How cold can chillis take?

[Dollyrocker]

Morning all, I've been planting chilli seeds all winter and keeping them going on window sills to keep me occupied over the winter. I bought a cheapo poly tunnel last week and as Friday was so nice I moved them out doors. Since then its been getting colder and colder! Temp in the poly tunnel this morning was 5.5c.

Will they be OK? The only fatalities I've noticed are a couple of Ring O Fire which were pretty sickly anyway.

Thanks

[Small pumpkin]

Chilli's really don't like cold. I would only put them in the tunnel on warm days and bring them back in at night. Prolonged cold weather really won't do them any good. I'd say 10c at a minimum and not for prolonged periods.
But I could be wrong. I make it up as I go along you know
Someone who knows will be a long soon with useful information. I love my chilli's but I wouldn't say I'm 100% confident in what I'm doing.

[Thelma Sanders]

Tomatoes seem to be comfortable until it drops to 10, but the peppers seem to prefer t warmer than that.
RHS advice is

•Plants will tolerate a minimum night temperature of 12ºC (54ºF) but better results are achieved above 15ºC (59ºF),

https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=664

[Dollyrocker]

Thanks Thelma. They can obviously tolerate a night temperature of lower than 12c as they survived last night. Tiny Tomato seedlings survived ok too.

[Thelma Sanders]

They may survive the occasional dip lower, but won't thrive if it continues to happen

[Dollyrocker]

Oh dear. Am I going to have to drag them all back in? There's 200 of 'em!

[Scarlet]

I agree with the 12*c, they can survive if it goes lower as you've found out but they can become stressed, will slow down and often don't recover. Mine don't go out into the greenhouse overnight until end of May earliest. Get some big trays to carry them in and out.200 is a lot of chillies, what are you going to do with them all?

[Dollyrocker]

I've planted a few ornamental varieties (Patio Fire, Twighlight) and was planning on keeping them in small pots to keep the size down and put on a good display. Once their in full fruit I'll pop 'em in nice little planters and sell them down the market (well that's the plan anyway).

[Bacchus]

. Once their in full fruit I'll pop 'em in nice little planters and sell them down the market (well that's the plan anyway).

That was a similar plan to mine last year - but alas that late frost in May knocked them back and the crop wasn't great.

The plants will survive a short dip below 10 degrees, but as has been said before, it knocks them back and they just don't recover very well so your yield will be much reduced. I've even more planted this year than last year - about 100 chilli plants - but less varieties - and have to ferry them in and out every day. If it's too cold when I leave for work they just have to stay in the house. I've some grow lights which cover most of them - but not all.

I've about 40 tomato plants that I'm also ferrying - lord knows why - I don't like tomatoes

[Dollyrocker]

hahaha the toms will make great gifts i'm sure!