sandpebbles,

IÂm having the same issue with my Billy Goat peppers this year and in some cases my pods are splitting open along the lines. IÂm not sure itÂs corking, at least in the same sense as corking in Jalapeños. I'm also finding pods rotting here and there?

ItÂs been very wet here too. I think it must be related to the moisture but IÂm not sure.

IÂd be interested in input from others as well.

Bill

ottawapepper; i've not had any problem with my peppers.
actually they've been perfect. however
we've have an unusual amount of rain. more
like 2 wks worth with the last raining "non-
stop". moisture sounds like a very possible
cause and effect. thanks for your response.

The sudden excessive water after a heavy rain causes a rapid increase in flesh growth, but the outer skin can't keep up or may already be at final size and thus unable to accomodate the flesh growth. Hence, the cracking. We've been battling this problem with tomatoes all season here, due to the rains. After each rainstorm, whole groups of our toms suddenly crack. It can easily be eaten around on peppers, and even on tomatoes, though admittedly it isn't aesthetically appealing.

(My theory is that the corking on some Jals and serranos is an adaptation to minimize this problem, by giving the skin some more give to handle flesh growth without splitting)

Makes sense megachili.

Thanks for the feedback. Yep, my Brandywine tomatoes are notorious for cracking and they're worse this year.

Good catch.

Bill

interesting megachilli; i started watering my tomatoes 2-3
times/day to counteract cracking.
which made a tremendous difference
or perhaps, so i thought. my
smaller newly developing tomatoes
had no cracks. however looking
back, it stopped raining around
that time. double kool megachilli
jalapenos do have thicker skins
as opposed to habs/ etc.
thank you.

I think Megachile is right.

Plants put out pods during dryer times then it rains and since a plant wants the pods to survive at all costs,it pumps up the pods.
Since the pods are already at a stage that they won't grow any bigger they crack with the addition of water and nutriants the plant is sending to the pods.

Only thing I've seen as a bad thing about it is sometimes the extra water sweetens the pods heat.
Which can be good or bad depending on your taste in peppers.

This year I have had too many 100 degree days.
I have pods that I cut open that stored up water inside the pods.
I cut them open and get water running out of the pods.
The heat is not up to what they usually are too.

Some of my plants drop all their leaves and pump up the pods with water.
Survival mode for the pods and plants I think.

Corking is usually not caused by a lack or excess of water but heat in the right proportion.

I think it's when the temps. are almost at the far end of a plants tollorance.
Stressed but not any where near being harmful to the plant or pods.
Corked Jalapenos are considered by many as the perfect Jalapeno.
Plant was stressed just enough to make it pump out perfect pods with thick flesh , heat and seeds,healthy pods - without making the plant loose it's vitality(so it can keep pumping out these perfect pods).

I think your pods cracked which is,to me,different than corking.

smokemaster; pods with water in response to intolerable
heat, interesting. somehow, this reminds
of biology/osmosis. what did your pods
look like on the outside. unusually
excessive wrinkling...

The pods are yellow white (sunburn) on the sunny side and colored normal on the shadey side.
Mushy where they got sunburned.
Seeds have gray embryos and brown edges then turn black.
Cooked.
Plants drop all their leaves trying to save the pods.
As soon as I remove all the pods the plants act like it's spring and have tons of new growth.

so, i have a tendency to leave fruits on plants until fully ripe/plus. as it would seem, my orange habs and my very first bhuts (yeah???)...note the color difference. all my other peppers are fine and remain firm. my larger jalapenos with no corking. thinner skin varieties more permeable...

an overexposed shot i know. however only one of the peppers is fully ripe. slightly underexposed...