Do you prune/top your pepper plants?

barryla61 · June 23, 2012

Saw a video on youtube where this would increase plant growth and production.
Is it so?
If so, how do you prune your plants?

**nctomatoman** · June 23, 2012

No, I don't touch pepper plants - they do just fine growing the way they wish to. In fact, they kind of prune themselves as the year goes on because it is hard to remember to keep them well tied - and the branches are brittle. A few that load up with peppers seem to break off the branch each year.

biscgolf · June 23, 2012

i don't prune peppers.

Mudman · June 23, 2012

Prune my tomatoes to one vine, and even I don't touch a pepper plant.

barryla61 · June 24, 2012

Think I'll do a test and prune 1 or 2 to see if it makes a difference

Mojave · June 26, 2012

I've topped three of my plants this year, first time I've tried it. They seem to be doing very well and getting bushier than my non-topped peppers.

I prune my tomatoes to one vine, but by the season's end I usually can't keep up.

Worth1 · June 26, 2012

Not no but #%&% no.

Worth

Boutique Tomatoes · June 26, 2012

After I put so much work into getting them to grow at all? I prune most tomato plants to two stems but I've never willingly pruned a pepper plant. Maybe if you were down south and had a super long season, but I didn't prune in Florida either.

OneDahlia · June 26, 2012

I don't, but the groundhog did for me.

peppero · June 27, 2012

i don't prune them but the local deer have and i must say that the results were good. maybe i should do a little experimentating. jon

dpurdy · June 27, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by barryla61

Saw a video on youtube where this would increase plant growth and production.
Is it so?
If so, how do you prune your plants?

I personally don't prune pepper plants. There have been studies on pruning of pepper plants at some major universities and those studies show that pruning at the beginning of the season, before the plant has set fruit, is suppose to help increase yield. The theory was that increased air circulation and more sunlight will help the plant to produce more fruit. Actually, less fruit was produced during these studies when pruning bell peppers. Doing early season pruning did increase the size of the peppers though. Less yield, bigger fruit doing this type of pruning.
Late season pruning of pepper plants will help the fruit that are still on the plant to ripen quicker than if not pruned. It helps the plant to focus it's energy on the remaining fruit.
Late season pruning can be done a few weeks before your first frost. Trim all small branches that don't have fruit on them as well as any small fruit and flowers that you know won't be able to reach maturity. The plant will then devote it's entire energy to ripening the remaining fruit. This method is very similar to what some people do to their tomato plants as the growing season is winding down.
DP

b54red · July 1, 2012

I have one bell pepper plant that is already 6 ft tall and it has only one small green pepper on it. I was thinking I might top the two or three taller branches and see if it would put a little energy into setting fruit instead of going straight up. I have a couple do this every year and they are never very productive. I am not talking about plants that are thick and eventually reach 6 or 7 ft tall but ones that seem to just grow straight up with few lateral branches.

FILMNET · July 4, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by b54red

I have one bell pepper plant that is already 6 ft tall and it has only one small green pepper on it. I was thinking I might top the two or three taller branches and see if it would put a little energy into setting fruit instead of going straight up. I have a couple do this every year and they are never very productive. I am not talking about plants that are thick and eventually reach 6 or 7 ft tall but ones that seem to just grow straight up with few lateral branches.

6 FT Tall!!!!!!!!!!!!!! pepper plant?

PA_Julia · July 4, 2012

Wow!! I'd like to see that myself!!

My bell pepper plants are approx two feet tall and that's after a regimented program of fertilizer and watering after being planted May 11th.
I do, however have five peppers growing on one and four on the other.

Julia

Quote:

Originally Posted by FILMNET

6 FT Tall!!!!!!!!!!!!!! pepper plant?

lakelady · July 4, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by FILMNET

6 FT Tall!!!!!!!!!!!!!! pepper plant?

well those are my sentiments as well! Holy cow!

June 23, 2012	#1
barryla61 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Bedford, VA Posts: 257	Do you prune/top your pepper plants? Saw a video on youtube where this would increase plant growth and production. Is it so? If so, how do you prune your plants?

June 23, 2012	#2
nctomatoman Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Hendersonville, NC zone 7 Posts: 10,385	No, I don't touch pepper plants - they do just fine growing the way they wish to. In fact, they kind of prune themselves as the year goes on because it is hard to remember to keep them well tied - and the branches are brittle. A few that load up with peppers seem to break off the branch each year. __________________ Craig

June 23, 2012	#4
Mudman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: NW Wisconsin Posts: 910	Prune my tomatoes to one vine, and even I don't touch a pepper plant. __________________ Mike

June 26, 2012	#6
Mojave Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: SF Bay area Z9a Posts: 821	I've topped three of my plants this year, first time I've tried it. They seem to be doing very well and getting bushier than my non-topped peppers. I prune my tomatoes to one vine, but by the season's end I usually can't keep up. __________________ Bill _______________________________________________ When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe. -John Muir Believe those who seek the Truth: Doubt those who find it. -André Gide

June 27, 2012	#10
peppero Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: selmer, tn Posts: 2,944	pruning peppers i don't prune them but the local deer have and i must say that the results were good. maybe i should do a little experimentating. jon

June 23, 2012	#3
biscgolf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Virginia Posts: 353	i don't prune peppers.

June 24, 2012	#5
barryla61 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Bedford, VA Posts: 257	Think I'll do a test and prune 1 or 2 to see if it makes a difference

June 26, 2012	#7
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Not no but #%&% no. Worth

June 26, 2012	#8
Boutique Tomatoes Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Northeast Wisconsin, Zone 5a Posts: 1,109	After I put so much work into getting them to grow at all? I prune most tomato plants to two stems but I've never willingly pruned a pepper plant. *Maybe* if you were down south and had a super long season, but I didn't prune in Florida either.

June 26, 2012	#9
OneDahlia Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: 7a NO. VA. Posts: 202	I don't, but the groundhog did for me.

July 1, 2012	#12
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I have one bell pepper plant that is already 6 ft tall and it has only one small green pepper on it. I was thinking I might top the two or three taller branches and see if it would put a little energy into setting fruit instead of going straight up. I have a couple do this every year and they are never very productive. I am not talking about plants that are thick and eventually reach 6 or 7 ft tall but ones that seem to just grow straight up with few lateral branches.