Growing and caring for chilli plants

[bergs]

Hi, I'm trying to over winter my Chillies. Last season they were all coming on strong when Autumn came. I thought that if I tried to keep the plants alive it would give me a head start this season. I'm in Victoria (cool temperate).

I have googled it, but it's mainly British and American area guides. I trimmed them back fairly harshly and located the potted ones in a sheltered spot in the garden and backed the watering right off. They are a mixed variety.

So far one is showing signs of shooting. There has been a fair bit of die back which I have now trimmed off. The weather is not far away from getting a bit warmer, so the hopefully, they will take off again and give me earlier crops.

I had preserved (pickled) quite a few but stocks have run out.

Has anyone else had any success in over wintering Chillies? If so please share your methods with us.

Thanks and Cheers🍻Bergs

[Jason]

Progress shot of my Jalapeño babies.

Looking forward to eating my poppers!

Jason

[bergs]

Hi this is my Black Pearl Chilli from last year. It should really accelerate once we get some decent weather here in Vic.

my Jalapeno's have started to grow as well but need a bit warmer days to really take off.

I trimmed a lot of the old wood off to give the young shoots a good start. Thre out of five have sprouted new shoots but the other two haven't. I have planted new Birdseye as last years didn't look like shooting. They are growing well and have flowers coming already. I find the Birdseye have just the right amount of bite (for me anyway) and give your dishes that little bit extra. They are pretty much the same as Nellie Kellie but are easier to find in the nurseries. My Nellie Kellies last year were absolutely loaded.

Jason your little ones look very healthy so they should be ok when temperatures rise a bit. Hopefully when it does warm up we might have an extended length of warm weather and a longer season which will mean more chillies.😀

Cheers🍻and happy and fruitful gardening over the next months or so. bergs

Live your heaven on earth now.

[Jason]

Thanks @bergs. Mine don't look strong enough to be transplanted as yet - would be a little too small to handle. But yes, hopefully the sun will come out soon!

Jason

[Jason]

My jalapeno plants are going well @bergs. I have three strong plants about 70cm tall. It won't be long until I can eat some. 

Will need your tips soon on how to keep them alive over winter in Melbourne.

Jason 

[bergs · Accepted solution]

Hi all,

Jason those little seedlings are are doing wonderful, you'll get some great enjoyment from harvesting your own.

My over wintered Jalapenos have fruit on them, so with the weather we've been having, they won't be far away. They can be eaten green but they're not as hot.

Since I regularly started eating chillies I have lost 15 kilos and I put it down to the capsaicum which is in them. Apparently it will burn off excess fat, but you still need to eat healthy. In or on your meal once a day, one medium sized chilli is all you need.

The following photos are of my over wintered Jalapenos and my Black Pearl.

When I over wintered the Jalapenos I just left them in the same place in the garden, trimmed back the foliage a bit and when they began to shoot I tidied them up a bit, as noticeable in my earlier photos. My son in law doesn't trim them until the following year when they show signs of movement. They were slower growing than the chillies I bought for this years crop but they have caught up quickly.

The Black Pearl was in a pot, so it was easy to just put it somewhere sheltered. They a bit hotter in taste and they also make a great ornamental plant. They are green in foliage turning to a darker colour as they age and fruit starts of black and grows to about marble size and turns red when mature. It also self seeds quite easily.

Cheersand happy gardening.

[Jason]

Fantastic. Many thanks for the tips @bergs. Looking forward to making some jalapeno poppers soon, and keeping the plant alive for next season!

Jason

[Jason]

Here's my first harvest.

I made poppers last night and they were delicious. I stuffed the jalapenos with cream cheese and bacon, and then crumbed them and pan fried them. They probably would have been better in a deep fryer but we don't have one. 

Most of them were very mild but a couple had some decent punch. I obviously need to leave them longer for the real heat to develop. 

Jason

[QuailFlock]

Awesome! I think they will turn red and the heat will kick in. It shouldn't take that long with the constant hot weather this week. Enjoy!

[Jason]

Thanks @QuailFlock.

I had read that you're supposed to pick them before they change colour. Do you know whether its better to leave them on the plant to heat up or pick them and leave them for a while before eating?

Jason

[QuailFlock]

Chillies only ripe on the plant so once you pick them the heat will not increase.
If I pick them green when I am desperate, I leave the seeds on to have the maximum heat.
Otherwise I will leave them on the plant until they turn bright red - but don't leave them out too long after the colour changes. Insects tend to eat them once they are red.
You can freeze thered chillies. When you need them, put them in water for 5 minutes, then use them the usual way. No change of texture or flavour.