Growing Jalapeno Peppers: A Guide to Winter
It is a common misconception that jalapeño and other pepper plants are annuals, which means that they only grow for one year. The fact is, chili plants can survive for five, ten, or even fifteen years, as long as you take care of them when winter approaches. This means you don’t have to throw out your old plants and start new pepper seeds every year. When you take certain precautions and understand how to keep your peppers going into hibernation, you can “winterize” or “overwinter” your pepper plants to ensure they continue to produce plenty of peppers during the next growing season.
When to overwinter with peppers
Bell peppers have no tolerance for frost and can suffer when regularly exposed to temperatures below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The first thing to do is find out when cold weather will hit your area. Check weather reports to find out when temperatures will drop below 50 degrees for more than a few days, or purchase a farmer’s almanac for historical weather information for your location.
Go through the winterizing process
Ideally, you want to move your chili plants indoors during the cooler months. This protects the peppers from frost and keeps them safe from outside elements, such as rain and snow, which can kill the plant. Before bringing the chili peppers inside, you must make sure that you do not ingest insects as well.
First, use a clean pair of scissors to cut all the leaves and unripe peppers until bare. This allows your chili plants to save their precious energy for next spring. If pepper buds form during the winter months, remove them.
Then change the soil in your pepper shakers to replenish the mixture and get rid of the insects in the soil. If your jalapenos are in the ground, carefully dig them up and plant them in large 5-gallon pots. Water each pot well.
Continue debugging each plant before placing them indoors. Spray an insecticidal soap on all parts of each plant, including the top of the soil, until each part is soaked through. After five minutes, spray your chili plants with water to wash them. Move your pots to an isolated area, like a patio, and check your plants the next day to make sure you don’t see any mistakes. If you see them, repeat the insecticidal soap process. After a couple of days without insect activity, you can bring your plants indoors.
Where to store your indoor peppers
Chili plants for the winter prefer a temperature range of 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit and require a light source to survive through the winter. Garages, basements and vacant rooms are an ideal place for your plants. Be aware that insects can still appear, so place your chili peppers in a location that is less intrusive to your home. If the room does not have a bright window, you can place grow lights or fluorescent bulbs over the plants.
Irrigation and fertilization of chili peppers prepared for the winter
Your overwintering pepper plants don’t need as much water as when they are actively growing outdoors. You can hydrate your plants once a month or when the soil mix dries. Fertilizer is not necessary during this time, but if you choose to feed your plants, use half the dose that you normally use when your plants are outside.
Dealing with insects on indoor plants
Insects, like aphids, can sometimes show up on your indoor chili peppers, despite all the precautions you’ve taken. If they appear, place the pepper shakers in a shower and run the water over them for a few minutes. This should dislodge and wash them. If insects keep appearing, release ladybugs on your plants.
Placing pepper plants outside
When temperatures consistently return to 50 degrees Fahrenheit, you can move them outside again. This is generally during the months of March or April, but check the weather reports for your area to be sure.
Once your chili plants are back outdoors, they will regrow their leaves and develop new flowers.