I have two hot pepper plants(cayenne I think) & two pink branywine tomato plants that I missed planting in the spring. All had been 'dead' for the whole summer(never watered or taken out of the small containers) and I was going to toss them in the compost pile. Well this morning I went to get them and found all 4 with new leaves sprouting. Now that it's late Sept. it's too late to plant in the garden but can I pot them in big containers & overwinter them like house plants? I have some big south facing windows so they would have some good light and I can feed them an organic fish emulsion if that's necessary. Has anyone done it & what should I do to keep them going?

-- Kathy Aldridge (beckoningwinds@yahoo.com), September 19, 2002

Answers

I kept a green pepper plant for five years once,, thats in Mich. I put it ina container all winter,, and kept it in a cool spot, not forzen just cool/cold. ( BAsement or garage ). They need a period of dormancy, so you need ot provide it,, and I know it wont hurt it to be dormant for longer than normal. So,, you should be able to do this,, just dont put it in the light, or it wont think its dormant, but it may not be enouigh light to produce much. ALos,, be careful of over watering,,, when its dormant,, all it needs is a slightly damp soil, I watered the pepper plant once ever 2 months or so,, if that much.

-- Stan (sopal@net-pert.com), September 19, 2002.

You can do like Stan suggested and keep them ina dormant state or grow them like a semi-normal plant, less light and therefore less production/growth in your south facing windows. I would think that a semi-dormant or dormant state would be the best, then you will have a good size transplant for next spring.

-- BC (desertdweller@yahoo.com), September 20, 2002.

I have a chili pepper plant that I started growing in a pot last may. We brought it inside this winter and put it in our utility room - unheated, but open to rest of house (40-70 degrees), full south eastern exposure (sunniest room in the house), watered sparingly, no feeding. It has flowered and produced (though in much smaller amounts) all winter. On the odd warm day we put it outside. Right now it has about a half a dozen flowers and 4 ripe peppers on it. It is in the same room as my ficus, and they are both doing great. I just treated it like a houseplant and it has been fine.

-- Gemma Salt (gemmalouise@peoplepc.com), February 25, 2005.