I got these seedlings last week and it looks like they are greeting set to start fruiting already. Do I remove these now or just let them grow? Thanks
by GrouchyDetail5379
6 Comments
kinezumi89
If you search the sub, you’ll find a few posts just recently asking this very question, and responses are always mixed. Some say yes, remove them, because the plant should focus all of its energy now on growing big – a bigger plant can support more peppers later. Some say no, leave them, because the plant doesn’t waste that much energy on fruit production – i.e. removing flowers is only reducing your max yield.
From my experience last year – I bought a banana pepper plant that already had a fruit on it. The plant continued to deteriorate until I removed the fruit – didn’t grow, leaves continued to yellow, dropped other flowers, etc. Once I removed it, the plant bounced back and started growing. Granted, at this time it was in a pretty small pot (I bought it from Home Depot I think), maybe if it was in a big pot, it would have been able to support a pepper at that size. But based on that experience, my protocol this year is to remove any buds until the plant is in its permanent home, then let it do whatever it wants! I had two jalapeno plants last year, one considerably larger than the other, and the bigger one produced way more peppers. I want the plants to focus on growth initially, rather than diverting resources to fruit production!
Ok-Meat7929
On one hand yes to early, on the other bells take forever to grow so it depends on how much longer u have in your grow season
ASecularBuddhist
Nope
Undeadtech
Because there are so many pods you could safely remove the smallest ones. Personally I am in camp pick every pod til they go in the ground or final pot. Either way you will have peppers. Might want to trim up the bottom leaves too.
solslost
Mine were budding in early March, so I removed the buds
Wowbritney
I’d transplant them asap. They are budding because they feel they no longer can grow bigger, maxed out. Gently loosen the root ball when transplanting them, chances are they are root bound. There’s a good chance the buds may not even develop and fall off. I’m in 6a or 6b, you should still have plenty of time to get fruits before Oct. Good luck
6 Comments
If you search the sub, you’ll find a few posts just recently asking this very question, and responses are always mixed. Some say yes, remove them, because the plant should focus all of its energy now on growing big – a bigger plant can support more peppers later. Some say no, leave them, because the plant doesn’t waste that much energy on fruit production – i.e. removing flowers is only reducing your max yield.
From my experience last year – I bought a banana pepper plant that already had a fruit on it. The plant continued to deteriorate until I removed the fruit – didn’t grow, leaves continued to yellow, dropped other flowers, etc. Once I removed it, the plant bounced back and started growing. Granted, at this time it was in a pretty small pot (I bought it from Home Depot I think), maybe if it was in a big pot, it would have been able to support a pepper at that size. But based on that experience, my protocol this year is to remove any buds until the plant is in its permanent home, then let it do whatever it wants! I had two jalapeno plants last year, one considerably larger than the other, and the bigger one produced way more peppers. I want the plants to focus on growth initially, rather than diverting resources to fruit production!
On one hand yes to early, on the other bells take forever to grow so it depends on how much longer u have in your grow season
Nope
Because there are so many pods you could safely remove the smallest ones. Personally I am in camp pick every pod til they go in the ground or final pot. Either way you will have peppers. Might want to trim up the bottom leaves too.
Mine were budding in early March, so I removed the buds
I’d transplant them asap. They are budding because they feel they no longer can grow bigger, maxed out. Gently loosen the root ball when transplanting them, chances are they are root bound. There’s a good chance the buds may not even develop and fall off. I’m in 6a or 6b, you should still have plenty of time to get fruits before Oct. Good luck