Pruning Pepper Suckers

[AloxVanFren]

Should pepper suckers be pruned ? Can those suckers produce buds and therefore peppers ? And what could be potential advantages of pruning them ? 

 

[juanitos]

lateral branches are wanted they will produce fruit. what makes the plant bushy.
 
you can prune them if you want a longer producing branch like in greenhouses that tie them up. (video reference)

 

[cruzzfish]

Peppers produce suckers? If suckers means the baby plants from the roots, I've never seen that in nearly six years of growing.

 

[solid7]

Peppers produce suckers? If suckers means the baby plants from the roots, I've never seen that in nearly six years of growing.

 
Yeah, sorta beat me to that punch.  There are no suckers on a pepper plant.  A sucker would be a vegetative replication of the plant that could survive separation, with nothing more than what natures has supplied it.  And by that, I mean, survive without being cloned or grafted.
 
I'm curious to see what is being referred to.  I presume that it's just new branch growth, but that's merely an assumption...

 

 

[AloxVanFren]

I referred to new growth that starts growing between V shape on pepper plant, I know that its called suckers on tomato plants so I thought it could be same.

 

[sirex]

More branches = more nodes = more pods.

 

[juanitos]

Peppers produce suckers? If suckers means the baby plants from the roots, I've never seen that in nearly six years of growing.

side branches call suckers sometimes.

 

[solid7]

I referred to new growth that starts growing between V shape on pepper plant, I know that its called suckers on tomato plants so I thought it could be same.

 
Not called the same on peppers, but OK, and no don't prune.

 

[AJ Drew]

Think of plant leaves as solar panels that provide energy for the entire plant.  On tomato, there is argument back and forth on the subject.  I get the feeling one of the reasons for pruning is the way many want to sprawl if you dont cage the hell out of them.  Pruning them can help the main stem to be much thicker, it also helps by keeping the fruit developing where you want it so the thing doesnt fall over.  I have read many claim it also helps to produce larger fruit, but I wonder if that is not at the cost of total production weight.

This is my first year growing in a high tunnel.  I am pruning but only for space.  Next year I will plant at a greater distance.  So I say if you have the space, just let it grow.

 

[LordHill]

Tomatoes have suckers you should pick. On peppers, what you would describe as suckers are the branches that actually produce peppers

 

[AloxVanFren]

I want to thank everyone for replies, I'm not expert in plant morphology but thanks for info !!! And regarding to tomatoes I only trim suckers to water propagate them and make more plants !! 

 

[The_NorthEast_ChileMan]

side branches call suckers sometimes.

The only pix I could find about this was http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/2093578/to-pinch-off-pepper-suckers-or-not as I know what tomato suckers are but never heard it used as to peppers. I've never pruned peppers, have experimented with topping on leggy seedlings, and think not.