I usually just go out an yell at them for a few minutes. Lots of red pods by the next morning. They are like 27 year old teenagers living in the basement. At some point you have to put your foot down and them it is time get on with life.

I just think its the age of the pod, I get ripe pods during high and lower temps. In their natural all year round growing a cool chill would not bring about pod ripening. They take their sweet time especially super hots.

Mark

With some plants the change can be triggered by ethylene gas but good luck taking that approach. (No, ethylene gas is not what is produced by a bout of drinking.)

The ripening mechanism of peppers isn't fully understood (amazingly).

If/when it's discovered what (or what groups) of enzymes/proteins/etc actually trigger ripening it could open up a revolution in picking green peppers which can be shipped and make it to market fully ripened with the ripe flavor profile expressed.

cut back on watering, stop fertilizing.

Patience..peppers are shy stop looking at them for a week

For many peppers, progressively shorter day length is a cue for ripening. Obviously age of the pod has a lot to do with it as well, but as days get shorter in fall you'll notice new pods ripening faster.

If you want to try the ethylene trick, you can take some peppers and put them in a plastic bag with ripe peppers or better yet, with a ripe banana or an apple. I've noticed that if I pick peppers that are ready to turn, and leave them out uncovered on a plate (this would be inside), that the lower side will ripen (over the course of a few days) while the top side will not.

maplegrove-
I actually have a couple in a paper bag with a chunk of apple. I remember last year when I heard about that method I was amazed how it worked. there are some who say it does not work but it seemed to for me.

Ripening is the most dramatic change the pepper does. I have had some peppers green one day and red the next - skipping the orange stage altogether. Just because they turn red does not mean they are completely ripe. They will become a deeper red - depending on the variety of course.

I tend to leave them on the tree for a few weeks more to let them get really hot. The more the inner seed placenta develops, the hotter they become.