Harvesting banana peppers

[Cassandra]

I planted ONE banana pepper plant. It is currently producing a few peppers, but I'm not quite sure when to pick them.

John (dh) looked online and said you have to wait until they turn completely yellow. Mine don't seem to be turning yellow at all, but they are getting big.

The plant is only 16 inches tall or so. The peppers are getting to be about 5 to 6" long. There's two peppers growing on there right now. I had one that I was trying to wait until it got yellow to pick it, but it broke off! I picked it up off the ground.

I don't even eat them, but John likes them. So I would like to get a few. I have read the more you pick them, the more it will produce. Is that true? How do you know when they are ready? They don't seem to be turning yellow at all! They are a slightly yellowish green color.

Cassandra

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

You can harvest them once they get about 6" long. They probably won't get much bigger than about 7". The walls should be firm and shiny. I actually harvest them when they are still green, this allows the plant to produce more fruit and then they can ripen off the vine.