How to Tell if a Purple Bell Pepper Is Ripe

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Purple bell peppers sure are pretty to look at and tasty to eat, but how do you know when they’re ripe? Is harvesting a purple bell pepper the same as harvesting other peppers? Bell peppers are most commonly known for their red, yellow, orange, and green varieties, and you may be surprised to find that their purple variety isn’t so different. If you're curious about purple bell peppers, keep reading because we’ve got everything you need to know about knowing when they’re ripe.

Section 1 of 3:

What is a purple bell pepper?

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  1. Believe it or not, all peppers start out green, no matter the variety. [1] As a pepper ripens and the sugars develop, the color changes, giving each colored pepper a different taste and nutritional value. [2] A purple bell pepper found in the wild is basically an unripe red bell pepper. [3]
    • Think of it like a tomato. The longer a tomato stays on the vine, the riper it gets and the redder it becomes. [4]
  2. When you go to the garden store, you can buy seeds or plants for red, yellow, orange, and green bell peppers, and the same goes for purple bell peppers. All bell peppers are part of the Capsicum annuum species and have been domesticated overtime for color, taste, and commercial use. [5] So, be on the look out for the Purple Belle, Chocolate Bell, and Islander, as these are all common varieties of the purple bell pepper. [6]
    • The bell peppers you buy in the store are bred to ripen at their wanted color, giving them that perfect taste. [7]
    • Purple bell varieties won’t go through the same ripening color changes as a yellow or red pepper. They will start off as green and keep turning a darker and darker purple, with their ripest color being a purplish black.
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Section 2 of 3:

Signs a Purple Bell Pepper is Ripe

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  1. Because all unripe bell peppers are green, it’s important to watch and know when a pepper is about to change color. [8] Purple bell peppers get their unique color the longer they stay on the vine, letting the green color mature into a dark, blackish purple.
  2. Generally, you can pick a purple bell pepper whenever it reaches your desired size; however, the bigger it grows, the more mature it’ll get and the less bitter and purple it’ll be. [9]
  3. Bell peppers become softer and squishier as they mature. Because a purple bell pepper is ripe when it’s immature, it’s best to pick it when it’s still hard to the touch. [10]
    • Shiny and wrinkle-free skin is a visual sign that the pepper is firm.
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Section 3 of 3:

When to Harvest Purple Bell Peppers

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  1. The longer a red bell pepper stays on the plant, the redder and riper it’ll become. Because of this, it’s best to harvest a purple bell pepper when there’s no sign of green and it’s reached a dark, almost blackish-brown color. [11]
    • A pepper’s flavor changes with the color, so don’t hesitate to pick it once it turns purple.
    • You should try to plant bell peppers in the warm season. By doing this, you can provide them with the right temperature and enough sunlight.
    • Remember to use mulch to help absorb sunlight and keep the soil warmer for a more extended period that will go through a thriving period, which will encourage the bell peppers’ growth.
  2. [12] As a bell pepper plant matures, it’ll produce flowers to say, “Hey! I’m ready to make peppers!” Peppers will start to form where the flowers were, and you should have beautiful peppers ready to harvest in about 8 to 10 weeks. [13]
  3. The best way to pick a pepper is to avoid pulling on the stem, so cut them gently from the plant at the pedicel (the part of the pepper attached to the stem). This way, your bell pepper plant can continue growing new peppers without damage. [14]
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  • Question
    What is the best fertilizer for bell peppers?
    Jon Rowland
    Plant Specialist
    Jon Rowland is a Plant Specialist and the Founder of the Green House Center blog. With over eight years of plant and garden experience, he specializes in greenhouse care, lawn and garden maintenance, and home appliance recommendations. Jon aims to share his knowledge so that others can live a more convenient, efficient, and environmentally friendly lifestyle.
    Jon Rowland
    Plant Specialist
    Expert Answer
    Focus on using a low nitrogen fertilizer, as this type of fertilizer usually has the best rate of production for bell peppers.
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  • Question
    Can tomatoes and bell peppers be planted next to each other?
    Jon Rowland
    Plant Specialist
    Jon Rowland is a Plant Specialist and the Founder of the Green House Center blog. With over eight years of plant and garden experience, he specializes in greenhouse care, lawn and garden maintenance, and home appliance recommendations. Jon aims to share his knowledge so that others can live a more convenient, efficient, and environmentally friendly lifestyle.
    Jon Rowland
    Plant Specialist
    Expert Answer
    Sure they can! Bell peppers can grow well around tomatoes, carrots, eggplants, corn, cucumbers, etc. Avoid planting them near cabbage-related or apricot-related plants, though, as they will develop some fungal disease that will affect the lifecycle of bell peppers.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://plantvillage.psu.edu/topics/pepper-bell/infos
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/SwF7BGZkNQw?t=27
      3. ↑ https://extension.msstate.edu/blog/what-the-difference-between-green-red-and-yellow-bell-peppers
      4. ↑ https://youtu.be/SwF7BGZkNQw?t=32
      5. ↑ https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/capsicum-annuum-grossum-group/
      6. ↑ https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/peppers-and-eggplant-7-616/
      7. ↑ https://youtu.be/SwF7BGZkNQw?t=38
      8. ↑ https://extension.msstate.edu/blog/what-the-difference-between-green-red-and-yellow-bell-peppers
      9. ↑ https://extension.colostate.edu/topic-areas/yard-garden/peppers-and-eggplant-7-616/
      1. ↑ https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/capsicum-annuum-grossum-group/
      2. ↑ https://youtu.be/XRLmCV24R60?t=60
      3. ↑ https://plantvillage.psu.edu/topics/pepper-bell/infos
      4. ↑ https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/library/gardening/peppers/
      5. ↑ https://www.uwyo.edu/barnbackyard/_files/documents/magazine/2022/summer/0722peppers.pdf

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