I thought we bought a green bell pepper plant...?

Question

...but our peppers keep turning from green to red. We are new at this gardening thing so can someone please tell me if we actually got a red pepper plant or if green peppers normally turn red if you don't pick them? Or does this mean they are rotten? (Although they don't look rotten.)

Thanks from the green-thumb challenged!!

Answer 1

Red bell peppers are just green ones left on the vine, so green is not actually ripe, they are ripe when they turn red  

Answer 2

The difference between a green pepper and a red pepper is just a matter of time.  When they have turned red they are actually more nutritious and usually more expensive at the store.  So enjoy!

Answer 3

There are green, red, and yellow bell peppers.You may have a pimento, if the meaty part is thick.

Answer 4

You have green peppers.

Green bell peppers will naturally  turn red if they stay on the vine long enough.  When they turn red,  they taste sweeter & have more vitamin C.

"Sweet peppers will mature to various colors with red being the most prominent color. The green pepper that we eat is the immature version. Like I said, most common varieties of bell peppers will turn from green to red, with other varities turning yellow, purple, or even brown as the pepper matures. "

http://www.producepete.com/shows/redpepp...

http://mostlyiwillbegrowing.files.wordpr...

http://gardeningisfun.com/2008/07/16/pep...

BTW, This purple beauty bell pepper has stopped turning purple, and  "going from purple to green to red..."

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8270943@N07...

You're welcome!  They are great to eat when they turn red & they are not rotten until your pepper starts getting soft & mushy.

Once your peppers have turned red...they've matured & won't develop further...& you need to pick them.  They will eventually rot if left much longer on the vine.

When they've turned red,  they don't have the bitter taste that green peppers have.  I really love the sweet taste of the fresh red peppers in salads.  When you roast them, they have a unique taste. A salad or shish kabob looks great when you combine the red & green peppers.  

This picture shows red peppers with the orange colored peppers on shish kabobs:

http://www.kamado.com/forumpix/LaborDayP...

Good luck!!!   Hope this helps.  Enjoy  :)