chilli plants

[Ruth OSullivan]

I have a lovely crop of chillis on the plants in my wee glasshouse, but frosts are closing in and Im wondering if I pull up my chilli plants and hang them somewhere, like you do with tomatoes, will the chillis turn red and ripen?

[moggy]

Leave them on the plant as long as possible. They will ripen if you bring them inside and put them in full sun, but their lifespan after than will be a lot less than one ripened on the plant.

If you want to dry them just hang them up.

[Ruth OSullivan]

yes, but what I want to know is if they will turn red when I hang them?

[moggy]

I have seen some green chilies that I have bought change from green to orange, but that is about it.  You will have a better chance of them going red if left on the plant, once they start to wrinkle a bit you may as well bring them in as they will never be going to go red on the plant at that stage.

[Megan]

Chili plants can be overwintered - I've kept mine going for two years, just put a fleece over them when a frost is forecast or if they're in pots, bring them indoors for the winter.

[Ruth OSullivan]

thanks, they are not in pots, and with the frosts we get here, its going to be very difficult to overwinter them!

[Lisa L]

If they are in a glasshouse they will be fine. They lose their leaves but the fruit ripens. Don't pull them up as some varieties live for a few years I had one plant they lasted 5 years, they look like twigs in the ground but come to life again in late spring!

[Ruth OSullivan]

thanks for that info...we get some good frosts here (valley in between Nelson and Blenheim) and I know the inside of the glasshouse gets frosted up so I shall cross my fingers..Ive spread some frostcloth over them for the present and will see what happens!

[moggy]

the smaller the chilli the more likely they are to be perennial. Once they have survived one winter they can actually reach the size of a medium sized bush.

[Ruth OSullivan]

thanks I shall have a go and see what happens :)