Late season often means a plant full of green pods and nights that are already too cool for them to colour up outside. You can still ripen many of those chillies at home. Below are four methods we use (or combine), from leaving fruit on the plant a little longer to hanging whole plants upside-down.
For a wider list of what to do with unripe harvests (including cooking ideas), see What to do with un-ripened peppers.
Why chillies stay green
Chillies ripen with warmth, light, and time. Cold nights, short autumn days, or a heavy set of fruit can leave pods green long after you hoped they would turn. Green does not mean bad: it is usually an earlier stage of the same fruit. Some varieties are also meant to be eaten green.
1. Leave them on the plant (if frost is not imminent)
If daytime temperatures are still mild and frost is not forecast:
- Keep watering lightly so the plant does not wilt.
- Pick any fully ripe pods so the plant can push energy into the green ones.
- Protect overnight with fleece if nights dip low.
This is the gentlest option, but it only works while the weather cooperates.
2. Paper bag with a ripe fruit
Pick firm, healthy green chillies (skip soft or damaged pods). Put them in a paper bag with a ripe apple or banana. Ethylene from the ripe fruit helps colouring. Keep the bag somewhere warm and check every few days. Move any chilli that softens or spots out of the bag.
3. Sunny windowsill
Lay green chillies in a single layer on a tray or plate in a warm, bright spot indoors. Turn them every couple of days. This is slower than the bag method for many varieties, but easy and low-mess. Avoid a cold windowsill at night.
4. Hang the whole plant upside-down
When frost is coming and the plant is still loaded with green pods, pull the plant, wrap the roots so they do not dry out too fast, and hang it upside-down in a dry basement, garage, or shed. Many pods continue to ripen over the following weeks. We have used this late-October approach with good results; full steps and photos are on the un-ripened peppers post.
What not to do
- Do not seal chillies in a plastic bag with no airflow (mould risk).
- Do not expect every pod to turn fully ripe; some will stay green or go soft.
- Do not leave harvested chillies in a cold, damp spot.
Prefer to cook them green?
If you need the space or the pods will not colour, use them green in pickles, salsas, and everyday cooking. If you need kitchen ideas now, the cooking section in What to do with un-ripened peppers is a solid start. For longer storage, see How to freeze chillies.
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