Rich: Shouldn't be a problem. Peppers are actually perennials... frost just normally does them in though.

However, growth will slow due to less hours of sunlight and less BRIGHT sunlight due to the winter sun.

If you snip some flowers and buds, the plants will direct it's energy into those fruit that remain.

I'd try to leave them outside though as much as possible until it gets cold --- and even then, you may want to do the "roulette" thing... let them out on warmer days in the fall and bring them in when temps at night hit the low 40's. There's just no substitute for good ol' DIRECT sunshine.

Also, when you do bring them in, keep an eye out for aphids and OVER watering.

Kevin

Peppers are often overwintered indoors. Plenty of threads about how to do this here on GW, see link below. One of the keys, as mentioned, is don't overwater.

I am hoping to grow one that will overwinter outdoors in my zone 9 garden. My Rocoto pepper (c. pubescens) survived last winter mostly unprotected and is in it's second season producing like a champ. But that is a hot pepper, I want a sweet pepper that will do the same.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/pepper/msg090801272024.html

thanks for the feed back you two, I din't realize peppers were perennials which changes my plans for the better. I was just going to let them survive until they finished fruiting but now an entirely different strategy.