Do Chilli plants have suckers?

[Mrs Dobby]

Hi Gang,

We've just noticed that some of our larger Chilli plants have started to grow a second leaf spur from the 'v' of the joint of some of the branches where they meet the main stem (kind of like the 'suckers' or sideshoots that toms throw out (that have to be removed)), we've not done anything about it yet, but are these suckers like you get with toms and if so do they need to be removed?

First year growing chillies, so any advice would be appreciated!

[Geordie]

Dont worry Mrs D, thats just the plants way of producing more chillies.

[Mrs Dobby]

Ah! Cool, so those are the points where they flower and fruit from then Geordie? I was beginning to get a bit worried!

[chickenjane]

Well no not exactly,but tey are naturally bushy litle plants,the more stms the more flowering tips you'll have.the flowers are v similar to tomato but they occur singly rather than in clusters.
Will you send us a pic later in the year?

[Protea]

It depends - i tend to pinch out the side shoots up to where the main stem branches, then let it bush out from there. However, with the dwarf varieties (like fiesta, prairie fire, etna etc) i don't, i just let them get on with it.

They will need more supporting if you let large varieties branch lower down, you'll also be producing more leaf rather than fruit initially and i like an early crop!

[Peter]

A sucker is a shoot coming from the roots or very base of the plant stem.
These are just normal sideshoots.

[bramble]

Mrs D, just let them grow away. You don't need to pinch these out. Hope you get a bumper crop.

[Mrs Dobby]

Thanks for the advice all, have left them well alone and will deffo post some piccies when we get some flowers and chillies! (You'll all be sick of the sight of piccies of our veg and fruit! lol!)

[Tyto Alba]

I just leave mine to do what they want. I get lots of good chillies though.