What to do now
Mildest step first.
- Choose one or two healthy plants, ideally ones already in pots, and bring them in before nights fall into the low 50s°F.
- Pick the last peppers, hose off the leaves, and look under them for aphids, mites and whiteflies; spray with insecticidal soap if you find any.
- Cut the stems back to about 6 to 8 inches and set the pot in a cool, frost-free spot with some light, such as a garage kept above freezing, with a grow light.
- Water only enough to keep the mix from drying out completely, and hold off on fertilizer until new growth starts in late winter.
Not sure this is it? Check other pepper problems
Is it worth it?
Peppers are not true annuals. New Mexico State University's Chile Pepper Institute describes chiles as perennial subshrubs from South America that are grown as annuals wherever freezing occurs, so a plant kept above freezing can live through winter. Oregon State University Extension notes two reasons to try: an overwintered plant starts spring with a larger root system and regrows faster, and it keeps a plant you care about, such as a favorite gochu or a hot pepper that is hard to find as a transplant. Expectations should be modest. University of Maryland Extension calls overwintering a qualified yes, and notes that some gardeners only manage to keep plants barely alive until they can go back outside. The University of New Hampshire notes that some small-fruited peppers can be grown as indoor plants, which makes them good candidates.
Before you bring it in
Move plants before the cold does damage. Iowa State says to bring plants in before a hard freeze, University of Maryland suggests moving tropical plants once nights regularly drop into the mid-to-low 50s°F, and Clemson notes that 50°F or lower can damage many tropical plants. Peppers already growing in containers are the easiest. A garden plant can be dug and potted in fresh soilless mix, but University of Maryland's own answers differ on the roots: one suggests trimming them to fit the container, a later one says not to prune them. Pests are the most common thing that comes in with the plant. Check leaf undersides and the joints where leaves meet the stem for spider mites, thrips, aphids and mealybugs. Clemson's routine for any plant moving indoors is to hose it off, spray it with insecticidal soap, wait a few days outside, spray again, and then bring it in.
Cool and resting
Most extension advice is to keep the plant resting, not growing. Oregon State describes holding peppers in a kind of stasis, alive but not doing much, at 40 to 55°F, for example cut back and kept in a garage under a grow light. Winter days are too short to ripen fruit anyway, and there are no pollinators. University of Maryland suggests cutting the main stem 6 to 8 inches above the lowest side branches, shortening those branches to 6 to 8 inches, and keeping the plant in low light. Sources differ on pruning: a later University of Maryland answer says leaving the stems uncut may be the better option, though it isn't clear how much it matters. Leaves often yellow and drop in a cool, dim spot. University of Maryland notes that a dormant plant losing all its leaves is not a concern.
Or keep it growing
If you'd rather keep a plant green and growing, it needs real light and warmth. University of Maryland says peppers kept growing need direct sun in a bright window or a grow light, and the Chile Pepper Institute's indoor guide suggests a south- or west-facing window, or a light at least 6 inches above the plants for 14 to 16 hours a day. UNH notes that peppers indoors need warm, bright conditions and supplemental light in winter, and that whiteflies and aphids can become a problem on them. Without enough light, plants grow tall and spindly and don't flower or set fruit.
Watering and feeding
Overwatering is the usual way an overwintered pepper is lost. Oregon State says to cut water back severely, and University of Maryland says to give a resting plant only enough water to keep it from drying out. For a plant you're keeping in growth, let the top inch or two of mix dry before watering thoroughly, since peppers don't tolerate soggy soil for long. The Chile Pepper Institute warns that leaving water in the saucer leads to root rot. A cool, resting plant may need water only every few weeks. University of Maryland advises no fertilizer until new growth appears in late winter or early spring.
Back outside in spring
When new shoots appear in late winter, move the plant to your brightest window or under lights, water a little more, and begin feeding lightly. Move it back outside after your , once nights stay around 55°F, which is when the Chile Pepper Institute suggests setting chiles out. Iowa State suggests easing overwintered plants into outdoor light over 2 to 3 weeks; leaves grown indoors can sunscald if they go straight into full sun. If a plant comes through winter weak or full of pests, a fresh transplant is often the better bet.
Read the whole label first: it must list your crop, and its directions (amount, timing, gear, bees, days before harvest) are the law. If this page and the label differ, follow the label.
Growing it again? When to plant pepper for your ZIP code
Growing it again? When to plant korean chili pepper for your ZIP code
- AphidSoft, clustered insects on new growth causing curled leaves and sticky honeydew.
- Spider MiteStippled, bronzed leaves with fine webbing on undersides; damage intensifies in hot, dry weather.
- Blossom DropFlowers fall before setting fruit, often during temperature extremes or after weather stress.
- Tarnished Plant BugMobile brown bug with yellow triangle on back. Causes cat-faced strawberries, pitted beans, and flower drop across many crops.
- How do I bring rosemary and other herbs indoors for winter?Bring rosemary in 2 to 3 weeks before your first fall frost, and basil before nights drop toward 50°F. Rinse them and check for pests first, ease them into lower light over about a week, then give them your sunniest window, a cool room, and water only when the soil has dried.
- Why are my transplants turning white after planting?Papery white or tan patches on the leaves that faced the sun, soon after planting, are usually sunscald: the plants went from indoor light to full sun without being hardened off. Those patches won't turn green again, but the plant usually recovers by growing new leaves. Shade it for a few days and keep it watered.
- How do I dry Korean chili peppers for gochugaru?Pick gochu when fully red, slit them lengthwise, and dry them at about 135–140°F in a dehydrator or low oven until they snap. Most US falls are too humid for reliable sun drying. Remove stems and most seeds, grind, and keep the gochugaru airtight in the refrigerator or freezer.