You are going to get varying answers on that one. I have asked the same question and everyone has a different answer. I dont think you can go wrong by snipping as the buds first appear but if you have a lot of peppers, it could be a very long process to snip every one. I am just waiting to see if any pods develop and if so, I will snip them at that time. But that is just me.

You can remove them at any stage in the process...
as soon as they appear, after they've opened as flowers, or as the pods develop.
You just want to keep the plant from dumping energy into developing/ripening the pods.

Josh

Don't see the reason to stop dumping energy into the pods.....the pods, after all, are what we're after.

Leave the bugger alone, it's fruiting.

Willard, I think we're talking about small (trans)plants here...I could be wrong, though.

Josh

Josh is correct, they are young transplants. I should have said that.
Peppers are annual around here and these are not overwintered.
Peppers in question are a Thai "Ornamental" and two Hot Cherries.

I bought them as transplants so it is hard to tell the exact age,
and the two varieties are both very early (45-65 days).
The interesting thing is that the Hot Cherry plant in the ground has
not budded and the two in containers are budding a LOT.
What would explain this? They were the same age at transplant, soil getting that much warmer in pots, maybe?

Thanks
-Phil

You got it: containers warm more readily.
This can pose difficulty to those growing in hot climates during the Summer, but for those with cold
and unpredictable weather, and short growing seasons, I think containers are the way to go.

Josh

Greenman:
The fact that those containers can warm up quickly probably is a great benefit for colder climates (like where I am at) but I am worried there is a flip side to that. What about early and late in the year? Doesn't the container lead to cooling quickly after the sun goes down putting the plant at greater risk when the nights are dropping to 50 and below? I realize you can cart them in at night but 5 gallon containers are not a walk in the park...lol. I am thinking the ground would retain more of the daytime heat on those cool nights. Has that been your experience?