How to keep my peppers & chillis going?

Well most of my tomatoes have been disappointing, despite planting so many plants.
I've got one of those little plastic greenhouses which has helped some, but most of the disappointing ones are those which have been outdoors.

But I have some chilli peppers and sweet peppers which are still looking strong, especially the Cheyenne peppers. What I'm wondering is whether they would benefit from being inside that plastic greenhouse, or potentially even moved indoors to get the best out of them still? But would they then not get enough sunlight? But would the warmth outweigh that?

Anyway, what is the best thing I can do?

Also, the few tomatoes that are ok... should I get those picked off and let them ripen inside now or leave them be?

Thanks,
David

 

Hi Hockeynut,

Yep, I'd pick the tomatoes & ripen them on the window sill, had a frost down on the south coast this morning so the plants wont last much longer.

Most of my peppers & chillis are now on the window sill, noticed some leaves going yellow & dropping off, aphids were the culprits so just sprayed them.

They will slow down as the days grow short but in the past i've had chillis fruiting in the spring as the neighbours are just planting theirs out.

 

Hiya,

I bring them in now and out them on a bright windowsill for the winter. Like Ziggy I have found they have fruited indoors. Feed them aswell, I think that helps.

 

As the temp drops, one thing you can do is... get one of those big church like candles, and light it at night. Chillis and peppers will continue to grow/ripen until first frost... at which point it's best to bring them inside if you have the room. However, if you have a conservatory, you could bring them in now. Light is more important than heat at this time of year for chillis. If you have the room, you could also over winter them, so you get a good start next year.

 

Hi Hockeynut.
I would pick any outdoor tomatoes still left and take them indoors to ripen - they're not going to come to any good outdoors now.
Likewise any chillie plants I would take indoors.

 

I'm going to go against the grain on this one.

Presumably they are already in the sunniest, warmest spot you have in your garden. If so, play it by ear, but they should be OK for a little while yet.

It's getting chilly at night, but the difference between the open ground and a warm spot say, on your patio, is significant. And, weather permitting, there might be enough sun to help ripening along. Mine are still out.

 

I have 120 plants in my greenhouses... and they will stay there until I've finished harvesting... or when frost gets bad, I've grown chillis for a good few years, mostly super hots.. and always leave them out. Then I decide which plants to over winter... these will be cut right back until they are just about a 5 inch stick, also rootball trimmed and then put in smaller pots .

 

Love your name, Hockeynut!!

The peppers should do fine indoors, i usually bring a couple of my plants in, but didnt this year, and the past couple of years, i have brought in a cherry tomato plant, and they did well, next to a window, but not in direct heat from a heater....and i didnt fertilize anything either(or very little).

Good luck.

 

What kind of nasty creepy- crawley fauna should I expect if I take my beautiful mini paprika indoors? I'm just a tad horrified. :euw: Any hints how to get rid of at least some?

 

Thanks Shiney for the reassurance! I got myself to lift the pot to allow the (hrrr) Woodlice and (double hrrr) Sluglets to run away but met another obstacle. Mr Selleri put his foot down and declared that we are _not_ having any more houseplants. (For goodness sake, what are the horisontal areas in the house for then?)
But no worries, I just discovered a spare light corner away from the radiators that is Perfect for my mini paprika, there's even a table ready! (Just how am I going to carry the telly to the bin alone, I wonder... )