Over-wintering some hot peppers - need some tips

14 years ago

I'm in NJ and I'd like to over-winter several habanero, serrano and Jalepeno plants. I've never done this. I'll be bringing the plants into the basement where I sprout seeds and have the shoplights.

Questions:

1. What size pot should I plant/keep the peppers in when they go on the deck/in the garden?

2. When, temp wise, should I bring them inside at the end of season?

3. What type of trimming should I do when I bring the plants inside?

4. Do I keep them under the 4' shop lights all winter, and if so, for how many hours each day?

5. What type of watering schedule should the plants get while in the basement?

6. At what temps should I put the plants back out in Spring into the unheated greenhouse/shed?

Thanks so much for the assistance.

Andrew

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Comments (7)

thepodpiper
14 years ago
1. Minimum 12" pot

2. I would never let plants get colder than 50deg.

3. All depends you don't have to trim at all if you have sufficient lighting that allows you to keep them big.

4. If you just want them to stay alive for next season you could get by with 8 to 10 hrs of light every day.

5. When they wilt, give them water.

6. I would never let plants get colder than 50deg.

There are pics in the link of pruned plant for overwintering.

Dale

Here is a link that might be useful: pp pics
andyinnyc
Original Author
14 years ago
Sorry to be dense - what capacity in gallons is a 12" pot?
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pepperone
14 years ago
Make sure your lights are grow lights. 8 hour minimum.
rdback
14 years ago
"Sorry to be dense - what capacity in gallons is a 12" pot?"

It differs depending on manufacturer, but roughly 5 gallons. Here's one example.

I use a pot that's a little over six gallons. It is a "Trade Size 7", which is a little wider and deeper than the five gallon. I've used these for a few seasons and I'm quite satisfied with them.

hth

Rick
tsheets
14 years ago
To most folks, overwintering means just keeping them alive until warm weather returns (as opposed to bearing fruit).

For that, you don't need grow lights or HID lights or anything. The simple 4' shop lights will suffice.

However, they may (probably) not be enough to support a full-size plant. I cut mine back (both the branches and roots) and put them in (roughly) 1 gallon pots and set them in a West facing window. This is my first year overwintering, but, they're all alive at this point (it's been about 4 months). When it warms up, I'll make sure they're hardened off and (depending on which plant) either put them back in the garden, or pot them up to bigger containers for the growing season.
bunnyman
14 years ago
Mine stay in small clay pots. I have double glass doors going to the back deck and my winter plants stay there in a large rabbit cage. I have cats so the cage in necessary to keep plants safe.... one of my stupider cats will bite habenera peppers over and over.

No lights so they get pretty sick and spindly in January. Days are getting longer so I have new leaves and flowers the last couple weeks! About 3 years on these plants. I have an unused LED grow light but as long as the plants are doing okay I can't see getting that out. Didn't even know I could keep them over winter until I read about it on gardenweb a couple years back.

Because of my small pot size I have to use a very very weak water soluable fertilizer. I use the "bloom" builder as it has less nitrogen.
greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
14 years ago
Hey, Andy, check these Threads out!

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I hope they help!

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Over-wintering some hot peppers - need some tips

Comments (7)

thepodpiper

andyinnyc
Original Author

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pepperone

rdback

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Over-wintering some hot peppers - need some tips

Comments (7)

thepodpiper

andyinnycOriginal Author

Related Discussions

pepperone

rdback

tsheets

bunnyman

greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

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andyinnyc
Original Author