Pumpkin Peppers Question
 

I grew something called Pumpkin Peppers this year - and just wonder what the
heck these things are? I can't believe they're actually a pepper -
certainly aren't a pumpkin. I get the feeling this plant is a genetic
mutation created in the secret labs of the flea beetles - I've never grown
ANYTHING the FBs like so much. I now have dozens of the "peppers" and
wonder if I must put them in a dehydrator to dry, let them dry on the vine,
in the barn...?

Can anyone fill me in on these things?

On Wed, 6 Oct 2004 20:08:16 -0400, "Steve Orth"
wrote:

I grew something called Pumpkin Peppers this year - and just wonder what the
heck these things are? I can't believe they're actually a pepper -
certainly aren't a pumpkin.

What's the plant look like? Have you tried cutting one and seeing
what the flesh looks like?

There is a pepper called a pumpkin pepper, supposedly it's for
using in crafts.


I get the feeling this plant is a genetic
mutation created in the secret labs of the flea beetles - I've never grown
ANYTHING the FBs like so much. I now have dozens of the "peppers" and
wonder if I must put them in a dehydrator to dry, let them dry on the vine,
in the barn...?

I would think the dehydrator would be a better choice, but that's
just a guess. I've never grown them.

Why did you grow them?


Penelope
--
"Maybe you'd like to ask the Wizard for a heart."
"ElissaAnn"

Steve Orth said:

I grew something called Pumpkin Peppers this year - and just wonder what the
heck these things are? I can't believe they're actually a pepper -
certainly aren't a pumpkin. I get the feeling this plant is a genetic
mutation created in the secret labs of the flea beetles - I've never grown
ANYTHING the FBs like so much. I now have dozens of the "peppers" and
wonder if I must put them in a dehydrator to dry, let them dry on the vine,
in the barn...?

I've actually got some pepper plants hanging in the garage right now. I've
always found it easier to hang the plants than to pick and string the individual
peppers.

(I very rarely grow hot peppers anymore. My dad and I were the only ones who
liked them, and when he died 16 years ago a large part of my incentive was gone.)

If you search "pumpkin peppers" you end up with a couple of recipes and many,
many pages of fishing lures...
--
Pat in Plymouth MI ('someplace.net' is comcast)

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)

I grew something called Pumpkin Peppers this year - and just wonder what the
heck these things are? I can't believe they're actually a pepper -
certainly aren't a pumpkin. I get the feeling this plant is a genetic
mutation created in the secret labs of the flea beetles - I've never grown
ANYTHING the FBs like so much. I now have dozens of the "peppers" and
wonder if I must put them in a dehydrator to dry, let them dry on the vine,
in the barn...?

I have a passing acquaintance with hundreds of pepper cultivars, but I have
never heard of this one. A description should be useful. There is an unusual
looking sweet pepper called Balloon and there are a couple of tomato shaped
peppers.

On 08 Oct 2004 23:35:05 GMT, (FarmerDill)
wrote:

pumpkin peppers

I have a passing acquaintance with hundreds of pepper cultivars, but I have
never heard of this one. A description should be useful. There is an unusual
looking sweet pepper called Balloon and there are a couple of tomato shaped
peppers.

http://www.ecklerfarms.com/fall_decorations.html

Scroll down a bit, there's a description and a link to a picture.

The description, for those who don't want to bother with the link
is:

"A pepper, that when dried, takes the shape of a mini pumpkin. It
is hard when it dries and can be used in crafts that need a dried
pumpkin shape. These peppers hold their shape after drying and
won't mold. You can buy the peppers themselves or the seed to
grow them. "

I was curious, too.

Penelope
--
"Maybe you'd like to ask the Wizard for a heart."
"ElissaAnn"

They do look like very small pumpkins, though when ripe they're more red
than orange - very fleshy/mushy on the inside when first harvested, but as
they dry (as far as I can tell) they start to shrink and lose much of their
weight. I have about a dozen of the peppers drying in a windowsill - grew
them only because I try a few pepper varieties each year that I've not tried
before - someone gave me 5 seeds of the Pumpkin Pepper.

For what it's worth, my favorites this year were Mushroom Pepper, Fish
Pepper, Jalapeno Goliath Hybrid, and Medusa (a VERY colorful ornamental) all
from Totally Tomatos, Burpee's Hot Lemon, Territorial's Autopick. From a
packet of "Ornamental Pepper- Hot Mix" from Pinetree I found an unusual
pepper with green & white stripes on each pepper, along with green & white
foliage. No idea what it is, but it's a keeper.
After some one gave us the the lead to
Eckler farms, I found the pumpkin pepper cultivar listed by Harris Seeds.
http://gardeners.harrisseeds.com/car...roduct_id=0166
4%2D00%2D02

They state that if the pepper is left in the field after turning red it will
bleach to a burnt orange. They also recomend that the entire plant be hung
upside allowing the peppers to dry on the vine.

On Mon, 11 Oct 2004 20:01:51 -0400, "Steve Orth"
wrote:

They do look like very small pumpkins, though when ripe they're more red
than orange - very fleshy/mushy on the inside when first harvested, but as
they dry (as far as I can tell) they start to shrink and lose much of their
weight. I have about a dozen of the peppers drying in a windowsill - grew
them only because I try a few pepper varieties each year that I've not tried
before - someone gave me 5 seeds of the Pumpkin Pepper.

Yeah, I always try a few new ones. The problem with that is that
my list of "must grow" peppers keeps getting longer and longer,
but my yard isn't getting any bigger!

For what it's worth, my favorites this year were Mushroom Pepper, Fish
Pepper, Jalapeno Goliath Hybrid, and Medusa (a VERY colorful ornamental) all
from Totally Tomatos, Burpee's Hot Lemon, Territorial's Autopick. From a
packet of "Ornamental Pepper- Hot Mix" from Pinetree I found an unusual
pepper with green & white stripes on each pepper, along with green & white
foliage. No idea what it is, but it's a keeper.

I'm assuming it's clearly a different variety of pepper from the
Fish? I love Fish peppers, btw, they're on my "Must Grow" list.
I put them in the front flower bed because they're so pretty.

Could your mystery variegated pepper be:

STRIPE - hot; 1.5 to 2 inches long by 0.5 to 0.75 inches wide;
matures from green with white stripes, to orange and red, to red;
pods are striped like a watermelon; plants have green and white
variegated leaves; Uses: Ornamental, Compact; C.annuum.


Penelope
--
"Maybe you'd like to ask the Wizard for a heart."
"ElissaAnn"

I accept a casual associate with hundreds of pepper cultivars, but I have never heard of this one. A description should be useful. There is an unusual looking candied pepper alleged Balloon and there are a brace of amazon shaped peppers.