Pruning pappers - Ask Extension
We are reading about topping or pinching our peppers. Is that a good idea in our cooler climate when the plants have a shorter growing season.
Knowledgebase
Pruning pappers #872751
Asked June 12, 2024, 9:21 AM EDT
We are reading about topping or pinching our peppers. Is that a good idea in our cooler climate when the plants have a shorter growing season.
Lane County Oregon
Expert Response
A good rule of thumb for pruning peppers is to wait for early to mid-summer. If you prune too early, it can have the reverse effect on your plants, leading to fewer peppers and defeating your hard work. Also, if you pepper variety is naturally lower growing, as are many Thai peppers, pruning is probably not helpful. If you see weak or diseased areas on the pepper plant, that should be pruned and disposed of. Topping them by cutting off the top set of leaves can help the plant become bushier, eventually leading to increased blooming and fruit development. A very dense plant could, however, develop problems if light to all areas is then limited or overhead watering leaves the foliage wet over a long time, encouraging disease. Usually defer any pruning until the plant is flowering and fruiting, indicating that the root system is established. We are now fine tuning how we garden to cope with the more extreme weather patterns.