Grow Your Own Magazine

I read once not sure where, that you could trim your pepper plants down replant into pots take in for the winter and they would keep growing for next year has anyone done this or does anyone know what to do, also who saves the pepper seeds from they their peppers and what success do you have with these growing.

Thanks



Marion

Over-wintering can be done with chillis, but I have not read about sweet peppers. I am sure someone will know.

If your variety is F1, then any seeds you save will not produce the same plant next time.

Peppers and chillis are pretty much the same plant so am guessing you can do it for both. Personally don't have enough frost free space to manage it but good luck to anybody that has.

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Hello Marion
Yes you can over-winter peppers and chillis:
www.thechileman.org/guide_overwinter.php

And like cutecumber said, if you have F1 peppers then the seeds from them would still grow, but they may not produce the same pepper next year. If you are going to save seeds, make sure you save them from fully ripe pods. If you take them before the pod is ripe, the germination rate will be significantly lower.

The top leaves of my peppers are sort of curling and wrinkled, what have I done wrong?

Headfry - I would check for aphids.

i sowed seeds from peppers bought in sainsburys last year - big success - have given away loads of pepper plants and loads more going in the compost bin cos i just got toooooooo many!

Kittykat8, I tried to overwinter a pepper last year as per the instructions in the link you have there. The plant came through the winter just fine but come spring it just didn't grow on. I won't bother trying again. They come so easily from seed and you can plant on a windowsill really early to get an early crop so I don't think overwintering is worthwhile. But you might want to give it a try.

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.

Like Alice says, it is possible to over-winter a pepper, but maybe not worth it. Peppers take perhaps 70 days to mature which is plenty of time even for a dodgy UK summer if you start them inside in late March or early April. Overwintering is best for the longer season varieties of chilli peppers. Some are used to the long hot summers of more tropical climates and can take more like 140 days to mature. By overwintering you can ensure a good crop in your second year.

I have some really strong chili & peppers plants that I overwintered, cut them right back when they have finished this year then bring them back out when you are frost free or in the greenhouse. Out of 6 plants 4 survived and are are really healthy

Now that's interesting - some say cut back, some say definitely not!

Gardening is very confusing!

do you have any photo's of when cut back and now

thanks

marion