Life cycle of hot pepper plants

[vette-kid]

I have three jalapeno plants from last year that are still growing. They, however, are looking a little worse for wear and I'm not confident they will produce as well as they did last year. I'm willing to wait then it and see if they improve, but I also plan to go ahead and get a few more as a contingency plan.

I know most of the country considers then annual, but obviously they are able to survive our winters to a degree. Can peppers be expected to keep up production two years in a row, or do they decline or have limited years of viability? Perhaps winter was just harsh enough to do irreparable damage without outright killing them?

Last year, two of the three were prolific producers.

 

[Chuck]

Peppers will survive as perennials in certain climates but not Florida. I think the world record is 6 years and that was somewhere in Indonesia IIRC. Each year after the first year they will produce less and less. Just save your seeds from a ripe pepper and grow them or just buy seedlings. You will have much better production than try to save a downhill plant. The older a plant like peppers get the more prone they are to diseases too.

 

[Meadowlark]

Some peppers like habanaros can grow multiple years and produce. In my experience, jalapenos are best treated as an annual. They can be extended 2 years or more but generally fall off significantly in production after the first season.

 

[vette-kid]

 

[vette-kid]

Thanks for the replies. I think I'll stop wasting time on these and pick up some seedlings this week. I'm too far behind to start seeds now. Should be able to get a good size starter at the local nursery.

 

[Chuck]

Thanks for the replies. I think I'll stop wasting time on these and pick up some seedlings this week. I'm too far behind to start seeds now. Should be able to get a good size starter at the local nursery.

Wise man. Save the seeds from that wrinkled red pepper and plant next year.