Allotments 4 All

My long chillie plants are now about 2 ft high, and starting to touch the greenhouse roof - they are on staging. Do I need to take out the growing tips, or would I be better trying to find space on the floor, & letting them grow?

JeremyB

I remove the top level of staging as they grow so they get lowered.

I have never pinched out the tops of the plants as they bush out very well on their own. I would give them more height if you can!

Jerry

I agree with Jerry i have never pinched the tops out either

carl

That makes three of us not pinching out.  One year I might try it to see if it really is any better...

Four, Jill!!

We have 6 numex twilights and have pinches out 3 and left 3, to see what happens..... will let you know which crop better etc.

I have experimented with this in the, and found some varieties seem to benefit and some not. For example Fushimi seems to branch vigerously when pinched, with plants producing 4-5 stems from the pinch point, while unpinched plants only 2-3.

Varieties that branch from sideshoots, tomato style, don't seem to benefit from pinching.

TBH I don't think I'll bother pinching in the future.

I have a plant that has gone weird, instead of branching it has produces 21 flowers from a single point, I don't know what variety it is, as my daughter removed the label.  ::)

has anyone tried keeping a plant for more than one season too?

I have always treated them as annuals, but we went to Gardeners World Live last week and saw the most incredible chilli plants..... braches an inch thick, growing up a trellis panel, about 6-8ft high, completely laden with chillis - guy said he brings them inside for winter and they keep going! were just amazing!