My chillis are doing fine at about 30 c's a plant. However they're still going strong. I may of imagined it but read somewhere that they are a perennial plant that people grow as annuals. Has anyone tried bringing them inside to use as house plants and if so how often do they fruit. Or am I just imagining this.
Glow
I do believe you can keep chilli plants over winter. I have heard of friends in the village having kept them to at least Christmas.
You need to bring them indoors, to keep them frost free. The only other problem is to make sure they do not have any white fly on them or red spider mite.
valmarg
They can be overwintered on a sunny windowsill.
This site will answer all your chilli questions and more...
http://chillisgalore.co.uk/phpBB2/index.php (http://chillisgalore.co.uk/phpBB2/index.php)
PP
Yes, I do it. It has been talked about before. I wait until the last of the fruits are gone, then cut the plant back by a half, any iffy bits come out, then I slow right up with the watering. Come early spring, as early as you like, start watering and feeding, and in no time it will start to sprout and flower very early. You will get chillis a good month earlier by overwintering indoors. HOWEVER, the critters love them and mine can if I am not careful, get plagued by spider mite and greenfly!
cheers All
Will test with a couple this year, last year they didn't finish ripening until very late and as I have taken enough green fruit already I may need to pot the plant with fruit still on it. Is this OK or will it stress it into dropping the fruit
My firecracker chilli plant is three years old and still going strong. It had a severe trim last Autumn. It's covered in chillis. Just brought it back inside into the conservatory after some windy nights.
I've potted it with it's fruit still on. It might have slowed it down for a wee while but it came back with new vigour. Can't remember losing any fruit but I guess thats the risk. One worth having if it comes back with more?
Wish my camera wasn't broken as I could show you...its absolutely bursting with fruit.
I have six new cayenne pepper plants on my kitchen windowsill. No where near ready to fruit. I see them (chillis) as a long term project these days! Oh and I think of them like houseplants I guess!
Can all chilli varieties be overwintered?
I can't say a definate yes as I don't know all the ins and outs of all the chillis. I would always give them a go though. I had a new plant bought for me..."sweet banana pepper" . The thought that it might not overwinter had not even crossed my mind. I'm sure it will and I don't see why it shouldn't. Will have to try and find some info on it.
I appear to have only one chilli plant this year, cayenne type, so I will try and overwinter it if possible. There is nothing to lose.
I've tried various types: the Eastern European and Mexican/South American seem hardiest but most last past Christmas then it's out with secateurs...
Here's a Bolivian that has come in from October to May over the last two winters and been cut back twice. I haven't got a lot of space so I have to cut them back from time to time anyway.
(http://i88.photobucket.com/albums/k167/jackdaw3/BolivianAug20060021.jpg)
Quote from: Barnowl on August 30, 2006, 17:47:54
Here's a Bolivian that has come in from October to May over the last two winters and been cut back twice. I haven't got a lot of space so I have to cut them back from time to time anyway.
That is a thing of beauty. I'm
quite moved!
I fear I will not see the red this year. :'( so i'm eating plenty of green instead. ;D
I'm keeping one of my cayennes and one numex twighlight in the g/h (heated, if ever i can find the fuel) and see what happens (I'll probably end up keeping all of them in all honesty, how could I kill my babies?).
I love yours Barnowl.
Actually I'm getting a bit worried - out of over twenty plants only the over wintered ones have any red chillies. Even the ones in the greenhouse are green: mind you I closed the greenhouse door last week for the first time since the end of May so I haven't been mollycoddling them (frightened of getting spider mite again).
Does anyone know if it's warmth or sunshine or just time that promotes ripening?
I'm going to be overwintering several chillies this year, I have done so in the past, but eventually lost the oldies to serious aphid infestations.
I am also goint to overwinter an aubergine this year.
I have had a bumper chilli year, my plants are absolutely loaded and are ripening nicely outdoors.