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

[bergs]

Hi @Jason, I still have enough chillis ripening for everyday use, but not enough to bottle up until next season. My son in law Has heaps of chillis on his bushes and makes up paste and flakes for cooking throughout the year until next season.lThai ChiliNellie Kellie overwintered 2nd season

More 2nd season Nellie Kellie

3rd Season Nellie KellieManzano Orange from Chili Festival                                                                                                                                                                                                                   I also got given a couple of couple of Ghost Chillis by my S in L who got them from a friend who grew them.                                                                                                          Ghost Chillis                                                                                                                                                           

Some of my Son in Law's chillis still on the bushes.One of three plants Bishop's CapBishop's Cap

The Bishops Caps are actually Capsicums and not chillies so I found out, same family and produce profusely with mild fruit'

[Jason]

Great to see your photos @bergs, many thanks for sharing. I'm hoping the recent warm weather can encourage some more fruit on my plants. The weekend was amazingly warm.

Jason

[bergs]

I Have just checked my plants and they seem to be getting another flush of flowers.

I think it will be too late in the season here (Geelong) to do much.

The chillies on the plants at the moment will probably ripen and turn red in time.

They overwinter in the right conditions, so there is no reason why their fruit won't ripen. 

Cheers

[bergs]

Hi @Jason, I've picked a few of my Habaneros in the last week and unbeknown to me my wife put a whole one into my morning egg for breakfast.

It was very warm and the beads of sweat appeared on my forehead, sinuses running and my lips were still aware of it 20mins later.

But it was NICE, and I could feel it doing me good.

After everything is back to normal you're thinking about whether to have more later.

Just getting the stragglers from the bushes at the moment.


Cheers and Happy gardening

[bergs]

Hi All, Here are some of my stragglers.

I still have my Black Pearl, Nellie Kellie, Piquante and Habenaro plants with fruit still on but are green at the moment.

Top Piquante Plain, bottom Habenaros

Cheers and Happy gardening

[bergs]

Hi All,
I haven't been able to over winter many chillies for this season. I still have my Nellie Kellies which are just starting to shoot, which will make it into the fourth season, also my Black Pearl is still flourishing and must now be in its fifth season. Manzano from the Chilli festival earlier in the year has shot away well. A lot of my seed germinated but didn't go on from that. Very disappointing!

[bergs]

Manzano Orange ChillieCayenne (bought this season)More Cayenne ChilliesThai Chillies with the self sown from the compostNellie Kellies over wintered againBlack Pearl you can't kill it. Makes a decorative plant as well

 Above are some chillies that I bought this season, Cayenne, Thai and the Manzano came from the Chilli Festival. The Black Pearl and the Nellie Kellies have been over wintered previosly.

Cheers bergs

[Adam_W]

Hi all, just my chilli over-wintering experience, for what it's worth, & it seems to echo what others have said.
I found that with the more robust varieties the best trick was to wait until the last season's foliage was looking really thin and ratty before pruning the bush back by 1/3rd to 1/2.
Usual pruning tips apply - clean, sharp pruners, trim to just above a clear node or branch junction and make sure pruning cuts are clean and downward sloping.
I'd then mulch well with lucerne straw (garden grade) and make sure as much as possible that the plants stayed dry while dormant. Mine were in the garden in a sheltered spot so avoided frost but if in pots put them in a warm frost-free spot.
Then, as soon as the weather starts warming up give them a good watering with Seasol or similar and feed them to the max preferably with something with both a good organic component & a slow or controlled release component. I'm a fan of this one.

Remember too that some chillis are from very warm climates so just will not tolerate cold conditions even if frost free. In this case you'll either be needing a greenhouse of some sort. Otherwise store some seed and re-grow, sowing seeds in a warm spot indoors in late winter & planting out once night time temperatures go up a little.
And don't forget too that not all chillis are long-lived bushes. Many will only stay vigorous and productive for a couple of years so best to have a rolling pattern of replanting and replacement.

[Scott12]

Thanks, looks like sound advice. I appreciate your experience. This had been my first productive treat with chilli.

Last season I suffered a wipe out at the hands out a Rat which my dog sorted, but not before it ate all my seedling tops.

[Jason]

I love jalapeno chillis and harvested the first fruit of the summer for some poppers yesterday. 

 

I had seeds growing inside using a heat lamp over winter and planted them in spring, but the plants are still relatively small and no signs of chillis as yet. I hope they get a move on! The weather has certainly been warm enough and I've been watering regularly.

Fortunately, this first crop of chillis came from overwintered plants. I had a few plants from last year that I had pruned. Interestingly, the one plant I didn't prune seems to be doing better than the ones I did trim. I've also got a cayenne pepper from last summer that I didn't touch and it's got loads of chillis. 

Jason