Overwintering chillis

[darcyvuqua]

if you are going to overwinter your chillies you really ought to think about bringing them inside
no matter of fleece protection etc will protect against a sustained frost/cold weather below 5 degrees continually will do damage.
as to whether they produce earlier/more productive ? i managed to overwinter 4 plants last year to this season.
Bhut Jolokia - Masses of foliage but low yeild on fruit and most STILL not ripe
Bengal Naga - again masses of foliage with good amount of fruit but most still unripe
Dorset Naga - same as above
Choc Hab - masses of foliage, masses of fruit, really early compared to plants planted this season
so i think it depends on variety, i would not even consider trying with annums, like Jalepeno, cayenne etc
i will be keeping these 4 plants again overwinter (in my back bedroom) and isolating them next year for pure seed and some cross polination experiments but everything else will be composted when all fruit picked and start a fresh end of Dec

did you prune before overwintering mate? or did you just leave the leaves to fall and stop watering as often?

[The Large One]

prune the plant first
i did not prune that hard last year and got clobbered within about 2 weeks by aphids (where did they come from in the bedroom....) so this year, hard back stick in a pot type pruning but the stick will be about 12inches at least to allow the buds lower down on the plant to be left

[PyreneesPlot]

i did not prune that hard last year and got clobbered within about 2 weeks by aphids (where did they come from in the bedroom....)

Happened to me too. And then the fungus gnats moved in.

I'll be pruning!

[Tripmeup]

Ah!! Was going to try overwintering some too, but the only two varieties I have left are Numex Twilight and Anaheim...
These are both Annum from what I can see, so am I a non runner TLO???

[The Large One]

No reason to not overwinter but the annum is such a quick grower a new sown seed should be just as quick to crop and none of the hassles of overwintering, just my opinion.

[darcyvuqua]

im overwintering california wonders, hot pararie and twilights not sure what there going to do but the CW that i pruned a week ago have thrown out new leaves already!!

[kathyd]

Do overwintered chillis REALLY flower and produce fruit that much more quickly than seed sown early? In my experience it is the low light levels in early spring and summer that hold the plants back, whether overwintered or seed grown. But you always get far more vigorous plants when they are new from seed. In none of the great 'pepper growing' areas, like the Basque country, do they overwinter plants but start afresh with seed. I guess in Brittany you may be free of frost all winter, but I would suspect a series of very cold humid nights in a polytunnel would put paid to the plants anyway, unless you are going to the great expense of heating. I've found it difficult to keep chillis going even in a large heated propagator.
Sorry to be a 'Cassandra' but I would be interested to hear what happens to your experiment or the experience of others who live in temperate areas.

Mine are sweet peppers, not chillis - don't know if that makes a difference? And we're definitely NOT free from frost over here! The climate in the north of France is pretty much like the south of England. It's freezing today! Frost everywhere, but nice and sunny at the moment. You may well be right BF about it not being worth doing, but since I've got the space it seemed worth the experiment . Will let you know how it works.

[kathyd]

im overwintering california wonders, hot pararie and twilights not sure what there going to do but the CW that i pruned a week ago have thrown out new leaves already!!

Mmm, some of mine are producing healthy looking leaves too... or they were until last night when the first frosts hit! Haven't checked yet this morning. It probably depends how bad the winter gets - last year it was nice and mild most of the time, but I have a feeling this one will be a bit more challenging! Are your's indoors or in a greenhouse/polytunnel? I don't have anywhere to put them indoors unfortunately, even my poor geraniums are in the tunnel taking their chances with everything else.

[Tripmeup]

No reason to not overwinter but the annum is such a quick grower a new sown seed should be just as quick to crop and none of the hassles of overwintering, just my opinion.

Thanks TLO...might try one for the fun of it....Given they are so small' does anyone have any specific uses for the Numex Twilight?

[xtra_time]

Thought i would try to overwinter for the first time so cut everything back and brought inside. It seems to be growing new leaves already so do i just let these grow or do i get rid of them too as they arrive?

[The Large One]

eventually it should stop growing, if it does not i would not worry, allow it to carry on

[zazen999]

I checked on mine yesterday when I went to get a nice Hot Lemon Drop chilli for lunch - and many of mine have a new flush of leaves and flowers.

[chilli_grower]

5 of mine are in the house now (were in conservatory). They are ripening up lovely. And leaves show no signs of dying off yet.....

I spoke too soon perhaps - See attached pic of chilli plant with ripening chillis. But also see pic of one of the leaves from the same plant.

It has dark spots underneath it, and the edges are turning black

I am guessing this is a sure sign of winter????