How to ripen your peppers quickly before the first frost

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Anyone else dreading winter? 🙋 In more northern climates, the first frost is right around the corner, which means the end of pepper season.

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Like me, you may have peppers that are not fully ripened yet. While peppers won't grow in chilly temps, the fruit can be left on the plant to ripen until your first frost.

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Protect them from chilly nights

Cream Section Separator To eek just a couple more weeks out of your season, you can cover your pepper plants with frost blankets any time the nighttime temperatures dip below 45 degrees. Learn more

If you know the end is near, snipping off new flowers can help your plant use its energy more effectively to finish ripening any green fruit. Also consider pruning small undeveloped fruit to conserve energy towards the ones that are likely to ripen in time.

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Make sure they have adequate nutrition

Cream Section Separator Potassium is vital to fruit development, so don't stop fertilizing now! Make sure that your peppers have the ideal nutrients for this stage of growth to get as much out of the season as you can. Learn more

It's possible for peppers to ripen indoors, but it's best to leave them on the plant as long as possible. Placing them in a sunny windowsill or a paper bag can help them finish changing color. Check them daily for mold and discard any spoiled fruit.

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Will my peppers come back next year?

Cream Section Separator Most climates in the US are too cold in the winter to support outdoor overwintering of peppers. Peppers are usually treated as an annual, dying off in the winter and needing to be re-planted in spring. Learn more

It's possible to overwinter peppers indoors so they have a faster start next year. Prune them down to a Y, remove the plant from the soil, and thoroughly rinse the roots. Then you'll want to replant it in new, sterile soil and leave it somewhere cool (but not cold) over winter.

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Get the free guide to growing chili peppers

The "green thumb" is a myth — with the right information, anyone can successfully grow peppers. Enjoy this free 34-page guide to help you grow an abundant harvest. Cream Section Separator Get the free guide