To Pinch a Pepper?

[amandaandherveg]

I have 2 pepper plants in the greenhouse that are much further on than the rest.

One is about 5-6 inches tall with approx 12 buds looking close to flowering. The other is shooting up to about 8-9 inches with no sign of flowers but looks happy to keep reaching for the sky. All the other peppers are about 1 1/2 inches tall so lots of catching up for them.

Have not grown peppers before, do I need to pinch out the taller pepper to encourage it to grow out the way instead?

[Demeter]

I've got two peppers (Marconi red ones) which are about a foot high each, in my plastic mini-greenhouse. I didn't know you were meant to pinch the tops out! Should I do that now??

(No sign of any flowers or buds yet, they are just happily growing upwards. They look a bit scruffy due to me forgetting to open the door one day when it was hot and suffering a bad wilt - but apart from a few scruffy leaves they seem basically healthy.)

Also, since we're on a pepper thread - can I sneak in a supplementary question - how big do they grow / what sized final container will they need? I was planning on a tomato-sized bucket but if I have to pinch them out while they are still short I guess that would be excessive?

Thanks!
Sorry Amanda to dive in and hijack your question...

[amandaandherveg]

No probs Demeter, I wanted to know the answers to your question too. We just need to sit here now until an Pepper Expert comes along.

[Norm]

If the plant is just growing up, nip off the top flower to promote bushing out, but DON'T take off the growing tip. Mine usually grow up to 2 feet. Keep 'em warm and moist (they're a tropical plant) but not soggy. Grow as toms, feed as toms, but probably need a bit more water than toms. Spray water on the foliage to encourage them to set fruit.
Hope this helps.

[amandaandherveg]

Norm, there's no top flower on the Big Un, should I just leave it to grow upwards?

Oops, just noticed that you said you leave yours to grow to 2ft.

[Norm]

I'd just leave it to do its own thing. Most of 'em bush out on their own. I've only ever had to do it once in about 10 years from hundreds of plants. If it gets to 3 feet without starting to bush, panic

[amandaandherveg]

Ok Doke Norm! I'll stop fussing over them, lol!

[Demeter]

If the plant is just growing up, nip off the top flower to promote bushing out, but DON'T take off the growing tip. Mine usually grow up to 2 feet. Keep 'em warm and moist (they're a tropical plant) but not soggy. Grow as toms, feed as toms, but probably need a bit more water than toms. Spray water on the foliage to encourage them to set fruit.
Hope this helps.

Fanks. It does.