When To Harvest Jalapeño Peppers - How To Know They're Ready - Pepper Geek 

This is one of my favorite channels. This year I am growing 33 peppers and I have over 60 seedlings that I am planning on over wintering!

This video came at the perfect time, I was just thinking about this yesterday. I'm seeing soo many jalapeños on my three plants, first time trying and I'm so excited! Thanks for the information!

Glad that I found this video. This is my first year growing jalapenos. I'm actually growing cayenne, serrano, habanero, ghost pepper, and red thai as well. I plan on fermenting the majority of them, and it turns out that I picked them way too early. I thought they would be ready since they were actually the hottest jalapenos I've ever tasted, but they're still green, so I will wait for a second harvest to pick the red ones.

Man this channel is such a Godsend ! Thank you! I usually like my jalapeños with a rich dark green hue. I do let them fully ripen at the end of the season so I can make chipotles so I can enjoy them over the winter!

Good and helpful video. I completely agree that full ripeness is the best point to harvest. I love to make red jalapeno jelly.

I grew Jedi Jalapenos this year from seed. They are both tasty and a good size. I also grew Highlander Anaheim peppers and I let them ripen rather than eating them green. When ripened it has the sweetness of a sweet red bell pepper, and the spiciness of a Jalapeno. I think I found my new favourite spicy peppers to grow.

At my farm its time to pick when it looks like I can fill up a bucket, thats the best time to pick.

Used to live in NM so along with the other peppers I grew this year I decided to try growing Hatch peppers. Still a few things to learn with them but got a decent enough harvest for a first try.

This channel has been a blessing. Started growing many varieties of peppers this summer for the first time ever. This morning I thought, maybe I'll see if Pepper Geek has tips on when I should pick...you guys are on it. Thank you! any idea what to look for on firecracker chilis, cherry bombs, and super hots?

You're reading my mind - was just thinking about this. Thank you for the answer. Also, your plants are stunning and total inspiration!

Purple tiger/ jalapeño is what my favorite I’m growing this year… good back story too, like the fish pepper.

So excited to harvest our first batch of Jalapeño peppers 🫶🏾

Very timely information since I too had this question, this is my first year growing more than one pepper plant. Now, I need to figure out when to harvest my Pablano and Anaheim peppers. As a side note, I am surprised how many of those large peppers are growing on my small plants, hopefully, the structural integrity holds out until harvest 😁

“From transplant.” That’s a key piece of information! Thanks.

I find that my jalapenos are hottest when they are still green and almost ripe, red jalapenos are generally a bit sweeter and less spicy. For a lot of dishes I also prefer the flavor of green ones to that of ripe ones.

Mucho Nacho has always been a great jalapeno for me, both in flavor and production.

you guys should make a video on the needs of indoor growing peppers!

Helpful info! Thank you so much!

Excellent, as always.

It's my first year growing jalapenos. I picked El Jefe variety because of its high yield. I'm growing them in the ground and 32-gallon containers. I use a moisture meter with 15" probe to make sure I don't over-water. No problems with disease so far, but had to spray them twice to get rid of bugs hiding on the underside of leaves. They take a LONG time to get going! I started them indoors from seed and transplanted after nighttime temps were consistently >50F. I plant to build a cold frame to harden the next crop a few weeks earlier.

Excellent video. Thank you.

Great video guys!!!

ill plant my farmers market jalapeno seeds next month when spring starts. i also think the corking looks really cool. chur 👍

great video, concise info! thank you!

Very helpful, great video. Please keep it up. Thanks!

I am also in zone 6 a! Yes! I never find many helpful sites for 6 a. Now I have 2-3.

My favorite jalapeños are Czech black and Lemon spice , deep yellow great flavor medium heat. Craig’s grand a nice one for green stage.

Great info for newbie like me. Thanks

Thank you for this info. I have planted several different varieties including jalapeño. There were some I wanted to try but couldn't fine the seeds.

Thank you. Another great video. I did not have any luck with my jalapeño peppers this year. The plants that I purchased at the local garden specialty shop ended up having diseased root and died within 2 weeks of transplanting. For next season I will be starting from seeds instead. Love your videos.

So far jalapenos have been the second easiest pepper for me to grow next to cayenne. But I must be planting different varieties some years. Last year for instance all my peppers went from green to black to red and corky. This year they are getting corky while green and barely turning dark green before red but it's taking so long that they tend to rot before they even get dark so I'm forced to pick them once they get corky. However a fully red ripened jalapeno is almost a delicacy they're so good. Really changes the flavor but I haven't really noticed them being hotter. Almost the opposite for me. However I'm buying generic seeds that just say jalapeno so no telling what variety they are. Some plants have much larger peppers than others.

Thank you !

