Greenhouse Notes: Pepper Pruning Revisited

[@davidexton877]

I'm glad that you came back to peppers and gave a more in-depth explanation on pruning. Thank you!!

[@VeronicaFlores]

Thanks for joining! Just wanted to pop back in and let you know that more pepper care will be coming in hot tomorrow as well! :)

[@gordonlachlan4144]

sorry to be offtopic but does someone know of a tool to get back into an Instagram account..? I stupidly forgot my password. I appreciate any tricks you can give me.

[@scottryker11]

@Gordon Lachlan Instablaster ;)

[@gordonlachlan4144]

@Scott Ryker Thanks so much for your reply. I found the site through google and im in the hacking process now. Looks like it's gonna take a while so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.

[@thomaskelly6273]

Love her plant and gardening videos. She gives a lot of good information and articulates it very well. That is why I enjoy her videos!

[@EddyFeyen]

You are not only great to look at but also have a great voice and clear explanation

[@mariosierra9604]

i have been living in a tropical country for a while now. and i have been watching your videos and now i have amazing gardens. thank you very much for all your help. please never stop. it is helping wonderfully with this coronavirus staying at home time.

[@cassettaman]

Veronica! Best information I've gotten so far. I'm new to the game and have a fairly large garden. Your information has helped me a lot!!

[@VeronicaFlores]

Thanks for joining and thinking critically with me!

[@PepperGuru]

Very cool. Glad you went back and touched on this! Cultivation is so nuanced and fun to figure out all the little ins and outs, tricks of the trade. Things you won't possibly know until you've done it a million times. Thanks for making such cool content for growers out there!

[@amysebastian2679]

Pruned my peppers and tomatoes as per your pepper pruning vid. They are growing way better than expected. Thanks so much. You're a treat to watch.

[@VeronicaFlores]

Thank you! So happy to hear they're doing well 🙂

[@scottishsoil]

2021 my first year propagating seeds and growing in soil. peppers, tomatoes nd bare root strawberry my first attempt at growing. This video is really helpful. Many thanks👍

[@johnmalcolm8321]

Second year HOT pepper grower in Connecticut…been a bit of a struggle so far, but not one to quit. Just ran across your videos….do find them quite informative and easy to follow on the pruning method…didn’t hesitate to subscribe and am looking forward to viewing more of your videos as to growing hot peppers. Thanks, Veronica, for taking the time, and effort, to share your learning experiences on growing hot peppers.

[@bradhance8278]

Thank you so much on pruning my peppers. I took your advice yes it took alot of balls to cut the top of my plants but wow 2.5 weeks later i got bushes beautiful. You said if i didnt believe u just do one but that in 2 weeks i would be kikking myself idid it all of them they are great thank you .enjoy your videos very informative from Bullitt county Kentucky

[@twopoorforu2415]

Thank you so much for your videos ...my wife and I are gardening for the first time....thanks to you we got some great peppers!!

[@VeronicaFlores]

So happy to hear! 🙂❤️

[@Cothfotmeoo]

Always with the great information. There are a lot of people who are timid when it comes to cutting plants back but you really spell out the pros and cons of it. Always helpful!

[@pablobeany]

Really enjoyable and informative videos....and very easy on the eye too Veronica !

[@notquiteahomestead122]

We just did a video on this...and I think that a lot of what you are saying here makes sense. I think that we don't always necessarily pay attention to the needs of the individual plant, and try to apply on procedure to everything. What works for one person may not work for another, and what works for one plant may not work for all!! Now I feel like I need to amend the generalities in my video!! Thank you for sharing.

[@edwardsmith239]

You are amazing,wait I have said that before!!! Can’t say it enough. What a great job expanding on and explaining all the should and should nots when it comes to pruning. I hope when I get my green house built I can have it full like yours. This was truly a great video, you were yourself and I felt like you were talking just to me, and not the hundreds and hundreds that are gonna watch this. Thanks V.

[@VeronicaFlores]

Thanks! That one on one experience is pretty much my goal, as that's what I'm most comfortable with IRL. Glad to hear it works for you! 🙂

[@jdfonseca8529]

I've only recently started watching your videos, since I have more time to spend on my plants due to the 'work from home/CoVid lockdown'. I recently saw your earlier video on pruning pepper plants, and tried your method of pruning , on some of my cayenne and Thai pepper plants, which were leggy. Your suggestions were spot on (both plants are doing great and starting to 'bush out'), so don't regret your earlier advice! Keep doing these fantastic videos, and stay safe.

[@rongraff790]

Ms. Flores, I love peppers, thanks for growing with us! Stay cool, God Bless you and your green thumb ✌️

[@onabudgetlife8223]

Do you have a video explaining what pepper plants can be planted together or in close proximity. And what you should avoid when planting several pepper plants? Love your videos! Really encourages me to keep moving forward with my gardening. Thank you!

[@VeronicaFlores]

I don't! But they can all be planted near each other, just keep in mind that they'll share pests and disease so it's always a good idea to diversify! I'd personally avoid too many nightshades in the same location.

