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Post by horsea on May 24, 2017 16:12:54 GMT -5
Maybe I already read this here years ago, but I can't remember. My question is:
I have one pepper plant still on the window sill - California Early (heirloom), which is doing well but I can't plant it outdoors til June 1 to be on the safe side.
However, it already has one little flower forming. Should I cut it off? Somewhere I thought I heard that. Tks for your help.
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Post by ladymarmalade on May 24, 2017 16:20:46 GMT -5
That's completely up to you.
I know a lot of people like to remove early blooms so the plant can focus its energy on growing and putting out leaves. Personally, I usually leave the early blossoms on- I love getting that early pepper every once in a while!
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Post by paulf on May 24, 2017 19:41:07 GMT -5
What is suggested is just that...a suggestion. Why not just let it go and see what happens. I think I'm going to do just that with everything this year. Do what you like and let it be. Sorry Eric and Paul.
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Post by daylilydude on May 25, 2017 5:11:42 GMT -5
I agree with the majority here horsea, leave it be and see how it goes.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on May 25, 2017 9:02:21 GMT -5
If your plant is on a windowsill inside, unless you have a fan blowing on it or you buzz or flick the bloom it's not likely to set fruit anyway. In still air/no vibration conditions the pollen doesn't have any way to move from the male to female parts of the flower.
But back to the question, I personally would clip it. With large-fruited peppers, I remove the blooms until the plant is at least a foot high and has some side branches started. With small-fruited peppers and tomatoes, I leave the early blooms.
Bear in mind though, I have a really long growing season, so I can afford to lose some early blooms in pursuit of a bigger, stronger plant that will eventually produce more. But you have a much shorter growing season, so it may make more sense for you to try to set fruit as early as possible.
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Post by horsea on May 25, 2017 10:25:14 GMT -5
Many thanx to all of you for your opinions and advice, esp. to you, Laura, for sharing your knowledge about pollination. I vote to leave the flower.
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Post by pepperhead212 on May 25, 2017 23:09:50 GMT -5
Many years ago I had this same question, so I did an experiment. I had some Thai pepper that flowered much sooner than the rest of few I started back then, and I plucked two, and left all of the flowers on one. The difference was very noticeable: the two got much larger - the flowered one only got to about 10", compared to about 18"- and, though the smaller one got some peppers a little sooner, they were less numerous, and smaller, at that. Since then, I have been one to pluck flower buds as soon as I see them appear. And jalapeño varieties and superchili I always start a week later than the rest, since they sprout and grow faster, and would always end up with flower buds on them.
Take note: what causes pepper plants (as well as others) to flower early is the stress of being rootbound. If you don't have long until transplant time, it's no real big deal, but if it is a couple of weeks or more, you should probably transplant them to larger pots. They will usually stop budding, and start growing more.
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