Topping pepper plants is a topic of much debate, with some growers saying it’s a fantastic way to boost production, and others saying it’s not necessary at all. So, who’s right? As with most things in gardening, IT DEPENDS!
Pruning peppers removes top growth to promote more branching and bushiness. By doing this, you sacrifice your earliest peppers in favor of growing more vegetation and a sturdier plant, which can then lend itself to more flower and pepper production later on down the road.
I prefer to top lanky plants to bush them out myself, especially if I’m still early in the season with plenty of time to let those peppers produce. On larger peppers like bells or banana peppers, I let them be – it doesn’t seem to do much besides slow down production.
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Pepper pruning tip of your own? Lemme know what works for you ⤵️
I didn't top mine and mine are about 3 feet tall now
My hot pepper banana plant has brown spots on it. Other than snipping off the brown (diseased?) leaves what else can I do? It has straw mulch around the base. (Canada, zone 5).
I've never topped my peppers. Most useful thing I've found for getting larger yields is to pull the early flowers off and not let it set with fruit until the plant is larger.
Great video thanks for the thorough explanation
Alot of information thank you
I'm having a tough time growing Serrano Peppers. I got so frustrated that I pulled them all, and they keep growing back, but don't produce. I live in the SF Bay Area, and the other day observed significant growth! Like " Jack and the Beanstalk" growth! probably because of the recent heat wave. However, still no production.
I recently learned that to encourage pollination you can tickle the buds, which I just did, waiting to see if that makes a difference. Also, I don't see Bees or small flys hovering around them. Is there a way to attract them? Thanks!!
can i move them one they are growing in garden ?
You can also watch a weed trimming vid. It's exactly the same. Prune everything shaded by the canopy. It really works
Need help !!!!!
Sweet pepper plant 2 planted same time separate containers- one putting out fruit the other is not. What’s up ?????
Not very definitive advice, but helpful on how to assess.
I live in Las Vegas, it seems all I CAN grow is peppers, I don't mind because I love them, and it's fun. I watched a lot of vids about pruning and, overwintering your pepper plants. I did that once and, the plant died. I will say some need a season to ramp up for the next season. I have 6 cayenne pepper plants, 2 jalapeno, 1 banana, 3 bells, and 2 sweet… I have not pruned a one in 4 years – except for branches that die back. – every year I have more than I can eat – So I make salsa for my friends. nom.
Loves me peppers
Useless information!
Why did you even put up this video if you weren’t ready to cut any of them!
I am sorry you did not have any peppers that needed pruning for your video. Better luck next time. I have three pepper plants and they are producing very poorly. The peppers are very small and there are not many of them. I think I am going to have to replace them but I might try pruning them down first. Chilis.
I'm so grateful for your channel. I always come here when I need advice and I always find what I need to know. Thanks man
Hello, my chili plant's leaves are falling apart though i put it in a place where it gets enough sun and water it daily, what can i do for it to stop falling apart?
Why you only explain how to cut etc. You don't show after cutting and how they grow. And how you harvest
Off topic but I was going to top off my jalapeno plant that's in a 3,4 gallon bucket but it has multiple stems like it's a bell pepper plant instead…..can someone help me please?
45 degre cut make more surface for cuting but for prunning it’s better to make 90 degre for less infection
Epic Gardening or anyone who can answer my question, I drilled some holes into the bottom of 5 gallon Home Depot Buckets to make cheap pots and have been growing various plants including peppers in each bucket. I was going to move my bucket with the Bell Pepper plant to give my basil some more sun and realized that the roots had reached the holes at the bottom of the bucket and began growing into the soil beneath. They were not very deep but in the process of tilting my bucket, I unfortunately pulled the roots out of the ground. What should I do with the exposed roots? Will the plant be more susceptible to disease now?
I topped my peps last year, wish I wouldn't have…none to very little yeild.
I live in Sweden and i dont prune my peppers… It seems counterproductive in almost all cases.
Removing early flowers is not a bad thing tho.
@EpicGardening, I'm noticing the mulch/straw around your plants. Do you recommend mulching like that right when sowing your seed or until a seedling pops above the soil?
Any solution for wrinkled leaves
I have a 2 chilli plants here. I barely pruned them, and as a consequence they are about 1m tall and have a Y-fork at around 30-40cm height. Below the fork there are no leaves left, they dropped off. The plant is getting too tall and it seems wasteful to have such a long bare stretch below the Y- fork, so I would like to prune it below the fork. I am worried however that as the plant will then have no leaves, it will die. What do you guys think? Keep in mind I live in Northern Europe and the growing season is coming to an end now…
You asked why people call you ERIC when that clearly is not your name. The name of your show is EPIC GARDENING, The confusion is people see the name of the program at a glance, and think it's ERIC, not EPIC….
No substance what soever. Sorry
I brought mine in for the winter, but not to "overwinter." They're under some insanely bright LED headlight bulbs, around 30,000 Lumens at 6,500K color. Should I prune them like they're still outside to bush out?