When to stop pinching buds??

stevedigs04

stevedigs04

I know there are many school of thought on this and every plant varies, so I will make my question specific to jalapeños.

When (how tall I guess would be easiest) do you stop pinching off buds and let the plant set fruit?

I have been pinching mine for a while its probably a foot and a half tall and has started to bush out should I let it fruit at this point?

Thanks,

-Steve
 
good question !!  I have a purple jalapeno that's about a foot tall also and it has flowers on it , ive been pinching flowers on my other plants but ive been afraid to do it on this one as I don't want to set the plant back any .
 
I pinch everything inside, once it is in its permanent home (in ground or pot) I stop pinching.  I mean, once it is over 18 inches or so you can just leave it be.  I have some plants that are still under 18 in, but are in ground and are setting fruit.  Will it restrict some growth? Maybe.  In the end, it won't matter and you will be eating peppers while you wait for them to keep growing. 
 
I'm having that same dilemma with a Cereza Cross.  It is in its final home - a five gallon bucket.  It is currently 10 1/2 inches tall—also very wide and bushy.  I am still pulling the buds off, but can't make up my mind when to stop.  It is growing rapidly.  The fact that is is an unknown, and quite possibly a new cross, makes this a harder dilemma  for me, as I have no idea how tall it is supposed to get.
 
If it is growing still and as you said, quite bushy, go ahead and let them go. If they set, the plant will still grow. They may just drop, and you are going through all this effort to pinch everything and may not need to. If the plant can support the pod then I'd tell you to leave it be. It is in its final home, it is healthy, and still putting on growth, let Mother Nature do her thing.
 
I don't pinch anything except for big sweet peppers like bells but I don't bother growing those anymore so I don't pinch at all. Enough flowers fall off on their own in this heat.
 
millworkman said:
Why start?
Click to expand...
I assume you mean, "why start pinching?"  I thought is was better to pinch for a while, as if flowers grew too early, the plant would stop growing.  Do you think I should stop pinching?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top