Great to be growing peppers and to be part of a fun community. I'm starting out with two poblano plants in the ground on the sunny side of my garage. I am attaching a photo of both plants.
It's a hot start to August in Northern Virginia (Fairfax County). The pepper plants are loving the weather. Yes, they were planted a little too close together ... I won't make that mistake next time.
I have a question about pruning the plants. They are getting tall (38") and leggy. Flowers are becoming numerous and I have one or two small pods growing. I'm wondering if I should prune them back to a shorter height or, at least, keep them from getting taller. I can tie them to the trellis to prevent sagging and breaking, but I'm concerned about how tall they will get if I let them.
Also, how many pods should I allow to grow? Should I be pinching off buds or flowers to keep numbers down?
Finally, should I be trimming off old, big leaves near the ground?
Thanks for your tips!
It's a hot start to August in Northern Virginia (Fairfax County). The pepper plants are loving the weather. Yes, they were planted a little too close together ... I won't make that mistake next time.
I have a question about pruning the plants. They are getting tall (38") and leggy. Flowers are becoming numerous and I have one or two small pods growing. I'm wondering if I should prune them back to a shorter height or, at least, keep them from getting taller. I can tie them to the trellis to prevent sagging and breaking, but I'm concerned about how tall they will get if I let them.
Also, how many pods should I allow to grow? Should I be pinching off buds or flowers to keep numbers down?
Finally, should I be trimming off old, big leaves near the ground?
Thanks for your tips!