Anaheim troubles

[Starlight]

From severe drought and humidity to now into week three and going into week 4 of heavy downpours everyday. The peppers are getting waterlogged big time. I even resorted to putting plastic bags loose over the top of pots and go out and drain off more than an inch of water everyday.

So far all the peppers doing good except the Anaheims. They were doing fine and I had harvested and saved seed from first rip[e pods, but now I have pods that turning orange/red and the tips are rotting. Is this a BER of peppers?

The problem doesn't show on the green pods, just those that are turning. I generally let all my peppers that I save seed from turn to full color before saving seed. Think it makes the seed more viable, but not really sure about that.

I don't know if it the rains or the pepper just starting to rot on the vine from letting change color to long. I'm stumped. New to letting these go to seed in red stage.

I don't share seed from any fruit that has any problem, but wondering if I can save the seed and eat these peppers myself. Once the bad spot on bottom tips is cut off, inside and rest of pepper seems fine, but since I don't know what I have I been tossing them all.

Any ideas what I can do? Still have lots of green pods on the plant and new blossoms and branches growing. Just hate throwing so many peppers out if I don't have too.

[AlittleSalt]

Star, if you leave a pepper on a plant too long - that rotting effect is what happens. It does start at the tip. Eventually, the whole pepper shrivels up and the seeds fall to the ground = next year's volunteer pepper plants.

That was one of my experiments this year - just to see what happens.

Here is a little history on Anaheim peppers https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Me...Anaheim_pepper And Chile peppers in general http://ushotstuff.com/history.htm

I have had very good luck saving pepper seeds from green Jalapeno, Poblano, and Serrano peppers. I use this method for saving pepper seeds http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=32923 post #4

I am also having the problem of way too many peppers and not knowing what to do with them all. Mine are mostly ornamental ones that are way hotter than what we like to eat.

[Starlight]

Thanks Salt. Glad to know what the problem is. I'll pick them sooner. Was doing a mild panic since I was dealing with something new. Thanks for the links too. Was especially interesting reading the TV thread.

For your ornamental problem you might consider making pepper jelly and/or pepper sauce. The ornamental Calico is very hot and folks buy the plant like crazy down here and make some awesome pepper jelly. They use themselves, make some up for friends to give as Christmas gifts and some they take and sell at local markets. On avg. they get 6 bucks for a small what looks like half pint jar of pepper jelly.

I have a friend who doesn't like real hot stuff, but likes a little kick so she will buy jars from the store of apple jelly, remove the jars contents, heat it up to melt it down and adds small amounts of the ornamental peppers and then puts back in the jar and reseals. They eat it on their toast and muffins in the morning.

[dmforcier]

In adverse conditions, take the pod as soon as it starts to color or otherwise shows signs of maturity. Once mature, a pod will ripen on the counter, or slowly in the fridge.

A pod doesn't even have to be mature to have viable seeds. The more mature the pod, the more of the seeds will be viable.

Sure, cut out the bad spot and eat up! The discoloration is because the cells have been disrupted, like a bruise. No poison, just kinda bitter. And don't worry about the seeds, either. I've successfully raised plants from seeds from molded pods. Germination rate seems just as good. (If a seed shows a dark germ, though, it is probably bad.)

Hope your rain slacks off soon.

[AlittleSalt]

I left out one part that's kind of

I picked a few peppers that were starting to wrinkle. I was curious if they would dry faster outside in the 100F weather. I chunked them into a bucket and left them there for 4 days. Mold grows in a hurry, and the seed area was covered in a medium grey fuzzy mold. I put that on the, "Don't do that" list.

[Starlight]

Originally Posted by dmforcier

In adverse conditions, take the pod as soon as it starts to color or otherwise shows signs of maturity. Once mature, a pod will ripen on the counter, or slowly in the fridge.

A pod doesn't even have to be mature to have viable seeds. The more mature the pod, the more of the seeds will be viable.

Sure, cut out the bad spot and eat up! The discoloration is because the cells have been disrupted, like a bruise. No poison, just kinda bitter. And don't worry about the seeds, either. I've successfully raised plants from seeds from molded pods. Germination rate seems just as good. (If a seed shows a dark germ, though, it is probably bad.)

Hope your rain slacks off soon.

