Chillies - growing and overwintering 2023

[stigs]

Hi, I couldn't see one for 2023 so I'll start one hopefully we can get a few contributers, where have all the chilli heads gone ?

This is really related to last year, I have a Rocoto Pico and it is refusing to ripen, there are really heavy fruit the size of small apple, any one have any idea how long these take to ripen ?

[ameno]

Sadly, I think all of the ones I was overwintering may well be dead. They did not like that cold spell (even though it didn't actually reach 0 in my conservatory), and the leaves have gone all crispy and dry, along with the tips of the stems.
And yet the cape gooseberries I also have in there look perfectly healthy...

[stigs]

I only overwintered 2 this year, the Pico and a Jamaican Yellow as all my south facing widows have this years plants inside 1.5L plastic coke bottles waiting for spring.

[wargarden2023]

light and temperature are the most likely issue causing your problems.

[annie8]

I’ve still got 3 scotch bonnet plants inside. Brought them in about Nov to see if the chillis would ripen and delighted that it is still ripening now. Not sure what I will do once all the chillis are ripe. Would like to keep them into next year if pos. Also got another few that are in the unheated greenhouse. Cut them back and they still seem to be alive.

[annie8]

Would welcome advice about what to do next with my scotch bonnet plants. As i said above I brought them inside a couple of months ago to see if the chillis would ripen. They did, got a really good crop and the plants are still surviving albeit losing some leaves. What should I do with them now? Do I keep them inside right through? Do I cut them back now? They are about 40/50cm tall. I have a greenhouse but it is unheated and temps are going as low as -1 in there at the moment.

[ameno]

I'd leave them indoors in your coolest but brightest room (10-15 degrees is the ideal range, as it's cool enough to keep them mostly dormant but not so cold as to potentially harm them, but a bit warmer or colder shouldn't be a real issue).
Don't cut them back yet. Better to wait until spring, then cut back any dead bits then. A few years ago I cut back some of mine in autumn and left some, and the ones I left all recovered better in the spring.

[smallblueplanet]

Back in the day when we bothered trying to overwinter, only tried a couple of times. It seemed that you'd managed to bring a few through and they were starting to go again, so they were 'trimmed' and that just killed them off. But it might just have been co-incidence and they died off anyway.

Don't bother over-wintering attempts any more, just as easy and prolific to start afresh early.

[annie8]

I wasn’t planning to overwinter tbh but since they are alive and pretty health will see how it goes. Will also be planting from seed though and will get them going soon.

[Babru]

Sowed Beaver Dam yesterday. Saw this one on Beechgrove I think. Not hot, more big peppers.

[ameno]

Sowed Beaver Dam yesterday. Saw this one on Beechgrove I think. Not hot, more big peppers.

Beaver Dam is excellent, but unless you'll be growing in a heated greenhouse then you may have sown too soon. Beaver Dam grows very quickly compared to a lot of pepper varieties.

[Babru]

Thanks for this ameno, I didn't know that. My greenhouse is unheated. There were more seeds in the packet, fortunately.

[ameno]

Thanks for this ameno, I didn't know that. My greenhouse is unheated. There were more seeds in the packet, fortunately.

You'll still be able to keep them indoors if you have the space. It's just they're likely to get big enough that they'll need potting into larger pots before it's warm enough to plant them out.

[Babru]

I'll do my best.

[Jungle Jane]

Pepper plants stay small/short for a long time though,I’ve potted mine into 5” pots (going from cell tray to 3” pot) then bringing them in & out every day,it’s good having the early flowers for when the bees come out,I recommend sowing a few early marigolds,they’ll flower at the same time to attract bees to the area then you won’t need to hand pollinate.