[3759allen]

i have some peppers on the go, looking nice and healthy. but i forgot to thin them out and every pot has 2 good sized seedlings in. so a couple of questions i have are-

can i keep the 2 plants in one pot and run them up the same string?

or would they survive and give good strong plants if i divide and re pot?

this will be the first year i'm trying to run them up strings instead of as a bush (didn't get very good crop from growing as a bush last year)

i prob should just whip one out of each pot but i hate wasting especially when they look so healthy.

all views welcome please.

[mumofstig]

Their natural growth habit is bushy not tall like a tomato, so don't think a string will work 

They will be too cramped sharing a pot, so I'd just snip one off at compost level 
 You could try separating them but if you break too many roots they might die off - up to you whether you think it's worth the risk.

[GrannieAnnie]

Must say I've never grown them up strings either.  I stick a cane in the ground next to each one to help hold them up when they get too heavy.

[Trillium]

They don't mind separating, which they'd prefer. They're bush growth, as mum says, and need the space as well as the root space.

[Headgardener22]

I agree with the others. Peppers are a bush plant and do better if you encourage the bush habit by pinching out the growing point to make more branches.

If they're still relatively small separate the otherwise chop one off close to the ground would be my view.

[3759allen]

thanks for all the replies.

i know they are bush plants but i read somewhere (can't remember where now) that you can train them as cordons up strings.

i may sow some more and try a few up strings, you never know until you try and i can afford enough space to try both ways.
 

[Totty]

Carefully tear them apart. They will be fine.

Totty

[gobs]

It won't 'run up' a string, it is used all the same in the way of support as canes. Pruned or not. So no, one string, two plants won't be good. Also will be overcrowded. This could be the very reason for last year's small crop, if you grew them in small pots.

I'd also separate them.

[Trillium]

i know they are bush plants but i read somewhere (can't remember where now) that you can train them as cordons up strings.

I doubt you'll be happy with the result since most of the growth will be on outer stems and if you trim the plant to a cordon, which you'd have to do, then you'll lose most of the plant's potential cropping.

I think whoever came up with the idea in the first place had too much time to waste or they were enamoured with the idea of cordons.  It's your choice what to do.

[3759allen]

thanks for all the replies.

think i will definitely separate.

i may try a couple up strings just to see what actually happens, won't be wasting time and space doing as many as i was going to though.

last year they were grown in pots 30cm ish across and direct in the soil / compost. the tomatoes and cucumbers romped away in this soil / compost so can't see that it was that.

[gobs]

Well, then not. Just a thought, came from the pots. There could be so many reasons.

[NewSteve]

Professional greenhouse growers train their peppers up strings, but they're trying to maximise yield per unit area and they have very high ceilings.

[Trillium]

I suspect they might also be growing very specific types for greenhouses rather than the ones home gardeners can access easily. I recall that at one time greenhouse cukes were difficult to get hold of unless you bought seeds by the thousands.

[3759allen]

i agree with the last two replies.

i have more space available upwards than outwards, obviously not as high as commercials. so if i could find a way or a variety that climb it would be better for me.

does anyone know anyone that stocks any varieties (pos commercial ones) that have been developed to climb? i have asked premier seeds (my usual supplier) but they don't stock any.

[Headgardener22]

Could your problem be lack of heat? My experience is that peppers need it hotter than either tomatoes or cucumbers to give a good crop. I make sure that my peppers are planted in the hottest part of the polytunnel (where there is the most sun) and it does seem to make a difference.