[BARNACLE BILL]

My chilli plants are now about a foot tall and just starting to flower. I have noticed today the the stems are developing side shoots like tomato's. Do this need removing like the tomato plants? Thus allowing the plant to concentrate on fruit rather than foliage.

Ta BB

[Lardman]

Nah - leave them be. 

[Eightball]

When my plants get that tall I pinch out the growth point to encourage those side shoots. Bushier plant should mean you get more chilli's.

[adri123]

I would say it depends on where we are in the season but the general rule from my first year growing chillis is let them do what they want and you'll have lots of branching and lots of flowers