One way to encourage more branching is by pinching in the early stages of growth, soon after planting. The more branches you have on your pepper plant, the more potential it has to produce fruits. How To Prune Pepper Plants & 6 Times You Should 1. It’s all about assessing the needs of your plant and doing what’s best. You can do one of these tasks, or all of them. An end-of-season prune is also useful for slow fruits that need ripening before the first frost sets in. Mid-season pruning can improve leggy growth, control pests and diseases and better your yields if production is slow. When you prune your peppers will depend on the level of pruning you want to do, as well as the performance of your plants.Įarly season pruning occurs soon after the plants are established to encourage quicker and better growth. But, considering the many benefits, it’s definitely something to consider. Whether or not you choose to prune is up to you. At the end of the season, pruning can also help ripen the last of the fruits to finish off the season on a high note. Pruning can lead to better fruit set by redirecting the energy of the plant toward fruit production.
Later on in the season, if growth becomes spotty or leggy, pruning back will encourage new and stronger growth. In the early stages of growth, a light prune can encourage branching, producing more leaves and stronger stems to increase yields. The same can be said for lower leaves and stems that touch the ground, sitting in water and attracting disease. Pruning extra leaves and stems will improve airflow, limiting this risk.Īny damaged leaves or stems are more vulnerable to pest and disease damage that can then spread to the healthy parts of the plant. Pruning does offer a number of benefits for your plants, including:Īreas of dense leaf growth can lead to the proliferation of fungal diseases, especially in humid climates. However, that doesn’t mean you should overlook it altogether. Your peppers will still grow and produce fruit without pruning throughout the season. Yes, pruning is not completely necessary. These two extremes each have some truth to them, but neither is wholly correct. Others feel it is vital for growth and health and that it absolutely cannot be missed. Some believe that plants have been growing without our help for centuries and that they do just fine without the extra trim. Pruning is one of those tasks that gardeners continue to argue over. Whether you’re growing a large, mild pepper variety or something small and punchy, a quick prune can improve the growth of your plant and ultimately, your harvest throughout the season. While sharpening your pruning shears and preparing to head out into the vegetable garden, there may be one plant you tend to overlook – peppers.
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