Pepper plant pruning

bpwilly

bpwilly

I have been looking at all the various Pepper Growing glogs, and I have to admit, I have pepper plant envy!
 
So I started to wonder why I see so many tall plants with plenty of spacing between the dirt and the branches.  Got me to wondering if people are pruning the little sucker branches on their plants like some do to tomatoes plants.
 
The reason I ask, is that many of my plants have branches all the way down the main stem to the dirt.   My plants seem to be very short and squat comparted to many of the ones I see on this list.  Wondering if maybe I should have pruned them? 
 
A little background on how I started these this year, since I am a rookie.  I kept the grow lights down real close to them when I was startig them earlier this year, so maybe that kept them shorter than most?  Just wonder if anyone has thoughts about this.
 
(Got a couple of pictures that show what I mean, but not sure how to add them yet.  got to get smarter!)
 
Bill
 
 
 
The only pruning I do is removing dying leaves.... mine are also rather short, compared to last year.... I'm sure it has to do with how, if at all, rootbound the plants are between transplants and the amount of sun.... last year, my plants were transplanted earlier, most often before the roots eveb reached the bottom of the containers and spent all day on a mostly shaded balcony with only a few hours of direct late afternoon sun at a pretty constant 80 degrees....
This year, my plants spent close to two weeks more than reasonable in the starting tray before going directly in ground where they pretty much receive full sun with occasional periods of shade with temps going between upper 60s to low 80s....
Before the difference in temperatures are pointed out, I had faster and better germ rates on varieties that did germ when temps here didnt even reach 80s than I did with the constant 80s last year....
 
I appreciate the input.  Sounds like I am worrying the pepper plants to much again!.  OK, I will let them be and just see what Mother Nature brings me.  Guess I need to just relax and let them be!
 
Thanks for reminding me to just take it easy, and for the tip on the pictures, I will remember that for when I have something to show!
 
Bill
 
Not being an expert, I have some pruned and others less so. If I have branches producing and lower branches without, I will trim off lower branches so the plant's energy will focus on the productive branches (So goes my theory). But I have some plants where all the branches are productive, then I leave it alone. I have a few plants that look like trees and some like bushes. Once a plant really starts producing, I will cut off any new branches and lower leaves. YMMV. I like to experiment, so take my advice with a grain of salt.
 
Prune if you want a specific shape for esthetic reasons or if you need it compact to survive strong wind.  Otherwise, light hitting the stem and branches stimulates the area to grow more branches and leaves there, where they should be to catch that sunlight.  The plant itself makes the far better decision what to do on its own based on the light it is receiving, and responding to.
 
Yes if you give the plants a lot of light starting out, and a breeze too, they will develop a thicker stem and be shorter which is good except that if they are too short and you have a lot of pods you can end up with them actually dragging the ground if you don't tie them up.
 
On the other hand, mine start out shorter, then their vertical growth rate increases about a month after repotting outside, then a month or two later they start filling in at the bottom with new side shoot branches so by the end of the season I wouldn't call them especially tall or especially bushy, just big.
 
if the leaves are hanging in the dirt i usually cut the leaves at the very bottom either bury them or cut them off 

once the plant is big enough
 
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