Thanks for the few pointers I got from you. I was missing some of the points on the differences in plant care. The morale support is great, I needed somebody to hold my hand on it I guess. I have some big plants but I'm not counting my chickens until they are hatched. Your plants have great form, some of mine seem a little too bushy. I think they may have too many branches with flowers. This is probably going to lead to an over setting fruit which will make smaller less mature fruit. This is called the growth habit. I may prune out some of the smaller branches, what do you think (North)?. Thanks man. 🌶️

I just wanted to mention something about how it turns black briefly, just because I’m an artist I feel the need to say that’s how color theory works! It’s really cool to see it in action, but green and red make brown, which is why it looks black. So as it turns from green to red, it’s going to turn a brownish black color in between.

Super helpful!!!

💚👍great info, I'm growing Pimiento Jalapenos.

I'm growing La Bomba peppers which I think are a jalapeno variety. They are darker green with dark purple looking spots and more narrow peppers, but the plants have very vigorous growth and I counted over 30 peppers on each plant when I harvested the first round. The peppers get full of those corking lines but I haven't seen any turn red. Maybe I'll let the next bunch of peppers stay until they turn color. P.S. Loving the videos, including geeky greenhouse

I had 2 pepper plants pop up in a rosemary potted plant this year. I had a lot of rogue plants this year that took over my garden (3 varieties of tomatoes for the 2nd year in a row, butternut squash, potatoes and peppers). Almost positive they're jalapenos I transplanted them into my garden bed awhile ago & they're finally growing fruit. We shall see! I want to look into those yellow ones you got there!

Thanks for great info

I personally love he flavor of green jalapeños red is good as an ingredient but but in a guacamole I'd love greens flavor

Love tour channel. Do you have a video on poblanos? I have 3 plants finally producing fruit.

Great information! I've been really pleased with the "Mucho Nacho" jalapenos that I'm growing for the first time this year. 4" or longer and really thick and meaty. My wife says these are much easier for stuffing for poppers and the flavor is great. I've already picked a lot of them while still green and I'm letting the next round ripen to red to see if the taste difference is worth the wait. Thanks again for sharing the knowledge.

Hey Pepper Geek great video again 😊👍🏻. Is it true that you can trick the Sharpness of a chilli plant? By giving the plant less water or by briefly stressing the plant, what makes the plant produce more capsaicin?

Very interested in the NuMex Jalapeños!

All my jalapeños came out white this year, turn red fine but no green whatsoever. I’m saving the seeds.

I think the peppers in the black pot are done they seem to be like 10 inches and thanks this is my first time growing jalapeños and I’m excited for them to come out nice and ripe after watching this.

Literally picked some jalapeños earlier today, perhaps a little too soon but got plenty more on the way 🌶😁🤘

This year I bought a pepper plant called seven pot chocolate never heard of it but they are hot

Perfectly timed video, my friend! Do you have any tips on how to preserve picked peppers until more are ripe on the plant? I like to make sauces and salsas in batches and have a little trouble with keeping picked peppers until more are ripened on the plant.

Thanks for the tips. Mine are starting to ripe, i see them getting some black marks on them.

Those Jalapeno plants are really tall! The ones I get from Bonnie's Plants tend to be around 2 to 2.5 ft with much smaller leaves. I don't prune except for picking early flowers though. Not sure if that makes a difference.

👍❤️wow I know to how good helth jalapeños this video v much learning to subscribe this channel

My personal favorite varieties of jalapenos are: NuMex Jalapeno Orange Spice, Jedi, Lemon Spice, and Purple.

Jalapeños in stores around me are all green. Growing for the first time this year! Good fun but they haven't turned color. Still a little small aswell

I pulled a couple red and some green ones last night, but I wasn't sure if it was time because the stems were still green and it took some force to remove the peppers, unlike ripe tomatoes that practically fall into my hand when ready.

So I have Mucho Nacho and Pot-a-peno Jalapenos this year. Most are in pots and whether green or red, the peppers have very little heat. Is this a combination of variety and growing conditions? Zone 3 with fair bit of heat this year, but not as much as last.

I love my red jalapeño, store jalapeño either green or overripe.

Like the taste of them but don’t like the heat so usually pick them younger

Thanks for the great tips on when to harvest. I feel like y'all could do a whole series on "when to harvest ___ pepper". I've got some shishitos in my garden for the first time and can't decide if I pick em early or leave em on there longer... Also, it was my understanding that often times the date on the back of the seed packet is not a "seed to harvest" range, but more of a "transplant to harvest" range that assumes the plants are already alive and have something like 2 mature leaves... approx 6-8 weeks old. I have heard its pretty inconsistent between seed companies so maybe the one's you get actually have an accurate number that includes the germination period and early growth

Love chilli 🌶️

Hi there I stupidly planted four plants together without thinking about growth. My question is can I separate them and if so when is best?

My first time growing peppers. I have jalapenos that are 1.5 - 2 inches long and stubby with stretch marks that have been that way for a couple of weeks now. Is this a stubby variety by chance, and will they turn to red as well?

