hot pepper cracks

[higgledy]

Each year my hot peppers grow and look great until they begin to ripen, turning what ever color it is that they turn. Then the get these crack lines on the exterior. They still taste great just don't look great. What causes these cracks?

[Pat Kiewicz]

Jalapenos? They normally crack a bit when they mature.

Otherwise, all I could suggest would be to be careful with water. Aim for consistant moisture: don't let the plants get very dry and then flood them with water.

[Penelope Periwinkle]

Go here:

down to the bottom, there is a picture of ripening jalapenos with corking. Is that what you're seeing? If it is, it's normal in some peppers. Some sites claim that corking is desirable in Mexico, where the jalapeno originated, but no so desirable to more appearance conscience Americans.

Penelope

[Deuteros]

"higgledy" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

I think it's due to inconsistant watering. If the peppers don't get a lot of water then the skins will harden. If you suddenly flood them with water the fruits will expand and the skin will crack.

[FACE]

On 04 Jun 2006 14:22:15 GMT, in rec.gardens.edible Deuteros , in glistered weave writ large for all to see:

One begins to wonder how vegetables and stuff ever grew in the wild. :-) (Yes, I know it is all about cosmetic appearance.)

FACE

[TQ]

From what I/ve read, cracking or corking is a normal and it indicates the pepper is ripe.

[Higgledy]

Thanks for the responses. It cannot be caused by dry preiods followed by a good watering because these pepper plants have never been left not watered. It has to be normal.

[Justin]

FACE wrote on [Sun, 04 Jun 2006 10:42:45 -0400]:

DID these varieties ever grow in the wild?

[FACE]

On Sun, 04 Jun 2006 21:55:47 -0500, in rec.gardens.edible Justin , in glistered weave writ large for all to see:

I seriously doubt that what grew in the wild had a whole lot of resemblance to what we grow (or buy) today -- anymore than the wild forbears of a guernsey milk cow has the same certain physical attributes.

FACE

[Jon Shemitz]

Some varieties of hot chile are pretty close to wild - as I understand it, the pequins are pretty close to the root stock, more-or-less undomesticated "bird chiles" that have been adopted in recent decades by varietal fanciers.