Bonnie, my peppers are making a mad dash at ripening. But, I know that if there's the slightest blush, they can ripen on a string in the kitchen. This year, we've finally left the HOT ones to others and the kitchen is festooned with Italian Sweets. I didn't leave them in the garden to turn red but, rather, spirited them away as soon as there was a tinge on them of something other than green, green, green. And, if that works for Giant Marconi sweet peppers, it will work for any of the little hot guys, as well. Whatcha, got?

A few years ago, the question about green pumpkins could be demonstrated in my garden. I'm much too casual about variety selection for such a serious occasion as Halloween . . . That year, it was one that ran too late. Those that were fully green and brought into the garage in September turned fully orange by the auspicious night.

The last 2 years, I've selected an early variety. I had an orange pumpkin or 2 in August!?! Last year, it turned out okay altho' I did have to caution the neighbor with the 2 little kids to find a cool, cool, dry, dry location rather than leave my gift pun'kin at her hot & sunny back door. Can't remember the date but the killing frost usually comes weeks before All Hallows Eve.

digitally S'

Steve, there are a couple of paprika pepper plants. The plan was to dehydrate and grind them into homemade paprika. I also planted several different types of bell peppers from seed, but I'm not really sure which ones I've got anymore. Some plants didn't make it, some seedlings weren't labeled well, etc. All I can tell you for sure, is that they are all sweet peppers, since my DH doesn't like spicy foods. Can the string be hung in a window, or does it need to be out of direct sunlight?

So pumpkins will ripen after being picked, like a tomato will? What about the ones that are already orange? Should I leave them attached to the vine, or if I go ahead and pick them will they rot pretty quickly? Most have a little green left on them, but there are a couple that are almost completely orange now.

We had thunderstorms off and on last night, for which I am thankful, but some of the vines were blown off the fence. They are in a big pile of mud right now, so instead of taking pictures, I am going to have to spend my gardening time resecuring the pumpkins.

...and while I'm picking your brain about harvest times, what about onions? They were planted from seed in mid-May, and the DTM says 130 days, but the tops are only the size of a green onion, and the one that I dug up was only the size of a shallot. Should I leave them until spring, or just use them for green onions?

Hmmm, leaving onions till Spring may just mean they will bolt to seed in April, Bonnie. I've had problems with sweet onions planted as seed in August doing that 2 years out of 3 so finally gave up on that effort. Your onions are probably just as tasty small as they'd be otherwise.

A ripe pumpkin can sit in storage quite awhile. I've kept buttercup squash often right thru the Winter but suspect that you could get a pumpkin to Christmas maybe even with less than ideal conditions. Bonnie, it sounds like your pumpkins are pretty close to being in perfect condition right now.

Of course, the bell peppers can be eaten green. You probably don't really want to dehydrate them. Paprika peppers, I've never grown - sounds fun! I bet they are just the same as cayennes and such and if there's any blush to them at all - they should turn red.

Our peppers are just about everywhere in the kitchen right now. Hanging in a shaded west window is the 1st choice for location. We aren't really trying to get them in the sun. I'm not sure whether that's a good idea or not.

digitS'