How to Care for a Tender Chili Plant in Winter

Plant the new pepper seedlings in fall for quick growth and winter harvests. Choose 2- to 3-gallon pots with drainage holes for single pepper plants and longer containers for row plantings. Use containers that have drainage holes and measure 6 to 8 inches deep for adequate drainage and root space.

Mix a rich, nutritious potting soil for consistent moisture and drainage. Use 1 part bagged garden loam or potting soil to 1 part organic compost. Indoor chili pepper plants dry quickly and do better with this moisture-retaining mix. Turn slow-release 10-10-10, 13-13-13 or 14-14-14 fertilizer into the soil for long-lasting nutrition. Follow the label instructions for fertilizer dosage.

Plant the chili pepper seedlings deeply enough to cover their root systems. Leave 18 inches between multiple seedlings in row plantings. The plants produce best growth and harvest with adequate air movement.

Put the pots in sites with full sun or artificial light every day. Leave a fan running in the area for good air circulation, especially during the blooming season; the plants cannot produce fruit without adequate pollination. Keep the pepper plants at temperatures of 65 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit, but keep them away from fireplaces and heaters, which dry foliage and fruit.

Give the chili pepper plants 2 inches of water every four to five days to maintain soil moisture. Plants dry quickly indoors, and may need more frequent watering.

Feed the pepper plants with water-soluble 20-20-20 or 15-30-15 fertilizer at mid-season, per label instruction, when they set their first fruit. This fertilizer encourages larger fruit and additional fruit set.