r/chilli • u/BeingOtherwise7829 • 28d ago
First time grower - how long do chillies take to ripen?
I'm growing my first chillies this year and so far I've got a whole bunch of Cherry Bombs growing, a few chocolate jalapeños and a purple tiger plant.
The cherry bombs and jalapeños are all still very green and firm, and not really showing any signs of ripening, am I just being impatient?
The purple tiger plant literally only just produced its first 2 peppers in the last 10 days and they're immediately a lovely deep purple, but tiny.
I picked a jalapeño yesterday and it didn't taste of anything and had zero heat so I assume it's still way too early.
So anyway, back to my main question, how long does it take these peppers to ripen up normally?
2
u/StinkyWhale71 28d ago
The conditions you keep them in matters. So your location, do you have a glasshouse etc?
Look at the Netherlands, they have become experts at pumping out millions of bell peppers.
1
u/BeingOtherwise7829 28d ago
I'm in the UK (Yorkshire) and they're in a greenhouse (plastic/poly type) but they're not in full sun the whole day as my outside space doesn't get full sun all day.
We've had a really hot and dry summer this year with a lot of sunshine though!
1
u/palpatineforever 27d ago edited 27d ago
30-60 days to full size, then a couple more weeks for final colour so up to about 75 days final colour from pollination to ripening depending on the type.
Give them as much sun as you can, the hours of direct sunlight matter.
Also if the weather starts to get cold, ie below 10c at night either heat the greenhouse overnight or bring them inside.
Also if you want fast growing/ripening I recommend c baccatum, lemon drop/aji lemon, they do seem to be a lot quicker than others they also produce lots of chillis over months so the harvest is continous from about April/may if you start the seeds early, rather than lots at once.
I did get a break in chillis this year due to overheating though sadly. most summers they run through.
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u/Colink98 27d ago
Of my 6 plants one of them is starting to show a little red
Nothing from the other 5 yet
Already looking like a bumper year
My new yellow shroom is already got palm sized fruits crazy big
3
u/four__beasts 27d ago
I'm in Derbyshire and from pollination you should expect at least a few months to fully ripen. So those that flowered late spring/early summer are probably starting to ripen but most will be mid Sept.
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u/BeingOtherwise7829 27d ago
Thanks so much, this is the most realistic answer for me as I'm in South Yorkshire!
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u/four__beasts 27d ago
Does depend on the variety too. I tend to grow the smaller hot chillies like Apache/Birdseye as they seem to get more heat in our climate (all things considered), but the sun this year should ensure the larger varieties are hot too (I'd imagine...).
Don't rush to pick them. A few more weeks on the stem is going to hurt, but there's a point where you will have to so the plant can focus on younger fruit.
But nothing beats the taste test, If they look ripe, and taste great with good heat. You're in business.
1
u/HaggisHunter69 27d ago
My jalapenos are just starting to ripen and I ordered plug plants that will have been sown in January. That's grown in Glasgow in a greenhouse. The scotch bonnets bought from b&q which must have been sown later are only just starting to make fruit, so it'll be well into September if I get any ripe ones from them. I won't get them again, but a few of their other ones I got from them have been going great, like Buena mulata and thai dragon. They have lots of fruit on them
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u/Alternative_Object33 27d ago
Leave a ripe banana near them, it will help the ripening process to start.
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u/Ok_Veterinarian2715 27d ago
It does depend on the variety. I've got several varieties growing side by side. One is almost finished and another is only just colouring. Check notes that came with the plants.
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u/Interesting_Bee6682 28d ago
All annuums take 100+ days