As far as I know, you can eat them at any stage...these are bell type, aren't they? I'm surprised they didn't go from green to purple, but I've never grown that variety before. I think the most prolific bell peppers I ever grew were called Gypsy. They had green, yellow and orange peppers all at once. I think I will try to find them next year, I was very impressed. I'm picking my red bells while they are green, as I need them. I only see one that is beginning to turn color. Most were very late bearing fruit, so I have a feeling my red bells will mostly be used as green bells.

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

ROFL, I have gypsies, too Granny. Though, I haven't done my peppers any favors this year in that I somehow managed to put them all in the shade. That makes me terrifically sad because the two I put in the front yard have about twelve each in them. I might try these in containers next year. I'm also thinking about trying to overwinter some. I love them, but I'm the only one in the fam who does. I can't justify spending $1 to $1.50 for them at the store (no, I'm not exaggerating).

carolynp, I hear you about the price of peppers! I love the red ones, and they are seldom under $1 each, usually more.

I planted six red bells in the front yard in whiskey barrels, along with my flowers. They all grew very tall, but only two of them ever developed peppers. They get lots of sun, so I don't know why they won't produce. Another, from the same batch, just now started getting small peppers and it's absolutely loaded and still covered with blossoms (planted in regular soil with added peat moss and composted steer manure). The 8th one of the batch is in that same garden, but on the edge where there was nothing added to the soil. It's short, but has several peppers on it, and the only one that has a pepper turning red. One lone pepper plant that my neighbor gave me, from some spindly ones she bought on sale just 2-3 weeks ago (because it's too late to plant them) surprised me by setting several peppers on it immediately. It is doing better than some I planted in May!

Granny

Here is a link that might be useful: Annie's Kitchen Garden

I think purple peppers would be cool! Sorry the shady ones aren't growing so big, but maybe they will soon??
Red peppers are about $1 each on sale here, but my favorites which are orange & yellow are $2.99 - $3.99 each.
I'm going to put some in containers as well, there's just not enough spaces in my sfg boxes.
Let us know how those purples taste :) .

are you sure they arent' the ornamental kind? i have them, they are just tiny and cute!! but supposedly edible. i will find out. :') ~Medo

Purple peppers are unique in that they start out purple, and if left on the vine long enough they turn red.

I have yellow, red, green, and purple peppers growing - purple are the smallest of the bunch, and started purple, where the rest of them started green and then turned their eventual color.

They can be picked once they get 2.5"-3" in length (they don't get long like the other ones it seems), but the longer you leave them on, the sweeter they will be. I usually pick them before they turn red and sweet as I run out of patience :)

Hope that helps.

The variety is called purple beauty. I'm saving seeds for next season, even though they're small. They yellow bells are producing their little hearts out, though! I'm going to dehydrate the yellow, red and purple peppers for rice mixes during the winter.

yep, i have to get me a dehydrator, for peppers and the like!! although i read somewhere you can do that in your oven also. ohhhhh man ya know, i'd love some of those purple beauty pepper seeds!! **big grinn** yes, i am badd!! i love seeds!! i go into a store and i see seeds and i think OHHHH MY GOODNESS!!!! like now we are at my moms and i go out and i'm constantly looking at her plants for the ones that are ready for the seeds. so far i have some kind of purple torenia, and red low growing one i think nicotiana, and her dianthes. so i keep them seeds, LOL she never bothers with them. so next year she'll have TONS of volunteers i suspect!! LOL ~Medo

Hey Medo, email me your address and I'll send you some seeds I pulled out this weekend.