Type of pepper?

[vette-kid]

On a whim, I bought some seeds at the discount store. They came with a tiny pot and we're labeled "hot pepper". I didn't expect them to germinate, when they did I just put them in with my bell pepper thinking they wouldn't do much anyway. Well, now they have peppers on them. Anyone know what these are and how I can tell they are ready to pick? I have no idea what color they should be or how big they might get.

They are a little crowded in there with the bell pepper, if I transplant now will I lose the chance of more peppers due to shock? Just let them be?

 

[Chuck]

That looks like a Long Red Cayenne, good for cooking and drying. They will turn red when ripe and be about 4" long. They are normally heavy producers so as they turn red pick them, string them and hang them to dry. Then when the season is over put them into a food processor. A few short pulses and you have pepper flakes like they serve at pizza places. Pulse longer and you have cayenne pepper powder which at my grocery store costs $2.99 per oz.

 

[vette-kid]

Awesome! Thanks chuck.

 

[GardenStateGardner]

That looks like a Long Red Cayenne, good for cooking and drying. They will turn red when ripe and be about 4" long. They are normally heavy producers so as they turn red pick them, string them and hang them to dry. Then when the season is over put them into a food processor. A few short pulses and you have pepper flakes like they serve at pizza places. Pulse longer and you have cayenne pepper powder which at my grocery store costs $2.99 per oz.

Bite your tongue! Home made is so much better. I purchased a cheap coffee grinder to make pepper flakes and cayenne powder.

 

[Chuck]

Bite your tongue! Home made is so much better. I purchased a cheap coffee grinder to make pepper flakes and cayenne powder.

I last grew cayennes 3 years ago. I still have 2 pints of the flakes. Still have a little powder left and will "powderize" one of the pints in the near future. And your right, homemade is better

 

[vette-kid]

@Chuck can you explain the drying method to me a little? I actually love those pepper flakes, but I've never really done much with growing my own or processing/preserving anything before. I'm excited to start though.

 

[Chuck]

@Chuck can you explain the drying method to me a little? I actually love those pepper flakes, but I've never really done much with growing my own or processing/preserving anything before. I'm excited to start though.

These peppers ripen at all different times. So you cannot put them in the oven or in a dehydrator. What you do is get a piece of dental floss or string and a large sewing needle. As 2 or 3 peppers ripen stringem up. I keep mine hanging in the kitchen window. Keep them in a place that gets plenty of air circulation. You cannot string up green ones as they will mold.

 

[vette-kid]

So I decided to pick one today. Still green, but it was good. Definitely hot, mild flavor. Not sure if they will change color, but they are not bad like this. Woke my burger up for sure!

 

[Chuck]

So I decided to pick one today. Still green, but it was good. Definitely hot, mild flavor. Not sure if they will change color, but they are not bad like this. Woke my burger up for sure!

A green one is a far cry from a dried red one

 

[vette-kid]

A green one is a far cry from a dried red one

I am sure! I decided since I'm not sure what it is, to try one and see if maybe it's supposed to be green. It's pretty good as is, so hard to say I guess. Will see if they eventually turn.

I will say, so far for a beginner, peppers are pretty easy to grow. My tomatoes have all sorts of problems but I hadn't had to fuss with the peppers. I'll probably focus on them more next time.

 

[Chuck]

I am sure! I decided since I'm not sure what it is, to try one and see if maybe it's supposed to be green. It's pretty good as is, so hard to say I guess. Will see if they eventually turn.

I will say, so far for a beginner, peppers are pretty easy to grow. My tomatoes have all sorts of problems but I hadn't had to fuss with the peppers. I'll probably focus on them more next time.

99.+ peppers turn red. The rest are hybrids that will turn any color of the rainbow, but none stay green.

 

[vette-kid]

99.+ peppers turn red. The rest are hybrids that will turn any color of the rainbow, but none stay green.

Um, well now I'm confused? Bell peppers, jalapeños, green chilies, pablano? Mind you, I'm not trying to argue, in genuinely confused? ??

https://www.cayennediane.com/peppers/poblano-chili-pepper/

 

[Chuck]

Um, well now I'm confused? Bell peppers, jalapeños, green chilies, pablano? Mind you, I'm not trying to argue, in genuinely confused? ??

https://www.cayennediane.com/peppers/poblano-chili-pepper/

They will ALL turn from a green color when ripe. Most will turn red but there are hybrids that will turn a different color such as orange, yellow, even purple. But they all start out green

 

[vette-kid]

Interesting. I always assumed jalapeños were at the ripe stage and green was just their color. So all these peppers ate harvested and to market before fully ripe. I assume that fully ripened is a less desirable flavor in the green peppers we are used to at the market (jalapeños and pablanos or green bell for example)?

 

[Chuck]

Interesting. I always assumed jalapeños were at the ripe stage and green was just their color. So all these peppers ate harvested and to market before fully ripe. I assume that fully ripened is a less desirable flavor in the green peppers we are used to at the market (jalapeños and pablanos or green bell for example)?

Peppers are sold when they are edible. A jalapeno when red is much tastier than when green. Any pepper is much better when fully ripe. Then, you ask, why don't you ever see them in the grocery stores? The answer is simple. Time. The longer a fruit is on the plant more labor is involved in keeping the fruit perfect. The time involved from when a fruit is edible until it is fully ripe is between 30 and 40 days. You can buy yellow and red bell peppers at the store but on average they cost 3 times as much as an edible green bell pepper. Fully ripened hot peppers are normally hotter and at the same time sweeter than when green. A fully ripened sweet pepper, IMO, does not compare to a green one. Fully ripened is much, much better.
ALL peppers start out green. Most then slowly start to turn yellowish and then to their final red color but they ALL change colors.
Also, when a pepper is fully ripened it is softer and being soft means more difficulty in keeping it from bruising and thus loosing it's value. Shipping and storage become a problem. Shelf life becomes a problem. I guess these are the main reasons you don't see fully ripened peppers at the store.