Pinching out sideshoots on pepper/chilli plants

[Chocolate8me]

I'm actually getting little buds on my pepper & chilli plants but I've noticed that they are starting to produce sideshoots.

Do I nip these out like you do tomato plants or leave them to grow bushy?

[Thelma Sanders]

No, leave them alone - the bushier the better

[rustylady]

No, don't pinch them out. You only pinch peppers and chillies if they are growing straight up, and then you pinch out the leading shoot to encourage them to bush out.

[Chocolate8me]

Thank you Thelma

RL, I'm confused. What do you mean if they are growing straight up? How tall should the plant grow?? I've not touched them, just left them to do what they wanted so far.

[rustylady]

Thank you Thelma

RL, I'm confused. What do you mean if they are growing straight up? How tall should the plant grow?? I've not touched them, just left them to do what they wanted so far.

That's fine, yours are obviously growing nice sideshoots. If they grow (as some varieties do) with few side shoots then you pinch out the leading shoot to encourage the sideshoots to develop.

[Chocolate8me]

Ahhh, I getchya.

There are a few little round buds at the top of one of the plants (this one is in the conservatory now as the greenhouse was making a few of the pepper/chilli plants limp).

I shall ensure she grows no taller so she can grow outwards like me

[The Large One]

difference between pinching out the leading shoot and not pinching out