White Lines on Peppers - What is Pepper Corking? - Pepper Geek

[@callikohl7603]

I remember my Gramma always called it "barking" like bark on a tree. People laugh when I call it that. She probably didn't know what it was really called so she made it up. I still call it barking, just in her honor. She died in 1982, she was 82 and an avid gardener.

[@charliensam]

I love when we have little sayings to remember our loved ones. :)

[@eddiespagetti8395]

Awesome. Remember that for rest of your life. Cool. My faverate saying my dad instilled in me as a young criminal.he allways visit me never gave up on his boy , but he hated government and this world is a bloody mess he said. My faverate saying for life is " it's harder and harder to make a dishonest buck nowadays ". Ha ha dad was wise. It's so hard now to make a.dishonest buck. Governments hate competition and lock up guys who play the same way , so evil. Awesome to have sayings of loved ones. Never forget who loved you ❣️

[@PamIam04]

I love that. I think it looks more like bark than a cork anyways.

[@jojojackson7882]

that is so cool thanks i love old sayings specialy garden wise ..

[@jrporter50]

Gotta love Grandma

[@jamescraigrn]

Grew a little over 50 lbs of various peppers this year and my favorite from a visual standpoint was the red jalapeños with corking. Such a cool looking pepper.

[@Automedon2]

I was actually wondering about those lines. This proves you can learn anything and everything on YT.

[@bryanjones8778]

I always thought that was a sign that my jalapenos were over ripe. I would normally just compost them when they looked like that. Good information!

[@D5quared91]

We used to grow “hollerpeenyers” when I was a kid and they often had these lines. Thanks for the info!

[@paulabukhalil3880]

I specifically look for those marks in my jalapenos. It seems like those are more spicy and less "green" flavored.

[@D71219ONE]

Yeah, they have less of a grass like flavor, and have more of an earthy flavor. I love roasting heavily corked jalapeños along with mushrooms. The flavors seem to complement each other better.

[@MattiaDBosi]

I have been following your channel from spring 2021, I started growing hot peppers this year and you gave me a lot of help.

[@PepperGeek]

Thanks for following and I’m glad we’ve been a help ❤️‍🔥

[@spanqueluv9er]

Chilis are hot, peppers are not.🙄🤦‍♂️

[@steveanderson5888]

For years I listen to ciscoe Morris here in Washington State there's a guy that calls in every fall and says overwinter your peppers now that is stepping down to 40 degrees I have my Peppers inside with a grow light they want from yellow to dark green and creating more peppers even new growth big time I have a jalapeno pepper that is 5 years old it's like a tree but it out does any jalapenos that I buy from the store plantwise every year this year from that five-year-old plant I got 250 jalapenos

[@WeastCoastHunter]

Hopefully we can get a video on how to overwinter outdoor pepper plants when the time comes

[@dudesonismyhero]

For sure. I’m getting ready to set up all my pepper plants for over wintering and that video would be super helpful.

[@tomc8115]

+1 I hate to say it, but I'm already eyeing my plants to assess which will get overwintered! 😃 And which will end up in the compost pile! ☹️

[@FroggysKitchen]

Just a note to tell you we love your videos and the simple and direct info you have added to our young company Froggy's Kitchen. Thank you guys.

[@PepperGeek]

Awesome! Thank you :)

[@edwinbergstresser7779]

It will be most helpful to those who are hearing impaired to understand what is corking. Captioned is very helpful because I love to work at the vegetable garden. Please!

[@PepperGeek]

I'm not sure why this video did not generate auto-captions - we'll try to look into it

[@edwardhettiger4623]

In the produce industry they refer to those as cracked jalapenos considered a blemish that is not used and the retail markets they're less expensive but often preferred by processors

[@raven8sma]

My family has always associated corking with spiciness... thank you for this information!

[@davidniemi6553]

Yes, that makes sense, specifically for jalapeños. Most of jalapeños start doing corking when they are fully ripe and many never get around to turning red. But most of the hundreds of other kinds of peppers get fully ripe and fully spicy without corking (and instead turn color one or more times).

