Top or not

[GardenStateGardner]

I have some super hot peppers I planted this year. Should I top them or leave them be?

 

[Plantdoctor]

I find most peppers are self -branching, so leave them be.

 

[GardenStateGardner]

I find most peppers are self -branching, so leave them be.

Thank you!

 

[headfullofbees]

There is also the length of season to take into consideration.

I don't grow extremely hot chilis, but I believe that the hotter they are, the longer they take to ripen, which is definitely my experience in the milder to mid-range heat chilis.

In the UK, unless you are growing under lights, very hot chilis are marginal, so do nothing to delay some sort of harvest.

Btw, if you do not repot them soon you'll stunt them.

 

[GardenStateGardner]

There is also the length of season to take into consideration.

I don't grow extremely hot chilis, but I believe that the hotter they are, the longer they take to ripen, which is definitely my experience in the milder to mid-range heat chilis.

In the UK, unless you are growing under lights, very hot chilis are marginal, so do nothing to delay some sort of harvest.

Btw, if you do not repot them soon you'll stunt them.

How large of a put do you think they should have. The first two I posted are going into 5 gallon pickle buckets.

 

[headfullofbees]

How large of a put do you think they should have. The first two I posted are going into 5 gallon pickle buckets.

I would imagine that's fine.
Some will only reach full size in the ground, but they are like fruiting shrubs.

 

[Beth_B]

It must depend on the variety? I had Scotch bonnets in a one gallon pot for three years (bringing them inside for winter) until I messed up and left them out during a freeze. But they produced like crazy and got pretty hot.

I sure would not prune any type of pepper, though.

 

[Durgan]

http://durgan.org/2016/July%202016/20%20July%202016%20Hot%20Peppers/HTML/ 20 July 2016 Hot Peppers
My four hot pepper plants are starting to produce. I dry the pods in the greenhouse and when dry beat as small as possible in the blender. They are stored in a jar in the cupboard. I just used up some from three years ago and they were still as hot as when processed. I get about a liter from the four plants.They are very hot.

 

[headfullofbees]

Beautiful chilis.
Remind me of the finger chilis used in Indian cooking, and they are hot, hot, hot!!!