What's wrong with my chilli plant?

[BIWI]

I have a chilli plant that's 3 years old. I've kept it alive, looked after it - brought it in during the winter, put it outside during the day when we started to get more light/sunshine, and now it's been outside for a few weeks, as it's been much warmer.

It has a fine crop of flowers/buds, and the first chilli has already appeared - but the leaves are starting to go yellow, shrivel and many have dropped off the plant. There are some new stems, and new growth, that look healthy but I'm not sure if the new flower buds are going to survive.

I have been careful not to over water it. It's had some Miracle Grow slow release food - although that was some weeks ago.

Is this just a part of the plant's natural cycle, or have I done something wrong?

Photo here - not really sure if you can see!

Another one

And two more, trying to get closer/a better angle

I don't know much about chillies but my guess would be that they don't live long. Surprised you've kept it going tbh, I always grow mine as annuals.

Well it just kept on going, unlike a couple of other plants I had grown from seed! I cut it back and last year had the most amazing crop of chillies from it.

So it obviously likes something I'm doing! I wonder if I should feed it? I have some Tomorite which I think chilli plants like.

Worth a try! New compost, feed, cut off dying leaves.

Ours do this (make a right bloody mess on the kitchen windowsill) doesn't seem to do them any harm long term, I find that I really need to keep them well trimmed (about 8-10 inch stems maximum) and they do suffer with aphids really badly, check on the backs of leaves and on the flowers/chillis

I would repot with fresh compost and give it a good feed (then feed weekly) See how it goes.

We cut DS's right back last Autumn, I think you need to do that every year. It looks too big.

When was the last time it was repotted? It doesn't look very happy in general. Doing it's best though.

It doesn't look like it's got enough compost. Do you water it so it runs out of the bottom and leave it until it's quite dry to water again? It also looks like it may be in a too-sunny position?

I'd cut some of it back, repot with deeper compost and move it to a still sunny, but shadier spot.

I keep chillies going too. I've got a 4-yo one but it's finally starting to run out of steam I suspect.

Yours looks like it's got a cucumber mosaic virus. Most common virus for plants anywhere, and usually transmitted by aphids.

Google images for cmv on chilli plant - they look very similar.

I've never kept chillies growing but, this year, I have 3 plants inside and 3 outside. The ones inside on the windowsill are doing brilliantly. Tall, lots of baby fruit. The ones outside are really stumpy and all bunched up. I think perhaps the weather conditions this year might not have been ideal because they've always done well outside in the past.

Thanks all. Re-potting is probably a good idea, and I do have some fresh compost. And I'll cut back what I can at the same time.

I can bring it back inside so it's not in such full sun - but I thought they liked the sun?

Will check for aphids, although I don't think there are any.

Thanks for the heads up re cmv - have never heard of that! (Mind you, I'm no gardener, so thats not much of a surprise )