Get more sweet bells and spicy jalapenos with these must-know tips for pruning pepper plants.
Early season pruningis usually done whenpepper seedlings are first transplanted into your gardenin late spring.
Pruning at this time can force any peppers that are remaining on your plants toripen before frost arrives.
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It also helps shape your pepper plants for the season to come.
First, remove any early flowers to redirect your plants energy to more leaf and root development.
Continue to remove flowers for about 2 weeks after planting your peppers in your garden.
This will reduce diseases triggered by soil-borne pathogens splashing up on your plants.
To avoid spreading diseases, be sure touse sharp prunerssterilized with rubbing alcohol to make your cuts.
Just be careful that you dont remove so many leaves that plants ability to photosynthesize is inhibited.
A good rule of thumb is no more than a third of the leaves.
Cut away any branches that arent bearing fruit.
Heavier pruning should be done carefully at the right time in the season.
If temperatures are above 90oF, don’t prune your pepper plants.
Too much heat stresses the plants, and pruning can add stress too.
Wait to prune peppers until high temperatures are below the 90s.
