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

[QuailFlock]

I tried to overwinter my chillies, eggplant, pepinos, ginger, lemon grass and sweet potato. The eggplant and ginger didn't make it and both gone to a better place.
The others are doing well. They are all in pots, under the pergola, next to a north-facing wall.
The ones in smaller pot are put into clear plastic bags, tightly sealed from the top. This way I don't have to water them.
The rest are covered in plant blanket.
I will go back to check if there are any new shoot coming! Very exciting!!

[Alicia]

I hadn't heard the term overwintering before. I had to Google it.

"Overwintering simply describes the process of keeping your plants alive thoroughout the winter. Doing so means that next year you will not have to just rely on plants you have raised from seed in the spring."

I'm keen to grow some jalapeno plants in the spring. Do you have any?

[bergs]

Hi, my Jalapeno and Black (turns red when ripe and has small cherry size fruit with very dark coloured leaves) Chillies have started to sprout again. I don't know what this wet cold spell will do to them. I still have them mostly protected. I'm not sure about the Birdseye, Nellie Kellie and Cayenne. The stalks kept dying back so I have kept trimming them back. They are still alive so with a bit of luck they'll be ok. The capsicums haven't started to shoot yet but they are still green (stalks), so when the weather warms I think they will come into leaf as well.
🍻bergs

[Jason]

I'm having my first go at growing jalapeno chillies. I'm starting from seed so wish me luck...

Well done keeping your plants alive over the winter. Hopefully they can produce plenty of fruit for you in the warmer weather (hopefully coming soon!)

Jason

[Brad]

Good luck with growing from seed @Jason.

I have found Jalapeno winter well, Habenero did to a point, Cayenne still going but Indian ones have not done so well.

[Kermit]

Are chillis hard to grow in general? I've never tried but my suspicion would be that they would be easier than most vegies because they are used to the heat and don't need a lot of water. Is that right?

[Brad]

They can handle heat fairly well and are less thirsty than most. Cold and Aphids are the biggest problems I have found.

Some people work on a theory that if you stress the plant by withholding water you get more heat. Not for me.

Powerfeed and Seasol have given me healthy plants till I tried the superhots which are more temperamental.

[QuailFlock]

I agree with @Brad. Chillies are heavy feeders, the more fertilizer, the healthier plants, the hotter fruits.

They are not hard to grow in hot weather. For Victoria, summer is the time to grow them.

I still have mine under the plant blanket. The mornings are still too cold for them.

Good luck @Jasonto your first trial.

It will be interesting to see what you all do with the abundant chillis.

I freeze mine and use them when required. A friend makes jars of sweet chilli sauce to last 12 months. What do you do? Any good receipe?

[bergs]

Some of my Jalapeno's are shooting. I will trim them back a bit more when they really start growing strongly. Mainly to make them look tidy.

Earlier this year I strung some Cayenne's up by their stalks and hung them in the garage in a dry spot and just use them as required.

I am going to try and pickle them this season in a vinegar solution. There are few different ways to do it. If you Google chillies there are plenty of ways to do it.

Cheers🍻bergs