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Picking pods or snipping?

Wolfman0709

Wolfman0709

I was just wondering about harveting techniques. I have heard that ripping the stem of the pod off the plant is traumatic for the plants. I was doing research that suggested that snipping the pods off is a much better way to harvest. Have any of you run across this debate or have done this in practice? I certainly want to use harvesting practices that are going to encourage more fruit, not less.
 
I'm a "snipper" because I have broken and split branches when carelessly pulling. Some varieties snap off very easily though (habs). In general, I say keep keen snippers (like my mini Fiskars) handy and snip.
 
Depending on the variety, I pull or snip - mainly snipping with my little Corona though. With certain bush varieties (e.g. Pequin, Thai Hot, Chinese 5 Color) I begin snipping, then eventually get pissed or overburdened with abundance that I start ripping...
 
last year i picked them off but i only grw orange habs, serranos and jalapenos...this year im going to be snipping because some of the stems on my peppers like the NuMex Barkers Hot are really big stems and i dont want to break of a branch on accident
 
I feel like its been overlooked that its important to sterlize your equipment in between plants so as not to cross contaminate anything that might or might not be there.

I've read of people harvesting with clippers, and spreading some infection they didn't realize they had across all their plants.
 
Now that's an interesting thought. I had not considered that possibility, although the same thing could happen through just contact, right?
 
My plant that is supposed to be a brain strain has pods that come right off if you bend out upwards right where it connects to the stem. I had an unknown plant that I grew during winter and the pods were hard to pull off. So depending on the type of plant I either pull or cut
 
I have my first pods developing which makes this question of utmost importance right now. Does anyone else have thoughts on this matter? Logically, I feel like the plant would be pushing all of it's energy into those pods, so a half stem still being there seems like it would confuse the nutrient delivery system. LOL... like sending mail to an abandoned house.
 
I've destroyed lots of plants by trying to snap off pods,.and many others have documented this too. Now I actaully find it quicker to harvest with scissors
 
Wolf - I prune my plants all the time to redirect its energy, and plants in general cope just fine with the vagaries of nature and growers. My cat loves to randomly munch portions of leaves from all over the plants (why can't you just eat one whole leaf a$$hole!?!), and it doesn't affect the plants to any great degree.

So in the event you are hand-picking plants rather than snipping and you accidentally snap a branch in half, the pods remaining on the branch will still grow just fine - possibly larger and quicker. The key with hand picking is being gentle enough not to damage the plant irreparably - like leaving a gaping wound that just invites unwanted infections or bugs. The safest approach is to use snippers - but if not on-hand, just pull the pods carefully...
 
jsschrstrcks said:
I feel like its been overlooked that its important to sterlize your equipment in between plants so as not to cross contaminate anything that might or might not be there.

I've read of people harvesting with clippers, and spreading some infection they didn't realize they had across all their plants.
Click to expand...
Is it possible it was insects rather than the clippers? It seems as though either method could transfer disease.
 
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