Both bell peppers and tomatoes are perennial. They can last AGES in the
right climate.
I am eager to see how large mine grow here. I hope a hurricane doesnt
come wipe them all out.

http://www.growingedge.com/magazine/...hp3?AID=110558

Perennial Capsicum Peppers in the Greenhouse

By Alan M. Kapuler, Ph.D.

In the early 1970s, I was working on an organic farm harvesting green
(immature) and red (mature) sweet bell peppers. The 2-foot stocky
plants each had 6-10 fruits. After picking the fruits, I looked out at
the 1/2-acre field and was overtaken by a wave of sadness as I realized
that very soon all these beautiful, young, vibrant plants would be dead
from the impending frost and freezes. So without much thought, I got a
shovel and a dozen large pots, dug up a plant for each pot and moved
the pots into a modest cold frame that I'd had built adjacent to the
house we were renting. By the following spring, two plants had survived
and by the following June they had grown, flowered and fruited so that
we had edible fruits months ahead of all the other local growers.

While involved in saving the pepper plants, I remembered that in the
mid-altitude mountains of Bolivia where Capsicum-type peppers are
native, they grow to shrubby bushes and small trees as perennials. So
while those of us in the United States who love and grow peppers treat
them as annuals, in their native environment, they live as perennials
for 3-10 years, or more.

Now, more than 25 years later, I have significantly expanded the
horizon of my perennial pepper project.


Jim Carlock wrote:
1) How long can tomato plants live?
2) They seem to like unpacked soil. If the soil gets packed they tend
to get yellow leaves and die. Is that correct or what else might make
leaves start to turn yellow?
3) I've read that tomatoes should not be replanted where tomatoes
have grown before. What should I plant in place of the tomatoes?
4) Is there a plant that might make a great complement to tomatoes,
maybe provide nutrients to the tomatoes and get nutrients that the
tomatoes do not soak up?

And one question about belle peppers...
1) How long can a belle pepper plant live for?
2) If it dies, what should be planted in place of it?
3) The leaves are not growing as big as they used to. Is this a part
of aging? It's going upon 8 or months of age. Or is it lacking in
some
other like thing (nitrogen)?
4) The main stem is turning woody. I've noticed that when basil
starts to die, it's stem starts to turn woody. Is anything similar
going
to happen with the belle pepper plant?

Thanks much in advance.

--
Jim Carlock
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