Chillies - growing and overwintering 2018

[ChilliWilly70]

Can someone please point me to some guidance on how to overwinter chillies? I have tried several times, but failed. Thanks.

Well i,m in the same boat as you, i just wish i had a conservatory.
I think someone on here said you require a minimum of 10c but no lower.

I'm over at my main greenhouse today, i cant wait to see how my paint stripper peppers are doing.
Mitzi can you please check your P.ms please.

[the big lebowski]

Can someone please point me to some guidance on how to overwinter chillies? I have tried several times, but failed. Thanks.

trying it myself this year

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fyInICbb4w

[ChilliWilly70]

I may have mentioned earlier that my reaper plant has had a grand total of zero pods on it this year. I told it that it wasn't coming back inside the house unless it hurried up and set some pods - I gave it a minimum number of six. So now it has set lots - at least 20, maybe more - but they have only just set so still tiny weeny little things. It's kept its side of the bargain, and temperatures are dropping, so I need to think about moving it indoors. The problem is, the plant has loved being outside and has grown huge. It's about four foot tall and maybe two foot wide. I'm not sure how tall my windows are but certainly less than four foot, and the sills are only about 8" wide. I can't really trim it back because the little pods are mostly towards the tips of the branches. What on earth can I do with it?

I'd love to see some photos.

[Philthy]

Well i,m in the same boat as you, i just wish i had a conservatory.

You don't need a conservatory to overwinter plants. Somewhere in your house/flat where you can set them up near a window, on a table /platform (or on the floor on a plastic sheet), they won't be disturbed, and you can keep the temperature fairly stable and on the low side (the tricky part given the typical household), that should be adequate. Depends whether you want the plants to go dormant or not. In both scenerios I'd think you'd be best giving your plants a prune first, if only for practical benefits of fitting them indoors!

If dormancy is your goal they need to be outside long enough to have gone into shut down mode ie. all visible signs of new growth ceased, perhaps some degree of leaf drop, but not too long that they're still outside when it starts frosting overnight (then it's too late and chances are they'll be irreversably damaged). You shouldn't need to water as the compost won't be drying out at the same rate as in summer, and at this time of year there's enough moisture in the air anyway. I personally wouldn't feed at all. Once dormant you can prune them and transfer to a less cold environment indoors and that action shouldn't stimulate any new growth. Any pruning make sure the tools are sharp for clean cuts (ragged is an entry point for disease).
Once set up indoors you aim to keep the compost on the dry side, giving a bit of water every now and then. Best way to judge is to poke your finger into the top of the compost; if it still feels dry an inch or so down then a bit of water could be needed. Alternatively just watch any remaining leaves for signs of drooping. Hang a couple of sticky yellow traps in the space to control the black gnats that'll invariably try and set up home in the compost. Watch for greenfly and deal with at FIRST sign of their arrival (leave them to build their numbers and you'll struggle to get rid of them thereafter). With good prep this method should be fairly low maintenance.
The following spring say mid-March I'd start adding soluable fertiliser when watering, nothing too heavy (seaweed extract is fine). You want to gradually wake the plants up but not have them explode into life when it's still too cold for them to go back outside; quite simply they'll quickly get far too big for the space inside. Hold off re-potting for the same reason. The naturally lengthening days and warmer sun will stimulate new life also. Move plants closer to the light source if you need to otherwise you risk the new growth being distorted and weak.

Alternatively, if you have lights, you could continue growing the plants through winter. Could probably bring them indoors now. Prune, and continue feeding, and theoretically you'll eventually get new flowers coming through. You'd have to pollinate these by hand though.

[Paulie]

You don't need a conservatory to overwinter plants. Somewhere in your house/flat where you can set them up near a window, on a table /platform (or on the floor on a plastic sheet), they won't be disturbed, and you can keep the temperature fairly stable and on the low side (the tricky part given the typical household), that should be adequate. Depends whether you want the plants to go dormant or not. In both scenerios I'd think you'd be best giving your plants a prune first, if only for practical benefits of fitting them indoors!

