Side shoots on chilli and pepper plants

[mudpies]

My poly tunnel chilli and pepper plants are doing well now and some have their first buds. They are sending off some side shoots from the main stem, like tomatoes. Do I pinch these out or just leave them to it?

[Mr Bones]

We leave the side shoots so the plant bushes and produces more fruit. You can pinch out the tops of the main stem to encourage bushing but mostly ours are left to do their own thing.

[andy_j]

Yep, leave them to produce lovely bushy plants.

[mudpies]

Thanks both, that's great- will leave them alone to do their thing!

[BertieFox]

I think that in some glasshouses and tunnels they train peppers as cordons just like tomatoes. I have never tried this but you would get a tall narrow plant which would need support.

Leaving your plants as bushes is probably far preferable for amateur growers and will produce more fruit per plant.