How do peppers survive the winter?

Peppers prefer a warm and humid climate, and the suitable growth temperature is 20 degrees Celsius to 30 degrees Celsius. Peppers have high requirements for light, and sufficient sunlight is conducive to promoting their growth and fruiting. With the temperature dropping rapidly in most areas now, how do peppers survive the winter?

1. Temperature management

The suitable growth temperature for peppers is between 20-30℃. When the temperature is below 10℃ in winter, peppers will stop growing, and when the temperature is below 5℃, they are easily damaged by frost. Therefore, in winter, peppers need to be moved indoors or into a greenhouse and the temperature kept above 5°C.

2. Lighting requirements

Peppers need plenty of light to maintain the energy they need to grow. In winter, at least 8 hours of light per day are needed. If natural light is insufficient, you can use fill light to supplement it.

3. Moisture control

In winter, water evaporates slowly, so the amount of watering needs to be controlled to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged. Water every 2-3 days to keep the soil moderately moist.

4. Stop fertilizing

Peppers grow slowly in winter, so fertilization should be suspended to avoid fertilizer damage.

5. Keep warm

In cold areas, you can add coverings such as straw mats or thermal blankets to increase the temperature in the greenhouse. Clear the snow in time to prevent excessive snow accumulation on the greenhouse and collapse it.

6. Pruning branches

When peppers enter a dormant period in winter, you can prune off old, diseased, and yellow branches to reduce nutrient consumption and promote growth in the spring of the following year.

7. Indoor maintenance

In northern regions, potted peppers should be moved indoors as soon as possible to maintain a certain indoor temperature. In southern regions, if the temperature is higher, they can be grown outdoors.

8. Disease and pest control

In winter, it is necessary to check the growth of peppers regularly, detect diseases and pests in time, and take corresponding prevention and control measures.

In short, peppers need to meet certain conditions for overwintering. Proper overwintering management measures can help peppers survive the winter safely and continue to grow and bear fruit in the spring of the following year.