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chilli


guzzicat
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  • 2 weeks later...

I'm no expert on keeping them going through the winter though I've had a little success, some years.

My advice would be to prune them gradually as they finish fruiting and keep them clear of pests, but don't overdo it on the bug spray proper. Use soapy water from a spray can if you end up with blackfly / aphids  - you probably will as the combination of damp indoor air and central heating is brilliant for germinating insect eggs. Kill the bugs on the floor where they fall with your finger / foot rather than squashing them on the plant. Also kill any flying insects in the vicinity of the plants. They lay eggs fast and it can take less than 24 hours to build up an infestation. I think 90% of the plants I've ever tried and failed to over-winter have been overwhelmed by bugs, rather than died because of the wrong care.

Pruning-wise, I'd go back to the main stems, but leave a few leaves on here and there. Lose any large or yellowing foliage or let it drop then collect it; halve some of the medium-sized leaves and cut off any obviously new growth. You want the plant to go dormant, rather than think "ooh, warmth - it's summer again" - and new growth encourages sucking insects to settle.

Feeding: don't feed them - drop back to occasional watering (if at all) and keep them on the dry side. They don't like having wet feet and they'll rot if they stand in water - again, because of the warmth you get from central heating.

The other thing is that success is highly dependent on variety. Some peppers just won't last, no matter how careful you are with them or how aggressively you kill pests. I've had most success with Apache, Paper Lantern, Numex Twilight and Naga in the past, but even some of those got infested. I think the Annum, Chinense and some of the hybrid varieties (Chinense x Frutescens) tend to do better than the others.

This year I'm trying a Naga, Trinidad Scorpion, Trinidad Perfume and an Apache plant. I may keep a Scotch Bonnet plant too if I get it sorted in time. So far, they aren't looking terribly happy, but if you don't expect any to survive then any that do are a bonus. The ideal spot would be a heated greenhouse where predatory insects can get in to keep the pests down, but that's way beyond my gardening ability / budget!

The last thing I'd say is that for the long-season hybrid varieties, you'll do almost as well if you simply start new plants now. The really hot hybrid varieties (e.g. Naga, the "Scorpion" varieties, etc.) really need more growing time than we have in the average British summer, so starting them in November / December in warm-ish conditions isn't a bad idea. By the time they go out in May, they ought to be doing well.

Good luck!

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