These are probably really silly questions, but I have a couple of vegetable questions. First, for peppers. When is the best time to pick/eat them? Green? or should you wait until they turn their "ripe" color? Or anytime? Does it make a difference on flavor, nutritive quality?

Second, for beans. What is meant by use fresh or for shelling? Do you shell the mature fresh beans and eat them that way? Can you also dry them and use them as a dry bean?

These are probably obvious, but I don't know so I thought I'd ask.

Thanks!

-- Trisha-MN (coldguinea@netscape.net), January 29, 2002

Answers

If you let your bell peppers get red, they will have a sweeter flavor.

-- Cindy in NY (cjpopeck@worldnet.att.net), January 29, 2002.

use for fresh means to pick them when they arent too big,,, and cook like regular green beans. Bell peppers can be picked at any time...the redder the sweeter...i let some go red and pick some green...saves me money on the EXPENSIVE ones at the grocery..

-- Kristean Thompson (pigalena_babe@yahoo.com), January 29, 2002.

For shelling means as a dry bean, I believe.

-- Soni (thomkilroy@hotmail.com), January 29, 2002.

shelling beans are the type that are best for drying, wait until the pods are completely dry and crumble in your hand. Put them in a paper bag and then beat the tar out of it, empty the beans onto a screen and seperate from the pod. Peppers I like them both, easier to stuff when they're green I think.

-- Keith (peepee125@hotmail.com), January 29, 2002.

Trisha,

Well, it depends what color the pepper is supposed to be when ripe. I have had peppers that go from Green to purple to red and finally mature to an Orange color (they are called sunset hot peppers, really bueautiful when they are at different stages of maturity) the whole plant is bursting with color!! The more you pick the peppers, the more you will get. Also when you first get blooms, cut them all off, this will force the plant to produce a larger amount of blooms and then you will have more peppers to eat and give away!!

-- Andy in MD (andy@mission4me.com), January 29, 2002.

Trisha when you plant beans like pinto, great northern or other shelled bean they can be left on the plant for dry beans like the ones you get in the store or they can be picked when they are mature but not dry and shelled as fresh beans. Most beans that are used as green beans are labeled for green beans because of the tender shell , are stringless and are eaten at a immature stage. These same beans can be held over as used as shelled beans but are usally raised for green beans. As for the peppers , pick them and try them at differnt stage of maturity .

-- sherry in Arkansas (chickadee259@yahoo.com), January 29, 2002.

It is my understanding that ripening peppers to the red stage increases their vitamin C content significantly.

-- Nina (Ingardenwithcat@hotmail.com), January 30, 2002.