Overwintering chillis | Grow at Home | RHS

[@neverlostforwords]

I am in Melbourne, Australia. I have overwintered one red chilli plant (moderate heat) for eight years. It cost $25, 8 years ago at the supermarket. From that one plant, we have had more than enough chillis for the entire year's needs, fresh, frozen or pickled. I leave it in a fairly large container at the end of the season, pruned down to around twenty cms (the main stem) and with a few branches with leaves left. I stand the container under cover next to the house wall and water it around once a month. When spring approaches, I repot it in a fresh soil mix (around half potting mix and half home made compost) and leave it to figure out when it's warm enough to recommence growth. Currently it has grown four or five stems with leaves and is growing steadily for the season. I will fertilise it around once a month with a liquid organic rose fertiliser (Sudden Impact for Roses). I will stake it a few times as it grows and tie it to a post to stop the tall plant toppling in any wind.

[@adrianaeve3582]

I'm in Melbourne, Australia too and have had pretty much the exact same experience for a baby chilli plant I bought at bunnings for $15! It's a 3 year old large plant now and gives me a lot of joy!

[@_sunshine_rainbows]

hello, all my over wintered chillis have spouted leaves but not branches, would you have any advice for me?

[@MickJames-e3n]

What a great video! I was in two minds whether to chuck this year's plants out or not as they're getting a bit ropey - but remembered that one of the plants I've had for 1 or 2 years and it's still producing really well. Now I know what to do. Great advice - especially about reducing the watering. Many thanks

[@davidrathbone5581]

Cutmore! Talk about nominative determinism!

[@alanryanhall994]

Clearly shown and described. Thank you.

[@alisesay]

Loving these videos, please keep them coming

[@wildlifegardener-tracey6206]

That’s a great video. I managed to grow four chilli plants from seed quite late this summer I thought they would die over winter as they are such young plants. I will bring them into the house from the shed and see if I can over winter them.

[@neverlostforwords]

Good luck with your chilli plants. :)

[@davegaskell7680]

Lots of good info. Thanks. I overwintered some chilli and pepper plants for the first time this winter just passed (in the UK). I planted them into the unheated greenhouse border today which is a bit early, perhaps, as we will very likely have more frosts before the end of spring, but the plants are under fleece which I hope will give them enough protection.

[@MyKharli]

An established plant should survive a cold snap as long as roots do not freeze .

[@slavitsam]

Thank you. what if we dont have such a big plant and cannot find V branch?

[@trevorhawkins2013]

Brilliant help, as I was just about to throw mine out.

[@moonchild6029]

Thank you for this video, I'm definitely going to try this this year with all 7 varieties of chillies I have grown from seed this year x

[@passportcookbook]

👍

[@Liap]

When I prepeare my peppers for overwintering, I cut of all the leaves and all that's left is a stem in some shape. Is that a mistake? Should I let some leaves on the plant and just let them drop by they own? Thanks for great video 👍🍀

[@neverlostforwords]

Leave a few leaves as they will help the plant stay alive over winter. They will fall off on their own anyway.

[@Liap]

@@neverlostforwords Thank you, will try next year. I've been ve been cutting all the leaves off every time and they survived with no problem every time. Now after 1 month they've already grown new leaves :)

[@niallgardens]

Really useful and well explained! Thanks! 👍

[@The_RHS]

Glad you enjoyed it🌶

[@gedhuffadine1873]

If indoors why a windowsill does it still need light or can it go in a darker area

[@ShamsulA]

I assume plants still need some element of light, but I assume it's mostly because of warmth from sunlight.

[@MyKharli]

Instead of a 500w frost heater to save houseplants in winter i now use a 400w led light that gives nearly as much heat but over winters peppers lovely plus winter salads ! I get greenfly problems but a bit of soap spray keeps them down .

[@partlycurrent]

Is it fine to put the chili into the corridor over winter? There's no natural light there at all, but that shouldn't be an issue without the leaves, will it? My lemon chili is already inside a 10 litre pot. Do I still need to repot them? I planted without compost, just kitchen fertilizers and a fertilizing liquid.

[@jameshembrow5433]

I have over wintered about 20 Chilli plants. It is now June in the UK and they are outside. They all look like dead brown sticks! Maybe I didn’t keep the soil moist enough over winter??? How long after you put the plants back outside for them to start becoming green and showing buds and leaves?

[@memerhd8888]

I'm pretty sure certain type sof plant will just die after setting amount of fruit such as determinate variety tomato

[@passportcookbook]

Very helpful thanks

[@Charm-313]

Can you propagate the cuttings so they're not wasted? In the process of my first over-wintering in Shreveport, LA

[@The_RHS]

You could try to use the cuttings to produce clones, but rooting can take a very long time depending on a number of factors. www.rhs.org.uk/propagation/softwood-cuttings

[@Stu-Vino]

Really useful video, thanks very much!

[@purplemonkeyelephant]

Jeez, I use massive pots and my plant to pot ratio is rubbish. Yours is so impressive! You must be using good fertiliser.

[@DavePawson]

Thanks, useful