Green, yellow or brown? You can easily tell when bananas are ripe by the color of the peel. But be careful: depending on the type of banana, the degree of ripeness is noticeable in a different color. You can recognize ripe bananas by these characteristics.
When are bananas ripe?
Bananas are usually ripe when theyellow peel has brown speckles- at least this applies to the popular fruit bananas. Plantain bananas, however, remaingreeneven when ripe, while other varieties such as the pink dwarf bananared or even purple fruitstrain.
When do green bananas turn yellow?
Pure yellow fruit bananas are not quite ripe yet, but are still in the ripening process. Only when the fruits have brown speckles or are almost completely brown in color are they considered fully ripe. However, you can also buy green bananas (or harvest them from your own banana tree) and let themripen in a bright and warm place. This works well on a windowsill, for example. The ripening process can also be accelerated by placingripe apples in the immediate vicinity. These give off the ripening gas ethylene, which causes the unripe bananas to turn yellow more quickly. However, keep in mind that – see above – not all banana varieties turn yellow!
When should you harvest bananas?
If the first small fruits have formed on your banana plant, then with appropriate care they should be ready for harvesting withinone to one and a half years. Keep the plant warm all year round, water and fertilize it as needed and, above all, ensure there is sufficient light and high humidity in the dark winter months. For this purpose, additional plant lamps can be installed, for example. The young fruits can also be harvested while still green, i.e. unripe, and then ripen as described.
Tip
Can you eat green bananas?
Whether you can still eat green bananas depends on the variety. Green fruit bananas are actually edible, but due to their high starch content they can be difficult for sensitive people to stomach. Green plantains, on the other hand, are not suitable for eating raw, but should be prepared like potatoes - for example boiled, fried, baked or deep-fried.
