It's a challenge, but it's relatively easy to master: in this article we would like to explain to you how to overwinter peppers properly.
The pepper originally comes from South and Central America, where it always thrives thanks to the year-round warmth. Of course, things are different in Germany, because our winters are far too cold for all types of peppers. So you cannot leave your pepper plants outside during the winter, as the frost will kill them. So you have to overwinter your peppers indoors. Overwintering is actually very positive for the pepper plants, because this often increases the yield in the coming year and thus allows more peppers to be harvested.
However, overwintering only has a positive effect on the pepper plants if it is done correctly and you pay attention to a few things. Below is a detailed explanation of how to proceed step by step when overwintering your pepper plants.
Instructions for overwintering pepper plants
The pepper plants always spend the warm season in a bucket on the terrace or in the garden. Cultivation usually does not cause any problems. But hibernation can also be done without any problems if a few important requirements are met and you follow the steps below.
Step 1 - Check plants for pests/diseases:
Before you bring the pepper plants indoors to overwinter, you should check whether aphids or spider mites have tampered with the plants, or whether there are any signs of disease. The pests would multiply explosively over the winter and cause significant damage to the plants. So you have to fight them first.
Step 2 - Pick the perfect location:
As soon as the first frosts threaten during the night, you must move the plants to their winter quarters. The location must be bright in any case and the temperatures should also be around 10 degrees. The conservatory or the hallway could therefore be considered as winter quarters.
Step 3 - watering & fertilizing during wintertime:
Should conditions be optimalbe, the plants will also train peppers in winter. However, the dry heating air does not get to the pepper plants, which is why you should spray the leaves above and below with distilled water every day. This supply of moisture also keeps any pests that may be present in check.
In the winter quarters, pepper plants are generally not watered as often and no fertilizer is used at all.
Step 4 - Prepare plants for the new gardening season:
In March you should then transplant the peppers into larger containers with fresh soil and move them to a slightly warmer spot. In order to give the plants a good start, you should now also give a good long-term fertilizer and water regularly again. A tomato fertilizer is best suited for fertilizing the peppers. You should also cut back the plants a bit.
Step 5 - Bring plants back outside:
You can bring your pepper plants outside again as soon as there is no longer any threat of frost at night. It is best to wait until after the ice saints.