How to Harvest a Peppercorn

Black pepper (piper nigrum) is a spicy seasoning used in foods across the world. The peppercorns are technically a fruit and grow on vines. Growing pepper at home can be a difficult task, as the plants require high levels of heat and humidity. The different colors of pepper depend on the maturity of the fruit when picked, but the harvesting technique is identical.

Mesh screen

Instructions

- 1
  Wait until the plants have matured and bear fruit, which are the desired color. Pepper plants need at least a year to mature. They produce red, green, white and then black peppercorn as the fruit ripens.
- 2
  Pick the peppercorns off the plant. They hang down in thin bunches and appear similar to a seed pop.
- 3
  Pick the individual peppercorns off the stem and lay them out on a fine mesh screen. The mesh needs to be small enough so the peppercorns do not fall through.
- 4
  Leave the peppercorns in direct sunlight for several days, turning them occasionally. The best way to check the readiness of a peppercorn is to try to grind one up. If it is hard and crisp when ground, it is ready to use.

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