[mjg000]

I have 4 pepper plants in pots in the conservatory, 1 x hot black, 1 x peach, and 2 x Bullshorn.  I'd like to try and keep them going over the winter - what is the best way to go about it..... trim them right down, stop watering or just let them die back first?

[mumofstig]

I do regularly

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=109013.msg1228992#msg1228992

So much easier if they are already in pots
Bring them in and let them ripen any fruit they still have
Make sure you don't prune below where the stem forks/starts branching - they tend to die if you do
Then slow down on the watering, just enough to stop them completely drying out.

Another tip - cover the soil surface with weed control fabric, or fleece/fine mesh, to stop fungus gnats setting up home in the pots or you get a houseful of tiny flies  I ended up throwing all my peppers outside one year because they were so bad!

They don't always make it through, but it is worth a try 

[Mr Dog]

I use the same method as mum, although I've given up trying to over winter most sweet peppers as I found that they almost invariably didn't survive - Dedo de Moca being an exception. With 'chillies' I reckon about 75% make it through on average. A couple of other observations are that sometimes they'll shed all their leaves and sometimes they don't and some that look dead spring back to life as the weather warms up and others that look healthy don't!

[mumofstig]

I rarely grow chillies, it's sweet peppers that I over winter 

[sunshineband]

I do this similarly to MoS. One word of caution... don't let them dry out as much as you might a pelargonium or fuchsia, they need to be slightly damp (Hence the warning about fungus gnats lol)

[ptarmigan]

Would this work in a frost free sheltered greenhouse?  Or do they need to be inside.

[Auntiemogs]

My Alberto's Locoto (Rocoto/Tree Chilli) is ready for its third winter now.  I thought I'd cut it back too early and too severely, but it's sprouting tiny leaves.     Apparently they can live for as long as ten years , and mine seems happy living inside by the patio doors (I hand pollinate).

[Mr Dog]

I rarely grow chillies, it's sweet peppers that I over winter 

  Might have to have another try with my Hebar and an unknown variety (grown from a supposed Sweet Wax seed but producing blocky peppers) then

[mumofstig]

Would this work in a frost free sheltered greenhouse?  Or do they need to be inside.

Too cold in an unheated greenhouse for them, sadly 

[JayG]

I have enough trouble growing sweet peppers in summer, never mind keeping them alive over winter! 

By way of encouragement for those trying to overwinter chillies, I've attached a pic taken this afternoon of my 4 (might be 5) year-old cayenne pepper plants. The good news is that I could hardly have treated them more carelessly (fed, pruned and even watered only when I happen to remember ) - the bad news is 1) they live permanently on a windowsill in a spare bedroom, which I realise not everyone would want to do, and 2) cayenne peppers must be one of the hardiest and most long-suffering varieties of chilli you can grow! 

They don't die down over winter, and actually continue fruiting all year round, albeit less enthusiastically in winter than in summer of course.

[ptarmigan]

*mum of stig* Thank you. Have to find space on the overcrowded window sills....

[snow white]

I successfully overwintered two sweet pepper plants.  I kept them in a cool room and barely watered them.  When it was time to put them out I re-potted them along with two more peppers bought from the garden centre.  To be honest there was no difference at all in the four plants.  They all grew fruits at the same time. and the year old ones certainly did not do better or sooner than new plants. 
I just buy new each year now.

[Aidy]

I have three greenhouses full of chillie plants, I never over winter any of them 

I just like to grow different varieties each year, last year super hots, this year more your kitchen types etc, just keep swapping them around each year.

Having said that I always save seed, as most of what I grow tend to pure breeds rather than hybrids its easy.plus I like to see the grow tent full of little plants in winter.