N00b question #02

[huntsman]

Many of you recommend pinching buds on newer plants in order to stimulate growth, but

• at what size or point is your plant 'big enough', so you can allow the buds to flower?
• where exactly do you nip them off? ( Yeah, I'm really new!)

Cheers!

 

[POTAWIE]

There is no precise time to stop pinching buds, its a matter of preference. I've been known to pick some annuum buds off until as late as July 1st, but you forfeit your first flush of pods in hopes for more production on your next flushes. Basically once the plant looks like its strong enough to support a lot of pods then let it pod up.

Pinch the flower anywhere along the flower "stem"

 

[bigt]

I never pinched buds until this year and I was usually fine. But looking back, I think there were a few times I should have. If the plants "seems" too small to be making pods, then pinch and let them grow more. Experiment with two different plants of the same variety and see which method works better in the long run. But you have to keep track of total pods from each plant. Of course some people just want early pods and don't pinch. Some of the really great growers here on THP don't pinch. There is no "wrong way" for the most part.

 

[RichardK]

I twist the flowers off with my finger, it's faster.

 

[huntsman]

Ok, makes sense - thank you!

How many flushes would a plant have in a season?

 

[lavish]

I dont pinch flowers. I prune the plant until i want it to flower. I make a cut on the main stem, pruning either one or two nodes. Making the plant bushier - starting to make new growth from the nodes, and from the top of the plant.