We Tested Pruning Peppers To See If It Doubled Our Harvests
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Date: 2025-07-20
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Comments and reviews: 20
Amelia. A. T.
Several of my peppers were topped by some deer. I discarded a few that were nothing but stalk, but any that had at least one leaf left, I fed and covered so they wouldn't be gnawed on again, and they've all recovered and are now flowering. They are significantly shorter than the ones that the deer didn't get to, but they're leafy and look like they'll produce some fruit. (I only cover them in the evening, uncovering them in the morning, because the deer always wander through at dusk and dawn. So far it's worked, and they haven't been interested in my tomatoes, eggplants, or other veggies, fortunately)
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Several of my peppers were topped by some deer. I discarded a few that were nothing but stalk, but any that had at least one leaf left, I fed and covered so they wouldn't be gnawed on again, and they've all recovered and are now flowering. They are significantly shorter than the ones that the deer didn't get to, but they're leafy and look like they'll produce some fruit. (I only cover them in the evening, uncovering them in the morning, because the deer always wander through at dusk and dawn. So far it's worked, and they haven't been interested in my tomatoes, eggplants, or other veggies, fortunately)
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rb607
I have played with top and non topped fo 3 years now. I would say that it depends on what growing zone your in. I have noticed that if you in a cooler region I wouldn't top it off. If you life were you can grow the peppers almost year round I would top it. If you top a pepper plant you will get more peppers but those peppers will be smaller but more. The reason you don't want to top your plants in cooler regions is because topping will stall growth by a month and the season will be to short.
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I have played with top and non topped fo 3 years now. I would say that it depends on what growing zone your in. I have noticed that if you in a cooler region I wouldn't top it off. If you life were you can grow the peppers almost year round I would top it. If you top a pepper plant you will get more peppers but those peppers will be smaller but more. The reason you don't want to top your plants in cooler regions is because topping will stall growth by a month and the season will be to short.
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jayelwin
I’ve definitely lived the controversy. This year I have 15 different varieties of pepper growing in 10 gallon bags and I didn’t do any pruning and I have the biggest fullest bushiest plants that I’ve had in years. Part of that, however, is last year our deer infestation gave me a huge setback. I am firmly in the no pruning camp. If you have healthy soil, good fertilizer and the proper amount of water, you will get a full bushy plant, even without topping the seedling.
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I’ve definitely lived the controversy. This year I have 15 different varieties of pepper growing in 10 gallon bags and I didn’t do any pruning and I have the biggest fullest bushiest plants that I’ve had in years. Part of that, however, is last year our deer infestation gave me a huge setback. I am firmly in the no pruning camp. If you have healthy soil, good fertilizer and the proper amount of water, you will get a full bushy plant, even without topping the seedling.
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dustyflats3832
Good points especially about topping smaller peppers. Thought I seen a vid somewhere that they weren’t topping anymore and maybe he meant large peppers. I think the large peppers you might get more but smaller peppers. Length of growing season is important with slower ripening peppers. Had a bumper crop of large sweet peppers last year in the upper Midwest with all the rain and extended warm fall.
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Good points especially about topping smaller peppers. Thought I seen a vid somewhere that they weren’t topping anymore and maybe he meant large peppers. I think the large peppers you might get more but smaller peppers. Length of growing season is important with slower ripening peppers. Had a bumper crop of large sweet peppers last year in the upper Midwest with all the rain and extended warm fall.
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kneerkat1
Im more interested in if pinching early buds encourages more vegetative growth. I always get plenty of branches without topping but I usually pinch off early flowers on both pepper and tomatoes with the hope that the plants will grow bigger faster and have more fruit later. And in the case of my hot pepper I want to have most of the fruit ripen at the same time so I can make hot sauce.
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Im more interested in if pinching early buds encourages more vegetative growth. I always get plenty of branches without topping but I usually pinch off early flowers on both pepper and tomatoes with the hope that the plants will grow bigger faster and have more fruit later. And in the case of my hot pepper I want to have most of the fruit ripen at the same time so I can make hot sauce.
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brokenbravo83
Only time I prune my peppers is end of season and I take it inside for winter. The branching is bushier but doesn't seem to be able to support the weight of peppers, a stiff wind loses too many branches so I never prune until it's time for it to go dormant for cold weather. I lost my 7 year old pepper plant last year and didn't realize the emotional attachment to a plant. Who knew
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Only time I prune my peppers is end of season and I take it inside for winter. The branching is bushier but doesn't seem to be able to support the weight of peppers, a stiff wind loses too many branches so I never prune until it's time for it to go dormant for cold weather. I lost my 7 year old pepper plant last year and didn't realize the emotional attachment to a plant. Who knew
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presentpossible
I'm in southern Ontario. I started my peppers January 7th, topped them, and continuously removed all flower buds until I moved them outside in mid-June. They are all bushy and covered in fruit way earlier than the peppers I started in March last year and didn't top. Now we're just waiting for them to ripen. Last year we barely got any ripe peppers before the first hard frost.
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I'm in southern Ontario. I started my peppers January 7th, topped them, and continuously removed all flower buds until I moved them outside in mid-June. They are all bushy and covered in fruit way earlier than the peppers I started in March last year and didn't top. Now we're just waiting for them to ripen. Last year we barely got any ripe peppers before the first hard frost.
