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To prune or not to prune

Nicole

Nicole

I pruned a few of my habs last year and I think it stunted their growth ( I also dont really know how to prune.. pruning to me is going scissor happy on a plant)

So I want to know how/if you guys prune your habs or jalapeno plants. Those are the two that I was able to keep inside over the season and my hab is under a lamp and its gettin HuGE! I wana cut it SO badly...

help meee thanks guys! :P
 
I take the suckers off especially on the lower sections since I dont want the leaves touching the ground -- bug elevator. I kinda treat them like tomato plants
 
LUCKYDOG said:
I take the suckers off especially on the lower sections since I dont want the leaves touching the ground -- bug elevator. I kinda treat them like tomato plants
Click to expand...

have you noticed that it stunts their growth or no?
 
I'm still only a beginner.. but I got a thai chili plant that had been sitting in a waterlogged pot and was looking just about dead.. i cut everything off it so was just left with pretty much two sticks.. now there's leaves and even some flowers on it only a few weeks later.. I also cut back my purple tiger plant and that has now grown into a monster so I dont think pruning stunts their growth, I think it encourages new growth.
 
I prune mine at times, I think it helps to make a stronger plant. Of course I've had a few that were infested by nasties, that I have removed all the leaves and removed different branches, before spraying them down with soapy water. They all bounced back fairly quickly. I don't think pruning is harmfully, I think it can be very beneficial if done correctly.
 
I know its not a pepper, but my avocado tree is doing good with regular prunings. I take all the leaves off and withing a few weeks it is taller and have new leaves on it.
 
so... when you guys prune.. you basically just remove the leaves? or do you cut back the little branches to?
 
Certain varieties I'll prune everything below the first fork since it just gets too shaded but other varieties bush out nicely. I also prune anything that looks sick especially after aphid infestations:(
 
I usually will remove small branches. I also like to remove branches that are interfering with other ones, or ones that are being drowned out, creating kind of an open canopy. If branches get too long and spindly, I'll cut back the growing tip. Basicly remember that they are pretty tough so don't be afraid to experiment a bit with them.
 
As long as the plant has everything it needs (nutrients, minerals, sunlight, not too much or too little water), then when you cut a branch (just above a node) then the cut branch should fork at that point. Cutting the leaves doesn't really encourage anything except for the severed leaf to die. The roots directly determine the amount of foliage/fruit a plant will be able to produce/sustain, so if pruning the plant stunts its growth, possibly look for other problems [p/h balance, water usage, light sources, infestation, physical damage lower on the plant that may be preventing the flow of nutrients to the upper reaches of the plant]. Hope that doesn't hurt you any... You should try growing Serrano's in place of the Jalapenos, they're a bit hotter, but the flavor is unbeatable. A similar sort-of creeping fire burning characteristic as I've found in the Bhjut Jolokia I grew last year, in Texas, though the Serrano generally isn't as hot.
 
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