Pruning Pepper Seedlings for Maximum Production 2.0 || Black Gumbo

Call it what you like - pruning, topping, pinching, lopping, cutting. Whatever you call it, pruning peppers is a controversial subject. In my first video about pruning peppers I taught this technique, which some people agreed with, and some people didn't. In this updated version, I'll teach you how to prune pepper plants, when you might want to prune them, and when you might not want to prune peppers. Pruning peppers can give you a huge yield of fruits, but as others have pointed out, it can also reduce the size of your fruits, especially on larger varieties. What we're really doing is forcing a naturally occurring branching of the plant early and its lifestyle instead of later.

I'll also show you a jalapeño variety I really enjoy, and talk a bit about pepper growing in general.
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Black Gumbo shares our suburban, backyard, sustainable gardening efforts. We work a small-scale, typical Zone 9a garden and raised beds, the kind of gardening accessible to all. We tend to take the slice of life approach and hope you will enjoy our family, our dog, our cooking, our adventures, and occasionally some commentary and advice. We love family, joy and friendship, and we invite you to enjoy these things with us!

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[racqfitness]

You know what I like about your channel you're not a know it all you say what has worked for you and you leave the rest to us. I love that. I've been gardening with my husband for years and I love to learn regardless to what I already know....keep educating my friend.

[richiehimes]

Normal folk prune. No need for anyone to give you grief other than them trying to show off.
Keep up the good work and know we appreciate it!

[TheSamm]

If you put peppers in large containers, they’ll grow really big and tall. I plant peppers in 20 gallon containers and they are quite prolific! I’ve grown jalapeños and Thai chili peppers. My Thai chili plant, usually grown as an ornamental, was over 6ft tall!

[samlight]

I love that you show what plants look like weeks later. That’s so helpful to see

[appalachiafishingclub]

Your dog has mad magic skills...best disappearing act I've seen.

[williamcox]

"NotAJapaleno" & "NotAHabenero", who knew?? Now we know! Thanks Scott. Always worth watching.

[kath-phlox]

I only started growing peppers last year. I have to grow them indoors as I live in the UK. The harvest was quite good, I got 14 peppers off 2 plants. That's fine for me as I live alone. I kept them in a heated porch over winter and they have gone crazy, there must be 20 peppers on them even now in the spring, some nearly ready for harvest, with loads more flowers to come. I planted a new variety this spring 'California Wonder' I'm hoping to over-winter them this year too, they are growing well, might get a few this year, hoping they will go mad like the ones I already have.

[aliaki]

In Malaysia where I am, storm and heavy wind are norm, so I actually heavily recommend that you prune garden plant (not trees) to keep it low so that wind does not topple the plant. I used to have a lot of 4-5 feet chilli plants strewn about in my garden, but after an especially heavy torrential rain one day, I learned to keep it small and stout. Big mistake, lesson well learned

[francinelarsen]

How exciting! I wondered if I could reshape my peppers. This was encouraging.

[lakemarygardens]

When I first tried this pruning I felt as if it was butchering my poor little pepper plants but the results were excellent. Pinching is a form of pruning so you are correct to call it pruning which is the selective removal of certain parts of a plant.

[LifeMoreColorful]

I never knew topping peppers was such a controversial subject. I always thought it was part of growing a healthy plant. I have a cinder block raised bed in my yard and I’m able to overwinter my peppers (uncovered) in those because the blocks absorb the heat during the day and release back to the roots at night. I love having fresh bell peppers in January this way! Northwest Florida zone 8b/9a

[texasgardengirlanissa]

Hey 🙋 just watched this video and ran right and pruned pinched topped lol my peppers. Thanks for the advice. Our 1st time gardening and everything is growing LIKE CRAZY 🤗

[dipstick]

I've been doing that with my Basil plants for years, but didn't know that you can do that to many other plants, including trees. Just watched your 2018 video with Samuel. Thanks for the info.

[chuckmathis]

Lopping, topping, pinching, pruning, oh my! Got some mild jalapeños that are pretty leggy, they’re going to get the same treatment in just a bit. Thanks

[chickasawmike]

I am a big fan of pickled peppers. I top my peppers also, if I grow some big jalapenos I like to stuff them and grill them.

[hannahhill]

Our first year growing peppers and they are coming on like crazy now because I followed your pruning technique. Southern Indiana. Zone 6b. Thanks!

[forgiven]

I pinched the top off my 🌶 peppers and within days they started growing TONS of side shoots. They started within 2 days. I'm excited to see what happens ☺ I'm totally addicted to your videos! 😂

[jesamineferguson]

My chickens were out free ranging one day and found my coolipeno pepper. They stripped every leaf off. It was just a baby. I thought it was done for. You should see it now. Gorgeous and really bushy and full. This is a new variety of "cooler pepper".

[kate]

first time viewer, subscribed, pinball preparedness sent me over after i asked a question about something he was doing.i'll try this with my peppers this year, just planted them today. thanks for the tip

[katc]

excellent - appreciate the close filming to actually see where & what to look for. Thanks so much!