[@TomLongusa]

I'm glad I found your Pepper Tips and I'm also glad I was cautious yesterday and only pruned 3 of my peppers that were the leggiest, out of the 8 peppers I'm growing in my on the deck. Otherwise I'd be shaking my head thinking of the unnecessary amputations my peppers would've gone through. It was common sense that stopped me though, just as it was common sense that attracted me to your method to begin with. The old maxim "measure twice and cut once" slowed me down just enough... thanks for the tips.

[@VeronicaFlores]

I know right? Critical thinking is truly more of a lost art than it should be. :P Best of luck this season!

[@TomLongusa]

Veronica Flores Thanks... at 60yrs old I find critical thinking much easier than when I was a youth back in the 70’s. I always grow as much as I can, even though I’m stuck in CT, getting repaired by the VA after a home invasion, ugh, but I have a deck and 25 or so veggies and herbs ... My yields have been quite prodigious most years but I can’t wait to get back to having a garden. Thanks again! I’ve babbled enough.

[@marshaslater2688]

I pruned my bell peppers, they were amazing. The bounty was amazing! They were tall and loaded with peppers, we did have to stake them though.

[@t-risely]

I'm fairly new to the pepper growing world. After trying a few hot sauces (including the last dab) i'm hooked on hot peppers even though they're too hot for me! I first found Chillichump who I went to for advice on growing. I found you when I looked at my very tall spindly plants, and wondered how to make them bushier and better. After watching a few of your videos I have to say, you are just as informative as Chillichump and it's nice to hear some of the same advice given by two different people. Your videos are absolutely amazing, you've helped me a lot already!

[@VeronicaFlores]

Thank you!!!

[@kres01]

Peppers are really tough plants. When I was on holiday I saw a pepper plant on a local market. I bought it and cut the plant back to only a 10 cm stem and washed out the soil. Roled it in a bit of a wet kitchen towel and foil. Put it in a bag and took a flight back home. Once at he put it back in the soil. It grew like crazy. First leaf's started forming within a week. Peppers are really sturdy and can take quite a lot beating. When I want the separate two plants I always wash out the soil. After that it's really easy to take them apart.

[@brucea550]

They are also not annuals, though we perceive them that way in non tropical climates like most of the US. I had a friend in the Dominican Republic who showed me 5 year old pepper ‘trees’. When I was a kid I already loved gardening and experimenting, and I planted one in late fall inside. I had it in a #10 can all winter on our kitchen table. By the time May rolled around it was close to 18” tall and very bushy. I transplanted it outside and got just shy of 100 peppers from it. Was 4’ tall in September.

[@kres01]

@@brucea550 Ah. That's great. You can overwinter peppers. The oldest one I had was 3 years old. It was a neglected from my sister de that killed the plant. I also wanted something else .

[@VeronicaFlores]

That's awesome that it traveled so well!

[@VeronicaFlores]

@@brucea550 oldest one I ever had was 5- it was a black cobra I think? Outdoors in Los Angeles... just left it in the ground year round there. :)

[@kres01]

@@VeronicaFlores Nothing to lose and everything to win... I waited until the very last moment to take the plant out of the pot and cut it back. Did it on the day of the flight.

[@ChrisLaxamana]

Just bought my first pepper plant yesterday! Thanks for the advice!

[@timbuktu2758]

I love your point of view...,learning is fluid.It changes its directions..And we have to adapt to this :-)

[@gardenextra7415]

You are the first one that I've seen that saves the little extra plant. I do the same thing having extras in Reserve, most of them survive. It's my fourth year growing in a Greenhouse. Still learning

[@gregoryskopis5174]

I used your technique last year and it worked great. I already started that way this year. Thanx.

[@saturnthecat1322]

Hey, thanks for this! The first video I saw of yours was the first pepper pruning video, and I appreciate the wider perspective on how to go about pruning. I just picked up a variety of new peppers and I will take all these points into consideration.

[@VeronicaFlores]

You're welcome! So little is one size fits all... Always looking for feedback as to how to better address the whys behind a process. 🙂

[@ra0333]

I asked this back on the original pepper pruning, BUT I would love a similar video on tomato pruning/starting tips Thanks for all the content. You’re the best

[@VeronicaFlores]

I have a few videos on tomatoes up! Anything they didn't cover for you?

[@bryanhumphreys940]

@@VeronicaFlores yay! I would love to hear your thoughts on burying the stems deeper and just how much roots tomatoes need to thrive. I grew some from seed last year and due to the lack of light in the frozen north they ended up pretty leggy and so I would bury them in bigger and bigger pots just to to keep them upright. What's interesting is that the ones I put in pots (about 4 gallon size with bottom watering system) did ok but not great. The ones I gave to friends (because I never threw out a seedling that I thought had a chance and ended up with like 40 of them) that planted them in the ground did much better. It got me thinking that the roots of the potted plants weren't big enough to support a thriving plant.

