For instructions on how to successfully raise and overwinter rocotos, locotos and manzanos, be sure to look up Smokemaster's posts here, and even in other forums he participates in. Pubescens seem to want to be treated differently when grown in containers and overwintering, and even when "potting up" and "potting down". And here's a forum dedicated to C.Pubescens: http://c2cpeppers.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=pubescens Going to attempt the same for 2011/2012. I want my Pubescens to turn into 5ft trees with a longer woody trunk. Still haven't figured out how much i should cut back to accomplish that for 2012. Going to plant mine in 10 gallon styrofoam totes (disposable coolers), hopefully this helps keep them insulated during the summer and winter months. Going to overwinter mine in a windowed garage with a big clear plastic bag draped over the cut-back trunk. I'm hoping to leave about a 3ft trunk with a few branch splits. I still have more research to do however... Here is a link that might be useful: Pubescens discussion forum

Here is a copy of an email that I sent to Cabrita on overwintering (Red)Rocotos - might be of use. Hi Cabrita, I thought I would give you my experience. I have just brought my Rocoto through its first winter successfully!! I live in Christchurch, New Zealand, so we are just coming into our Spring here. I am new to growing chiles and I made a late start last summer, in fact I was not able to ripen any Ancho's, but I have got about six fruits off my Rocoto! (one is still ripening on the vine). I grew my Rocoto in a 37cm (15in) pot against the brick wall on the sunny side of the house. When winter came I put a mini greenhouse 60x120x60cm high (2ftx4ftx2ft) around it, but standing on its end, so that it was 4ft high, with the open back against the wall. It gets pretty cold here in Christchurch - there was snow on the ground a couple of days, and although there was some protection from an overhanging eave, and I threw an old sheet over it on a couple of occasions, the minimum temperature I recorded was still -1.9C (28.6F). However although it is a bit ragged around the edges it seems to be OK (it has a bad infestation of aphids at the moment and I am waiting for a warm day to take it out of its greenhouse and spray it with my garlic, chile and pyrethrum spray - the forecast max for today is 10C (50F))! Btw the last pepper I harvested had about 67 seeds, and I threw them into a plastic container with moist seed raising mix, covered with plastic food wrap and put it on a heating pad in my garage. They are coming up like grass - 57 seedlings so far!! Don't know what I'll do with them all. Good luck with your chiles, Brien Halpin

"...this was the only pepper attacked by aphids this year." "...I can't stand aphid-magnets, and it's a big risk putting such a plant in close proximity to others." "The one year that I left them inside to "overwinter" our whole house was inundated by aphids. I'll never do that again!" So, I suppose that this is a major consideration if one intends to overwinter these chile plants indoors. They're 'aphid magnets', more so than other chile plants, correct?

Being root bound will hasten the maturity of any pepper plant, not just the C. Pubescen varieties. This may work on tomatoes and other plants as well, but I only noticed it with my pepper plants. If you plant them in the ground, but more tightly together, you probably won't notice any difference other than they will grow taller with less branching. The roots have to be in a confined space to make a difference. Alan