How long will chilli plants live for?

[4390evans]

Ive bought 3 chilli plants from homebase, the jamie oliver range. 2 are quite bedraggled after bringing them indoors about 2 months ago as I have no green house. Ive started giving them water out of the fishtank as I was told the nitrogen in the fish poop would do them some good.

How good are chilli plants for bouncing back to full health?

Also I have some tiny black flies encircling them, anyone know what these could be and what are they after x

[RedThorn]

Chillies tend to be annuals in uk.

In warmer climates, I've had some for years. I just give a serious haircut and give very little water and food through winter. Here some survive some don't

[WendyC]

The black flies are compost, or sciatic, flies, attracted to moist compost. Try allowing the compost to dry out a little. They are also attracted to almond oil. They will obligingly drown themselves in a milk bottle lid of oil placed on the compost.

[Bill HH]

These flies are mexican chilli flies "cookerachi karambusi" under the microscope you can just make out their hats and guitars. They hang around chilli plants so that they feel more at home. (You may prefer Wendyc's answer)

[veggiechicken]

^^^^^ Nutter alert ^^^^^

[darcyvuqua]

These flies are mexican chilli flies "cookerachi karambusi" under the microscope you can just make out their hats and guitars. They hang around chilli plants so that they feel more at home. (You may prefer Wendyc's answer)

Omg haha made me chuckle


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[Bren In Pots]

My Scotch bonnets are just starting their third winter on a bedroom window sill that gets morning sun, they get a bit neglected and I only watering them when they look dry. Seems to work though.

[jotley73]

I am just trying to overwinter my 1st chilli (habanero) fingers crossed!

[elleme]

I've brought my cayennes in. I didn't have a good year with them this year, partly as they were in rubbish free council compost which I won't use again, but if they survive to spring I'll repot in something a bit more water retaining.

[Philthy]

4390evans, feeding your plants now may encourage further fruiting if conditions are right, but the plants will run out of steam before too long. If you want to have a chance of keeping them healthy for an early start next year, you're better off letting the compost dry out, then watering lightly from then on with plain water. Trim off the droopy foliage, (any remaining leaves will fall off anyway), then place plant/s in a cool, light environment where they can be left, the idea being to enable natural dormany during the winter period.

Some varieties are well worth attempting to overwinter, others not so much. Cayennes I wouldn't bother. They're fairly fast growing and available as plants from most garden centres these days; I'd just invest in new specimens next spring.

I've had most success with Thai Dragon (current plant entering it's fourth winter), Trinidad Scorpian (third winter), Hot Lemon (current plants entering second winter), historically very reliable and consistant, with more cold tolerance than most. Bird's Eye, and a couple of Japanese varieties; Santaka, and Tokyo Hot, are also highly recommended for overwintering.

A sticky yellow trap hung over your plants also helps reduce the black flies.

[The Cobra]

My Cayenne chilli plants are still thriving, still producing new fruit aswell. Although I started growing these from seed quite late into summer. as Philthy says, they do grow quick enough to not worry too much about overwintering Cayenne plants