[@1982MCI]

Bryan Humphreys is think it was being root bound if you only had it in a 4 gallon pot. Tomatoes have massive root systems if they are in a good growing medium and you may have just choked it out but it’s hard to say since you didn’t give near enough info for anyone to really give you an educated answer. She needs to know the pot, what soil was it in, did you fertilize, what did you fertilize with, when did you fertilize, how often did you fertilize, how often did you water, what was soil ph, etc, etc. If you do not give ALL this info then you won’t get a correct answer that will help you

[@bryanhumphreys940]

@@1982MCI They was in a double 4 gal buckets. The outer one had a hole just below where the inner one's bottom was and the inner one had lots of holes on the bottom and a net pot to allow soil access to the water in the bottom bucket to soak up the water. I only watered when the water level in the outer bucket was low or dry. The root had plently of places to go to suck up water and nutrients. I didn't fertilize much, just mostly with fish emulsion and epsom salts. I suspect it was mostly just heat, the root got too hot because they were on concrete but wanted her take on it.

[@VeronicaFlores]

@@bryanhumphreys940 yeah they don't love being in pots. FWIW, I do tend to plant them pretty deep (up to the top set of leaves) if it's early in the season so they can establish extra roots before it heats up. Once the rootzones get over 90F they tend to start getting cranky and not producing... could try insulating somehow, mulching, burying the bucket, using a larger bucket, giving them late day shade... but kind of hard to beat just putting them in the ground. :)

[@WhitepepperFarmshomestead]

Typing as I watch, and you give a good point that a lot of it is situational. Not all plants need to be pruned, it’s all about the environmental variables. I do all of my starts in an 8x4 grow tent so a lot of mine get crowded and I do see issues with it, so I deal with it as it comes up! I’ve noticed my super hots normally grow more stalky and branch out while my sirachas and stuff like that like to grow more leggy and upright. A lot of it is trial and error and I do a lot of that haha! I experiment with my extra plants and figure out what works with the environment that I give them. Good stuff, thank you for the video!

[@ronaldfranck6960]

I wish I saw this 24 hours earlier. Just this morning I went out to the greenhouse and topped all the peppers except the Burpee Ring Leader Jalapeno. The Ring Leaders seem to have grown to a point where they self terminate and start putting out side shoots. This is the first time I've ever topped peppers. We'll see how well it helps.

[@thomasmekeel327]

How did it go with the peppers? I was thinking of trying it, never did and think I did ok with the crop, still curious if I could have done better by topping them.

[@stephkera9976]

I paused your video at the 20min mark to go outside and pruned half of my 8 week old Habaneros. Then i came back and you talked about Habaneros :D I started peppering this year with Capsicum anuum. And decided at the end of may (i live in germany and we got like 15°C until end of september) to seed some Habaneros and overwinter them later.

[@howdyfarmer]

I was skeptical of clipping the top. Did 6 mucho nacho plants as well as 12 various other pepper plants. Is a late season so finally flowering. Plants seem to be producing more and have an even fill across plant.

[@GlassTopRX7]

Just subbed my taste buds just developed a love affair with Serrano peppers, just started growing them myself. Bought one plant and store and planted some from seeds. I will likely need this as my lighting conditions aren't great at all. Although the store bought one is doing great with about 10 peppers starting. Might even do some for an indoor plant or two for winter.

[@VeronicaFlores]

Thanks for joining!

[@SuperJ213]

Thanks for this update video. A neighbor gave me a super chili pepper plant last year and not only did it do well in the garden, but it catapulted to my favorite pepper because of its size, heat factor, and flavor is so easy to scale with different salsas and other recipes. I completely love this pepper! Jalepenos are now only good for poppers :) Anyway, with this updated video, I'm now thinking I wont prune my plant(s) this year since last year's plant seemed fairly bushy anyway. I have a couple of plants growing from seed, so I suppose I could do one and leave the other? Anyway, this is great info and may be super helpful for other peppers I'll be planting this season, too.

[@VeronicaFlores]

Yeah I play with it depending on how the plant looks - it's really case by case!

[@whatcanilearnhere9158]

i've had some success growing 2 or even 3 peppers tightly together, sometimes pruning so one plant grows up, and other branches low, some times they just find their own agreement of light sharing, sometimes i just use a stick or twig to push them apart as they grow

[@harrygatto]

Yes, when you have to make the best use of a small space then growing plants closer together but managing the height works well.

[@amplifiedrecoil9639]

Hey Veronica. Thank you for all you do for us. I tried your pruning technique last year. My pepper plants were massive, so was the yield. My ghost pepper plant, OMG!

[@VeronicaFlores]

Awesome to hear!

[@absurdnerd7624]

wow, a lovely articulate lady with a sunny personality. and I like that nervous little laugh throughout. I think your tips make sense and I look forward to viewing more of you videos in the future.

[@jbelme1]

I destroyed a seedling trying to separate it from another. It never crossed my mind to use scissors to cut them apart. Thanks for the tip.

[@D.A.Hanks14]

Rather than pull them apart, I separate plants with my fingers; working the roots apart, then tear what's left. It leaves both pretty much bare root, but that's easy to fix with more soil and a thorough watering. Using the scissors would be even better than just tearing.

