The Best Method For Picking Ripe Peppers Off The Plant — Yes, There Is A Right Way

Growing a fruiting plant from seed to harvest takes time, energy, and care. But the care doesn't stop once it's grown fruit. If you've successfully nurtured a pepper plant to the point where you have ripe peppers, you're probably eager to pluck them off and taste them, but picking them the wrong way can actually damage the plant.

When harvesting peppers, you must use a sharp, sterile tool such as clippers or pruners. Pulling the peppers off by hand can bend or break the branches if the fruit doesn't release easily. A damaged plant will need time to heal and will produce fewer fruit. A sharp tool ensures a clean cut with minimal damage.

Even if you keep your garden tools free of rust, by their very function, they are bound to be dirty. While this doesn't matter so much for trowels or garden forks, it's a problem for cutting tools. Snipping into a stem with dirty pruners can introduce diseases to the plant. Preventing this doesn't need to be complicated; it's a simple matter of sterilizing your tools before you use them. 

First, clean off any dirt from your clippers or pruners, then spray or wipe the blades with a disinfectant such as isopropyl alcohol. If you have a lot of tools to clean, you can fill a bucket with water and 10% bleach solution at a 9:1 ratio and leave the tools to soak for 10 minutes before rinsing with clean water.

Every plant comes with its unique quirks, and peppers are no exception. Although they are a great choice of vegetables for beginner gardeners, learning a little about their preferences will help you grow them more successfully. Knowing when to harvest peppers depends on the variety and how you want to eat them. All bell peppers start green, then transition to red, orange, or yellow as they ripen. If you want to eat peppers while they're green, you still need to wait until they reach mature size. They should have firm, glossy skin and feel hollow when squeezed. Alternatively, wait until the peppers have changed to the desired color, but before they begin to soften. 

When it's time to cut the peppers off the plant, it's best to harvest peppers in the morning. This is the time of day when they are the most hydrated and will have the best flavor. You might be tempted to only collect peppers as you need them, but picking fruit as it ripens will encourage the plant to produce more. During peak season, check up on your plant every few days, and store the peppers in the fridge to keep them fresh. Pepper plants are sensitive to extreme cold, so all fruit should be harvested before the first frost. If the peppers aren't ripe by this stage, those that have reached full size can be ripened in a couple of days on the kitchen counter.