How long does it take a Bell pepper to turn Red?

kpatrick925 · August 16, 2011

Ok, I bought several bell pepper plants (only because I waited too late and couldn't start my own seeds

) I have what is supposed to be a red bell pepper. The pepper is huge but not turning red. I have a yellow that is good sized, not as big as the "red" but is already turning yellow. Does it take longer for reds to change? Or did someone mix up the containers and its really a green. Just trying to get an idea if I should be patient or pick that puppy before something else does.

thanks in advance for any and all help.

Kim

Zana · August 16, 2011

I'd like to know the answer too. I've got one that has been in the green stage for weeks now.

Kim,

Cute dogs in your avatar....what kinds are they?

kpatrick925 · August 16, 2011

Ahh....my loves!! Mini Pin, Mini Poodle and Yorkie. My husband and I agreed to get a poodle when we bought our house and somehow it evolved into 3.

Worth1 · August 16, 2011

This all depends on the variety. If it is still green it is growing somewhat.
Some time after it stops growing the shoulders will start to turn dark.
Soon after that it will quickly furn red. (if it doesn't turn some other color.)
I pick very fresh peppers at the store that look like they are getting very dark (almost black), many times they turn red on the shelf.

Sounds like a politicians answer.

You could try circumnavigating the garden in the nude, this sometimes makes them turn red.
Again this depends on the variety.

Worth

Zana · August 16, 2011

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

This all depends on the variety. If it is still green it is growing somewhat.
Some time after it stops growing the shoulders will start to turn dark.
Soon after that it will quickly furn red. (if it doesn't turn some other color.)
I pick very fresh peppers at the store that look like they are getting very dark (almost black), many times they turn red on the shelf.

Sounds like a politicians answer.

You could try circumnavigating the garden in the nude, this sometimes makes them turn red.
Again this depends on the variety.

Worth

Not sure who would be blushing more....me...the maters watching (since they're doing more of that then the bell peppers...lol)...the neighbours (since all my pepper plants are in buckets on the front driveway) or the peppers....and I'm not sure I'm up for the sunburn in places I don't normally expose to the sun....

raindrops27 · August 16, 2011

This is a very good question. I had several green peppers, that I left on the vine to turn colors, as that is what the package of seeds had depicted colorful peppers, in the interim they just sat there green and started to wrinkle. Why does this happen? I even picked peppers early to bring them inside to ripen, they all just shriveled up and got wrinkly.

tjg911 · August 16, 2011

as worth said it depends upon the variety and i'd say the weather too. a green bell is not fully ripe and i've seen it take an additional 2 sometimes 3 weeks for them to get red. gypsy starts yellowish green then changes to orange then red (i think the final color is red otherwise red to orange) but all other peppers i have grown just go from green to red. i think this is why red peppers cost more in the store as they have to sit longer to ripen delaying the picking then replanting the field. you just have to wait. red peppers have much more vitamins than the green ones and are much sweeter.

tom

raindrops27 · August 16, 2011

Tj mine never last long enough to color. It is weird. They all start to wrinkle, and get very old. On, or off the stem. So, ok, will look into different varieties.

JaneMartin · August 17, 2011

My "Red Beauty" and "Big Bertha" were huge but in green for about 3 weeks. They just turn reddish (Big Bertha) and dark purple/red couple days ago. I was thinking the plant's labels were wrong...

kpatrick925 · August 17, 2011

Thanks everyone for your replies. I will continue to be patient. I guess I can use this one as my test subject. If it wilts before turning red I need to pick the rest at the green stage. This is my first time actually getting bell peppers to grow so not sure what to expect and this one is bigger than some I have seen in the store so thought maybe it was done. I hope not, I would love to have some red. We will see.

beeman · August 17, 2011

So if the greens wrinkle before going red, are they good for seed?
I have some magnificent greens this year and would like to save seed, but mine don't appear to want to change color.

raindrops27 · August 18, 2011

Beeman, so you are experiencing the wrinkling before coloring also. Hmm. Can someone suggest a green pepper, that will turn colors before wrinkling?

roper2008 · August 18, 2011

They seem to take forever to turn red. I've read somewhere that it takes 3 weeks
after it is full grown to turn red.

RayR · August 18, 2011

In bell peppers, I've growing Chinese Giant and Pustagold. The first Pustagold's have started turning red this week. About 3 weeks is about right.

kpatrick925 · August 18, 2011

Glad to know it is not just my peppers. I was starting to feel like they didn't like me.

August 16, 2011	#1
kpatrick925 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: San Lorenzo, CA Posts: 112	How long does it take a Bell pepper to turn Red? Ok, I bought several bell pepper plants (only because I waited too late and couldn't start my own seeds ) I have what is supposed to be a red bell pepper. The pepper is huge but not turning red. I have a yellow that is good sized, not as big as the "red" but is already turning yellow. Does it take longer for reds to change? Or did someone mix up the containers and its really a green. Just trying to get an idea if I should be patient or pick that puppy before something else does. thanks in advance for any and all help. Kim

August 16, 2011	#7
tjg911 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: zone 5b northwest connecticut Posts: 2,570	as worth said it depends upon the variety and i'd say the weather too. a green bell is not fully ripe and i've seen it take an additional 2 sometimes 3 weeks for them to get red. gypsy starts yellowish green then changes to orange then red (i think the final color is red otherwise red to orange) but all other peppers i have grown just go from green to red. i think this is why red peppers cost more in the store as they have to sit longer to ripen delaying the picking then replanting the field. you just have to wait. red peppers have much more vitamins than the green ones and are much sweeter. tom __________________ I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the end of the night He’s gotta be strong And he’s gotta be fast And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight I need a hero I’m holding out for a hero ‘til the morning light He’s gotta be sure And it’s gotta be soon And he’s gotta be larger than life

August 16, 2011	#2
Zana Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Southwestern Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,521	I'd like to know the answer too. I've got one that has been in the green stage for weeks now. Kim, Cute dogs in your avatar....what kinds are they?

August 16, 2011	#4
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	This all depends on the variety. If it is still green it is growing somewhat. Some time after it stops growing the shoulders will start to turn dark. Soon after that it will quickly furn red. (if it doesn't turn some other color.) I pick very fresh peppers at the store that look like they are getting very dark (almost black), many times they turn red on the shelf. Sounds like a politicians answer. You could try circumnavigating the garden in the nude, this sometimes makes them turn red. Again this depends on the variety. Worth

August 16, 2011	#6
raindrops27 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: long island Posts: 327	This is a very good question. I had several green peppers, that I left on the vine to turn colors, as that is what the package of seeds had depicted colorful peppers, in the interim they just sat there green and started to wrinkle. Why does this happen? I even picked peppers early to bring them inside to ripen, they all just shriveled up and got wrinkly.

August 17, 2011	#9
JaneMartin Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Thousand Oaks, CA Posts: 23	My "Red Beauty" and "Big Bertha" were huge but in green for about 3 weeks. They just turn reddish (Big Bertha) and dark purple/red couple days ago. I was thinking the plant's labels were wrong...

August 17, 2011	#11
beeman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 692	So if the greens wrinkle before going red, are they good for seed? I have some magnificent greens this year and would like to save seed, but mine don't appear to want to change color.

August 18, 2011	#12
raindrops27 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: long island Posts: 327	Beeman, so you are experiencing the wrinkling before coloring also. Hmm. Can someone suggest a green pepper, that will turn colors before wrinkling?

August 18, 2011	#13
roper2008 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Virginia Bch, VA (7b) Posts: 1,337	They seem to take forever to turn red. I've read somewhere that it takes 3 weeks after it is full grown to turn red.