[@doubledown187]

Veronica and her little ones😊 Great video - I was totally nodding along with everything you said. :)

[@lecsu131]

FINALLY! Last year i prunned as you said but this year, I automated my nursery with lights and heat and cooling and venting and everything. And my Peppers are short and bushy and had no idea how to prune them, there's no place to cut cleanly, that's how bushy they are. Now I know i did it right by leaving them alone and not chopping off their heads :). So probably the best rule in gardening is "use common sense".

[@VeronicaFlores]

Exactly! Though I've had people get offended at me for using that phrase before 😂🤷🏻‍♀️

[@davidmiles533]

This is amended from last year: I had written that my plants became stunted after pruning and that no flowers had appeared 4 weeks after the “haircut”. I meant to get back to you. I took one of the bed peppers and placed it in a pot on my rear porch that gets about 8 hours of nearly direct sun in mid season. Because of the late transplant and the fact that it was only 5-6 inches tall my results weren’t great as far a fruit. However, I did get a few small bell peppers and a very strong plant. In the pot it bushed quite well. I actually over wintered it. It survived but Isn’t doing much yet. It’s only been outside for 2 weeks. I doing 8 in pots this year ( 2 varieties ) since my soil is ultra rocky. Hoping that mixing my own potting soil this year and your instructions help. I try to stop back in the season to fill ya in. Be safe

[@RaymondYocum-uw5hd]

Thank you! Should I pinch off some of the early blossoms?

[@BoldlyGrowHomestead]

So many questions but I don't I even know what they are haha =D I will have to just practice and play! My first big garden attempt this year so everything is a a learning experiment! Thanks for the great content

[@VeronicaFlores]

Thanks for joining! The learning experiment is what keeps it fun! 🙂

[@Seaniffer]

Thanks Veronica, I watched the first pruning video, still waiting for that outcome . I appreciate the follow up video and hope to apply your advice to future plantings. You obviously care and that shows ❤️.

[@VeronicaFlores]

If you followed the first one, you're golden! This was mostly made to appease the whiners on the internet before I understood the learning curve of the comments section. Having taken a step back, I've learned that haters are gonna hate and again, every plant is different and requires individual appraisal before making a cut. You'll get a feel for it as you go. 🙂

[@christopherj8324]

Thank you for the additional video, I was going to prune my green bell peppers. Now I will rethink that idea.

[@deannaking1042]

lol I wish I had watched this second video an hour ago, as I would have not pruned all of my bells. Now I am wondering if I will get any peppers at all. Guess I am going back to purchase some more plants tomorrow to make sure I have both the pruned and not pruned this year. It will help me form my decision on what to do with them next year.

[@christopherj8324]

I watched the initial video and was like, I'll do that. However, I kept scrolling and saw the revisited video... Glad to report my bells are safe. 🙂

[@krypter123]

This is the first year I pruned a few of my peppers. I saw your other video and figured I'd try it. About 3/4 of my pruned plants exploded with new growth. About 1/4 of them plants hated it and haven't grown since (haven't died though). The ones that didn't like it were all bell's or bananas. All my hybrids, ghosts, scorpions, jalepenos, and ornamentals loved the prune though. Thanks for the tips, just figured I'd share.

[@VeronicaFlores]

Great tips! That's pretty much been my findings too, hence the update. Some people have great luck with their larger sweet varieties, but no such here. Hots for sure though! Always worth experimenting with and adjusting based on your own results. 🙂

[@aquahydroman7623]

My growing season has grown exponential Thank you :)

[@steelersmike70]

I just pruned all my hots after watching your first video. I'm excited to see the results. This is my third year doing Reapers, Ghosts, Habs and Jalapenos and now Gator Jigsaws. I have never pruned or finned. I was always too chicken. Hope it works. Thanks for the information.

[@steelersmike70]

One week later and the side shoots have exploded!!

[@dillonpichols7625]

Sadly I still have little babies. They're not leggy or growing too fast as we haven't had many days over 70 here, yet. Its gonna jump from cold to hot a few more times. I had snow the 21st of May last year. So these bad boys are gonna be in the hot room for some time still. Great information V! Love and respect!

[@markrivera4911]

Great video for gardening and for life. It's not black or white, be flexible! I also love seeing all the sour cream pots behind you!!!

[@brucea550]

You should see her pile of empty baking potato sacks! 😳My greenhouse looks similar except the containers are Greek yoghurt.

[@venkatesaya]

Auxins are a group of plant hormones with similar structure and effects, which perform many important functions in plants. The main effects of auxin are: Stimulate growth in the above-ground parts; Promote the production of lateral roots; Prevention of branching in the growing bud (apical dominance); Stimulation of the production of climbing feet and adhesive tendrils; Regulation of fruiting; Stretching of the stem. When a plant is in the light, auxin accumulates in cells on the unexposed side of the plant, the shade side. The accumulated auxin on the shade side causes the cells on this same side to stretch faster. As a result, the shaded side grows stronger than the exposed side of the stem, and the plant bends toward the light: photosynthesis is thus optimal. This process is called phototropy. Cells respond differently to different concentrations of auxin. A lying stem will produce more auxin at the bottom than at the top, so the bottom grows faster than the top, so a stem erects itself. A root, however, reacts the opposite way. This effect is called geotropy. If the auxin-producing growing tip is cut from a plant, the axillary buds respond by sprouting (apical dominance). Function of auxin The hormone auxin controls plant growth and development. Auxin plays a central role in the formation of new roots, leaves and flowers, and it also causes roots to grow downward. When you top your plant, the plant sends auxin to several lower spots. Shoots appear where the leaves are attached to the stem and become new growth buds. It also stimulates root formation. Auxin and related substances as well as cytokinins are an important component of cutting powder.

