Our red pepper plants are healthy and have borne some large GREEN peppers; there is not a hint of red, and they appear ripe.

to NGA!
It takes a lot of patience. They will eventually begin to turn red, I promise. I also have a red bell pepper plant that seems like it will never "ripen" to red. But some of them are gradually starting to. They certainly have been testing my patience. (not one of my strong virtues) But I'm learning...Patience!

Welcome to NGA, @kferrebee !

Are these bell peppers? or hot peppers? Either way, they should turn red ( although some types turn other colors, yellow, orange, brown, etc.) when they are truly "ripe." When you say "they appear ripe," what do you mean, exactly? I think if you leave them on the plant a while longer you will begin to see the color change.

ALL green peppers are just other color peppers before they change color. Most are red peppers before they get red. You could certainly pick them like that and use them. That's up to you. Or pick some and leave some to get red.

robynanne said:ALL green peppers are just other color peppers before they change color. Most are red peppers before they get red. You could certainly pick them like that and use them. That's up to you. Or pick some and leave some to get red.

Excellent way of putting it. They would be just fine picked now if they appear ready but eventually they do turn colors.

Thing is it takes a long time as everyone has mentioned. And sometimes things go wrong and the peppers start to rot by that time.