does anyone know how to make superhot pepper leaf smaller?

lek · Feb 16, 2017

does anyone know how to make superhot pepper leaf smaller? i don't know why the size of all my superhot pepper leaf are too large.

here is my apocalypse pepper. height of seedling is only 9cm but the length of leaf is 12cm.

my jay's peach ghost scorpion

my bhut jolokia white

planted in clay soil. water everyday in the evening.

i need smaller leaf. anyone know how?

stettoman · Feb 16, 2017

Were it me, I'd be bragging. Those are dammed healthy plants.

Hybrid Mode 01 · Feb 16, 2017

If they get too big just cut them off? :think:

Malarky · Feb 16, 2017

why do you want smaller leaves?

austin87 · Feb 16, 2017

Could that be too much nitrogen? Anyways just like in bonsai you can snip the leaf off at it's base (http://lifeofplant.blogspot.com/2011/03/leaf-anatomy.html) leaving the petiole intact and the new growth will be more compact.

Pr0digal_son · Feb 16, 2017

I'm not sure if this post is asking for help,or an attempt at tooting your own horn? As mentioned,if you are concerned with your leaves touching the soil and contracting diseases,cut them off with scissors.

If you are trying to make the lower leaves of a chinense plant grow smaller or equal to the upper growth,you are going to need 5 or 10,000 years of spare time.

lek · Feb 16, 2017

Malarky said:
why do you want smaller leaves?

i would like to make bonchi (bonsai chilies)

lek · Feb 16, 2017

austin87 said:
Could that be too much nitrogen? Anyways just like in bonsai you can snip the leaf off at it's base (http://lifeofplant.blogspot.com/2011/03/leaf-anatomy.html) leaving the petiole intact and the new growth will be more compact.

I plant Coyote Zan white next to Jay's peach ghost scorpion but there are no large leaves.
look like It only happens to superhot variety.

Thanks for the info.

lek · Feb 16, 2017

Pr0digal_son said:
I'm not sure if this post is asking for help,or an attempt at tooting your own horn? As mentioned,if you are concerned with your leaves touching the soil and contracting diseases,cut them off with scissors.

If you are trying to make the lower leaves of a chinense plant grow smaller or equal to the upper growth,you are going to need 5 or 10,000 years of spare time.

i would like to turn all my superhot varieties to bonsai pepper plants. large leaves are ugly. so i'd like to make them as small as possible. Is there any kind of hormone that can reduce the size of the leaf?

rickster · Feb 16, 2017

as the plant matures and grows they will get to normal size.

solid7 · Feb 16, 2017

Malarky said:
why do you want smaller leaves?

Maybe the definition of "smaller' needs to be clear, but those mammoth size leaves on pepper plants are not desirable.(contrary to popular belief) Typically, larger leaves are bigger in area, but lighter in weight - proportionately, if not outright - than properly developed leaves. Rapid growth has a tendency to stretch the plant and weaken the cell walls.

solid7 · Feb 16, 2017

lek said:
i would like to turn all my superhot varieties to bonsai pepper plants. large leaves are ugly. so i'd like to make them as small as possible. Is there any kind of hormone that can reduce the size of the leaf?

There is one called "full sun" that really helps.

I don't know what season you are in right now, but as the weather warms up, and the UV index climbs, those leaves will come back to normal size.

queequeg152 · Feb 16, 2017

dont you want some firm woody growth first? i mean... a bonsai chilli plant that is still all green and young just looks like a shitty sick plant no?

mlittle74 · Feb 16, 2017

austin87 said:
Could that be too much nitrogen? Anyways just like in bonsai you can snip the leaf off at it's base (http://lifeofplant.blogspot.com/2011/03/leaf-anatomy.html) leaving the petiole intact and the new growth will be more compact.

Good info!

Mike

Malarky · Feb 16, 2017

yah it seems like a lot of people want to train bonchi's from seedling but I'd just grow a plant out to maturity and pick a plant with an attractive trunk and foliage that you like. Cut that trunk down and let it regrow, developing the branches and foliage over time.

nzchili · Feb 16, 2017

I think its just the species.
I find brainstrain's for example have especially large leaves compared to most other supers.

Powelly · Feb 16, 2017

Like all bonsai, you need to grow the plant tall and then you bonsai it.
Otherwise you just have a stick in a pot

Just leave it in the ground for a year with plenty of nitrogen and grow it as tall as you can. Then trim it like you're overwintering it and you have bonsai
As mentioned before, if you cut the leaves off at their base leaving the stem in tact the new growth will be smaller. But only worry about that after you've cut it back down after a year

Pr0digal_son · Feb 16, 2017

nzchili said:
I think its just the species.
I find brainstrain's for example have especially large leaves compared to most other supers.

Any of the Trinidadian chinense are going to have very large leaves,I agree with you.

Pr0digal_son · Feb 16, 2017

lek said:
I plant Coyote Zan white next to Jay's peach ghost scorpion but there are no large leaves.
look like It only happens to superhot variety.

Thanks for the info.

Coyote zan White is one I have experience with,and it's quite a bit different than your typical superhot. Leaves,prolificacy,etc. Again,Trinidadians have enormous leaves,and they are mostly supers,but there are plenty of standard chinense that have large leaves. Scotch Bonnet is one example.

Pr0digal_son · Feb 16, 2017

solid7 said:
Maybe the definition of "smaller' needs to be clear, but those mammoth size leaves on pepper plants are not desirable.(contrary to popular belief) Typically, larger leaves are bigger in area, but lighter in weight - proportionately, if not outright - than properly developed leaves. Rapid growth has a tendency to stretch the plant and weaken the cell walls.

There is plenty of scientific info online as to why these leaves are naturally larger. I don't disagree with your comment fully,but it's not 100% accurate.