# Pruning pepper plants? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 21, 2006, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pruning-pepper-plants/357667 "2006-05-21T20:22:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2006, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pruning-pepper-plants/357667/1 "2006-05-21T20:22:10Z")
Every year, I grow a few tomatoes in our garden. They are fun to grow, but they do take some care–specifically, they often need pruning. “Pruning” a tomato plant involves pinching off the the suckers that tend to grow right where a branch meets the main stem of the plant. This means the plant’s efforts can go into growing tomatoes, instead of growing suckers. It works; I tend to get some nice, flavourful, tomatoes each year. This year, I’m trying to grow some cayenne peppers as well. The pepper plants are doing pretty well so far, although neither the peppers nor the tomatoes are even flowering at this point. Anyway, I noticed some growth on the pepper plants that look like what I would call suckers. Like on a tomato plant, they are growing at the junction of a branch and the main stem. But peppers are not tomatoes, and I don’t know if these things should stay or be pruned off. I’ll continue to prune my tomatoes, but should I also be pruning my pepper plants? Or should I just leave these bits of growth alone? ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2006, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pruning-pepper-plants/357667/2 "2006-05-21T20:42:44Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > I’ll continue to prune my tomatoes, but should I also be pruning my pepper plants? Or should I just leave these bits of growth alone? According to this source YES. [\*\* More Than You Might Want To Know About Pepper Plants \*\*](http://www.fiery-foods.com/Dave/garden.asp) Get an early start in2007! ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2006, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pruning-pepper-plants/357667/3 "2006-05-21T20:56:40Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > just leave these bits of growth alone? Got it in one! Big bushy plants produce more peppers. From [Effect of Pruning on Yield and Quality of Sweet Pepper](http://www.arc-avrdc.org/pdf_files/Soem(17-N).pdf) (a pdf): > [@](#): > > Pruning had no significant effect on yield. > … > Plant height had a significant and highly positive correlation with plant width, fruit length, fruit width, marketable yield, and **total yield**. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2006, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pruning-pepper-plants/357667/4 "2006-05-21T20:59:08Z")
> [@spingears](#): > > According to this source YES. > > [\*\* More Than You Might Want To Know About Pepper Plants \*\*](http://www.fiery-foods.com/Dave/garden.asp) That site is talking about pruning after your (perennial) pepper plants after they overwinter. I don’t think overwintering is an issue in the great white north. ---
**Author:** ![spingears](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@spingears](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spingears)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2006, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pruning-pepper-plants/357667/5 "2006-05-22T13:20:20Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > That site is talking about pruning after your (perennial) pepper plants after they overwinter. I don’t think overwintering is an issue in the great white north. :smack: Missed that point! Does, however, provide information on frost protection etc. Between the two references Spoon should find enough help to grow a bumper crop next year. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2006, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pruning-pepper-plants/357667/6 "2006-05-22T15:10:43Z")
Plenty of good advice from the linked sites–thank you both for the guidance. Yes, it is sometimes difficult to grow tomatoes (and peppers, I guess) in this climate, but it is possible. We’re lucky here in Calgary in that sunshine is plentiful, and spring and fall days can be pleasant while summer can be downright hot. But in spite of that, there is no way tomatoes or peppers can overwinter in the garden, and late spring and/or early fall frosts can be a challenge. So we’ll see what happens with my peppers. At least with this advice, they will have a fighting chance. Thanks again for the help! ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pruning-pepper-plants/357667/7 "2006-05-22T15:46:39Z")
I’ve never heard of it being done, but I suppose a careful grafting of a plum tree branch onto a pepper plant would allow your pepper plant to grow prunes. Maybe I’ll try it this year. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2006, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pruning-pepper-plants/357667/8 "2006-05-22T20:38:12Z")
Under normal, initial, growing conditions I don’t believe you would prune a pepper plant. I’ve searched a bit and I only found a single reference to pruning a certain type of Filipino Pepper. However, you can prune the plant at the end of the season and force the energy of the plant into producing fruit according to Pepper Joe. [Lots of Pepper growing tips.](http://www.pepperjoe.com/faq/) > [@Pepper Joe](#): > > **Pruning Peppers** > > Dear PJ, > I read somewhere that you say it is o.k. to prune pepper plants to extend the season and increase yield in colder weather areas in particular. Can you explain? > Sissie Spellman, > Hancock, Maine > > Hey There Sissie, > Most people don’t know you can prune pepper plants. About six weeks before the first frost, snip back top branches and flowers. The plant strength will go to existing peppers, not new growth, and remaining peppers will mature faster. Also, just before the first freeze, pull entire plant and hang upside down in a dry, airy location. A garage or basement is ideal. Green peppers will ripen right on the plant. This is a good tip for shorter season gardeners. > Pepper Joe Good Luck on the peppers! What kind are you growing? I planted 14 Hot Pepper Plants about two weeks ago (Red Chile, Portugal Hots, and Habaneros) and they are doing well even though we’ve had 9 days of rain and extremely cold temperatures (dropped down to 37F last night!). Surprisingly the peppers are flourishing, but my Tomato Plant is starting to look a little droopy and has some leaves curling and dying… Looks like it’ll make it with the warmer weather coming, though. It seems sturdy .