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mrmocha5435
Ive grown many plants from seed and sometimes a plant just has bad genetics or it has a worse spot in the garden or whatnot. My point is, that plant could've very well have been smaller because of genetics or any other reason. So I dont think coming to a decisive conclusion is correct. You should 10x your sample size and control next time.
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Ive grown many plants from seed and sometimes a plant just has bad genetics or it has a worse spot in the garden or whatnot. My point is, that plant could've very well have been smaller because of genetics or any other reason. So I dont think coming to a decisive conclusion is correct. You should 10x your sample size and control next time.
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SemiPolymath
Would you repost this video next xspring, so we have this excellent advice at the time our plants are at the right time for it By chance, I did prune at the right time and way to get the same results for my habanero plant, but I am in Denver, and still don't have more than a lot of flowers and a few very early fruit sets
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Would you repost this video next xspring, so we have this excellent advice at the time our plants are at the right time for it By chance, I did prune at the right time and way to get the same results for my habanero plant, but I am in Denver, and still don't have more than a lot of flowers and a few very early fruit sets
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graxiecool
Doing an experiment with only 1 sample of each is so bad. There are 1000 different variables that can affect the outcome, you need to have multiple plants with the exact same growing conditions. This information isnt useful. If you're gonna spend this much time doing an experiment, why not do it correctly from the start
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Doing an experiment with only 1 sample of each is so bad. There are 1000 different variables that can affect the outcome, you need to have multiple plants with the exact same growing conditions. This information isnt useful. If you're gonna spend this much time doing an experiment, why not do it correctly from the start
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LaviathnGames
I think they do the experiments badly on purpose for engagement and an excuse to do it again next year. Look at how many potato experiments they’ve done and theyve gotten it wrong every single time. They always use determinant potatoes varieties for hill testing instead of indeterminate varieties.
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I think they do the experiments badly on purpose for engagement and an excuse to do it again next year. Look at how many potato experiments they’ve done and theyve gotten it wrong every single time. They always use determinant potatoes varieties for hill testing instead of indeterminate varieties.
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Soul_Kasters
How long should you let your pepper plants grow to produce flowers and fruit Meaning how old do they have to be. I have a few that are 2yrs old and around 2 ft tall. Is that the proper age and growth for them to be strong enough to produce or should i wait longer till they get more taller
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How long should you let your pepper plants grow to produce flowers and fruit Meaning how old do they have to be. I have a few that are 2yrs old and around 2 ft tall. Is that the proper age and growth for them to be strong enough to produce or should i wait longer till they get more taller
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The_Crucible714
From experience the method discussed here will double (& more) yield of many vegetables and flowers. With some plants you just need to pinch back the top two leaves to encourage branching. The first harvest/flowers may be postponed a little while but the final result will be worth it.
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From experience the method discussed here will double (& more) yield of many vegetables and flowers. With some plants you just need to pinch back the top two leaves to encourage branching. The first harvest/flowers may be postponed a little while but the final result will be worth it.
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LaviathnGames
Here’s a tip that I would give. I wait a little longer before I top it and then I plant the top to clone another pepper plant. I’ve currently got four large Tabasco pepper plants from one plant. Each successive top that grew. I topped it and planted that top.
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Here’s a tip that I would give. I wait a little longer before I top it and then I plant the top to clone another pepper plant. I’ve currently got four large Tabasco pepper plants from one plant. Each successive top that grew. I topped it and planted that top.
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stephenremo9200
I've had deer top just about every plant you could imagine.
My experience tells me that smaller fruited peppers recover way better than larger fruited peppers.
I'm zone 7
Sometimes large bells don't really recover
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I've had deer top just about every plant you could imagine.
My experience tells me that smaller fruited peppers recover way better than larger fruited peppers.
I'm zone 7
Sometimes large bells don't really recover
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indiefan23
I don't top my plants. Something seems off with your plant. My Jalapenos grow so much bigger than this in smaller containers. There's a guy who did an experiment on this with 100 plants and it was found to be mostly mythical.
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I don't top my plants. Something seems off with your plant. My Jalapenos grow so much bigger than this in smaller containers. There's a guy who did an experiment on this with 100 plants and it was found to be mostly mythical.
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brandonlantier
There is nothing scientific about this, need bigger sample size, and I can tell you the only thing topping does from experience is make a shorter plant, you can't remove material and get more, it's not how math works.
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There is nothing scientific about this, need bigger sample size, and I can tell you the only thing topping does from experience is make a shorter plant, you can't remove material and get more, it's not how math works.
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bartroberts1514
So what happens if you graft pepper to potato root stock Eggplant Tomato Ground cherry Does any particular combination do best How many different fruit can a nightshade graft produce Can it be perennial
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So what happens if you graft pepper to potato root stock Eggplant Tomato Ground cherry Does any particular combination do best How many different fruit can a nightshade graft produce Can it be perennial
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seandoe3768
Seems like you could get a nice continuous production with a few un-topped plants ripening first and then some topped plants ripening later. Seems like it'd be easier than planting at different times.
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Seems like you could get a nice continuous production with a few un-topped plants ripening first and then some topped plants ripening later. Seems like it'd be easier than planting at different times.
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tulackt1395
Why are the plants at the end so tiny. Where are all the leaves. They don't have even 10% of leaves they should have. And for that period plants should be 3 times bigger with at least a hundred pods.
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Why are the plants at the end so tiny. Where are all the leaves. They don't have even 10% of leaves they should have. And for that period plants should be 3 times bigger with at least a hundred pods.
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