[@brentstruttmann8914]

I love your philosophy on gardening 😊 I'm going to try to overwinter a few peppers this year. I've never tried it before

[@HavocVulture21]

I've got quite a few peppers that are over 8 years old. They are way superior to new ones. Good luck with your overwintering :)

[@TheahLil]

oh no .... Thank you for this more nuanced post. I did prune and now I see I shouldn't have. I realize that when we take advice from online it can't be knowing everything about our particular circumstances, so I can't blame the advice or advice giver. Thanks for this update though, since now I see that in my situation I didn't need to because I'm growing in AZ, outside, and in a long growing season.

[@DENNISPS78]

Great video. I did prune my non leggy bell pepper plants last year with great results. I had more peppers than Peter Piper who picked a peck if you remember the rhyme. Seriously you will love the Jimmy Nardello. It’s a great fryer. Another great one is an heirloom called Agoncagua. It’s a giant sweet fryer. How do you prune the plants you overwinter.

[@VeronicaFlores]

I loooove the Jimmy Nardellos, have a few going this year! Where are you at that you can grow bells? They seem to be hit and miss for people (including myself) and I'm trying to figure out if it's climate or something else.

[@VeronicaFlores]

Oh I should have an overwinter vid in my profile... anything I missed?

[@DENNISPS78]

Veronica Flores I

[@DENNISPS78]

I garden in central Connecticut. Over the years I’ve found that bell peppers don’t set fruit well in hot weather. That may be a problem in Texas. They set fruit in June that ripens in July and September that ripens in October. Not much oa fruit set in July or early August. You might try heave mulching to shade the soil and misting them in mid day

[@DENNISPS78]

I was surprised to see how easily the peppers overwintered in my cool greenhouse. They didn’t look great in the early spring but wow. They came back strong and are already setting fruit. I only tried two plants but next fall I will do a lot more. I overwinter geraniums and I think peppers might like similar treatment such as keeping them only slightly moist and pruning them back severely. I wonder how many years I can keep a plant going

[@davidniemi6553]

I did my own experiment on pruning back in April, which I think I can now give some conclusions on -- it took a while to be able to tell what would happen. 1) top pruning almost always gives you multiple stems instead of 1-2 main stems. 2) in tall varieties, lost height is less of an issue and the extra stems help production. Depends also on the site -- for me "front row" peppers can be short (as long as they're off the ground); the farther back you go the taller they need to be. 3) In low/small/determinate varieties like Matchbox, Fresno, or Czech, it is usually counterproductive to top prune, as with peppers that really need to be tall like Tabasco, or superhots like Habanero and Ghost. 4) nearly all my peppers are from seeds and they are rarely leggy or potbound. I expect nursery plants are much more likely to appreciate pruning. 5) regardless of the above, in my experience always good to take off damaged/infested leaves and leaves too close to the ground; and to do light top pruning on tall plants that cannot support themselves properly

[@VeronicaFlores]

Thanks for the feedback and update! It's always great to hear what's working for other people so I can keep learning from it. 🙂

[@GarmanyRachel]

I got two jalapeño plants (they are on my bedroom windowsill) after your first pepper pruning video, and they have been making new peppers continuously ever since! Right now one of them has 8 peppers, the other has 12 new blossoms. As soon as they start getting too tall I prune them and they bush out and produce all over again!

[@VeronicaFlores]

Amazing! Don't forget to give them a little compost or worm castings as a thank you for working so hard! ☺️

[@user-lh2xn5iy2p]

I love so much your video! Thanks for taking the time to help us out with our project. Do you think I should cut off the flowers of my pepper plant if I want them to grow more before giving fruits?

[@VeronicaFlores]

I would if that's the goal!

[@wazzobazzo]

Well just asked questions on the old video again before seeing this. To separate from those... I'd like to see your take on replanting peppers. When, how, do you use eggshells etc.

[@GrahamAldrich1975]

Hi V, love the term "gardening is a rabbit hole of information and knowledge". Sometimes we get a bit overwhelmed by it all but the fun is in learning. Unfortunately I think a few people are put off gardening because they feel they've got to know it all to do it.

