Body
After leaving town for a camping trip, I came home to an overabundance of chili peppers in my garden. Because we had such a mild winter this year, coupled with a hot spring, my assortment of pepper plants now resembles shrubs and have really exploded with new growth. Chili peppers can be easily grown from transplants and seeds in south Louisiana March through July. When starting them from seeds, they can be sown into trays or pots mid-January through June (with them being on heat mats under lights for the early cool season). With the absence of a hard freeze, a lot of peppers will be somewhat perennial. Often, they will defoliate a bit or look very rough through the winter months but can be revived in early spring by pruning them back 30-50% and side dressing with a good balanced fertilizer. I have a jalapeno plant that must be three years old now with this treatment accounting for its long life.