Thanks! That answers several questions I had. Any seed that kinda shrink and shrivel up I throw out. Ones that have black spots, I throw out, but what about those that you see that look like you can see a green embryo color. Those good or bad?

I hope it does too, but doesn't look like it for awhile. Even with all the rain everyday we still about 7 inches below what we need to come out of minor drought.

It needs to stop soon. I have some sort of funky, skinny yellow mushrooms now trying to sprout like crazy in the pots. Fast as I dig them out and dispose of, more keep growing with this wet weather. Not sure if it was something in that batch of soil or not.

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

I left out one part that's kind of

I picked a few peppers that were starting to wrinkle. I was curious if they would dry faster outside in the 100F weather. I chunked them into a bucket and left them there for 4 days. Mold grows in a hurry, and the seed area was covered in a medium grey fuzzy mold. I put that on the, "Don't do that" list.

Not laughing at you. Laughing at myself. Last year I thought I would try drying peppers outside. Got me a couple of screens. Worked hours, getting everything looking just right to sundry and a couple days later I was bringing out the garbage bags and bleach. Yuck! With our humidity it just can't be done out in the open. Dew in the mornings, high humidity and it makes for a big moldy mess. Hundreds of peppers trashed and had a heck of a time sterilizing my screens with bleach and a toothbrush to get in all the knics and crannies of the screen. That was why I was so glad folks told me how to dry and make powder inside. So many learning experiences. Some good and some not so good.

[Worth1]

Speaking of dehydrating years ago the dehydrated bananas tasted like bananas now they taste like dried green bananas.

As far as drying peppers and other stuff, if the humidity is right you are far better off drying in the shade than you are in the hot sun.

Not only does the hot sun and UV sunlight degrade the color it also degrades the flavor.
Worth

[Starlight]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Speaking of dehydrating years ago the dehydrated bananas tasted like bananas now they taste like dried green bananas.

As far as drying peppers and other stuff, if the humidity is right you are far better off drying in the shade than you are in the hot sun.

Not only does the hot sun and UV sunlight degrade the color it also degrades the flavor.
Worth

Now ya tell us. Will give the shade a try. I been looking for your post again and can't find it of the big string of think it was Poblano peppers you did strung up. I thought I had the link saved, but don't see it in my favorites. You remember where it posted Worth? I got bunches of Poblano peppers that I wanted to try and do your string method to dry.

[dmforcier]

Don't worry about the mushrooms. They don't hurt anything. You can't get rid of them anyway - the mycelium is all through the soil.

Also don't worry about saving questionable seeds. Dry them, save them, make the choice when it comes time to germinate. A lot easier that way.

[Worth1]

Here it is the Ristra.

The humidity still has to be right and a fan helps.
http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ghlight=Ristra

I did these with dried peppers but it can be done with fresh if the conditions are right.

[Starlight]

Originally Posted by dmforcier

Don't worry about the mushrooms. They don't hurt anything. You can't get rid of them anyway - the mycelium is all through the soil.

Also don't worry about saving questionable seeds. Dry them, save them, make the choice when it comes time to germinate. A lot easier that way.

Will do!

Originally Posted by Worth1

Here it is the Ristra.

The humidity still has to be right and a fan helps.
http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ghlight=Ristra

I did these with dried peppers but it can be done with fresh if the conditions are right.

Yes! That's it. Thanks Worth. I was in the wrong forum, was in the DIY and forgot it had a name. Would it be better to try and do in the fall season when temps drop a bit and humidity? I've got about 50+ green Poblanos out there now and more coming on so if I make a mess, which I probably will, I can try again. The trick is going to be stringing the peppers up and not getting me tangled up too.

[Worth1]

I dont know what would be best for you.
The ristra might not work due to where you live.

Splitting them helps.

[AlittleSalt]

Star, I mentioned the pepper jelly idea today to Jan. She sounds interested and told me there is a recipe for in the booklet that came with our pressure canner. Thank you for the idea.

[dmforcier]

I haven't made much jelly with hot peppers, but what I have made has shown me that all that sugar really moderates the heat, especially as it sits. The last batch (strawberry) that I made I threw in a bunch of super-hots and it is still not that hot.

Nice "Wake up!" spread on English muffins, though.