If dormancy is your goal they need to be outside long enough to have gone into shut down mode ie. all visible signs of new growth ceased, perhaps some degree of leaf drop, but not too long that they're still outside when it starts frosting overnight (then it's too late and chances are they'll be irreversably damaged). You shouldn't need to water as the compost won't be drying out at the same rate as in summer, and at this time of year there's enough moisture in the air anyway. Definitely don't feed. You can prune and transfer to a less cold (but not warm) environment indoors and ideally they won't revive at that point. Any pruning make sure the tools are sharp for clean cuts (ragged is an entry point for disease). Then you aim to keep the compost on the dry side, giving a bit of water every now and then. Best way to judge is to poke your finger into the top of the compost; if it still feels dry an inch or so down then a bit of water could be needed. Alternatively just watch any remaining leaves for signs of drooping. Hang a couple of sticky yellow traps in the space to control the black gnats that'll invariably try and set up home in the compost. Watch for greenfly and deal with at FIRST sign of their arrival (leave them to build their numbers and you'll struggle to get rid of them thereafter). With good prep this method should be fairly low maintenance.

Alternatively, if you have lights, you could continue growing the plants through winter. Prune, and continue feeding, and theoretically you'll eventually get new flowers coming through. You'd have to pollinate these by hand though.

That's really helpful. Thank you!

[robbra]

Great post Philthy,
A couple of questions, how much of the plant should be left, ie. 6", 12"? Just the main stem?
Another quick one...green chillies that haven't ripened to red, will the seeds still be viable?
Thanks
Rob

[Scarlet]

Great post Philthy,
A couple of questions, how much of the plant should be left, ie. 6", 12"? Just the main stem?
Another quick one...green chillies that haven't ripened to red, will the seeds still be viable?
Thanks
Rob

No, pods need to be very ripe. They also need to be isolated as they will cross with other peppers or chillies. You can bag your flowers with a wedding favour bag or some stockings before the flowers open or bag the whole plant if it’s s small one.

As for overwintering your plants it’s all very much trial and error. I have a warm kitchen (Aga) plants in that room seem to slow down, rarely lose its leaves but sometimes carry on fruiting until Chtistmas, so depending on how big it is I may not bother. In other colder, darker rooms you may need to cut back quite a bit but often cut stems die back so I’m always very cautious. I will then give it a harder prune in Spring when I know it’s survived.

[Tripmeup]

I would add to Philthy post that whilst over wintering is great and has many benefits, there is a big risk on the greenfly front..

Given that most of us start sowing new chilli plant seeds in January or February and you need to keep overwintered plants indoors, you ideally should try to keep the overwintered plants well away from the new plants or you could find your young seedlings with them.

Likewise if the overwintered plants do have some greenfly then when you merge all plants together in greenhouse later in year same risk applies..

[robbra]

Thanks Scarlet,
The two I bought last week are still very green so probably a lost cause unless there is a miracle in my never hot kitchen, the house has storage heaters so fairly warm early in the morning and getting colder as the day goes on and I don't like it hot indoors at any time so they will probably perish.
Trial and error and I can always eat what is on there.
Rob
PS. I have never worn stockings(in a Ray Winston voice)

[Paulie]

Thanks Scarlet,
The two I bought last week are still very green so probably a lost cause unless there is a miracle in my never hot kitchen, the house has storage heaters so fairly warm early in the morning and getting colder as the day goes on and I don't like it hot indoors at any time so they will probably perish.
Trial and error and I can always eat what is on there.
Rob
PS. I have never worn stockings(in a Ray Winston voice)

"I have never worn stockings(in a Ray Winston voice)"....

...So whose voice have you worn stocking in, then?!

[robbra]

"I have never worn stockings(in a Ray Winston voice)"....

...So whose voice have you worn stocking in, then?!

Oooo! you are awful, but I like you. That is definitely not a clue!

[Scarlet]

Likewise if the overwintered plants do have some greenfly then when you merge all plants together in greenhouse later in year same risk applies..

With this in mind I am picky about what I will overwinter now, I certainly won’t overwinter something that I can get a good crop in the first year and will only choose very slow to fruit plants....one year my whole greenhouse was full of them it was pretty devastating.

[Small pumpkin]

A few ripening pods

Cherry bomb


Sugar rush peach


Lemon drop


Red manzano


Will be back with a few more later little breeze wants a walk.

[Scarlet]

The manzano look lovely SP.....they do take a long time to ripen. I hope they do. The plants overwinter beautifully....such a shame he is too big to take in.

[Small pumpkin]

I've got one manzano ripening the first one to appear. Which was a good month and a half before any of the others. I was starting to worry the triffids was going to be a one hit wonder . But he came good and is covered in massive pods.

A few more pods

moruga scorpion


Dorset Naga ( Monty)


Sweet apple kambe


Golden cayenne


Akhabar ( I don't know how to spell it ! )