You can harvest them at any time but if you let them begin to yellow up they are sweeter. Banana peppers can be used just like any other sweet pepper, fresh, fried, grilled, pickled, roasted, salads, cooked dishes, anything that calls for adding sweet peppers. ;)

There are lots of posts on how to post pictures that the search will pull up and there is a FAQ too on the GW FAQ page. But here are the basics.

First, upload your picture to a sever such as Photobucket, Flickr, etc. Copy the URL to your image (should start with http://). Then post this in the body of your reply message:

Of course, you replace my example.com address with the URL of the image.

On photobucket, the easiest IMO, just C&P the http address they give you for your picture. It is the 3 rd one down in the list and begins with Dave

Sorry Dave. I did a search through some posts and couldn't find the info on how to post pics. The "help" link at the bottom of the page was broken. I also read the instructions carefully. I missed the FAQ page. Thanks for the explanation and the advice on my peppers! :)

Here are some pictures including pics of my "almost-ready" banana peppers! :)
http://s832.photobucket.com/albums/zz248/ally99/

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden pics

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Good job posting your pics! Yeah I'd pick those peppers. ;)

Dave

PS: for future reference - good looking gardens but with all that wood chip mulch keep in mind that you are going to have to add extra nitrogen to the beds. The wood binds up any available nitrogen while it is decomposing. I'd also pull it back from the base of the plants by a couple of inches or so.

Thanks Dave! Yeah, I learned AFTER mulching that most people don't use wood chips in veggie gardens. Oops. Next year I plan to use wheat straw. Thanks for the suggestions! I'm definitely learning a TON this year, mostly from the mistakes I'm making. :-) Ally

Just a comment from Mr. Know-It-All here, but I thought I'd share this for any newbies.

When you go to harvest peppers, always use pruners or scissors to CUT them off individually. Pepper plants are really brittle, and if you tug at a pepper, the entire branch might break off, especially if it's heavy with other peppers.

Thanks! Dave, at the end of the season, would you recommend me getting a flat shovel and getting rid of the wood chips rather than tilling them in with my soil? I could use them in my front flower bed.
Thanks again all! :)

I just use a rake to pull the wood mulch off each year. I put it in the paths but you'll have to put it somewhere else. It is possible to use it if you remove it before turning the soil.

Dave, at the end of the season, would you recommend me getting a flat shovel and getting rid of the wood chips rather than tilling them in with my soil? I could use them in my front flower bed.

Your choice as it is about equal work. ;) But if you till them in then you will really have to beef up the nitrogen in the bed this fall and again in the spring. If I could use them elsewhere then yeah, I'd move most of them out of the garden beds.

Dave

Looks great!

Back to the main question, as to when pick/harvest peppers:

Peppers , similar to some garden veggies, are often picked young and tender.
You can leave them on the plant for weeks longer. No harm will be done.
As they mature will change color (from pale green, normall green, dark green) to yellow,
purple, orange ...and red. Ideally that is the ripe and full flavor pepper from which
one can save seeds for future planting. But, as I understand, you will harvest much fewer crops this way.
If you grow lots of peppers(of various) you can afford to let some of your peppers become colorful
and harvest some withe the INITIAL color for a more tender taste. I am in a position to follow my own advice this year.

Cyrus

That was VERY helpful information, Cyrus! Thanks so much! :)