[@drk321]

Funny. I have always gravitated toward buying peppers with these lines on them when I see them in the grocery store. For no reason or scientific basis or advice from anyone, for some reason I thought they had more flavor and more spice. Just my imagination I am sure but part of your explanation seems to support this. I do all the shopping in this household but recently I relied on my wife to do some shopping (she has no idea how to pick produce, meats, fish etc). I specifically asked her to get some jalapenos and look for plump, not wrinkled or soft or blemished. Straight as opposed to curved (because when I roast them straight peppers are easier to blister all sides, curved ones tend to only allow two sides without rolling over) and if she sees the lines on them, buy them. Thanks for the explanation.

[@KtotheL]

TY ... I had wondered about this for ages and I never had the Time to look it up now I'm not scared anymore ;) I have something similar that happens with my tomatoes I always throw them away though.

[@KtotheL]

+1

[@jaredw289]

My red savina habs are corking a good bit. No negative effects. Flavor and heat is excellent. Plant is three years old and never fails to put out a vast quantity! 🇺🇲

[@SegwayBossk]

What zone do you grow in? I'm in 10b and it's my first year growing

[@TheTinkerersWife]

Just found your channel and appreciated your clear description of the cooking on jalapeños and other peppers. Looking forward to more info on growing, and all the pepper things. Hope to make my own fermented peppersauce next year too.

[@Car-jy8pw]

I love it. Mine corked very heavily this year.

[@timmytim6427]

Mines corked

[@DivaGardening]

Thank you brother for the very useful video🌶️

[@Wreinie]

aww, man, I sooo wish that I had found you guys earlier this summer! I have liked and subscribed now. I was throwing those striped peppers away :( This was our first year growing peppers. We were throwing away the ones that were black, and striped. We live in WI... Yes, I am giving myself a huge facepalm ... Thank you for sharing this information!

[@SegwayBossk]

A few of my Candy Cane peppers have this in a few spots. It's only in the lumpy parts and looks cool

[@Mike-Eye]

I've always wondered what was happening to my super hot peppers, and this video explains it all! Thank you!🌶🌶🌶

[@jt-xn8bw]

Cool video very informative -thanks for the info

[@teddymartinii1979]

Thanks! My jalapeños do that sometimes. I eat them anyway, but I've never given them to anyone.

[@Ottawajames]

I have that exact same blue glass water bulb thingy in my dracaena

[@PepperGeek]

Nice - it's mostly decorative for us

[@Ottawajames]

@@PepperGeek Oh yeah, same... I don't find it works at all for the watering purpose...I can't remember if my mom gave it to me or not so I can't get rid of it incase she askes me what happened to it.

[@cruciferousvegetable]

I have found this to happen on overly mature peppers. It is not desirable in my opinion. We find that the skin is tougher and more leathery which is fine for roasting as it makes the skin easier to remove. It seems to happen when we leave the peppers on the plant too long but it happens to all varieties we grow and in all color stages.

[@nc1901]

All my jalapenos are turning red and it's so satisfying.

[@davidniemi6553]

I personally prefer peppers than turn color when ripe. If they stay green I lose them amongst the foliage...

[@leeeiner7188]

I tend to look for corking on jalapenos in the store because they do tend to be more picoso.

[@musicluvr70]

I noticed this on some of my Jalapenos, and now I know why. I canned some, froze some, dehydrated some, and now I'm making fermented Hot Sauces with the rest. Peachy Jalapeno Hot Sauce, Strawberry Jalapeno Hot Sauce, and I just bottled a batch of Cayenne Pepper Sauce with Kiwi, Peaches and Strawberries. (my favorite so far)

[@PepperGeek]

Interesting flavor combos, sounds good!

[@musicluvr70]

@@PepperGeek, I was hoping to get some red Jalapeños for hot sauce, but I don't seem to have the patience. Maybe now that I have all these things made I can let the rest of them alone until they ripen. LOL

[@TheDuckofDoom.]

I do believe it is actually a form of russeting when they are genetically pre-disposed. It occurs in many types of produce; potatoes, apples, pears, winter squash.

