Red, yellow, orange, green or even striped - peppers come in many colors and shapes. But how do you actually know when and if the delicious fruit is really ripe?
In a nutshell
- green peppers always unripe
- unripe peppers can be harvested and eaten
- ripe fruits well colored without green parts
- Fruit color depends on the variety
- first harvest possible from mid-July
Table of contents
- Color reveals degree of maturity
- maturation period
- Perfect harvest time
- frequently asked Questions
Color reveals degree of maturity
You can tell the degree of ripeness of a pepper by the color of the fruit alone. Green peppers are always unripe and only turn red, yellow or orange as they ripen. There are no transitional stages where the fruit turns green, then yellow, and then red! Instead, the different fruit colors are just different varieties.
- green peppers always unripe
- ripe peppers are red, yellow or orange, depending on the variety
- well-colored fruits without green parts ready for harvest
Tip: By the way, there are also black (like 'Nocturne' or 'Lilo F1') and striped ('Tigerpaprika') types of peppers, which also indicate their maturity through a varietal coloration. Here, too, there are no longer any green parts when the fruit is ripe.
maturation period
You can also take the day of planting as a first indication of the right time to harvest. On average, it takes around six weeks from planting (usually between mid and late May) to the first harvest, with some varieties maturing faster and others more slowly. Are there already green fruits hanging on the bush? Then you only have to wait about three to four weeks until they have colored and can be harvested. This should at timely planting and suitable weather conditions, this may be the case around the middle to the end of July.
A notice: Pepper plants are not only harvested once, as they continuously produce new fruit. Therefore, the pepper harvest is possible well into October, but then it often gets too cold.
Perfect harvest time
However, the ripening speed and duration differ greatly depending on whether the pepper plants are cultivated outdoors or in a greenhouse and what the weather is like in the growing area. Peppers need a lot of sun and warmth, then their fruits will ripen faster and better. In cold and rainy weather, on the other hand, the fruit ripens very slowly, and frost even destroys the harvest. Therefore, the last peppers should always be removed before the first frost.
At these times you can harvest ripe peppers for the first time:
- Outdoors: late July / early August
- Balcony / terrace (potted peppers): end of July / beginning of August
- Glasshouse: mid / late July
Tip: Harvest peppers as early as possible in the morning, as this is when they have the highest amount of nutrients and the best aroma.
frequently asked Questions
In fact, peppers can also be harvested and eaten green. The green fruits taste tart than the yellow or red ones, and you should avoid eating them raw due to the high tannic acid content. But not because green peppers are poisonous! Instead, they are simply harder to digest. Boil, stew or fry the pods, although green peppers are an indispensable ingredient in some dishes, especially in Turkish and Greek cuisine.
If it gets too cold in autumn, the green fruits will no longer ripen and then have to be harvested. On the windowsill, however, unripe peppers ripen perfectly and still become sweet and red (or yellow or red). orange, depending on the variety). To do this, place the fruit in a bright and warm place and ideally place it next to ripe apples or bananas. These exude the ripe gas ethylene, which accelerates the ripening process.
For new sowing in the following year you should use the Always obtain seeds from ripe fruits! Seeds obtained from green peppers are immature and therefore not germinable. You will not have success growing pepper plants with these seeds. Choose fully ripe or overripe fruits for seed extraction and remove the flesh from the pits. Let them dry carefully and keep them tightly closed in a dark and cool place.