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]

I'm only getting my first crop of jalapeños now too @bergs. I also blame the cool spring for them being way behind. 

Jason

[robchin]

Tomatoes and Chillies have been struggling where I live in Melbourne. Cool spring but cooler summer and lower cumulative light levels haven't helped. Good that you persevered @Jason - worth the trouble. 

[bergs]

Hi @robchin I

I've experienced the same problem as you here in Geelong. 

Chillies have been ripening very slow. 

I've got about 8 jars of different chillies so far this season which I fill and then top up with garlic and olive oil to hopefully keep them longer. My Nellie Kellies are doing ok but they have cross pollinated because some of the fruit are different. 

My Manzano's are doing well from the plant I bought in 2017.

I have even got a Carolina Reaper which is fruiting. It was one of my seeds I sowed last year.

 

Above: bottom left Nellie Kellie.

Middle left: Thai from a plants I bought last Nov.

Top left: Thai from over wintered plant.

RH side: Manzano 6th season fruit.

Above Carolina Reaper hottest chillie in the world.

All my chillies that over winter I leave in their plot or pot with no covers and they seem to survive.

Cheers @bergs

[mich1972]

Love your bad boys @bergs looki great. Glad to hear you overwintered them mate . 
We had a dreadful year with our Chillis, had to pull the whole lot out and destroy them due to Chilli Thrip.

[bergs]

Hi @mich1972 

I had an infestation of aphids in a few of my chillies. 

I thought they would ruin them.

 I checked through the leaves and removed as much as I could  by hand, but at the same time I found quite a few Ladybird insects.

A few days later I found heaps of their larvae, so I waited for about a week and found that the plants were completely clean and rid of any sign of aphids.

 Ladybird

 Ladybird larvae