Green bell peppers

[Pixie_Dust]

How do I know when my green bell peppers are ready for harvest, since a "ripe" one looks the same green as they are already?

Cheers

 

[DixieDreamer]

Technically green bell peppers are just unripened "colored" sweet bell peppers. They are good to use anytime they are big enough. So size is really the determining factor. It will begin to change color when ripening and is sweeter the longer you allow it to "ripen" - whereas a green bell pepper has a little more tart factor to the flavor.

My green bell peppers are just now getting big enough to start harvesting.

 

[pumba]

I do let them stay on the vine until I want some to cook with.....we had some that were so big last year....huge....but I tend to leave them and then when the season is almost done....I cut them up in hunks and put them in freezer bags and when I need them for cooking .....I just take them out....I did get some yellow and red peppers last summer too....they were a different variety

 

[Pixie_Dust]

Although I know green are just the unripe pepper, I did buy 3 plants that specifically stated they were one of each, green, yellow, and red. So I felt the green one was bred to be harvested at that stage. My biggest pepper so far is maybe 2 1/2 inches long. They are in a container so I don't expect them to get huge, but I didn't know how long to let them mature.
Thanks

 

[Mamu]

I agree with pumba, I let my peppers stay on the plant until I'm ready to use them. Peppers just like any other fresh garden vegetable losses it flavor the longer it hangs around the kitchen.

I realize you only have 3 plants which should not be a problem with too many vegetables.

I have a regiment where I pick the ripened crop each morning and use the crop for dinner. Sometimes this can be a problem with 12 zucchini and 12 summer squash plants. So it's squash every night for me, my children and the neighbors.

We basically live off the garden once it starts producing.