2015 Pepper Topping

[jmsieglaff]

Last year I grew a pepper seed from a store bought pepper that I threw into some potting mix around Christmas. I ended up using that plant as an experiment--I topped it after 3 sets of true leaves and let it get bushy before eventually planting it in a pot on our deck. The plant ended up producing about 25-30 delicious orange bell peppers--definitely the most production I've had from a bell pepper plant.

So fast forward to 2015, I'm going to start my peppers very early so I can top them in a similar manner. After germination of my seedlings, I grow them under lights in the basement which is quite cool (~60F) so the growth is slow. It took maybe ~4 weeks for the side shoots in the topped pepper to develop leaves last year. The plants eventually move out to a cold frame for 2-3 weeks before they are planted in the ground.

My last frost date is ~May 5 and I usually plant peppers out May 15-25, depending on the year. So this year I'm starting the hot peppers on Jan 15 and the sweet peppers on Feb 1. I'm convinced the early start and topping is worthwhile, the starting dates are approximations that I will likely need to adjust in subsequent years, based on growth rates with my setup.

Anyone start peppers quite early, then top them before eventually planting out in the garden?

[JJJessee]

That's fantastic production from a container plant.
I topped a lot of my 2013 peppers, but didn't get that kind of results. Also had them in a cool grow area, but the start date was more like February.

This pair of Manzanos was started in November and I will top them and move them to a larger container in January. One or both will go in ground mid-late May.



What size pot did you start it in?

I'll sow my super hots in early Feb the sweet and mild mid-late March.
But I might try a few of those earlier if I have shelf space to experiment with.

[jmsieglaff]

I was pretty surprised on the production as well. Part of it was the extra-long season the plant got. The first flush of peppers ripened in late July and the second set ripened around frost in early October. So I don't know that I'll get that kind of production out of my garden plants given they can't be babied as much.

Last year that one seed was just a whim, threw it in some potting mix, moved to a small cup, planted up to a larger cup and then the final container was about 3 gallons.

This year I will start all my peppers like I usually do, mass plant in a saved food container, then select the best plants into 4" squares after they've gotten a true set of leaves. We'll see if they need to go up from there before they need to be planted out. In the past, since I grow cool, the 4" squares are sufficient, but with the earlier start and in theory more leaves, it may not be.

Part of the reason my cool temps works I think is because I don't grow super hots--just sweets, serranos, and fish peppers. Although this year I'm trying Aji Amarillo, so we'll how those do in the cooler starting environment.

[ddsack]

Hey, jm - I am going to have to force myself to do some early seedling topping of peppers too, this season. I am thinking of after the second set of true leaves because I'd rather do it earlier than later since my season is probably shorter even than yours. I don't like to prune or top anything, but PaddyMc posted some pictures on another board of various peppers he grew out as side-by-side topped and untopped and the production difference was significant.

[drew51]

With my peppers container size seemed to be the biggest factor. The bigger the container the more peppers. I did top some, but by the end of the year all branched out so much i couldn't tell anymore which ones were topped, and which were not. I start them about March 1st myself. Plant out is May 15th. Mine tended to grow best when the weather got warm. I staggered start dates too, and all looked the same once it got warm. So I didn't see an advantage to starting early. I did notice a difference with tomaotes though. Those started early did grow more, and bigger sooner. Seems the temps had less effect on them. I will only top peppers if they get too big on me before plant out.
I noticed some saying topping was better and grew both, but looking at the photos I noticed all the untopped plants were in smaller pots, and one guy admitted to less watering. My own experiment didn't really convince me either. But all gardening is local, do what works for you. If didn't really hurt them either in my experiments.

[Worth1]

I can see where topping the pepper plant would force the plant to put out branches sooner.
This would be of little use to someone from the southwest like myself as we have around 8 months of frost free growing here with plenty of sun and heat.

Worth

[Misfit]

I topped a Trinidad Scorpion that never produced. Due to getting in the ground late in the season, and lack of sufficient sunlight.

It's my 1st attempt at overwintering, and she seems to be happy so far. I'm seeing new growth as well.

-Jimmy

[heirloomtomaguy]

I never top my peppers. I have tried it in the past and for my growing season it does not work as good. I just let them grow and each super hot on average gives me several hundred peppers. Heck i was contemplating pulling my plants because i am so sick of picking peppers. As for sweets i usually only grow a few so my advise for topping them is limited. In a short growing season topping them might work better.

[ddsack]

Originally Posted by Worth1

I can see where topping the pepper plant would force the plant to put out branches sooner.
This would be of little use to someone from the southwest like myself as we have around 8 months of frost free growing here with plenty of sun and heat.

Worth

That's it exactly Worth. When you have a short season you don't really want to play catch up. I don't remove any early blossoms, because that means another two week set back for that plant, which amounts to almost 1/6 th of my actual pepper growing season which is mostly during June, July and August. I think early topping before any blossom formation could work. PaddyMc's pictures were I believe of plants in the ground. I grow both in pots and in the ground.

[roper2008]

I am going to try this on a few of my peppers to experiment.

[jmsieglaff]

Well I sowed 3 varieties of hot peppers on January 10, 2 of the 3 varieties (Aji Amarillo and Serrano are under the lights, while I'm still waiting on the Fish peppers (those are always slow for some reason for me).

They are tiny, but in past years I wasn't sowing hots until ~March 10. If anything with the topping and cool temps I grow them at, they won't be very big come plant out time ~May 20. But I'd rather err on the side of small than overgrown and unhappy. I'll be sowing sweet peppers tomorrow. I saved one Aji from a helmet head, as you can see there is another that hopefully and be guided off with some spraying and patience.

I'll post updates periodically if anyone is interested how the topping works out. I know I'll learn how far off my sowing dates are with the topping.

[Dutch]

Thanks Justin, for the update and the great pictures!
Dutch

[jmsieglaff]

Originally Posted by Misfit

I topped a Trinidad Scorpion that never produced. Due to getting in the ground late in the season, and lack of sufficient sunlight.

It's my 1st attempt at overwintering, and she seems to be happy so far. I'm seeing new growth as well.

-Jimmy

Are the slightly longer days getting some more growth going on that pepper? At some point I want to try overwintering a pepper plant, if nothing else but just to try it.

[peppero]

I will be topping all my new plants this year because of the results others have posted as well as my own. I topped some tall established plants last year and this resulted in stockier plants and good production.. The over wintered peppers were all topped and have been putting out new growth even though they are in a 40-50 degree (sometimes in the 30s) situation. It is hard waiting for outdoor planting time.

jon

[Misfit]

Originally Posted by jmsieglaff

Are the slightly longer days getting some more growth going on that pepper? At some point I want to try overwintering a pepper plant, if nothing else but just to try it.

Hey there jmsieglaff... yes I'm noticing a very little bit of growth. I think the plant has probably mostly gone dormant. It's in a southern facing window, no lights, and maybe at 68* most of the day.

Heck, give it a try; it's my first attempt after watching a few YouTube videos

I'm sure there's others here that are way more experienced than me at overwintering, and may chime in.

Happy growing!

-Jimmy