Growing a jalapeno pepper for the first time? Then you might be wondering when is the right time to pick the fruits. It’s understandable that you may be a bit unsure about how to tell when your peppers are ripe enough to harvest.
Jalapenos are generally best picked just as they start to turn red. However, these peppers can also be harvested while they are still green, as long as the fruits are of an adequate size and firmness. At the end of the day, it all really depends on how spicy you want your jalapenos to be!
Keep reading this article to learn more about when to pick your jalapenos. Hopefully, we can answer all your questions so you can harvest your peppers just at the right time!
Why grow a jalapeno?
Jalapeno plants are a type of Capsicum annuum, the same species that includes bell peppers, habaneros, and cayenne peppers. The spicy flavor of jalapenos is most often found in Mexican dishes and hot, spicy appetizers.
If you are wondering just how hot jalapenos are, they are surprisingly not as super-hot as serrano, cayenne, and habanero peppers. Jalapeno peppers have a heat range of about 2500 – 8000 Scoville heat units, making them a great choice for those who prefer a mild level of spiciness.
On top of their delicious flavor and a slight kick of heat, jalapenos are also rich in vitamins and antioxidants, such as vitamins A and C, potassium, folate, and carotene. Furthermore, they are a natural source of capsaicin, a compound commonly used as a natural pain reliever. These are some of the reasons that so many gardeners love growing this crop in their backyard.
And, if you are still not convinced, here is more great news: jalapeno plants are super easy to grow! As long as you can provide their required growing climate, you should be able to grow these peppers without a fuss. Jalapenos can be grown in your garden soil or in a pot. Whichever you choose, just make sure your plants receive at least eight hours of full sunlight per day. Jalapenos are happiest in temperatures between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. They are not very tolerant of cold and are quite vulnerable to frost damage, especially when the temperatures reach below 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Jalapenos can grow a bit slowly in their first few weeks, so it is recommended to grow the seedling indoors. But, once the plants are ready, you can transfer them outdoors. Do not forget to water them regularly and feed them with mushroom compost for faster growth. Soon, your patience and hard work will be rewarded when you harvest plenty of delicious jalapeno peppers after a few months!
When to pick a jalapeno pepper
Harvesting your jalapenos for the first time can be such a rewarding experience – but do not get too excited yet! There are a few important things you need to know to ensure that you harvest the fruits without causing any harm to your plants. Harvesting at the right time also ensures that you pick the tastiest jalapenos instead of the unripe ones.
Here are a few tips for picking your peppers:
1. Make sure the plant has reached maturity
The best time to harvest jalapeno fruits is when the plant has reached maturity. Depending on the variety, some jalapenos are ready for harvest around 60 days from seed, while others will need about 90 days to mature. Make sure to keep a note on your calendar so you can remember the date that you planted your peppers! This will help give you a rough estimate of when your jalapenos are ready for harvest.
Of course, there are several external factors that can also affect the time your plants take to mature. This might include the growing conditions, pests, watering schedule, and other things. So, aside from the date, also keep these factors in check as they can all affect the growth rate of your plants!
2. Check the color of the pepper
The color of your jalapeno fruits can tell how hot and sweet they will be! During the ripening process, peppers like jalapenos and their cousins can turn bright green, dark green, black, and then finally red. Some jalapenos also develop hues that are between green and red.
You can harvest your jalapenos according to how hot you want them to be. For example, if you prefer your peppers with a milder taste for salads, it is best to pick them while they are still green. Watch out for striations on their skin, too, as this is indicative that the fruits are growing too quickly, making them a bit hotter and sweeter.
However, if you want to harvest the spiciest fruits, you will need to wait a bit longer until your peppers turn red.
3. Wait until they reach full-grown size
Another good indicator that your jalapenos are ready is when the fruits reach full-grown size. This means they are best picked when they are about three to four inches long. Although some peppers can be harvested before they reach their ideal size, they might not taste as good as you expected.
