Numex Big Jim question

sheeshshe · Sat Aug 20, 2011 10:12 am

How long does it take for these guys to turn red? They've been just sitting and sitting and sitting there for a month at this size and aren't going red.

stella1751 · Sat Aug 20, 2011 12:19 pm

The ones I grew last year turned red pretty quickly, but they were a smaller, second-generation plant. Temperatures probably come into play, but you shouldn't be any colder out there than I am out here. My HBC II's, a similar pepper, take about 4 to 6 weeks to change color after reaching mature size, maybe even longer. It is very frustrating. Even when they finally begin turning, they take a good two weeks to finish. I have two turning from chocolate to red right now, and they've been doing that for at least two weeks!

sheeshshe · Sat Aug 20, 2011 12:21 pm

that is insane! man. so wow... I hope I can get pepeprs. this stinks though because my tomaotes are coming in and I have no peppers for salsa... remember last summer? ROFL! now I am loaded with peppers but they won't ripen. can't win. balh.

soil · Sat Aug 20, 2011 1:13 pm

the longer they take to ripen the better the flavor. youll be thankful you waited once you do get to make that salsa.

stella1751 · Sat Aug 20, 2011 7:08 pm

You can use the green ones in your salsa. In fact, if the tomatoes are red, green peppers will make for a nice contrast. They should still be hot, just not as hot as they will be.

garden5 · Sun Aug 21, 2011 4:38 pm

stella1751 wrote:You can use the green ones in your salsa. In fact, if the tomatoes are red, green peppers will make for a nice contrast. They should still be hot, just not as hot as they will be.

I agree with Stella. Worst case scenario, you'd just have to pick them green and make salsa that way. However, that's not all that bad. They don't taste "bad," just not as good as if they would have ripened. You could even do a half-ripe half-green mix if you had to.