There are several reasons why people all over the country love to grow banana peppers. Banana peppers are a fun vegetable to grow, they’re tasty and they go great on pasta, pizza and salads. In addition to this, banana peppers also offer multiple nutritional benefits as well. However, unless you know when the right time is to pick the banana peppers from the plant, you may end up with a bad vegetable.
What is the Average Length of the Ripening Process
So, when are when are banana peppers ready to be picked? The average pepper becomes fully mature about 70 to 75 days after it has been planted. Other kinds of peppers may mature at a different rate, but this is the average time length for most peppers. Now, there are a number of factors that come into play. They include:
- The quality of the soil they’re planted in.
- Whether they’re watered properly or not.
- The current climatic conditions.
The Flavor of a Banana Pepper
The flavor of banana peppers is solely dependent on when they are picked. If they are picked at the right time, they’ll have a tangy yet sweet flavor to them. On the other hand, if you pick your banana pepper’s too early, they just won’t have a good taste to them. If you let them stay on the plant too long, they’ll start to become rotten and mushy. This is why it’s important to make sure that you know when to pick banana peppers from plant.
A Banana Pepper’s Size When Ripe
The length of a banana pepper is one of the several ways you can tell if it’s ready to be picked. Generally, a banana pepper will average in about 4 to 8 inches. If your banana peppers are shorter than this, there’s a good chance that they’re premature and shouldn’t be picked quite yet. Your banana peppers should be fully grown before you begin to pick them.
The Color of a Ripe Banana Pepper
When a banana pepper is premature, it’s skin is a mixture between a light green and a bright yellow. If you see this color, you’ll want to make sure you leave it on the plant for a few more weeks. Banana peppers transform from a greenish yellow to a bright yellow to a sharp shade of red. You’ll know your banana peppers are ready to be picked when they have reached this reddish stage.
Sweet Banana Peppers vs. Hot Banana Peppers
Now, there are quite a few varieties of banana peppers available. In fact, the color, size and the rate at which they will ripe can vary slightly in comparison to your regular banana peppers. Two of the most common include sweet banana peppers and hot banana peppers.
Like your basic banana pepper, the sweet banana pepper also grows to an average length of 4 inches or more when it’s fully matured. However, when the hot banana pepper is fully matured, it’ll be an average length 6 inches.
In addition to size, when the sweet banana pepper has fully matured, the color of it’s skin will turn a bright yellow. On the other hand, you have options when it comes to the hot banana pepper. For instance, if you want your hot banana peppers to have a milder taste, you’ll want to pick them when they’re a bright yellow. Moreover, if you want your hot banana peppers to have a more spicier taste, then you’ll want to pick them when they have a red color to them.
So, if you’re trying to remember to when to pick sweet banana pepper, just remember they should be a bright yellow, and when you’re trying to remember when to pick hot banana peppers, always keep in mind you have a choice based on your desired level of spiciness.
Removing Your Banana Peppers from the Branch
To ensure that your banana peppers are not damaged or smooched in any way, you’ll want to make sure that you never pick them with your hands, and when you do this, use a pair of clippers or shears. Another point worth mentioning is that when you’re clipping your banana peppers from the branch, make sure that you don’t twist them off with your snipping tool. Here are a few other tips when you’re snipping off your banana peppers:
☆ Make sure that you don’t fray the ends of the branches.
☆ Leave a bit of stem when you but the banana pepper. In fact, leave at least a quarter of an inch of spacing.
☆ Make sure that when you cut the banana pepper from the branch that you do it softly, carefully and always take your time.
☆ Always use a sharp tool to cut your banana peppers. If your tool is dull, make sure that you sharpen it up before you begin removing the peppers from the branch.
Above all, try not bruise your banana peppers or the branches of your plant. Bruising your banana peepers will make then to become rotten and go bad faster.
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