I read somewhere .....

[Liza]

or maybe dreamt it that you get a better crop of peppers if you remove the first fruit.


Any thoughts ?

[COMPOST CORNER]

Yep, I too have read that.
Apparently if the first fruit forms low down on the main stem, rather than on a branch, it can inhibit further fruit formation.
Joy Larcom (sp?) mentions it in one of her salad books

[Nicos]

I've never been successful with peppers so whatever you do , don't follow my advice!!!!

What I was aware of is that you are supposed to remove the first lot of flowers if the plant isn't growing too well, otherwise it remains stunted.

I've got about 10 mini bell peppers just producing their first pair of true leaves- so I need to see what other peeps do!
Good thread!

[zazen999]

I regularly take the first flower off; and find that within days there are 4 more growing.

You've got to do it at the flower stage; then they panic and put out more. If you wait until the fruit stage, it's not worth doing.

[falkon]

The plant thinks it has set flowers which will become healthy fruits and therefore it has secured the next generation.. therefore it doesn't bothers much afterwards to produce more.

[broadway]

You live and learn, nice thread

[Bren In Pots]

I didn't know that, do i need to do the same with my chilli plants as well?

[Flobalob]

I grew them for the first time last year with abundant results. Never removed anything.
Plenty of sun and plenty of fertiliser.

[zazen999]

I didn't know that, do i need to do the same with my chilli plants as well?

I tend to do it with most of my early chilis and peppers; but don't bother with the later ones as by then I'm in full swing .

[organic]

Just the first couple of flowers to show? Or the first flower in each position?

[zazen999]

I just nip off the first flower - which is usually in the first joint. Then, you get 4 coming out of the next joint up. [so where the plant splits - take that one - and you will get 4 that come at the position of the next split - 2 on each side]....does that make sense???

[Bren In Pots]

I tend to do it with most of my early chilis and peppers; but don't bother with the later ones as by then I'm in full swing .

It's my first time growing peppers and chilli so I'll do the same. thanks.

[Alison]

I tried this on half my plants last year and it didn't seem to make any difference what so ever so won't bother this year. I do however tend to pick the first fruits when they are green and leave the later ones to fully ripen.

[organic]

Zazen...
1 flower at the bottom: pick it off.
4 flowers at first split: what there? pick off just 1? all but 1? all 4?
Do you keep picking at the second tier of splits too or stop after the first split?

Do any of them then grow back and flower again or are you just moving the flowering further up the plant?

Considering Alison's comment about the effectiveness I think I'll also be trying it on half just to see, but I'd like to understand the picking method properly to make it a fair trial.

[zazen999]

Zazen...
1 flower at the bottom: pick it off.
4 flowers at first split: what there? pick off just 1? all but 1? all 4?
Do you keep picking at the second tier of splits too or stop after the first split?

Do any of them then grow back and flower again or are you just moving the flowering further up the plant?

Considering Alison's comment about the effectiveness I think I'll also be trying it on half just to see, but I'd like to understand the picking method properly to make it a fair trial.

No - leave them on. The 4 flowers are what grows when the first one is nipped out.

I said 'I regularly take the first flower off'....not 'I take all the flowers off and never get chilis'