Peppers; Chili and Banana

[Ginger_Gnome]

Hello HG's!

I was wondering if you could take a glance at these pictures and let me know when to pick peppers; what it looks like, the size, everything.

I have some peppers starting to grow and am not sure if I should pick them, if I should have already picked them or if I'm premature!

Also if I pick the couple of peppers that are on the plant, how long do I have until they have to be used?

(banana)

(chili)

Thank you for all of your help, it's much appreciated.
As always you G's Rock!

[soil]

some people like green peppers, but i like to leave them for full flavor. which is usually when they turn red or orange.

[stella1751]

Peppers don't store well. I think a week in the fridge is the tops you will get before they start to get a little spongey. They freeze really well, though

[The Mad Hatter]

I would suggest picking just one green one, halving it and pulling the seeds and membranes out and eat it. It will be a bit warm I am sure, but you need to know if you like em green or not. Then once you got a nice red one do the experiment again.

This is what I did with my Mariachi peppers. Green they smelled like a hot bell pepper and tasted like a hot pea pod. Gross lol. But now that they are nice and red they have lost the pea pod flavor and are quite good.

T.M.H.

[Ginger_Gnome]

Oh goodness....I didn't know they were going to turn red or orange. Haha

Thank you for letting me know this! Good things to know!

[garden5]

One other thing to mention is that if you pick the peppers younger, you will get more. If you leave the plant loaded with peppers, you will get fewer.

Of course, like TMH said, it's no good if you pick them young and end up with a large harvest of unpalatable peppers. So, it is important to understand what you like, as well.

By the way, TMH, how goes your pepper garden. I remember earlier in the year you had quite a few that you were growing indoors.

[The Mad Hatter]

There's a great deal to be said about following the average last frost date. Especially when you read it in the farmers almanac. The ones that I didn't loose to frost are doing really well and producing very nice peppers. I do not believe that I will start them as soon next year. I am tinkering with hydroponic peppers now in the grow room. Have a few more things to pick up before I am ready though.

T.M.H.

[dave103069]

In regards to how long you can keep the peppers i would say a week or 2 before they start to get mushy. What I do if I have a lot left over after giving some away is I cut up the peppers and then package them well and freeze them. They will store for a year in the freezer and then you just need to scoop out what you need..

Also if you pick the peppers and they are green, some peppers you can put in a brown bag for a few days and they will start to rippen and turn color.. The banna peppers won't turn and stay green... Your chili's though should turn red..