[@Jardin-de-invierno]

Nice video as always. Thanks guys.

[@bradbaldauf2854]

I learned something new today. Thanks

[@trappenweisseguy27]

I have 8 varieties going this year and the only corking I got was on a few jalapeños that I let go through to fully red ripe.

[@mothertoaster5006]

Thank you for making this video.

[@wesbaumguardner8829]

I look for those lines. Those peppers are typically hotter and I like to cry while I eat.

[@PepperGeek]

🤣 I understand

[@Rabittsfoot1]

Yup, got those on mine too...

[@earlanderson2258]

Thanks. That was good to know.

[@Wisconsin.pikachu]

Thank you I was wondering what was causing this on my habenero plant, and I can confirm my cause was from severe drought to full saturated. Potted plants can dry out quick in a 90 day with a wind 😆

[@D71219ONE]

I started adding mulch on top of my soil on potted peppers, and it helped dramatically. You might already do this, but if not, I would absolutely try it.

[@techniquejoseph]

Thanks for the insights. Great information.

[@WreckDiver99]

OK...that's it...I'm in. Subbed. TOTAL rookie at growing things in general, but funny enough I usually have good luck with what I've been doing (even if it is wrong)...LOL

[@blackfeathercrafts]

I’m calling my stretch marks from 2 big babies “corking” from now on! Lol

[@msdixie1972]

Thanks for this great info! Do you know if corking affects the safety of pickling/canning or dehydrating? Tia! Love your content.

[@PepperGeek]

Thank you! Corking should not affect the safety of pickling, as long as pH is in the right range and proper method is followed!

[@suemcknight9051]

Reminds me of the webbing on cantaloupe 🙃

[@lizadivine3785]

I was wondering about that thanks!

[@alllove6305]

Thanks for the video

[@PeppersnGlowworms]

I like scarred pepper pods, too...

[@garypage9515]

I am not enthusiastic about the texture when eating them, but the existence of corking in jalapenos at the farmer's market certainly leads to lower pepper prices!

[@milstringfellow6283]

I have this caulking on my jalapeños. This year I’ve noticed about a third of my habanero peppers and a few of my ghost peppers have this.

[@kdmm2254]

We have had an abundance of rain this year during the spring and summer in south Alabama. The yard looks great, but peppers have not produced as well as in the past. Many jalapeno peppers have split as they mature. I have put plenty of diced jalapeno in the freezer for use in cornbread this coming winter.

[@davidszakacs6888]

They still taste good!

[@rosezingleman5007]

I’ve always wondered about this.

[@remopiccioni9456]

Those peppers arethe best!!

[@regatta2k]

Hi. Wish if can make a video on mild peppers. Thanks.

[@PepperGeek]

Good idea, we have a few this year, but are planning to grow way more next year. Stay tuned!

[@CMike44]

Shishito is my personal favorite milder pepper

[@davidniemi6553]

I like shishitos, but I also recommend Jimmy Nardello, Anaheim, Pimiento, and Aji Delight (this last one is C. Baccatum). I don't like to grow mild peppers that look like hot ones, too much of a chance for a mishap!

[@danielpedigo72]

my jalapenos are getting pretty large but they haven't corked yet. I've been waiting for mine to cork before I harvest them, but they just haven't corked yet. I feel like they're ready to harvest since they haven't gotten largest yet. I do water my plants every day (sometimes twice a day), so I imagine that is why it hasn't corked yet.

[@PepperGeek]

Some jalapeño varieties don't have corking. Many of the hybrids have been bred to have little/no corking. So if they're ready to pick, then pick em!

[@danielpedigo72]

@@PepperGeek I presume they're ready. I've been waiting for the first pepper to turn red so I can harvest the seeds 😄

[@jcforbis2804]

Always enjoy your videos, especially the cooking ones. Was wondering what are the plant types that have the black or purple leaves?