4. Know the right texture and firmness
Jalapenos are ready to harvest when they feel firm to the touch. Gently squeeze the fruit, and if the skin feels too hard, then it means the pepper needs more time to grow and ripen. If the skin gives slightly, then the jalapeno is ready to be picked.
Best time of day to harvest jalapeno peppers
So, you have seen that your jalapeno fruits are ready for harvest – but do you know that there are better and worse times of the day to pick them up?
Gardening aficionados highly recommend harvesting jalapenos in the morning, before the sun hits them, to achieve the best quality fruits. Be careful, though, not to pick them too early in the morning, or there is a chance that the plant will still be wet. Let the morning dew dry a little bit to prevent the spread of fungal or bacterial pathogens.
In the evening is when jalapenos can regain the moisture lost during the day, so evening is not the best time for harvest.
Hence, pick your jalapenos when they are dry, but before it starts getting too hot outside. Picking at the right time will make your produce crisper, sweeter, juicier, and longer-lasting in your kitchen.
How do you pick jalapenos off the plant?
Harvesting jalapenos is a very simple process! There are two common ways of doing it – you can pull the fruits off by hand, or cut the stem with a sharp pair of scissors or pruning shears.
If you want to pick your jalapenos by hand, here is what you need to do: Gently pull at the stem of the fruit with one hand while the other hand holds the branch. Remember to pick the jalapeno in an upwards direction. Ideally, the pepper should pop off cleanly at the stem. Never twist or tear the fruits off the plant to avoid damaging the fruits and stems.
If you are using scissors, make sure to cut the stems carefully, leaving a short part of the stem attached to the fruit. Use sharp scissors or pruning shears to make a clean cut and avoid damaging the plant’s branches and leaves.
Lastly, do not forget to wear gloves! Peppers can sometimes split open while you pick them, leaving some of the capsaicin oil on your hands. Avoid touching sensitive areas like the eyes or lips after picking the fruit, as they will likely burn.
Do jalapenos get hotter when red?
If you are a first-time jalapeno grower, you might be wondering whether jalapeno fruits get hotter once they turn red?
The answer is yes! Jalapenos, like most peppers, become spicier as they mature to a red color, thanks to capsaicin, which is a compound produced inside the fruit while it grows. Most of the capsaicin chemical is concentrated in the seeds, which is why they are hotter than the flesh.
Another thing to remember is that jalapenos can continue to turn red after being harvested, depending on how ripe they were when you picked them. If your peppers are slightly red when you pick them, then they will likely continue to ripen and turn redder on your kitchen counter. However, if they are light green and unripe when picked, they will most likely never ripen or redden.
So, if you want red jalapenos, it is best to wait for the fruits to start to ripen and turn red while still attached to the plant. Let them mature throughout the growing season to harvest the sweetest and spiciest produce. However, if the winter months are approaching, it is best to harvest all of your jalapenos, whether they are ripe or underripe.
When should you not pick a jalapeno?
There are some instances when jalapenos should not be harvested for consumption.
The first case is if you notice the fruits starting to rot while still on the plant. Symptoms usually include water-soaked lesions on the fruit’s surface that progress into a slimy, deteriorating texture. You might also notice the produce beginning to emit a foul smell.
Generally, soft rot starts when bacteria penetrate the fruit. This can be caused by insects or sun-scald. If you are not careful, these pathogens can easily spread during harvest or when the plants are wet (either due to rain or morning dew). Hence, it is best to discard any fruits produced by the affected pepper plant.
Another case is if the peppers have been eaten by bugs. Although some fruits can still be safely eaten, depending on the pests you have in your garden, it is best to remove the affected fruits individually and discard them.
Conclusion
Picking your jalapenos at the right time is important for several reasons. You should pick the peppers when they have reached the right size and color, as these factors are indicators of the flavor and heat level of the fruit. The redder they are, the more spicy and sweet they will be. Harvesting your jalapenos at the right time of the day can also prevent the spread of pathogens that cause soft rot.
Hopefully, this article has given you all the information you need before your first jalapeno harvest. Happy planting!
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