[@VeronicaFlores]

I had a little bit of a breakdown about a decade ago when I realized I'd never learn all there was to know in this space... and then I was like "whelp, might as well try anyway." Yep it's a learning process for sure. It's only when you learn enough to do okay that you begin to realize how little we know in general. 😂

[@GrahamAldrich1975]

@@VeronicaFlores I try to learn a little something each day. That way I know a bit more than I did yesterday, and in a year's time I feel I've gained a decent amount of knowledge. Also, when I buy plants or seeds I go for something I've never grown before. I'm now excited about a lifetime of learning instead of feeling daunted. 😁

[@Green.Country.Agroforestry]

Interestingly enough, of the 60+ peppers that I started this year, only a few needed pruning. I think that the light exposure that they received had a lot to do with it, as most of them developed 3-4 branched tops all on their own. For next year: adding an additional row of grow lights and some Mylar to give my non-greenhouse starts more light from different angles, as the bulk of the peppers that DID need pruning were only receiving light from directly overhead.

[@VeronicaFlores]

I think figuring out reflectors is a GREAT idea, and something I'm going to play with for anything I don't direct sow next season. I'll also be testing a few grow lights for the first time since some companies would like me to try theirs out. Do you have a favorite brand so far? I'm trying so hard to get away from anything that isn't direct sow, but I do love a good experiment, so.... :)

[@Green.Country.Agroforestry]

My wife tells me those lights were "the cheap ones" … $20 per panel from amazon - good enough to start, but not what one would want to use to grow a plant from seedling to maturity. Ideally, I would prefer more nursery space … it's hard to beat the sun for growing plants!

[@gardenfever4139]

Wow busting out the videos ... you go! And thanks so much for you videos . I agree about all the gardening rules there is so many variations and veritable things that it can’t be all universal. Thanks again. Ps don’t listen to trolls to black and white !

[@AlphaFoxAdam]

I trimmed the top off of mine...new growth in less than a week.

[@johncompton1671]

Veronica, your vids are helping my confidence a lot. Thank you!

[@VeronicaFlores]

Yay! That's what I'm here for 🙂

[@hackn3y199]

I like absorbing your knowledge

[@bryanbeck3083]

So glad you made this video. I was about to start pruning my pepper starts this year assuming your first video was the way to go regardless of context.

[@mooshmobile]

Same here. Thanks for the updated video

[@VeronicaFlores]

So glad to be helpful! Context is always so key. 🙂

[@smegrowe09]

I enjoy your videos. We bought and planted from the nursery. I've never pruned my peppers. Can you prune the same way once it's in the ground and hasn't started flowering yet?

[@sherbear5984hhh82]

Your videso are very helpful. I'm New to gardening and have lots to learn. Thank you! I have bell peppers. Bought from home depot. Only had for a couple days and the leaves look dry. Some even fall off to touch. I'm trying to save them. I transplanted into big pots.(live in mountains in southern california. Starting indoors) with good potting mix and compost. Some leaves have brown. Theres not many leaves at all tho. Can I save these??

[@VeronicaFlores]

For sure! Just cut the dead stuff off and make sure they don't dry out too much again.

[@Steve-Z68]

Too late for me I just saw your first video on pruning peppers and went samurai on my pepper plants lol. I still have faith they will be fine. Great content and just subscribed

[@dougfressh]

Need more videos Veronica your personality rocks you bring life to your video not boring like everyone's else are ...

[@VeronicaFlores]

Just getting settled back in- will be back soon!

[@johnmicknal4620]

I didn't realize you could bury potato plants like you can a tomato plant. I will have to try that. Thanks

[@meltandburn77]

I was all excited to bush out some pepper plants. I would think the extra foliage and shaping it out as a Bush would always give more fruit?

[@VeronicaFlores]

I've found that to be the case!

[@meltandburn77]

@@VeronicaFlores Hi Veronica, thanks for the reply. I've always enjoyed doing things in the garden, but I only knew basic things such as how to transplant with some common sense, reading the back of the tag to see basic planting and harvest length. Since learning to grow my herbal medicine I've been learning so much in organics, soil microbial life and how plants function in general. Now I'm excited to see the quality of vegetables I can grow and share with friends and family. I've never grown a pepper plant and I'm cluesless at this moment how the plant structure is and what other plants do well with pruning and shaping? Thanks for the great videos..I'll Be watching more here and there.

[@timyarrow8844]

There! - 4:20 - you said it. Over 200 days of frost-free days! 200 days! What I would do for that length growing season! On the other hand, I would wilt in a Texas summer.

[@thomasa5619]

Tim Yarrow umm I get 365 days frost free...

[@100dblock]

Love the channel this is my second year gardening my first year was a big success somehow lol lots of tomatoes potatoes n stuff now I’m trying some peppers and squash so this helps

[@robben11x2]

thank you so much for this 2nd Video. i watched the first Pruning Vid and i was about to Prune all my 100 Large Bell Pepper plants which i just transplanted into the ground (Midnight/Orange/Yellow). i had a terrible experience with those last year with more than half breaking from winds and only giving 5 pieces from each Plant. most grew over 2 feet long. i was happy knowing that Pruning would solve the problem. but i will still prune 3 from each variety for science and to compare harvest. if you have any advice/suggestions i will be greatly thankful. i love your passion for plant life and i am starting to feel the same.

[@VeronicaFlores]

Please lmk how it works out! I don't have great luck growing bells as I tend to live in really hot dry places where they don't perform as well, so my experience is limited in that space.

