Do you prune/top your pepper plants?

[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?

[nctomatoman]

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]

i don't prune peppers.

[Mudman]

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

[barryla61]

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

[Mojave]

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]

Not no but #%&% no.

Worth

[Boutique Tomatoes]

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]

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

[peppero]

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]

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]

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.

[chancethegardener]

This year I pruned my pepper plants and am having great results in terms of yield.

[RayR]

I don't know about increase in yield, I do have a Nardello that got its top chopped off in an accident, I guess I'll find out.
There is some science behind it, plants produce hormones called Auxins at the growing tip, which filter down the stem, the concentration of Auxins is higher the further up the stem you go and act as a growth inhibitor for auxiliary lateral buds. If the the top of the stem (apical bud) is pruned, that cuts off the supply of Auxins and the inhibiting effect, so the lateral buds start growing into new branches I noticed that effect on my damaged Nardello, the lateral buds neat the top of the broken stem started growing fast.

[FILMNET]

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?