Interesting results thus far. I've always been hesitant to top mine - and haven't done it (sort of). It will be good to hear how this pans out when the plants get to an older stage of development though, possibly the outcomes will differ as they age more? I for one am definitely interested in these results... Photos please though!

I hacked the top off a sacrificial tobasco about a week ago, it was only 3-4in tall. I only did it bc I have 2 grow spots left to fill, and had 6 tobasco sprouts at the time. I'm now down to 5, and the topped one is holding strong - and shot out 3 side shoots. I'll see how it turns out, but I still have 2 stronger contenders for the final spots (as compared to the topped one).

i pinch the very top 1/2 ich of growth when they are about a foot tall or so

I saw one video where a guy takes a plant (about 1ft tall)
from the container, and puts it in the ground, about 4 inches deeper
(taking off the bottom set of leaves)

He pulled it up later showing 2 sets of roots
it was pretty weird.

i have to say the plant was very healthy looking and had a TON of roots
I would make sure the soil is very loose and well draining before doing that though...

I always plant my peppers deeper when transplanting. Maybe not as far as that guy you mention above, but on a 12" plant, I would drop it in an inch or so deeper. The plant will soon put out roots along the stem under the soil line. I have had pepper plants put roots out just above the soil line before.
Bruce

this plant is from a single seed. it was broken in a storm, and left alone to see if it would recover. it ended up growing back upward toward the sun, but where the trunk was touching soil it grew roots. kinda cool if you ask me.

I've got a few more sorta like this that I might turn into awesome bonsai some day. it's a chocolate scorpion plant.

I always plant my peppers and tomatoes past the first set of leaves depth. Then I mulch at least 2". Both species will throw a root mat just under the mulch from the stem.
Some people around here will even encourage their plants to get spindly and dig a trench and plant'em horizontally and stake the stem vertically. This produces a huge root system. Necessary when your area receives little rainfall...

Judo
very cool plant !

I have a fish pepper
(one with very tiny peppers, not sure if its really fish)
It looks like a bonsai already.

problem is trying to keep it alive after 1 year.
its battled with aphids twice, and lost leaves
i was able to greenhouse it during the winter, and thought it would bounce back
we have had pretty warm weather for a couple of weeks now, and its alive, but not flourishing

Anyone have ideas for a second year pepper plant ?

When you top a plant it means to top above a node, this will cause the branch to split like a Y. (I will typically top when my plant is 3-4 nodes high.)

When I prune my plants i will usually lollipop them like you would if growing marijuana, this redirects the nutrients and energy to the flowers instead of wasting it on the foilage and the bottom half of the plant.This also allows more light to penetrate the plant.

I have seen a large difference in my plants by using this method and have achieved bigger yeilds.

It makes sense that if you pull the first blooms, the plants will produce more. The plant has 1 mission in life...produce seed...if you pull the first blossoms it puts it into a kind of overdrive. This is why peas keep producing as long as you keep picking..when you let them go to seed(mature)...they stop..their life cycle is done. I was always taught to pull the first fruits on peppers..does the same thing...but pulling first blossoms would probably put me a week ahead. Great post, and experiment bham!

ckellison...what do you mean about lollipop a plant? Not a term I'm familiar with.