[@sebastiansilva962]

black pearl, count dracula, pimenta da neyde and jigsaw are some examples i remember

[@garethscott8888]

@@sebastiansilva962 also purple flash or purple tiger ( purple tiger can get pink and cream leaves)

[@davidniemi6553]

Bellingrath Gardens is also particularly beautiful, with mostly black leaves and big purple flowers. Czech Black has black leaves when young, and the pods start out black before turning a lustrous garnet color.

[@richardwilliams3839]

S bonnet I grow that also cook with it all the time

[@jojojackson7882]

Wow i have been wondering what they were ... i have 2 kinds of jalapeño in my garden one with lignes and one smooth..i have 82 plants of peppers from the hottest Carolina down .i know stretch marks having kids and all lol thanks

[@dutchwarrior_81nld]

@Pepper Geek: what can I do if my jalapeños taste like Bell Peppers and they have none heat at all / Scoville=0? This is my first jalapeño plant that I bought 😊. Great vids and I learnt a lot of it 😊👍🏻.

[@PepperGeek]

Unfortunately, big plant companies sometimes think we don't heat. There is a 'nadapeno' variety out there that is exactly what you described, so perhaps you accidentally grew those

[@dutchwarrior_81nld]

@Pepper Geek: okay thanks for your reaction 😊👍🏻. How does it look like next seasons harvest, will it be the same or is there a chance that I could have some hot wanes to harvest?

[@sethm85]

Great video thanks!

[@thechronicnoizeco.6675]

I make jalapeño jelly with them. No one sees the corking and it tastes the same as it should.

[@lukevj]

I had corking on only the jalapeños I added nutrients to.

[@emmashepard1822]

Hey! My only question is,i've planted a halapeño pepper in a container...and idk why but all of it stayed like an inch long.😕🤷‍♂️ but the flavour does not got affected at all...etc. just the size of the pods. (I've planted them into a 15L container)

[@PepperGeek]

It is most likely the variety of jalapeno you've grown - some types are smaller than others. You can try growing 'jalamundo' peppers next time for larger pods!

[@emmashepard1822]

@@PepperGeek thanks...i will look for that variety next year! Btw,the carolina reaper,habanero and the red and yellow scorpion,that i planted also in containers are gone insane this year,😀 so i'm planning to make some hot sauce with them,and try overwinter my plants for the next season.

[@PepperGeek]

chilepepperinstitute.ecwid.com/NuMex-Jalmundo-p308609061

[@emmashepard1822]

@@PepperGeek Thanks again! And i have just only one question; what goes along as best exotic flavour for carolina reapers and scorpions?🤔 Bc,i just thinking what should i use for those two chillies,which can boost that unique flavour those peppers has.

[@FLY2KO]

I grow 20 types of peppers every year and 2 different types of Jalapeños and it only happens on 1 of my Jalapeño types and my Cascabellas, both thick skinned peppers, I did not hear you mention this only happens to a thick pepper thing.

[@davidpennington4477]

I have 6 jalapeño plants . One jalapeño plant has a limb that has very small jalapeño ( about 3/4 inch long) peppers that turn deep purple to almost black. Is this common?

[@PepperGeek]

It could just be more exposed to the sunlight. Jalapeños also turn a deep blackish color before turning fully red

[@oatiko3065]

Why do are my Khang star Thai white peppers turning purple? Thanks

[@PepperGeek]

The purpling is a reaction to direct sunlight exposure. Nothing to worry about, totally normal!

[@FarmerJay90]

So if you cross breed a Caroline reaper with the farmers market you're potentially delving into a whole new spice level due to corking?

[@Lou.B]

Has anyone experimented with introducing stress into the pepper plant in order to promote the plant's self-defense mechanism (in other words, improved flavor/heat)? This is done with certain types of teas (wulong) to create specific flavor improvements, generally by the introduction of 'Leaf Hoppers' into the tea gardens. A simple experiment for pepper plants could be developed through the use of "wool (hand) carders"; punching varying amounts of pinholes into the leaves, and then test the resulting fruit. Perhaps there's a difference between pin-holing new leaves vs old leaves will produce differences in the peppers? What do you think? Lou B San Francisco

[@trappenweisseguy27]

I don’t know that I’d want to physically damage the plant but have heard that withholding water for several days before harvest can make for a hotter pepper.

