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Determining when to harvest your bell peppers depends on the variety you grow, but expect to wait 60-90 days to harvest. If you start your peppers from seed, they may take closer to 90-150 days to harvest. But we promise, it’s worth the wait!
These warm-season vegetables take longer to grow from the time you plant them until they are ready to pick than most other garden crops. Other factors that influence them include temperature, water, soil composition, and pest control.
Read on to find out when your bell peppers are ready to pick.
3 Signs Your Bell Peppers Are Ready to Harvest
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- Bell peppers are about 3-4 inches long. Most standard-sized bell peppers mature to be 3 to 4 inches long and wide with a blocky shape. Some giant varieties grow a bit larger, while others (like pimento peppers) may taper at the bottom.
- The fruit is heavy. All peppers should feel firm, slightly heavy and firm to the touch, with only slight softness when pressed with the thumb.
- Pink from top to bottom. The color should be even and glossy.
Harvesting tips
Snack-sized bell peppers are popular in home gardens and can be picked earlier than standard-sized bell peppers. Look for ones that are about 1 1/2 inches long and wide.
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Top 5 Tips for Harvesting Bell Peppers
Bell peppers come in many colors besides green including red, orange, yellow, purple, white, and brown. As a general rule, colored bell peppers take longer to ripen than green bell peppers.
Follow these tips for the best chili harvest:
- Pick green peppers at any time, but leave them on the vine for an extra two to three weeks for sweeter peppers and deeper color.
- Green bell peppers that have begun to turn color will continue to ripen and change color after picking if left in a cool, dark place for a few days. However, ripening off the plant can cause a loss of sweetness and flavor.
- Do not attempt to pull the peppers off the plant. Use pruning shears or shears to cut the fruit off, leaving a large amount of stem intact.
- Harvest peppers as soon as they show signs of insect damage or sunburn. Undamaged parts are still edible.
- Remove any soft or mushy fruit and discard it. This will direct the energy towards healthy, ripe fruit.
How to harvest bell peppers
Peppers on each plant ripen at different times over several weeks. You may find one pepper ripening on your plant or several ready to harvest at the same time. Here’s how to pick your peppers.
- When the recommended harvest date arrives, check the plant daily for ripe fruit.
- Pick peppers on a dry day or in the morning after the dew has dried. Working on wet plants can damage leaves or spread disease.
- Remove ripe peppers from the plant by supporting the pepper with your non-dominant hand and using your dominant hand to cut the stem where it attaches to the branch. Use appropriate cutting tools and never pull on the fruit or branch. The branch can break easily.
- Chili peppers without stems should be used immediately.
- Store harvested peppers in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator for up to two weeks in a mesh or plastic bag. Add dry paper towels to the plastic bag and leave the bag open to prevent moisture buildup.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Mature bell peppers have shiny skin. They feel heavy for their size and are evenly colored.
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Fruits and vegetables that ripen on the vine are almost always more flavorful. If a pepper has already started to turn the color you want, you can ripen it in a cool, dark place for a few days, but you may sacrifice some sweetness.
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As peppers ripen, the amount of beta carotene along with other compounds increases, causing the color to change from red, orange, or yellow. Green bell peppers are the ripest variety, with a more intense, less sweet flavor. They are not unripe and can be harvested and eaten.
