Harvest guide

Chili pepper harvest guide: when to pick and how much to expect

Chili peppers such as jalapeños can be picked green or left to colour and grow hotter. This guide covers timing, yield and the easiest ways to keep a big harvest.

Days to harvest: 70–80 days from transplanting(Montana State University Extension)
Harvest months: July–October(RHS)
Typical yield: 2.3 kg per 3 m row (5 lb per 10 ft)(Montana State University Extension)
Spacing: 38–45 cm (15–18 in) apart(RHS)
Family: Solanaceae (nightshade family)
Botanical name: Capsicum annuum (jalapeño and most garden chilies)

Chili pepper planting and harvest calendar

Sow February–April. Plant out May–June. Harvest July–October.(RHS)

Chili pepper season timeline

Sow
Plant out
Harvest

Months are for a temperate Northern Hemisphere climate, based on RHS (UK) guidance. Shift them earlier or later to match your own frost dates, or by about six months in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sow
Plant out
Harvest

When to harvest chili peppers

To get the most chilies, pick them green, either to use straight away or to finish ripening in the kitchen.(RHS)
Leaving early fruit on the plant to colour gives a richer, hotter flavour but means far fewer new flowers and a smaller crop.(RHS)

How often to pick

Pick regularly through summer. Fruits that set late in the season can be left on the plant to ripen fully.(RHS)

Figure for peppers in general.(Montana State University Extension)

How many chili peppers to expect

A 3 m (10 ft) row typically gives about 2.3 kg (5 lb). Figure for peppers in general.(Montana State University Extension)

Yields vary with variety, weather, soil and care. Treat these as ballpark figures, not targets.

Plan for your family

For 4 people eating chili peppers fresh, plan on about 8–12 plants(University of Missouri Extension).

Figure for peppers in general.

See the full planting-per-person guide →

Storing your chili peppers

Chilies are easy to keep through winter: dry them, freeze them or pickle them.(RHS)
Fresh peppers keep about two weeks at around 13 °C (55 °F).(University of Minnesota Extension)

Track it

Log every chili pepper harvest

Harvest Journal is a private garden journal for your phone. Tap to log each picking of chili peppers by weight or count, and see your season add up, with no account needed.

Prefer paper? Make a free harvest report PDF in your browser, with no account needed.

Chili pepper harvest FAQ

Should I pick chilies green or red?

Both work. The RHS explains that picking green gives you more chilies overall, while letting them ripen on the plant gives a richer, hotter flavour but a smaller harvest.