A Gardeners Forum Forums Gardening Reference Gardening in 2006 Bell pepper question

I've never grown peppers before, but I have one green bell pepper plant with a pepper on it. How do you know when a green pepper is ripe? I have a bad history of leaving things on the plant too long, so I don't want to do that this time.
Thanks!

Hi Valerie,

I think it depends on the type of pepper plant on how big they are supposed to get. With the local variety I grow, I usually pick them when they are about 4 inches tall (long?) and around 2-3 inches wide. I don't wait 'till they start changing color.

There are some real pepper experts on the forum that will probably have some better insight.

Shawn

I think that technically a pepper isn't ripe until it is yellow, orange, or other non-green color. A green pepper is not "fully matured". What kinds of peppers are you planting?

Sarah

I'm not sure of the exact name. The little stake got lost. It is a bell pepper plant from Home Depot, so it's probably not any stupendous kind of variety. The pepper now is about 3-1/2" long and about 3" in diameter. Not quite as the ones at the grocery store, and not that dark of green either, although it might not get any greener. Do all bell peppers eventually turn red or yellow or orange (depending on the variety)?

When people think of a Bell pepper...They think of green. The most common types of "Bell pepper" start out green...turning to red when fully mature. But there are dozens and dozens of sweet pepper varities out there. If you are growing this in a pot or container...the pepper will be smaller then what you would see at the market, if that gives you any help?

It is in a container, so maybe it's as big as it will get. I think I'll hold off on picking it and see if it turns red.
Thanks so much! I have never had very much success with any kind of vegetables other than yellow squash!