when they are a bright red?  Do they stay green?
>
Mine turned red when fully ripe, but we use them as soon as they are showing.

>Other Chile updates:
>
>Super Chile's -- They are a nice green color and are getting finger size.
>How big do these get and what color should they be for harvest?
>
These will turn red when ripe.  You can, again use them at any stage; they
have good heat to add to anything (I never thought they had much flavor,
only heat (YMMV), so I often use them in conjunction with some other more
flavorful chiles, or in recipes where I want HOT.  For example, I always
add them to pepper jam to notch it up a bit.)

>Thai's -- Nice healthy plants but no chile's, only flowers.
>
>Lemon Drops -- still flowering but have a few small finger size fruits.
>
>Cherry's -- These are delicious and ripen up early.  I've just been eating
>them as they get red and round.
>
Sounds like you'll have quite a harvest!  Have fun with it! We do chiles as
well (20 varieties this year) and have been using them for about 2 weeks,
which is quite early here in the PNW.  Planting them in black plastic pots
and growing them on the driveway really does the trick in getting them the
heat they love.

Kari