They are usually ready to pick when they're around six inches long and a greeny yellow colour. You must let s see pictures of yours when they ripen.
Another question about peppers, specifically cayenne. I have a second flush of fruit that are ripening as we speak on my two plants. But a large percentage are about half the size of the initial harvest in July/August. Back then the pods averaged about 3", but the current set has pods about 1.5" each. I actually began fertilizing a bit more frequently than when the season was new (every 3 weeks vs every month). Watering has been steady and sun is available at least 10 hours of the day. Pests are very minimal and new growth is visible on healthy looking stems. Others I have talked to have seen this happen to their plants. Just curious if this is common and expected or is it a sign of late fruit production at season's end. Or is it pathological...?
Catdaddy, I have seen the same with tomatoes. The spring/early summer tomatoes are larger, the fall crop has smaller fruit. Peppers and tomatoes are in the same family, so it may be just the way they react to shorter days. I think it's just common, and I congratulate you on your pepper crop, no matter what the size!
They will often do this ! Cayenne peppers are my favorite ! Just be careful,, sometimes the late season peppers will set the woods on fire ! They make great pepper sauce.
Just pruned (moderately) my 7 pepper plants and treated for pests to bring them inside for winter. Several still have fruit and blossoms that will form and ripen in a few weeks. Then I can prune them a bit more drastically.
Good morn....this is my first real harvest of hot peppers from the patio!! I think I just fell in love with growing hot peppers......so pretty!!
Those tabasco peppers will grow until frost kills them. But,,you grow inside don`t you ! I will sometimes pull the whole plant and hang it upside down in the garage if I do not have time to pick them all !
