Total n00b with n00b Questions

nattymari

nattymari

Hello.  I have just started growing a few peppers as a summer project.  Thought at first it would just be something to do while the kids played in the yard, but I've gotten quite interested in it.  I will post pictures later and as they come but I decided to try to grow some superhots.  I have 2 Carolina Reapers, a Bhut Jolokia, a Chocolate Bhut Jolokia, a Trinidad Scorpion and a Chocolate Trinidad Scorpion.  I also have a few Habaneros and Jalapenos I got at Lowe's.  

The big guys I purchased from Chileplants.com... luckily they are only 30 minutes from me so I visited the nursery and brought them home.  They've been outside for about a week now, the heat was really nice.  She sold them to me at a nice size and all of them looked hearty.  The Ghost Pepper is already flowering (I am pinching those off) and the others seem pretty acclimated except the Chocolate Ghost which had a little sunburn and seemed to like transplant the least.  It still has been showing new leaf growth, so I'm not too worried.

My [first] question pertains to my Chocolate Scorpion.  The nursery sold it to me already blooming and with 2 pods already forming.  It is still small (maybe 8 inches.. and the two pods grew in a week to about 1 1/2-2 inches inch or so.  They are very nice to look at and highly motivational... but I fear having them (after everything I've read) may be detrimental to the entire process and I may wind up with an 8 inch plant that produces 2 peppers.

So.... the question is should I pinch them off and try to get it to grow bigger or should I let those pods mature?




http://tinypic.com/r/25aj2ms/8
 
 
Forget which thread I was reading maybe the overwintering one but it mentioned how peppers will grow as they fruit. So maybe for optimal vegetative growth you could pick them but wouldnt be detrimental to leave them.
 
I would say if you put them in a large pot or the ground and give them good soil and/or proper nutrients, your plant will grow and grow regardless of pinching or not.
 
Peppers grow while they bloom. Pinching is a more specific/advanced technique where one is trying to maximize yields or size. For the beginner, and most of the human population, just letting it grow in good conditions will result in a good sized, prolific plant.
 
Pinching is not a necessary thing to get the results you desire, unless you want MORE, then I would suggest letting experience guide you rather than trying to go crazy right off the bat. 
 
It sounds like you have a good start, keep it up!
 
 
GL to you
 
First off, :welcome: !
 
I have to agree with the above two posts. They will continue to grow with pods on them, but pinching off the buds will help your plant focus it's energy towards vegetative growth, leading to a larger plant with potentially larger yields. If it were me, and this is just me, I would focus on vegetative growth this early in the season and wait til a little later before I let them start producing pods.
 
LOL at you people not in California, then again, I laugh at myself for actually living here sometimes...
 
We have been fruiting on decent sized plants for months now :) I put my plants out in Feb. Everything is of decent size and producing well already :) sorry, do not mean to rub it in, too much
 
Thanks guys. Power outage here. I had to drag my plants in the cellar as it could hit 45 tonight. It will be back to 80s in a few days. So slow growing this week. I have half in 5 gallon puckle barrells. As a chef I get them easily. The rest in 3 gallon pots. Oddly the 3 gallon seem to be developing quicker... though I assume the roots ofnthe 5 gallons are exploding, and in a week or two will see the difference.
I lived in So Cal for 16 years. Actually a good chance I will be moving to Florida in Autumn. If so the best plants will make the trip. Should be easier to grow year round down there. Though Cross Country Nursury looks great a half hour away in Jersey... was real cool seeing all the plants out.
 
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