[@ClipzNY]

Lol I watched your last pruning video and chopped all my chillis...then I saw this video 😂 I'll come back to you in two weeks and if they are all dead send some new ones to the UK 😂🙏👍

[@VeronicaFlores]

They'll be fine. I honestly have way better results with pruning than not, just let the internet make me second guess myself there for a hot second

[@ClipzNY]

@@VeronicaFlores they have been tanning all day and can already see separate branches 😉👍

[@edb3005]

I'm glad that you came back with this video...This year I was thinking of getting some sweet peppers! I would like to know what natral remaamedies would you sudjest to keep my peppers from getting eatten from insects?

[@HavocVulture21]

I would enjoy a progress vid of your peppers later in the season :)

[@andresl.2]

Great video just today I was gonna prune my pepper plants 🙌😁 keep us updated on the little pepper plant did it make it 😬.

[@TheMumbaGames]

Thanks this has giving me all I need to know. Great job!

[@harshabhat86]

Thanks for the videos, they are very helpful. I have a question. I pruned my pepper plant and it started drying up. What might I have done wrong?

[@xelamj]

So I have some Corsican Basil that I started from seeds (under artifical light). They grew super lanky in just a couple days! So I tried your pruning method. I know it's for peppers, but fungers crossed it helps the basil branch out a bit 😯 we shall see😊

[@VeronicaFlores]

Pinching basil back definitely helps it bush out! Best of luck. :)

[@xelamj]

Thanks! They are already starting to get new growth!

[@DENNISPS78]

I agree that gardening is a life long learning process and gardeners in different situations have different paths to success. Gardening is as much an art as it is a science. For me the growing process is as much fun as the harvesting. It should always remain a source of fun and not a source of frustration if certain things fail

[@pennybush879]

Woman! Thank you, I was just about to go cut off all the tops of my Sweet Pepper Seedlings.- So glad I just did a triple check on the subject before I did~

[@VeronicaFlores]

Phew! FWIW, they would've grown back, but collectively we've noticed production results to be hit and miss vs the hots which are pretty reliable about producing more. Still haven't figured out why, but happy that we're all learning together! 🙂

[@stayathomegypsy5078]

Same! 😆

[@dougmorissette459]

I enjoyed your video. My Serrano pepper plants are about 2 feet tall but have very thin branches. One of them has only produced 4 peppers and the new flower sets just die off. The other one has about 15 peppers that aren’t ready to harvest and the new flower sets are dying off. My habanero pepper plant is very large and bushy but has not produced any flower sets yet. And my Habanada pepper plant are as big and bushy as the habanero and just have just started to produce flower sets. Should I have pruned when they were small when I bought them from the garden nursery? All of my peppers are growing in my greenhouse and over the last 2 months the temperature has been as high as 104F inside with 2 fans running 24 hours a day. Also, all of the soil was replaced this year with a very rich black soil with 2 inches of mulch covering all of the soil and everything that I am growing has been fertilized with organic fertilizers every 2 weeks. I water the peppers when the soil doesn’t feel moist. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[@VeronicaFlores]

You might want to try hand pollinating them if you don't have enough insects in your greenhouse - sometimes that's an issue. Also if they're exhibiting signs of heat stress, they may abort blooms in an act of self preservation, particularly if there are already fruits setting.

[@cmc7106]

Great video, I have found gardening is always a learning experience. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn’t ! Trying is the most rewarding part of gardening.

[@VeronicaFlores]

I agree!

[@ProYagu]

Just found your videos while looking up how to grow habaneros in pots. You are great!

[@VeronicaFlores]

Thank you!

[@cherylcampbell1754]

Now that I know to prune my perrers, can I still do it, I just put them in the ground a few days ago. Green, red and yellow peppers. Also hot peppers.

[@kosycat1]

Have you tried growing tangerine dream peppers? They are one of my most productive plants, and they never get higher/wider than 12 inches! Not much pruning need on them. My bell peppers though I topped off after 3 sets of leaves like you showed us and I didn't really have to touch them again once I planted them in my raised beds and they did very well. I also planted my plants really close, like 9 inches apart in a grid-like 140 peppers and they all just help each other out

[@VeronicaFlores]

Awesome! No haven't tried those yet, are they good?

[@kosycat1]

@@VeronicaFlores They are great, even just to snack on, they are a sweet chili pepper!

[@bucktalesoutdoors7566]

I saw your last pepper pruning video just a few minutes ago and asked if once I’ve put my pepper plants in the ground, can I still prune them. Jalapeños mostly.

[@VeronicaFlores]

You can, just hedge bets based on how far along they are and how late in the season it is already

[@bucktalesoutdoors7566]

Veronica Flores Thanks, they were just put in the ground 10 days ago and here in NH we normally get our plants in the ground around Memorial Day but this year we just got them in June 9th due to having such a cold spring. Thanks again , love your channel, very informative 👍✌️

[@VeronicaFlores]

Yeah I'm having to make many of the same calls here too

[@bucktalesoutdoors7566]

Veronica Flores can I ask what State you’re in or climate zone ? ..... never mind watching the forest garden and heard you say you’re in TX.

