Pluck, or no pluck?

16 years ago

I'm new to peppers, and have six Jalapeno and two Habanero, and my question is this: Should I pluck off the first two developed peppers on my plants to encourage better fruits?

I ask, because I was told by someone who used to work for a farmer who grew hot peppers and went around the plants plucking off the first two developed fruits. I don't know if it does any good or not, so that's why I ask.

Also, I am growing them in pots on our patio. Three Jalapenos are in one pot, the other three in another, while the Habaneros are in a third pot. They are all growing on the same patio. Will it make a difference in the taste of the peppers if they were to cross-pollinate? I'm not saving the seeds, but I've heard that hot peppers lose their punch when sweet peppers are grown nearby, and wondered if the effect is the same for two different hot peppers.

And thirdly, I've noticed that the Jalapenos are beginning to set fruit (reason for asking question one), but the Habaneros, though have plenty of flowers, are not. They are bigger and bushier, and dark green, all around healthy, but aren't setting fruit. What would be the cause, or do they just need more time?

Oh, and I have sweet alyssum and lobelia growing as filler in all of the pots. Those won't have any effect on the peppers, will they? Dumb question, totally different plants, but I thought I'd ask, since the boyfriend seems concerned.

I think that's it. Thanks!

Karen

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Comments (5)

gypsy2
16 years ago
I've found that sometimes plucking an early fruit does help
in producing more quality fruit later. Don't worry about cross pollination, or the effects of other plants on your peppers...they are hardy and will thrive and produce wonderful peppers. Some peppers take longer to flower and produce, so don't worry.
redtailforester
16 years ago
I've been growing peppers for years and have never noticed a measurable difference by removing or not removing early fruit and /or blossoms. I'm doing a little experiment this year with my jalapenos. 'Plucking' some and not plucking the others to see what kind of difference there is. Will advise...
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tepelus
Original Author
16 years ago
Thank you for your help. I think I'll pluck, and see what comes of my peppers.

Karen
tsheets
16 years ago
If the plants are still very small, I pluck the blooms/fruit. Otherwise, I let them do their thing. It is not uncommon for a plant to set blooms and drop them rather than turn to fruit. I am seeing a LOT of that lately in my garden. We have been getting so freaking much rain (already set a June rainfall record last week) that my peppers are sad (I don't have the best draining soil) and dropping blooms and turning yellow. But, I'm sure they will push through just fine once it quits raining 3-4 days a week.

My bigger concern would be how big are the pots you have them in? 3 plants to a pot seems like a lot unless it's a huge pot.
tepelus
Original Author
16 years ago
The pots are 14" pots, if they end up being too small for the plants this year, next year I'll not put so many in. Thanks!

Karen