[andtiggertoo]

I caught a bit of GQT on the radio yesterday and they were advising overwintering chilli plants in the greenhouse so that they would have a head start next year.

I grew about 10 mixed chilli plants for the first time this year. They were very poor in that I hardly got any chillies. I think the pots I left them in were far too small (9cm). I was going to throw them on the compost heap and not bother next year.

I don't have a greenhouse but I have a seed house - one of these tall coldframe things. It's unheated but I think does keep things frost free for most of the winter. Is it worth keeping the chilli plants going in there, and should I pot them up in bigger pots now.

How low a temperature will chilli plants survive at and how long will the plants live if they survive the winter.

[Fisherman]

A hard frost will kill chilli plants so they need to be well protected in a completely frost free environment. Yes, you need much larger pots to allow them to grow to maturity something like a 10 or 12 inch pot although it does depend on the type. Some varieties only grow into small plants but one like Cayenne Pepper will grow to 3 or 4 foot high. Chilli's need a long growing season so if you sow any next year plant them early as you can but remember to protect them from frost.

[andtiggertoo]

thanks fisherman.

I think it might be worth repotting them up a bit now and keeping them in the seed house overwinter. If they survive I will put them in 10" pots next spring.

It's worth a go rather than chucking into compost heap now.

[JamPan]

http://www.thechilliking.com/growing/over-wintering/ has some useful advice

[viettaclark]

Thanks for the info!
Does anyone know if I can do the same with my sweet pepper plants?

[mickeyboy]

I asked the very same question and there are a couple of things you can do.
You can either leave in pots and cut all stems off just leaving the main stem you then cut that to approx "8 inches and bring inside, an very experienced chilli grower advised me of this. You just need lots of room if you are bringing them all inside in 10 inch pots which in my opinion are to small to be growing chillis in The bigger the pot the bigger the plant or bush in some cases

The option which i will be doing is if you have them in a bed is to dig them up, chop  to a stump, give the roots a very good hair cut and put in 4-5 inch pots in the house over winter As soon as the weather warms up get them in you cold frame and when they begin to resprout nicely repot

I grew Bhut jolokia, cayenne, rocoto red, trindad scorpion, scotch bonnet and jealapeno. I grew these mainly in raised beds and a few in pots the ones in pots got to a quater of the size as the ones in my raised beds
in my experience the bigger the growing space the bigger the plants hence more chillis.

Hope this helps.
ohh yes apparently the same thing works with peppers

Mickeyboy

[viettaclark]

Thanks Mickey!

[andtiggertoo]

Belated thanks for the advise on this.

I had the chillies in the coldframe over winter, 4 out of the 10 seem to have survived ( it got down to -11C here in December not sure what the temperature was in the upright cold frame though). I will report the survivors if new shoots appear

Thanks

[mickeyboy]

no worries....

I kept 6 on my window cill and although they looked dead all but 1 has leaves on and 3 are desprate to get outside when the weather finally warms up.
I think the one with no leaves is dead but 5 out of 6 isnt bad considering how much i cut them down..

[Beklet]

My cayenne plants did well last year, so I dug them up, put them in 10 inch pots and have one on my kitchen windowsill and one in the living room - both are looking a bit dry but the one in the front room is starting to sprout, despite the fact the cat likes sitting in the pot! 

I also had a sweet pepper plant in the kitchen (I thought it was also a chilli plant) - I thought it was dead, but it started sprouting last week so I will leave it and see what happens..the dead tomato plant in the spare room is also showing signs of life lol

[LittleRedHen]

I grow my chilli plants as house plants on a sunny window sill.  They do just fine and gave me an abundance of peppers in late winter.   Chillis are heavy feeders and like Tomato Fertilizer.  Hope this helps! 

[Kleftiwallah]

I tried to overwinter chilies, aubergines and sweet peppers.  AAAAAALL GONE.   

I had them in the greenhouse and under extra plastic sheeting.   Still, I gave it a try.   Cheers,    Tony.

[galen]

Some how managed to overwinter all my chilli plants, having moved I have lots of south facing windowsills to put them on though. Cut them back to about 15cm in December, all started growing again straight away but I suppose it's because, like LittleRedHen this year they've been treated like house plants (although a couple I would suggest are house triffids  )

Another couple of good chilli growing websites with overwintering advice are :

http://www.thechileman.org/
http://www.fatalii.net/growing/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=109&Itemid=114

Should add, definately not a chilli freak or anything, but trying to keep them going through the winter months gives you something to do 

[viettaclark]

I overwintered green and red bell peppers, long red peppers and 2 different chillies on a south facing window sill. Very little water over winter but now I'm dribbling more in and they're all sprouting!! I shall give them a feed soon......
Don't know why I'm still doing these chillies and using up valuable big pots (AND I've got some other chilli variety seeds to plant!) when I've still got loads of dried ones left from the bumper harvest last year......(although they're much nicer fresh of course)
Chilli fest in order methinks.......

[shokkyy]

I overwintered 2 sweet pepper and 2 chilli, all pruned/potted in the same way, watered in the same way and next to each other in my utility room. The 2 chilli plants look good, but the 2 peppers look dead as a doornail.