I've been growing hot peppers for years in NH. This crop of jalapenos is exceptionally hot. Is dry weather a variable?

I pick them red, not as hot as when they are green but they have a much better flavor, a bit tangy

Growing the following: Craig's Grande Biker Billy Lemon Spice Orange Spice Pumpkin Spice Zapotec Farmer's Market So just curious, what are your other two? I'm pretty happy with the amount I have but imagining their other green varieties but super curious!

Does the shininess or dullness of a green jalapeño's skin help to determine how mature a green jalapeño is getting?

I bought a pepper plant from Walmart in early summer and let it sit outside the past few months. It has grown really nice and has lots of peppers on it but i live in a climate where fall is beginning and its going to get cold. Can i bring them inside and will they continue to thrive? Or will i have to say good bye and get a new one next year? Thank u

When should I pick my Apache chillies?

I live in Arizona I have a mammoth jalapeno plant my suspicions are that this one will eventually turn red but I'm not 100% sure because I bought this one from a store when it (the plant) was young

Should I flush the plant before harvesting the jalapenos? To remove excess fertilizers etc please help✌️

I was given these plants that I have but I don’t know what kind they are. Is there a way to find out lol?

In your last segment taking about the "black or darker colour" areas, it can be the pepper protecting itself from the sun, and not an indicator of ripeness

I would love fie you to do a jalapeño popper recipe

I only pick when red and fire roast them blend them into a sauce

Please help...I picked a 'yellow bell pepper just as it started to turn b/cause it was big'; set it in the window for a few days and it molded inside; I threw it out. I know it is a tricky thing, but what is your wisdom when dealing with color changing bells?

Can you use the paper bag method like you do with tomatoes to further ripen the peppers?

Can Serrano peppers cork like Jalapeños?

🎉🌶️ More New Pepper Content Please

Are those overwintered plants? Those are huge

Curious on physically picking them off the plant is there a technique?

This is my first year growing peppers. I started with jalapeño and want to make a spicy chili later from a pepper next year. Does anyone have a solid pepper choice that is sweet but also spicy. Roughly around tai pepper level. Whatever is above cayenne but not one that would kick my butt I don't think I'm ready for anything past tai peppers right now. Ghost pepper was a lot for me.

I turned to RU-vid to find the answers and I found them thank you

my cayenne plant is flowering and giving peppers but my jalapeno and habanero plants are just getting bigger and bigger with no flowers anywhere

Those leaves are beautiful too! 🔥Do my peepers have a chance to fruit if seedlings now? Northern hemisphere Zone 6 or 7 ... Cubanelle Habanero Big Jim 🔥THANKS🔥

My first time growing peppers. I have jalapenos that are 1.5 - 2 inches long and stubby with stretch marks that have been that way for a couple of weeks now. Is this a stubby variety by chance, and will they turn to red as well? Also. can you freeze habaneros and ghost until you're ready to use as a sauce or powder?

I'm a simple man. I see a new video from Pepper Geek? I watch.

This might be a dumb question, Does it matter if you pick the pepper in the morning or in the afternoon to determine the heat

I'm in 6A too, what part are you from?

Hello I am color blind but love growing peppers. Is their a way to tell they are ready besides color?

I always wait until they ripen. 100% better flavor, especially for lacto-fermentation.

Hi friends a Pepper Geek!! Do you have any experience with saving broken branches? We had some heavy rain/storms yesterday and a fruiting stem (four mid-sized peppers, three just starting, and 3 flowers) of one of my Ring of Fire Cayenne plants broke completely from the main stem. Is there any saving it? You guys are the best!

"Why is my pepper turning black?" I believe the color it turns is a deep brown. It starts out green and then the red begins to take over and before it becomes fully red the two colors are mixing. Mixing green and red makes brown.

@Peppergeek does starving the plants of water/ low stress methods produce hotter fruit?? Or is this just an old wives tale (I'm from New Mexico and was told this is how they produce the xhot chile)??

Thanks for the info. Now I know why my jalapenos are sometimes not very hot. I must be more patient. I love growing a variety called Emerald Fire. Big peppers and just the right heat for us.

I always wait until they start to ever so slitely change into there final color before I pick them off the plant, this way I know for sure that they have defelloped heat and some flavour.

When I was looking to grow jalapeño peppers… I found there was many jalapeño varieties. Which are you growing, and what would be the “standard” jalapeño that you would find in the grocery store?

Why won't my Jalapeno flowers open...in SC...days been 90+....in containers 1gal....water 2 to 3 times in 24hr. depending on days temp....mostly 2 times.....last 10 days giving them more shade in hottest part of day....Thank You....Mike...

I have noticed that peppers will continue to ripen and turn red while sitting on the counter just as tomatoes do.

would be nice to include growing peppers hydroponically in the book....😉

How do you get them that big?! Mine never get that large.