Why Are My Cayenne Peppers Not Turning Red? I know how frustrating it can be to go through all the work of planting those beautiful cayenne pepper plants, follow all the requirements, and still end up with cayenne peppers that don’t have that bright red color you know and love. And although these peppers can be consumed in whatever color, they seem to be sweeter and more flavorful when red.
I’m sure this is why you can’t help but wonder why are my cayenne peppers not turning red. You see, it could just be that your plant isn’t ripe yet or the temperature of your environment isn’t favorable. But that’s not all, there are several other reasons that can explain why your cayenne peppers aren’t turning red. In this article, we’ve put together all the possible reasons why your cayenne peppers aren’t red yet. We hope you can spot the problem and adjust using the tips we’ll provide here.
Why your cayenne peppers are not turning red? It’s okay if this is your first time growing these plants and you just can’t spot where things went wrong. Below we’ll help you identify the problem, so you can take the right action immediately. Here are the reasons your cayenne pepper aren’t turning red.
Your cayenne peppers might not be fully ripe yet Cayenne peppers take a while to fully ripen, they get fully mature and ready to be harvested after 70-100 days. They are normally around 4-6 inches long and turn red at this time. So if you find that your cayenne peppers aren’t turning red, it could be that they aren’t fully ripe yet. So you might have followed all the instructions to get your cayenne peppers just the way you like them, but you’ll need to be patient enough to let your pepper plant mature. So you may want to wait for a few weeks more to let nature take its course. Oftentimes, the time on the packaging of your seeds may be misleading, but it’s fine, we’ve got you covered!
Your cayenne pepper might not be a red variety If you’re quite sure that your cayenne peppers have had enough time hanging on the tree and you’ve waited for weeks after the given time without results, then it could be that they aren’t red cayenne peppers. You see, what a lot of people don’t know is that there are different types of cayenne peppers. Your peppers could actually be golden cayenne peppers or even cayenne Buist’s yellow pepper, so you really wouldn’t expect these varieties to turn red. You see, the problem may not be with your plant, it could be a simple mistake. Would you dump the peppers just because they aren’t the red variety? Not at all, you can enjoy your green or yellow pepper and simply be careful next time if you’re keen on growing actual red cayenne peppers.
The temperature may be the problem Temperature can be a huge problem for most pepper species. Particularly, the cayenne pepper plant is a warm-weather lover, it doesn’t stand up to intense cold or heat. So when you leave your beautiful cayenne peppers in temperatures below 55°F (13°C), your plant may stop flowering and the actual peppers would no longer mature at this time. You see, pepper plants are very picky when it comes to temperature and humidity. When it gets too cold, it may be difficult for your cayenne pepper to turn red. This is why it’s important to grow your cayenne peppers at least 12 weeks before frost. The ideal temperature for your pepper plant is 70-80°F. At this temperature, they’ll ripen beautifully, into healthy red peppers. If it’s really cold out there or it’s already frost season, there’s only little you can do for them to ripen, but the best option is to harvest them immediately!
Can I pick my cayenne peppers before they turn red? Yes, you don’t need to wait until your cayenne peppers turn red before picking them. Although they’ll have a less intense flavor and hotness, they’ll still be nice and tasty. If you find that your cayenne peppers can’t turn red due to temperature or variety, it’ll make sense to pick them in whatever color.
Will my cayenne peppers turn red after picking them? If you’ve pulled green, unripe cayenne peppers from the plant due to frost, you may be wondering if your cayenne peppers would eventually mature, and turn red. If exposed to ideal conditions, cayenne peppers can mature on their own after you’ve harvested them. If you’re stuck with green, unripe cayenne peppers, there are a few things you could do to get them in the red color you’ve always wanted. You could pick them with their branches and leave them indoors, or leave some of them in a warm windowsill area for at least a week. Traditional growers also have an equally effective method of getting peppers ripe in a few days. You could put your unripe cayenne peppers in a paper bag with ripe tomatoes. The ripe tomatoes give off a kind of gas that helps ripen your peppers rapidly.
We hope you’ve found out why your peppers just won’t turn red. Whether you get to enjoy those flavorful, red cayenne peppers, or yours simply won’t get red, remember your cayenne peppers are valuable in whatever color.
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