overwintering What to do with my plants...?

N

Noodles

I'm fairly new to growing hot peppers. I have a variety of Jalapeños, Habanero's, Cherry peppers, and Bird's Eye. I live in norther Germany. our weather is somewhat similar to weather in NY or PA. just less snow. just as cold but not as humid. My apartment doesn't get much sun because of tall trees surrounding my building. obviously my plants will not survive winter on my balcony. currently my plants have artificial lights supplemented by whatever sun they can get. my question is, when the weather gets cold, can I store them inside in a corner and water them enough to keep them alive but not continue to aim my flood lights at them (for financial reasons)? can they survive with just ambient light and whatever sunlight they can get through my windows? they're full grown, healthy, and strong currently.

any Europeans on here that know where I can buy fresh Cherry peppers? I like to use them in my homemade pickles. Germans typically do not care for spicy things. so finding fresh hot peppers in stores is usually rare. but maybe theres a European here that has found an online option? I'm happy growing my own, but I can go through one harvest in a couple weeks. and through winter I may not harvest at all.
 
Hallöschen,

I would cut them back quite a bit until there are 5-10 healthy fresh green leaves on each plant. Then set them aside for the winter and water sparingly. All growth will return next year if the plant survives.
When your plants have been outside this summer there will be aphids+eggs on the plant and in the pot. It is impossible to completely rid the plant of them prior to taking them indoors for the winter. For that reason, regardless of your countermeasures (neem oil, soapy baths, sprays, whatnot) you may get a manifest aphid infestation which will kill the plants. It is likely to show just weeks after you take the plants inside. I am guessing that in Berlin, you will need to take them inside no later than October. If you have not seen aphids by Dec 15 and if the remaining leaves at that time still show some green colour, then your plants will most likely be fine and you are lining up for a bountiful early harvest in 2022 :party:
 
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I'm considering abandoning the plants then. I like having access to the variety of peppers that I can't otherwise have. but it's a lot to go through. growing them in the spring to harvest once each year is exhausting and time consuming. bringing them in and having a bunch of aphids in my flat is unappealing. I've just this week found a source for hot fresh peppers online out of the netherlands. they ship them really fast and it'd suit my hot sauce and hot pickle needs.
 
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Or as an alternative, pick only your best plants, and take precautions when moving them indoor. That is what I am doing this year. Hopefully it works out ok! This will be my first year overwintering/ doing indoor peppers.
 
Noodles said:
I'm considering abandoning the plants then. I like having access to the variety of peppers that I can't otherwise have. but it's a lot to go through. growing them in the spring to harvest once each year is exhausting and time consuming. bringing them in and having a bunch of aphids in my flat is unappealing. I've just this week found a source for hot fresh peppers online out of the netherlands. they ship them really fast and it'd suit my hot sauce and hot pickle needs.
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Agreed, but there is another option.
Try and look up on google and youtube how to clone plants. It is about taking cuttings, sticking them in a glass of water and then plant those that develop roots.
You can take cuttings off branches, wash them in liquid detergent (this is quite effective against aphids) and put the cuttings in water. Those cutting that form roots will quickly develop into real identical plants. This is a great option for those who find it too cumbersome to overwinter entire plants and who do not want to start from seed every year.
 
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