Hi Kevin,

To pinch the flowers on young plants seems to be a matter of preference. There have been very few scientific studies done around whether pinching bell pepper flowers helps with growth. Most people seem to agree pinching off the flowers of a pepper plant that is still in its pot and/or pinching off flowers as soon as the pepper has been planted outside, seems to help the pepper direct its energy to root development making for a healthier plant. Pepper plants can begin flowering too early if they are under stress, which can be from incorrect fertilizer application, irregular temperatures, inconsistent light and lack of room in the pot. The two most important factors for promoting more flowers are sun and nutrients, particularly phosphorus and potassium in the correct amounts. As the fruits develop on your pepper plant, flowering will slow down as the plant focuses on developing the fruits.

If you decide you want to pinch your plants flowers, stop after they’ve been in the ground 2 weeks or when they reach 12 inches tall.

I hope this was helpful.

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