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Introduction
I’m a lazy gardener. I am, I’ll admit it. If something is going to double my cucumber harvest, but it takes too long to implement or involves a big setup or lots of tools and potions, I’ll pass. I’m okay with my normal cucumber harvest, thank you very much. But if it’s easy, if it’s something that takes mere moments to do, then I’m all ears. I want to hear about it.
Topping Your Peppers: Quick and Easy!
Because let’s face it, few things in gardening are quick and easy. But topping your peppers certainly is! This simple practice, which takes a few seconds to do, has a big impact on your pepper growth and yield for the rest of the growing season. Who wouldn’t be interested in that?
What is Topping?
The practice of topping or pinching peppers is exactly what it sounds like. You remove the topmost portion of the plant. You selectively cut off the very tippy top of the plant, just above two side branching stems. This stops the plant from putting more energy and nutrients into growing taller and instead redirects all those resources to pushing out more lateral growth. Topping plants is nothing new. It’s recommended for other nightshades, like eggplants and especially tomatoes. And while I can’t recommend the practice for tomatoes (Click here to read why), I definitely think it’s a good idea for peppers. It’s one of those little things that offers benefits all season long.
Why Should I Bother Topping My Pepper Plants?
Prevent Sunscald
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