Get the timing around when to pick banana peppers just right and you can come away with very high quality produce and higher yields overall. In part, knowing exactly when to pick banana peppers depends on the variety of pepper you’re growing and how you intend to use what you harvest. While there isn’t necessarily one quick test of ripeness for both the hot and the sweet banana pepper types, there are reliable indicators you can use. Considered altogether, these can help you to make the best decisions about your crop and pick peppers that really suit your individual preferences.

Why grow banana peppers

With sweet and spicy types available, versatile banana peppers go great in all sorts of dishes. Want a milder flavor or extra crunchy texture for that Pickled Banana Peppers recipe? By being deliberate about when to pick banana peppers, you can dial these qualities up or down to influence the dishes you make. Banana pepper plants are also attractive, productive, and easy to grow.

How long do banana peppers take to grow?

These tropical plants require a bit of patience, particularly if you want to grow yours from seed. To do this, you’ll need to start seeds indoors a couple of months before your last frost date under a grow light or in a sunny window. Then, harden off seedlings and transplant once the soil temperature is at least 60 degrees F (15.5 degrees C.) At this point, it’ll take 70 to 80 days for plants to go from seedlings to putting on first flowers and, eventually, to developing mature fruits.

Signs that banana peppers are ready to pick

As you consider when to pick banana peppers for maximum flavor, there are several different cues on which you can rely. These include the age of your plants, relative to their maturity dates; the size of your individual fruits; the transition between colors that peppers naturally undergo; the look and feel of your peppers’ flesh; and, obviously, the way the finished product tastes and smells. Here are some of the specifics on each of these important ripeness cues.

1) Days to maturity

Whether you sow your own seeds in a sterile growing medium or purchase seedlings for the backyard garden, note the days to maturity for your specific banana pepper variety. (Most require 70 to 80 days.) Use a calendar to keep track of the days and you’ll have a better sense of when you may be able to start harvesting.

2) Pepper fruit size

The size of your banana peppers depends on the variety you’re growing, but, generally speaking, a mature pepper’s size range can be anywhere from five to eight inches. Wondering whether you should pick a specific pepper? Measure it every couple of days to gauge whether its growth has stopped (or at least greatly slowed down.) If it has, it might be time to pick!

3) Color of the fruits

Ripening peppers change color, going from pale green to yellow and all the way to an orangey-red hue. Closely following these color cues can help signal when it’s time to harvest. While hot peppers max out their spice levels once they’ve reached full color development, sweet banana peppers have the best balance of sweetness and crunch at the vibrant yellow stage.

4) Firmness and texture of the peppers

Mature peppers also will feel firm to the touch. They have a nice, smooth skin that will look shiny or glossy. If you come across a wrinkled pepper, it is likely past its prime. That goes for any peppers you find that have a very squishy or rubbery texture, too.

5) Taste and smell

When they’re at their best, ripe banana peppers have a sweet-and-tangy taste and scent. As for the hot banana pepper types, these bring a slightly sweet heat. Some spicy varieties to try include the Blazing Banana Hybrid and this Hot Hungarian Wax Pepper. Prefer something milder? The sweetness of this pepper—Sweet Banana heirloom—makes it perfect for pickling or popping onto a salad or sandwich.

Factors that can affect when to harvest banana peppers

When plants are still small, aphids, slugs, and other pests can be a real setback. Watch for feeding activity, hand-pick intruders, and remove before they can do irreparable damage. That also goes for weeds. Yank out these competitors and then mulch well to keep them down while also conserving moisture.

Weather conditions and their impact

The amounts of rainfall and full sun your plants get will influence the time it takes to go from the appearance of small flowers to the start of tiny green peppers to fully ripe fruits. Big swings in temperature and humidity also can negatively affect the taste of your peppers.

How to harvest banana peppers

Just as when to pick banana peppers is one of the most common questions new pepper growers have, how to harvest that perfectly ready banana pepper is next in line. Ripe banana peppers—especially the hot-and-spicy types—will usually come away from the pepper stem with one gentle twist. Sweet peppers, on the other hand, tend to cling to their banana pepper plants a little more tightly. As a result, you may want to use a pair of small garden shears or scissors to snip peppers after they’ve reached your desired color.

What happens if you wait too long

Even after you’ve figured out when to pick banana peppers to suit your personal taste, sometimes life gets in the way. Just what can you expect if you don’t pick your peppers at peak ripeness? Although their flavor may continue to intensify, peppers that aren’t picked at the ideal time will lose their crisp texture. 

What’s more, if you let fruits ripen and subsequently rot on the pepper plant, new fruit production eventually will stop. Big picture? Regular assessment of ripeness and prompt harvesting are really important for continuous production. 

How to store banana peppers

After you harvest banana peppers, you can store them intact in the refrigerator for up to a week. Of course, there are plenty of other longterm storage options so you can enjoy tasty banana peppers any time of year. These include drying them in a food dehydrator, pickling or canning them, or storing them in your freezer. 

No matter which you choose, you should wear food-safe kitchen gloves while you’re chopping, slicing, or dicing peppers for storage. (Like cayenne peppers and other chilis, banana peppers contain capsaicin which can irritate skin, eyes, and mucous membranes.)

Peppery perfection

Regarding when to pick banana peppers, take pepper varieties and personal preference into account. For instance, if you’re growing them for sweet flavor, this affects when to pick banana peppers. In that case, look for a bright yellow color and a smooth-but-firm texture. Hot banana peppers may remain on the plant longer, developing more heat as they mature to a deep red. Remember to keep harvesting, so your plants will keep producing. Including salads, stir-fries, and more, these versatile peppers dress up a variety of dishes. Have more than you can handle? Try pickling, canning, dehydrating, or freezing the extras.

For more information on growing pepper plants, be sure to check out these excellent articles:

• A guide to growing cayenne pepper plants
• How far apart to plant peppers
• Growing fish peppers in your garden
• Learn to grow shishito peppers