Chillies - growing and overwintering 2017

[Dalrimple]

If it's indoors and its flowered again it's happy where it is. What is it?
Very much worth trying to keep some chillies over winter if you can.

Scarlet it's a jalepeno 1 of 4 from aldi 1 died but the others did well and all have produced a fair few fruits ,they are in a unheated green house so I doubt they will survive the first frost unless i can molicodle them some way, there's no chance of heating the green house up the lottie! and the plants are to big to take back home .
atb Dal

[Scarlet]

I would just let its run its course then Dal. It's probably the warmer than usual weather that's causing it to carry on flowering.

[monkeyboy]

Right, I've slacked off a bit from the forum.

Here's my pepper plants at the moment. One of the long thin ones was sweet rather than spicy. The others look like jalapenos:

[Chris11]

Mild weather a very good thing

Chilli plants still in unheated greenhouse and pods still ripening on the plant.

[Chris11]

I've got a selection of seeds germinating under an LED light making an early start
Can't wait till they start growing

I think what you're doing this time of year is a bit experimental, but I like your enthusiasm and wish you luck and look forward to your progress reports

[DataMonkey]

well iv'e got ask dose everyone think it's worthwhile trying to overwinter ? i'm a novice realy with chillies ,
also can anyone explain why one of my plants has gone and got covered in flowers after producing a fair few fruits that iv'e picked as theyv'e ripened? atb Dal

I'm in the love 'em and leave 'em camp I'm afraid.

Last year I successfully overwintered three plants and they came back strong, but my wife objected fairly strongly to the spare bedroom turning into a greenhouse for 6 months.

They are so easy to grow again from scratch that I just sow a new selection each spring now.

If you really get attached to them, and you have the room, there's no reason not to overwinter them, but given that I also like to chit my potatoes in that bedroom, something has to give, and this winter it could be the chillies or my wife....

[monkeyboy]

Well we tried the jalapeños today. Not very spicy and very little seed inside. It was reasonably tasty.

[monkeyboy]

So I've read up a little and it turns out I was probably overwatering the plants. Twice weekly (one of them with tomato feed). How often has everyone else been watering their chillies?

[Small pumpkin]

So I've read up a little and it turns out I was probably overwatering the plants. Twice weekly (one of them with tomato feed). How often has everyone else been watering their chillies?

I Only water about once a month when I'm overwintering. I give the plant a bit of a rest over winter so I'm not trying to get a crop from it.

[Mitzi]

So I've read up a little and it turns out I was probably overwatering the plants. Twice weekly (one of them with tomato feed). How often has everyone else been watering their chillies?

When they need it! When the pot feels light or the leaves start drooping. Most of mine have been in pots with some sort of reservoir so they draw the water up when they need it. I've just topped the reservoirs up from time to time, frequency varies with how big the plants are and the weather.

[Mitzi]

Last year I successfully overwintered three plants and they came back strong, but my wife objected fairly strongly to the spare bedroom turning into a greenhouse for 6 months.

... given that I also like to chit my potatoes in that bedroom, something has to give, and this winter it could be the chillies or my wife....

If she gives you that ultimatum, it's a fairly easy decision to make, I'd have thought. I mean, you surely won't give up your chillies, will you? Now I have an Adam Ant earworm: "Stand and deliver, your chillies or your wife!"

Yesterday I discussed overwintering with my husband and he expressed a preference to have our bedroom windowsill free of plants for the winter. He didn't insist on it, though, just said he would prefer it. (I think he's getting fed up of finding ladybirds in the bed.) He wouldn't dream of saying I can't have the spare bedroom full of chillies, though. Anyway, if he gets awkward, I'll just tell him that means we can't overwinter the Reaper plant (I want rid of it but he wants to keep it.)

[Mitzi]

Yesterday's harvest:



L-R Aleppo, Sugar Rush, Aji Omnicolor, Aji Pineapple, Chenzo, Filius Blue

We ate an Aji Pineapple raw. Slight fruity flavour but I wouldn't say pineapple. I still can't get the nuances of chilli flavours. It frustrates me.

[monkeyboy]

I Only water about once a month when I'm overwintering. I give the plant a bit of a rest over winter so I'm not trying to get a crop from it.

These were from seeds the wife sowed in June so we were behind the curve already when starting. I don't plant on overwintering as I'd probably grow a different variety next year.

When they need it! When the pot feels light or the leaves start drooping. Most of mine have been in pots with some sort of reservoir so they draw the water up when they need it. I've just topped the reservoirs up from time to time, frequency varies with how big the plants are and the weather.

I'd been watering twice weekly and once fruit appeared, I added feed to one of the watering.

Some of the reading online suggests keeping the soil drier than I would for other plants. I'll try again next year but reduce the watering frequency or amount.

[Ms-T]

Black Naga doing well.

[Chris11]

Here's my Large Orange Thai.

Still happy in an unheated greenhouse, and pods still ripening