[@Lou.B]

@@trappenweisseguy27 Even slight stress can compel the plant to deploy its self defense chemistry, which results in better flavor for us! This is a very different dynamic from withholding water, which simply concentrates the plants naturally occuring chemical profile. Plant stress can introduce NEW chemicals which change and improve flavor.

[@sharonsmith1783]

I have heard about slightly breaking branches on marijuana plants for the same reason but have not tried it myself. Dutch experiments on tomato plants divided the roots into 2 halves. They receive alternate waterings, reducing water use by 50% but not affecting productivity in comparison to the control group of plants.

[@stephenmesser4196]

Question a few years ago I got some sweet peppers from a friend that were covered in corking , they were the sweetest most awesome peppers ever (had been through frost) and I think they might have been Carmen but I'm not sure , does this sound familiar?

[@davidniemi6553]

I grew Carmen this year but they did not develop corking. I have a fairly wet environment but good drainage, it may depend on watering conditions. As for frost, very few peppers can make it through a hard frost without serious damage and the pods turning limp, and I wouldn't expect Carmen to be any different, it is just a normal C. Annuum cultivar. Most pepper plants can survive a really light frost, however.

[@dimitripopovgurlukivich4166]

I have leaf footed bug problem what can I do? Are the damaged peppers edible

[@davidniemi6553]

They are if you get them right away and cut off the chewed parts. Whether that is worth it depends on the pepper. But if the pepper has holes in it and you don't catch it right away, fungal infections will make the whole pod inedible.

[@G-boi]

I have never had this happening to my Jallepeños.

[@DHosa713]

I know this is probably the wrong video to ask this, but I have a mammoth jalapeno plant in a big pot , I got some fertilizer and it says for best results water underneath the plant, like is it ok to put my pot in a dish of water nutrients and let it soak up from the holes at the bottom? And water it regularly like that? Or should I just fertilize and water it from the top of the soil?

[@davidniemi6553]

Bottom watering is an excellent way to water. PepperGeeks have a video on it somewhere. The main key is to only water for a limited time, like maybe 15 minutes, whatever is not taken up in that time should be removed (in your case, set it in the dish for some number of minutes). Or, you may be able to just limit the amount of water. There are also pots specifically designed to make bottom (or side) watering easy.

[@mikedillman9565]

I just started using a dehydrator and making jerky and drying my own peppers do you have any pointers I've especially been drying a lot of Thai peppers they've been readily available at my Kroger

[@PepperGeek]

One tip we got from another viewer is to keep the temp below 115°F or so to keep the "good bacteria" alive and thus keep the dehydrated peppers "alive." Takes longer to dry but the resulting product is more vibrantly colored too. This tip does *not* apply to meats ;)

[@MorisDeri-tu4yv]

Is it the same as russeting?

[@GungHoSourdough]

For jalapeños can they turn green to red while already picked? Like I got them from the store but will they turn redder as I let them sit?

[@PepperGeek]

If they were close to ripening when picked they will definitely continue to ripen and may turn fully red after a few days. Warmer temps will help this happen faster, but can also lead to a less crunchy pod

[@GungHoSourdough]

@@PepperGeek great advice! I’ll maybe let them sit somewhere for a few days before using. And if I’m lacto-fermenting my chilies in a brine for a week at what point should I add spices or sweeteners to them?

[@GungHoSourdough]

@@PepperGeek could I leave the jalapeños and Thai chilies in the sun to turn them red?

[@PAPA-G-209]

Son just call them Stretch marks! Everyone can understand it, easier to remember .. Love your show …

[@markzambelli]

Stressed chillis are more spicy... that's why I stand in my garden screaming at my pepper plants for upwards of two hours a day! It certainly makes the neighbours spicy.

[@richardwilliams3839]

I like it and it's more fit

[@tpowfjb]

Well done thank you.

[@ezeNdog]

I noticed that the jalapeno peppers with these lines tend to be hotter .

