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do peppers produce more in thwe second year.

You could just get a bunch of lady bugs. They're not going to go anywhere except where the food is.
My 2nd year was WAYYYY better than my first. Not just in total yield which is obvious, but by the number of pods it put out on its second year. I had 46 on one plant this summer and that was indoor, under 3 CFL's in a 5 gallon pot being put out for 4 hours a day.

I'd keep them. I heard somewhere that the plants really produce well years 3-7
 
I hate aphids, with a passion. They are on some of my plants outside, but not much of a problem as I blast em off with water and the natural predators help eradicate. Indoors is a different story they torn up alot of my plants. I keep them under control, but they wreak havoc on my plants at work when I am off for an extendend time. I have a Fatalii growing in a 2.5 DWC bucket. The plant was quite a specimen. It was about 3.5 feet by 3.5 ft super healthy looking as well. Anyway, I start noticing those little black sugar ants allover it, then these larger blackish red ants as well. Before you know it I have an aphid infestation like no other. I would spray em off and notice those ants were picking em back up and putting them back on the plant. And this is in my house mind you. I was getting real pissed at this point. I figured I would get rid of the ants first and use neem oil to kill off the aphids. I baited the ants with an almost empty honey stray, in which they went for it and they got stuck in there and died. Im still concentrating on the aphids and have them under control but not gone. Out of this huge Fatalii, I only have 3 pods because of those stupid pests.

I found that Ladybug Larvae works the best as they cant fly away, put out some raisins so they tend to hang around. I couldnt do this at this time of year as the lady bugs are now gone. Here in NM the aphids tend to hit the plants harder in the fall and target the flowers.
Get rid of the ants as they cultivate them for the honeydew they secrete, and they get defensive for the aphids and will chase away ladybugs.
Use neem oil as it kills them and can be used up until harvest.
Watch those little black sugar ants! They are the main culprit. Ive found them to make nests in my potted plants.
 
I have never had an aphid problem after a thorough root ball trimming, rinsing, treating and potting down with brand new soil. My overwintered chinenses tend to produce two "flushes" in this climate instead of just one. So I do get more peppers. But the first flush is usually relatively small before the bloody heat cuts off pollination, growth, life, pleasure, and the will to live (me and them).

Not sure if South Texas is game for an in-ground overwintering or not. Ask a grapefruit orchard. If it freezes (as I know it occasionally does there), the plants are probably toast. If it doesn't and/or you cover them, I bet you'll keep on rockin' it.

Where are you in Alabama? South or North. If you're GC, then I bet you can get 'em out early and get an early flush like me. Plus your summers are *slightly* milder than ours on the GC, but twice as humid.

G'luck to all overwintering. I'm getting ready here. Probably have another 4-6 weeks and it's time to pick some favorites...
 
Not sure if South Texas is game for an in-ground overwintering or not. Ask a grapefruit orchard. If it freezes (as I know it occasionally does there), the plants are probably toast. If it doesn't and/or you cover them, I bet you'll keep on rockin' it.

I know a guy in San Antonio who has had a Chiltepin bush growing in the ground next to his house for several years. It dies back to a stob in the winter, but he prunes it and it comes back big in the spring. He doesn't even eat hot chiles...Some people he knows come by and get them.

I've got two large ones in containers that I overwintered last year...I will leave one of them out this year, on the south side of the house, to see if it will live.
 
Eephus, I found this guy actually living in Austin who did an interesting documentation of native Chiltepins growing on a lot where he was building his house:

Chiltepins in Austin

chiltepin-04-20050730.jpg
 
Hey WC, when I say "peppers", I definitely mean non-native types. Chiltepins around here will freeze back and regrow for years on years. But almost nothing non-native, which would be everything but chiltepins, will make it through a typical winter. South Texas winters are a bit milder than in CenTex (Austin/San Antonio), though, so it might be possible. Dunno.

But yeah. Chiltepins are a set it and forget it type of a deal here and parts south...
 
Cool. After I posted that it occurred to me that you are probably already aware of the Austin native Chiltepins. :doh:

That's a cool site, though. Thanks for sharing it. I always wondered how *many* years they last. I knew at least three based on the ones that reappeared each year at my former job.

I can't tell where that guy lives, based on the address, but I think it's in Cedar Creek, which is around the same longitude as my old work place. He could also live in the heart of downtown, but I don't think there's three square feet of non-high rise, non-concreted land there, so it must be elsewhere...

Anyway...thanks for sharing, dude!
 
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