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Small Super Chilli Plant Fruiting Early, Should I Pick Pods?

H

HotBhut

Hi All

I have a number of chilli plants in a grow tent under LED grow lights, varieties include the following:

Bhut Jolokia
Trinidad Scorpion Moruga Red
Carolina Reaper
Numex Twilight
Orange Habanero
Super Chilli

They are under lights due to long germination and lack of good light and are coming along nicely, the Super Chilli plant has been so far the larger plant of the lot and is now around 14 cm tall and not too bushy yet.

This plant already has flowers and is setting fruit pods already, my worry is that the plant is still rather small and not sure whether to pick the pods off or allow them to grow? - Is the plant still too small and should it be allowed to grow more before it fruits to ensure it can take the weight?

Please any advise would be welcomed as I would like to ensure I take the best course of action to help the plant.

Many thanks
 
HotBhut
 
Its all up to you.

You want some peppers soon then don't.

If you want a lot of pods later then yes.
 
I would like a bigger harvest really, my worry is the plant isn't big enough and needs to grow more, surely putting its effort into making fruit will stunt the growth of the plant which will mean less fruit later on.
 
I have already picked one pod using this logic but has started to produce more already, not sure what the best course of action is now I just feel a 14 cm plant is small.
 
Thanks for reply but is there any further advise?
 
HotBhut
 
OK. I'm at home now. Let me explain.

By keeping the pods on the plant tells itself " hey, I'm making pods. Gots to put most of my energy into making the best pods to carry on the lineage." And diverts most of its energy into podding instead of vegetative growth.

If you pick the buds it will remain in vegetative growth instead of flowering mode and put its energy into building a strong root stock and getting bigger and tougher foliage and stems.
 
Had a similar situation with a Chocolate Scorpion. Finally picked the pods. All my other plants settled into transplant in 2 weeks and are loaded with branching at all nodes... my CTS has none. Since plucking, the tiniest green at one node finally. It's about 1-2 weeks behind the rest.
 
So the general advise would be to pick the set chilli pods and the flowers/buds to encourage vegative growth correct?
Only other thought is would this not cause more flower buds to appear, as I have picked a pod and others appeared?
 
Thanks for the advise and the replies much appreciated.
 
HB
 
For my outdoor grow, I mostly grow Superchiles.  I do this because the lighting conditions in my garden aren't ideal.  This coupled with my short growing season, makes it hard for me to grow long season varieties— one's that take 100 or so days to fruit.  Even with my crappy lighting situation, the Superchiles produce ripe fruit in 60 days.  I also found that the plants are normally short and bushy.
 
So, if I were you, I'd just let nature take its course.  Pick the ripe pods and and leave the flowers alone.  I've never seen any Chile grow ripe fruits faster than the Superchile.  I believe it was bred for short growing zones.
 
Good luck whatever you do, but I think your Superchile is behaving normally and you should should just pick the ripe pods and leave the flowers alone.
 
Thank you for the advise much appreciated, I thought I would post some images so you can see where I'm coming from.
 
My biggest concern is that this plants harvest is a bumper crop and not just a few as the plant cannot cope with the weight or has enough follage to grow enough pods.
 

 

 

 

 
Thanks for looking and any additional comments.
 
HB
 
I agree with the others. If you want a few pods now, let it do it's thing. If you want a bountiful harvest later, pick them and let it veg for a bit longer. If it were me, and this just me, I would pick them and let your plants grow a bit. This is what I do when my flower prematurely.
 
I personally don't believe that picking the pods will snap the plant out of fruiting mode. It's fruiting because the conditions are telling it to. Will picking pods make the plant focus on other areas other than the pod that is now gone? Obviously, but it will probably just focus on setting more flowers elsewhere. At least this is what I have experienced through trial. Picking flowers does not put the plant in a different phase of growth ...it simply transfers focus. 
 
Thank you all for the advise, I have decided to pinch the pods and flowers off and see what happens, hopefully it will veg more if not I think I will top the plant and hope it spreads to accommodate later pods.
 
Thanks again for the valued advise.
 
HB
 
HotBhut said:
Thank you for the advise much appreciated, I thought I would post some images so you can see where I'm coming from.
 
My biggest concern is that this plants harvest is a bumper crop and not just a few as the plant cannot cope with the weight or has enough follage to grow enough pods.
 

 

 

 

 
Thanks for looking and any additional comments.
 
HB
Click to expand...
Nice grow room - what kind of lights are you using that give that pink look to the pictures?
 
The grow light is a "Prakasa 200W COB LED" full spectrum.
 

 

 

 
These lights are good considering they are LED and was a little unsure if they would be as good as HIDs, but I would say the growth with HIDs would be a little more but they are certainly worth using as there isn't much in it now at all between HIDs and new LED lamps.
 
Biggest advantage is the electricity bill, these lights hardly make a difference and are on 18 hours a day, highly recommended!
 
HB
 
HotBhut said:
The grow light is a "Prakasa 200W COB LED" full spectrum.
 

 

 

 
These lights are good considering they are LED and was a little unsure if they would be as good as HIDs, but I would say the growth with HIDs would be a little more but they are certainly worth using as there isn't much in it now at all between HIDs and new LED lamps.
 
Biggest advantage is the electricity bill, these lights hardly make a difference and are on 18 hours a day, highly recommended!
 
HB
Click to expand...
Nice - I'm thinking about getting an LED myself.  How is the heat output compared to florescents and CFLs?
 
Temperature is minimal, they stay pretty cool and the electric consumption is minimal if not next to nothing, approx 90% less power usage than HID lights.
 
In my grow room when closed maximum temp gets to about 85 degrees and compared to HIDs I have used in the past I always had to keep an eye on temperature spikes and adjust the room conditions accordingly.
 
Personally I have never used florescent lights at all only HIDs (HPS) so couldn't give an opinion on these sorry.
 
Many people have opinions on LEDs vs HIDs but after using the Prakasa COB Full spectrum LEDs, I would say the tech has moved on loads and IMO new LEDs lamps are now true contenders to HID lighting.
 
Advice to anyone would be give them a try, I'm sure you will be please with the results.
 
HB
 
Not really surprised that the super chili is already putting out pods. Its got a relatively short grow season with 75 days to harvest. I've grown them before and they are good producers. Pinch them or not you should get a lot.

Neil
 
In my experience I will pluck the first few sets of buds to promote vegetative growth wen the plant splits. After that let em grow. I Have a short season here in Minnesota but always lots of super hot peppers.
 
Thanks for the advise guys, have picked pods and flowers and so far growing more veg once again.
Flowers are already starting to come back so will leave now and see what happens.
 
Will post some more picks in a week or two.
 
Thanks again
 
HB
 
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