Topic: Pinching Peppers

[Macca]

My peppers are growing really well in my conservatory at the moment but i am getting side shoots at the leaf axials and wasn't sure whether to pinch them out or not. Should i treat them like tomatoes and pinch them out?

[Diana]

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!

Peppers are supposed to have the tops pinched out when they're about 12" tall to encourage those side shoots to produce a bushy, productive plant.

Though I'm sure someone else will give you an alternative way to grow them.

Pinch the tops off chillis at 9" if you have them.

[Macca]

Phew! thank goodness for that, imagine if i had pinched them out already!

[David R]

im with Diana, let them bush out.

[tim]

I have never pinched a pepper in my life!

[Diana]

That's good enough for me to think about changing!

[Mrs Ava]

I don't pinch either - altho the slugs did the job for me on some last year!  Mine are bushing nicely without any manual help from me.