Once a pepper reaches its full size, it can take two to four weeks to change color. The exact timing depends on the variety:
Peppers can take up to a month to fully ripen.
Hot peppers such as jalapeños and serranos usually begin to ripen within 10 to 14 days.
Some varieties remain permanently green because they have been selected that way, such as some green peppers.
How to fix it
Check the seed packet or plant label to confirm if your variety should be changing color. If your peppers are still within the normal ripening window, be patient and continue caring for them as usual.
What not to do
Don't assume your peppers will change color overnight. Ripening is a gradual process that varies depending phone number library on the variety and growing conditions.
Sunlight: Too Much or Too Little?
Peppers thrive in warm, sunny conditions, but too much heat or too little sunlight can delay ripening.
When heat becomes a problem
Peppers love the heat, but extreme temperatures can slow or even stop ripening. If daytime temperatures exceed 85°F (29°C), the plant prioritizes survival over fruit development. Instead of ripening, it focuses on retaining moisture and protecting itself from heat stress.
The impact of poor sun exposure
Peppers need at least six hours of direct sunlight a day, but eight or more hours is ideal. If your peppers are growing in partial shade, they may not be getting enough energy to complete the ripening process.
How to fix it
If temperatures are too high, create afternoon shade with a shade cloth or plant taller crops nearby to protect them.
If your peppers aren’t getting enough sunlight, move them to a sunnier spot or prune nearby plants that might block their light.
What not to do
Don't assume that unlimited exposure to the sun is beneficial. Excessive heat can actually stunt the ripening process rather than help it.
Are you overfeeding peppers?
Are you overfeeding peppers?
If your pepper plants have deep green leaves but few or no ripe fruit, you may have used too much nitrogen in your fertilizer.
The problem of excess nitrogen
Fertilizers contain three key nutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). The first number on a fertilizer label, such as 10-5-5, represents nitrogen.
Nitrogen is essential for leaf growth, but too much nitrogen causes the plant to prioritize foliage over fruit. As a result, you may end up with a beautiful plant full of leaves, but very few ripe peppers.
How to fix it
Switch to a low-nitrogen, high-potassium fertilizer, such as 5-10-10 or 3-5-7. Potassium promotes fruit development and ripening.
To naturally increase potassium levels, use organic solutions such as bone meal, banana peel fertilizer, or wood ash.
Once the peppers have started to form, stop fertilizing. This signals to the plant that it is time to shift energy toward ripening.
What not to do
Don't keep applying high nitrogen fertilizers in the hope of getting bigger fruit. Too much nitrogen will only further delay the ripening process.