[@danielthomason5685]

It happens from non consistent watering

[@linklesstennessee2078]

Grandson sells peppers every year this year they was corking on his jalapeños people woundnt buy them he usually sells out of his jalapeños quicker but not this year good Information we put up ourselves poblanos sold out cayenne sold out sweet bell sold out not one jalapeño was sold

[@PepperGeek]

That is a shame - wish more people knew that it isn't an issue! I believe there are varieties that are less prone to it if you want to try growing them instead

[@brianadamsjr2664]

What kind of plant was that in the corner behind you? I've had one of those for a few years now but I dont know what its called

[@greatplainsman3662]

Umbrella plant.

[@brianadamsjr2664]

@@greatplainsman3662 thank you!

[@jerrodbutali3990]

I wonder if fertilizer causes it too.

[@BlackSuneEmpire]

peppers peppers peppers!

[@lowhanlindsey]

What is eating the tops or stems of my peppers?

[@PepperGeek]

Could be grasshoppers

[@davidniemi6553]

I would also look for Tobacco (or Tomato) Hornworms. They can defoliate a whole plant in a couple of days and usually go for nightshade family plants like tomatoes and peppers. Symptoms to look for are a bunch of leafless leaf stems all over the place, and dark roughly cube-shaped caterpillar droppings ("frass") underneath the plant or on lower leaves.

[@steve-4217]

Do you have a website you typically buy seeds from? Hoping to find those mini snack peppers.

[@greatplainsman3662]

Baker Creek Seeds.

[@PepperGeek]

We have tried many sources - here is our article on some of our favorites: peppergeek.com/buy-pepper-seeds-online

[@censusgary]

I’ve seen, and eaten, lots of jalapeños with corking. It doesn’t really affect the flavor, and doesn’t make much, if any, difference in the texture.

[@milotheham9678]

I just explained this in a less educated way to my mother lol. "They are just gettin too fat to quick and gettin stretch marks. Same way I did in the lock down".

[@PepperGeek]

🤣🤣

[@bs9714]

Corking looks like the peppers are growing to fast?

[@mphil66]

This spring, my Mexican neighbour told me that the more I let the plant dry between watering the spicier. I don’t know how true it is, but I tried it with seeds from last years and OMG 😳 Most didn’t cork! Those scotch bonnets are out of this world 😅🥵

[@tommymcweedface229]

I think he's right. I didn't water mine enough a while back, and they were really too hot for me when I cut em. Ended up giving them away. I love some heat but I don't love the fire!

[@mphil66]

@@tommymcweedface229 I’m with you, some heat is great but at some point when you can’t taste anything anymore it’s a bit much 😄

[@maxgarcia550]

These kind of peppers are also a bit hotter than the plain ones.

[@letsgobrandon4601]

Great content on this channel. One question: When crossing peppers, are all the seeds of the same pepper genetically the same? Or are the seeds of the same pepper genetically different? Thanks

[@PepperGeek]

Depends on the generation of the cross - the first generation of a cross between two stable varieties will be very consistent. Once you move past that first generation, the variation will be high, from seed to seed.

[@letsgobrandon4601]

@@PepperGeek thank you I’ve always wondered this.

[@Funybudy]

I have them on my chipotle’s

[@michaelogden5958]

I wonder who thought it was a good idea to hybridize (?) jalapenos so that they have a heat level roughly of that of a bell pepper. It's pretty sad. Even if you buy plants not marked as "mild", it's a crap shoot. There ought to be a law. :-)

[@PepperGeek]

Couldn't agree more! Nothing more disappointing than buying jalapenos that are 0 heat 😐

[@legendno1]

them blacks leaves were wild..what was that again

[@PepperGeek]

Black pearl

[@skinfiddler]

That's how I know they're ready

[@decoy8645]

I alway wondered about those, thought they were questionable and should be cut off. All that waste, what a dummy head I WAS. Know better now, Thanks!!

[@fredblakely2921]

Mexican told me peppers with these marks are always hotter than peppers that don't have them

[@tarfap.kpamber9732]

Thanks a lot.

[@pufta5952]

Hi

[@lilycardoso4679]

My tam Jalapenos are spicy.