Overwintering bell and sweet banana peppers?

Question

Can someone tell me the correct way to overwinter peppers indoors? Do I just bring them indoors or do I prune them down?

Answer 1

Lots of work for nothing. Not worth time, space or effort. Just buy them from the shops in winter.

Answer 2

It probably isn't worth trying to overwinter peppers.  They need lots of sunlight and won't do well at all inside.  If you have a greenhouse you could try but peppers are generally annuals and not meant to over winter.  You may be able to extend their growing season a bit but probably not overwinter.  Good luck.  

If you do try however, I wouldn't prune them down.

Answer 3

ChicagoCheryl is correct.

I too tried to overwinter bell peppers in my indoor sauna/sunroom.  When I brought the plant outside this spring, it was woody and leggy and the peppers it produces are rather small and not very tasty.

It was a fun experiment, though.  If you have a very (very) sunny place like a sunroom, you might want to try.  You certainly have nothing to lose!  I'm going to try overwintering another bell pepper this winter again.

Answer 4

You can also try making cuttings from your peppers, placing them in water and let them grow roots for a few weeks.  Then place the rooted stems in peat moss until it establishes itself into a new plant.  This will take about two months.  After that the plant, when warm enough, will grow and fruit if there is plenty of sun and warm moisture.

Answer 5

I overwintered a few of my pepper plants once.  I dug and potted them and left them in my hallway which had a skylight, so they got plenty of light.  I didn't prune them.  They did lose most of their leaves, but they put on new growth.  When it got warm enough, I brought the pots outside.  They did produce bell peppers, but they were small.  I'm sure they would have been bigger if I had planted them in the ground.  

I'm one for experimentation, so try a couple and see how they do.