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-   -   Do you prune/top your pepper plants? (http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=23590)

barryla61 June 23, 2012 04:18 PM

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?

nctomatoman June 23, 2012 04:57 PM

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 08:35 PM

i don't prune peppers.

Mudman June 23, 2012 10:09 PM

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

barryla61 June 24, 2012 09:44 AM

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

Mojave June 26, 2012 06:04 PM

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 06:26 PM

Not no but #%&% no.:twisted:

Worth

Boutique Tomatoes June 26, 2012 06:44 PM

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. [B][I]Maybe[/I][/B] if you were down south and had a super long season, but I didn't prune in Florida either.

OneDahlia June 26, 2012 10:40 PM

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

peppero June 27, 2012 07:23 AM

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 :roll::surprised:

dpurdy June 27, 2012 07:49 AM

[QUOTE=barryla61;285809]Saw a video on youtube where this would increase plant growth and production.
Is it so?
If so, how do you prune your plants?[/QUOTE]

[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]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. [/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]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.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]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.[/SIZE][/FONT][/FONT][/SIZE]
[FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]DP[/SIZE][/FONT]

b54red July 1, 2012 11:04 AM

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 July 3, 2012 01:31 AM

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

RayR July 3, 2012 10:58 PM

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 July 4, 2012 06:56 AM

[QUOTE=b54red;287563]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.[/QUOTE]
6 FT Tall!!!!!!!!!!!!!! pepper plant?


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