[@wesmcgull6438]

Very pragmatic approach. Good spirit. Neat 😀

[@bartblack8054]

Great Channel! Do you have any chiltepin (chiltepe) pepper plants, it's similar to the chili pequin, but the pepper are only the size of small corn kernels, and hotter than habaneros. I have a Chiltepe and it has always wanted to grow verticle. It's currently about 5ft tall and some of the branches have leaned over as fas as they can for the window. I'm going to work on pruning it over the weekend, but just wanted to know if you were familar with them and if you had any advice. Mine is about 4yrs old now.

[@VeronicaFlores]

Yes, those are their own class lol. Mine have always ended up bushy because they're one of the few that will survive a freeze and come back, so in Texas they just live in the ground and then resprout from the roots. I'd probably hack it back a bit if it's that tall, and maybe check to see that it's not root bound and needs repotting.

[@bartblack8054]

@@VeronicaFlores Thank you for your reply. I'm in CO, and am quite surprised that my plant has lived 4yrs being an indoor winter and outdoor summer plant. They say don't plant anything until after Mother's Day here, because we can get frost and snow storms all the way up into may. I did go ahead and spend sometime yesterday trimming it back and thinking about all the things you had mentioned. It seems like I can already see little buds and tiny little leaves emerging, which is hard to believe. I'll let you know what happens in a couple weeks. Thank you. Keep the great content coming, stay safe, and be wise!

[@bartblack8054]

also, I think it's really cool that your last name (i presume...) is Flores - Flower in spanish. Ironic.

[@masonsworld9573]

Question.. new to plants.. if I snip the top of a pepper plant, is it possible to plant and grow another plant off what I trim back?

[@VeronicaFlores]

Yep! It's a great way to get more plants - just keep in mind that they'll be clones which will effect your overall diversity in terms of genetics if you're saving seeds.

[@ProYagu]

I'm back to watch this again this year. =)

[@xorbex13]

Very informative video. I'm currently growing peppers for the first time. Sweet Baby Bell, Jalapeno, Habanero and your standard Bell. Keep the vids coming :)

[@jayjaywhu7738]

Great follow up video, Thanks! I am growing Padron peppers for the 1st time... Should I top them and prune around? If so at what point?? Thanks again ✌

[@doughakkinen5881]

Thank you for clarifying the difference between types of peppers....I just commented on your original video that pruning hurts sweet pepper production (sorry ) thanks for the info!

[@VeronicaFlores]

You're welcome! Yeah the results with sweets were SO hit and miss that I felt like it was a good idea to address that. I'm always happy to update where I'm at as new and better info becomes available to me. I really do want to help people succeed, not just be "right." 🙂

[@doughakkinen5881]

@@VeronicaFlores I really respect that! When I stumbled on to your original video I had just watched about ten "Experts" giving flat out WRONG info! And you are right that people need to do their own research. But with that said I find your video's very informative and accurate, you've gained another subscriber. I live in New England so I have a short growing season so I'm always trying to improve my pepper game. This year I've added Buena Mulata Hot Peppers to my collection (they DO like pruning!) They change color from purple to red and the flavor profile changes as well. Purple is hotter and red gets a little sweeter. Makes awesome salsa. Keep up the great work and thank you again!

[@VeronicaFlores]

Those are such lovely peppers! I keep meaning to grow them, pretty sure I even have seeds somewhere. Here's to always learning! ✊❤️

[@cucubits]

Do you have any suggestions on flower buds falling off? I have a rather nice looking Habanero growing, it has about 4 peppers and lots and lots of flower buds which keep falling off.

[@MrRockydee07]

Live in zone 9b. I planted Anaheim peppers thay are growing slow and look yellow I was the soil is to cold mybe 50 at night days are still 75 do you the ground is to cold. ?

[@VeronicaFlores]

Yes. Dealing with this right now as well. 😞

[@MrRockydee07]

@@VeronicaFlores I was told too put some black poly plastic around the bottom of the plant's, beleave it or not , Thay started turning Green again and growing, I gess the plastic keeps the plant's toes warm ....LOL

[@VeronicaFlores]

I've heard this helps! Trying to avoid extra plastic over here, but glad to hear that it's working out for you! 🙌

[@aychar]

I wasn't planning to but I had to prune the top of my sweet peppers because I messed up and put them out in the polytunnel too early and the top leaves died. They have grown new leaves now so I hope they will be ok. I think pruning gives more fruit which could be bad for them as the fruits are larger than a chilli but I guess I could just restrict them to a few fruit at a time.

[@VeronicaFlores]

You can always prune some fruit off younger if the plant just looks super overloaded.

[@pesos1274]

Im a beginner. Curious & nervous about pruning hot banana peppers. Any advice? Your videos are very informative ...

[@VeronicaFlores]

I haven't seen a great deal of yield increase with banana peppers and pruning, it's been about the same, but my plants last year were able to support a ton of fruit without staking (I pruned them a little when they started to get a bit leggy, but not in any severe way and still long before they set flower.)