Before starting to grow bell pepper, gardeners carefully study its varieties to choose the most productive. However, the quantity and quality of the crop directly depends not only on the variety, but also on the care of the plants. Among the agrotechnological techniques, one of the most important is pinching the bush. The article will give an answer on what the need for this procedure is, whether it is possible to do without it when cultivating pepper and how to properly pinch it.

What is pinching for?

Pinching is the process of removing apical kidneys (growth points). This is one of the stages of the formation of the bush along with pinching (removal of excess shoots) and pruning of leaves.

Did you know? Spanish pepper Padron is also called "culinary Russian roulette." For 10 sweet peppers, one with a bitter taste is sure to come across.

• The purpose of pinching is:
• limiting the growth of new branches that grow too actively, drawing nutrients from the soil, which leads to the appearance of too small and thin-walled fruits;
• improvement of illumination and ventilation of the bush, prevention of accumulation of condensate and, as a result, falling of ovaries, yellowing of leaves and partial loss of yield;
• stimulation of the ripening of already set fruit.

Is it necessary to pinch pepper

Among gardeners, discussions are constantly ongoing about whether it is necessary to engage in the formation of a culture such as pepper.

Video: Pros and cons of pinching sweet pepper

According to agronomists, the need for pinching and pinching depends on:

1. Grade Features. Hybrid hybrids, reaching a height of 2 m or more, with high foliage (for example, Aries, Boatswain, Forward, Bourgeois) need to be formed. Low determinants (Eroshka, Chardash, Jung), as well as compact decorative varieties growing on balconies and window sills in rooms (Watercolor, Curieuse, Carat, Yarik) do not require restraining growth processes by pinching and carefully removing leaves and shoots.

   An exception is a very tight fit of determinants (less than half a meter between the bushes), when they may also need thinning to allow air and light to enter.
2. Weather conditions. A large amount of precipitation in combination with high air temperature make pinching necessary (for the prevention of fungal diseases). At the same time, hot and dry summers are a reason to hold back with thinning bushes, as additional foliage protects the plant from scorching rays and does not allow moisture to evaporate too quickly from the soil.

Important! Pinching can not be done immediately after watering, this can lead to infection of the plant. After the procedure, you also need to wait a day or two before irrigating the bush with water.

When and how to pinch pepper

A step-by-step pinching scheme includes:

1. Removal of the crown bud when the plant reaches a height of 15–25 cm. This bud contains an inhibitor that does not allow the bush to bear fruit normally. With early planting, in order to slow the growth of pepper, the bud can be left for some time. It is also left in the case of growing the fruit on seeds. In other cases, the bud (or buds, there may be several) is removed without delay.
2. The formation of the main (skeletal, first order) shoots by removing excess lateral shoots at the beginning of the growing season.
3. Pinching of the main branches during the fruiting period, 6 weeks before harvest (in technical maturity). One bush can produce at most 25 fruits. When the necessary number of ovaries appears on the plant, the tops of the shoots (bush growth points) are removed and all inflorescences are cut off, since these fruits do not have time to fully grow and will interfere with existing ones.
4. Removal of sterile shoots (below the first branch on the main stem) and systematic pruning of foliage. It is made for the maximum receipt by the main shoots of useful substances and moisture from the soil.

1. Nipping is done only on healthy plants.
2. The ideal weather for this event is no precipitation and wind, but not too sunny.
3. The procedure for forming a bush is carried out with a sharp, ground knife or scissors. The tool should be pre-disinfected with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, alcohol or chlorine-based disinfectants and dried.

Important! Cut points should be treated with crushed activated charcoal or milk (for disinfection and counteraction to viruses).

Useful tips gardeners

For beginning gardeners, the advice of more experienced colleagues who have been growing pepper for more than one year is useful:

1. You need to plant pepper in groups, this plant loves company.
2. Strong shoots without flowers and ovaries (they are also called fattening) must be removed so that they do not distract the consumption of minerals.
3. Pepper is tied to a support (trellis) with twine and constantly tightened. In the manufacture of the support, metal and wire cannot be used (cause oxidation reactions, rust).
4. It is necessary to process the tool after pinching each bush to prevent the transfer of diseases.
5. All cut off leaves and shoots are immediately disposed of to prevent infection by pests.
6. Seedlings do not need pinching, but only if they do not stay in the pots. If there are lateral branches and buds in the seedlings, seedlings are immediately planted and begin to form.
7. Fruits can ripen indoors directly on the bushes, uprooted. To do this, they are hung upside down in a room with good ventilation and air temperature not exceeding + 12 ° C, treated with 1% solution of copper sulfate. In a few weeks, the fruits can be picked.

Did you know? In 2018, Canadian farmers introduced a new variety of Sweet Bell Chocolate Pepper. It looks like it is covered with chocolate icing, and the taste also does not disappoint - sweet, with coffee notes.

Pinching is the removal of excess growth points to redistribute feed flows and increase yield. This procedure is necessary for many garden crops, and pepper is no exception.