How to Top Pepper Plants to Grow into Healthy, Thriving Plants
Your pepper plants are continuing to grow after transplanting, and you can see more leaves and stems starting to appear. This is the part that makes growing pepper plants exciting because you’re one step closer to growing some fresh peppers right from your backyard or garden! But, did you know you could trim your plant to help it grow in a much more manageable, stronger plant?
How to Trim Pepper Plants
This may be your first time trimming pepper plants or you’d want to make sure you are pruning hot pepper plants correctly, so we provided some tips on how to continue creating a successful growth process. We prepared a video below that explains the steps of pruning pepper plants:
Follow these 5 Easy Steps to Top Pepper Plants:
- Get gardening shears – make sure they are clean and sharp!
- Cut the plant just above a leaf node.
- Remove a few of the leaves to allow more light to hit the plant.
- Remove the rest of the leaves from where the new growth came in.
- This will allow the plant to focus on all the new growth.
What is Pruning?
There is a method called Pruning, also known as Topping, that allows you to create a stronger plant and to shape it as well. Topping pepper plants can help plants manage harsh winds and build strength to support heavy crops of peppers. If you are growing multiple peppers or other plants, you may even want to prune pepper plants if they are planted closely and likely blocking air circulation.
When to Prune Pepper Plants
The first time to prune pepper plants is right after planting them because this will encourage the plants to become more resilient. Not only that, right after planting is the best time because you can start shaping them into how you would want in their early stages. But even then, the plant will still grow in ways that we do or may not want, so we recommend that you continue to top your hot pepper plants every three weeks or so.
Should You Prune Pepper Plants?
We often hear from customers "should I prune pepper plants?" As we mentioned, trimming pepper plants can help you create the shape that you want. Not only that, but it can also produce stronger stems that are less likely to break over time. Peppers can be fragile and finicky, and we understand it takes a lot of patience and TLC to grow hot peppers. To learn more about growing peppers, check out our Grow with Joe guide for a step by step process.
We should also note that topping a pepper plant is not necessary to have a bigger yield. Our shipping associate and an expert in growing hot peppers, Nathan Van Slyke, says “you can let your plant grow 5 feet high and have maybe the same amount of peppers but then you have an ugly gangly looking plant with the same results. Topping a plant lets you shape it, helping it grow in a much more manageable plant. There are many people who say topping is the snake oil medicine of gardening, but I personally prefer topping a plant and shaping it.”
I Want to Grow some Hot Peppers.
Interested in growing some of the most unique or hottest pepper seeds on the planet? Check out our huge selection of pepper seeds, or our live hot pepper plants if you prefer to grow some seedlings instead! We also have new seeds that we add throughout the year so if you sign up for our emails, you’ll always be updated on the newest seed additions and latest updates!
We also have growing supplies to take your gardening game to the next level.
If you’re interested in trying some spicy food products, then look into our delicious hot sauces, savory beef jerky, or even sign up to be notified when we release fresh hot peppers!
WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU GROW PEPPERS. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS THAT YOU MAY HAVE, YOU CAN SHOOT US AN EMAIL AT CUSTOMERSERVICE@PEPPERJOE.COM OR SEND US A MESSAGE ON FACEBOOK. WE LOVE HEARING YOUR STORIES OF GROWING PEPPERS FROM SCRATCH AND ANSWERING ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT GROWING ANY KIND OF PEPPERS
