Overwintering Pepper Plants: Cutting Back and Saving Peppers for Next Year
Overwintering pepper plants lets a favorite chili or sweet pepper start next season as a woody plant instead of a seed. NC State lists pepper as a perennial in the nightshade family, Solanaceae, so the plant can live on if it stays above frost.
The short answer
Bring peppers in before frost. A Colorado Master Gardener answer on Ask Extension suggests pruning to three main branches, stripping the leaves, washing soil off the roots and repotting in fresh mix. Hold it at 50 to 60°F, water rarely and let it go dormant. Replant outdoors once nights stay above 50°F.
Two ways to overwinter peppers
| Method | Conditions | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Dormant | Cut back, 50 to 60°F, little water, prune new leaves | Ask Extension 812297 |
| Growing | Nights above 50°F, days near 70°F, artificial light, hand pollinate | Ask Extension 855650 |
| Uncut houseplant | Bright window or grow lights, top inch or two dry between waterings | Ask Extension 890162 |
The dormant route takes the least space, while the growing route can set fruit but needs lights and warmth.
How do I cut back and pot up peppers?
Before frost, prune to three main branches and remove the foliage, cutting each branch back to the first node, as the Ask Extension answer 812297 describes. Wash all soil off the roots to leave pests outside, then repot in fresh mix. Ask Extension answer 890162 says not to prune the roots. Root handling ties in with transplanting marijuana plants.
How do I care for peppers over winter?
Water lightly. Ask Extension 890162 suggests letting the top inch or two of soil dry before watering. In the dormant method, prune off any new leaves. Check often for spider mites, thrips, mealybugs and aphids, all named in that answer. For outdoor beds left behind, see fall garden cleanup after cannabis harvest.
When do overwintered peppers go back outside?
University of Minnesota Extension says to transplant peppers after nighttime temperatures stay above 50°F. Spring feeding for garden beds is covered on the Kind Seed Co blog in fertilizer and compost for growing outdoors. Local frost dates depend on your zone, as plant hardiness zones and cannabis explains.
Sources
- Over winter habanero peppers indoors (812297), Ask Extension, answered by a Colorado Master Gardener
- Overwintering peppers and herbs (855650), Ask Extension
- Overwintering ornamental peppers (890162), Ask Extension
- Growing peppers, University of Minnesota Extension
- Capsicum annuum (pepper), NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
FAQ
Can pepper plants live more than one year?
Yes. NC State lists pepper as a perennial in the nightshade family that can live on above frost.
What temperature should overwintered peppers stay at?
An Ask Extension answer suggests holding dormant peppers at 50 to 60°F.
Can I get peppers to fruit indoors in winter?
An Ask Extension answer says nights above 50°F, days near 70°F, artificial light and hand pollination are needed.
What pests show up on overwintered peppers?
An Ask Extension answer names spider mites, thrips, mealybugs and aphids.
When can overwintered peppers go back outside?
University of Minnesota Extension says to transplant peppers after nights stay above 50°F.
