What's up with my (bell) pepper plant growth?

[GpsFrontier]

KDillon,
It looks to me like a light source problem. That is not the light itself, but the light distribution around the plant (lack of evenly distributed light). The leaves and branches are trying to grow toward the light source. Causing them to grow straight up, rather out toward the sides. The bunched up branches seem to be causing the foliage that should have room to grow, to become confined and bunched up in the middle. That's why most people use some type of reflective walls around their plants. To bounce back as much light as possible at the sides of the plants, for better light distribution around it.

[KDillon]

Thanks GPSFrontier. I was wondering abut that. But since the plant looked healthy up until this point I hadn't changed anything. Guess that was part of the problem. I'll look into some mylar. And if I switch over to a hps light will this cut down on the vegetative growth? I of course want it to develop the peppers but also want it to continue to grow so that it will continue to put out more peppers for as long as it's genetics will allow.

[GpsFrontier]

Sorry KDillon, I forgot about the other questions in your post. First, peppers are a continuously fruiting plant, and will grow fruit all their life. You can use hps on continuously fruiting plants as soon as you want (their constantly fruiting). It shouldn't slow down the foliage growth much at all. Changing to HPS only changes the light spectrum, and allows the plant to dedicate more energy to the fruit growth/production. So in theory more energy going to the fruit, less energy going to foliage. But I doubt it would be noticeable much. Many people use nothing more than MH on peppers, and others use only HPS.

You can prune as much of the inner leaves as you want. I wouldn't prune any that aren't being bunched up though. If they are being bunched up, they wont be able to grow much anyway, and by getting rid of them you'll be able to get better air circulation through the plant. Just make sure you prune them at a node (where the stem comes out from a branch/leaf). Keep in mind that a flow/pepper typically grows at every junction between leaf and branch. So the more you trim the less flowers/peppers.

The transition stage of nutrients is fine. If you want the plant to grow more foliage use the directions for the vegetative stage, if you want it to concentrate more on fruiting, use the directions for the blooming/flowering stage. If you want it to do both at the same time, stay right in the middle.

[KDillon]

Thanks GPS. Again lots of good info that I will put into the memory bank. And I will be getting up some mylar soon!