Year after year the question arises as to whether it is worth overwintering chili plants. In such cases, we always recommend growing in large pots. This makes the plants much easier to move.
Chili peppers are perennial
Basically, chili plants are perennial. In Austria, however, it gets too cold from late autumn onwards and the plants die. Below +5°C the first damage to the plants occurs. If several nights fall below this temperature, the season is literally over.
If you follow a few simple points, you can overwinter the plants excellently and start the harvest phase earlier next year. After 3-4 years, the plants will become increasingly woody and the yield will be significantly lower.
Important points
- Grow the plants in pots to make it easier to move them in the fall
- Before it gets really cold or even freezes, harvest the plants and cut them to about 15-20cm above the substrate (depending on the height of the first branches - in this case cut ABOVE the branches.
- Remove the top 2-3cm of substrate and replace it with fresh. This removes possible pests that have already made themselves comfortable in the substrate.
- From now on, only water a little and place it in a cool, slightly exposed location (10-15°C) usually where an oleander would be.
- Water regularly from below.
- Place IN THE HOUSE in spring on a south-facing window or door.
- As the days get warmer, sunbathe carefully. Only for a few hours. Now water the plant more. Small shoots and leaves should already be forming.
- If the nights no longer fall below +5°C, the plant can return to its old location.
Special tip: If you normally plant the plants in a raised bed, plant the chili in a 10-15L pot and dig it into the raised bed.