[roxies1x]

hi. im new to growing my own veg. i have 2 chilli plants and 1 pepper plant. they are all doing very well and have a combination of flowers and the chillies and peppers themselves, but how do i know when they are ready?? do you have to pick them or do they fall off when they are ready?? advice would be very much appreciated, thanks. x

[tam]

When they change to the final colour eg red they are ready to pick. You need to cut them off, they won't fall.

[lauren]

I have got a mixed pack of seeds - so I do not know the final colour if each plant or the final size of each chilli.  Is the only way to do this with trial and error?  Is is there another way to spot when one is ready?

Thanks x

[tam]

Usually, they stop growing then nothing happens for awhile then they gradually change colour. Might go yellow, red, chocolate etc. and they can look splotchy as they change. When they haven't changed colour any more for a day or two then they are ready to pick.

They won't grow any more once they change colour but they are usually fine left on the plant a week or two if you're not ready to eat them.

[HLS]

Does anyone know whether there are any chillis/peppers that you can't eat green?  If not, I'd think it would depend on personal taste and how many you need at a time, in any case.

I don't find size a helpful guide with the chilli plants I've grown so far, as they seem to produce different sizes on the same plant, presumably depending on the resources the plant has at that time.  I keep an eye on them (the only plant I"ve got fruiting at the moment is on the kitchen windowsill, so it's easy) and when they don't seem to have grown for a week or so and they're shiny and a darker green I consider them pickable.  Some I leave to go red (hotter taste), and some I use green (milder, fresher taste).  If they start looking less plump, they've gone too far (but may be usable if you're quick).

I've got some purple chilli plants this year, so I'll have to wait and see whether the same applies to them!