Longevity of sweet pepper plants.
 

This season I managed to overwinter a large sweet pepper plant that I was growing outside, I dug it up and planted it in a large 15" inch terracota pot and brought it into the greenhouse.

Most of the leaves dropped off it during feb/march, but now new leaves have sprouted and several actual flower buds have opened, which is miles earlier than seasonal seed produced plants.

I have seen sweet pepper plants in a commercial growers one acre greenhouse complex reach six to eight foot high loaded with peppers and often wondered how old they were.


Does anybody know how old you can actualy get sweet pepper plants to survive under fairly ideal conditions.

on a practical basis the roots get older and it is good to replace a plant with some new roots.

I think 3 years is a practical limit to what people might grow outdoors where there is no freezing. but I am sure the plant can be pushed much longer if you keep the plant healthy.

up here I think a 2nd summer for a large plant is about all that is practical. you can easy take a cutting of this one and hold it again to next year. but as the plant gets huge the root ball gets huge and I dont think it is practical to move the root ball indoors again. if the roots are crowded it really should start over.

there are some small chile plants that you might try for multiple years. by the way congratulations on keeping this baby going all winter. I wish I could do that. but I have never been successful. my winters are a good 8 months long. just too long.