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overwintering Overwintering - how about a step-by-step guide?

W

wordwiz

Tomorrow is the first day of fall which means the first killing frost is looming on the horizon - hopefully the very, very far horizon.

So you guy who have been there, done it, how about an Overwintering Guide for Dummies?

I understand the theory of cutting the plants back to just nubs. And I presume I can use the cuttings if I want to try to clone a plant(s)?

But what about the dirt and roots? Do I pull the plant out of the pot, shake loose dirt off it, cut off all the smaller roots and then repot it? If so, in the same size container? Can I use the same dirt or should I mix some potting soil in with it? Do I water it real well the first time, then set it aside and water only when it gets real dry?

Can all species be overwintered or just certain types? If so which ones cannot I preserve?

So many questions - I hope there are very many answers!

Mike
 
I grew very late into the last Aussie Spring/Summer, but grew indoors firstly in gravity fed hydro, then moved the plants into 300mm pots with soil/perlite.

I eventually moved them out of the grow tent in winter, had them mainly indoors sitting on a table, but moved them outside on days where the temps were above 10C and bright sunshine.

With mine, they were still fruiting in winter because I had them in the tent. Obviously moving them out of the tent resulted in severe flower drop, which was expected. When the last of the fruit had ripened, I cut all the plants down, and given that we've had some days above 20C already in Spring, they are starting to have new green growth.

I did not change their soil, so I did not cut back the roots. The varieties I have overwintered are:

Red Savina Habs
Choc Habs
Bhut Jolokias
Yellow Scotch Bonnets
Californian Wonder Capsicum

Not one of them has died, and hope to get a bumper crop this coming few months
 
wordwiz said:
I read it, but it doesn't mention the roots or tromming them.

Is this not as important?

Mike
Click to expand...

I'm very interested as well. I don't need pods over the winter I'm just hoping to get a head start on next season.

Is that what your looking to do Mike?
 
skealo,

Exactly. I have three plants in a hydro unit that I will try to get pods from over the winter but I want to save about 10 plants so I will get a good start next year.

Mike
 
wordwiz said:
I read it, but it doesn't mention the roots or tromming them.

Is this not as important?

Mike
Click to expand...

Some say it is, some say it isnt. I wonder if there is a limitation on plant growth without the plant having an ability to generate new roots, given a mature plant in a pot would most likely be root bound.
 
That's a good question....and as well....what are the rootbound situations of the hydro's...or can ya just trim them back...??:?:

MiLK_MaN said:
Some say it is, some say it isnt. I wonder if there is a limitation on plant growth without the plant having an ability to generate new roots, given a mature plant in a pot would most likely be root bound.
Click to expand...
 
I have a Bhut in hydro that has been there for close to three months. It's root system is beautiful. No where close to getting root bound, it's a 21-gallon tank that has three peppers and one tom growing. No tap root, so to speak but dozens and dozens of 8-12 inch small, white roots.

Mike
 
wordwiz said:
I have a Bhut in hydro that has been there for close to three months. It's root system is beautiful. No where close to getting root bound, it's a 21-gallon tank that has three peppers and one tom growing. No tap root, so to speak but dozens and dozens of 8-12 inch small, white roots.
Click to expand...
Hey Mike, what type of hydro are you speaking of? It sounds like a DWC setup.
 
Chiles don't grow a lot of roots in hydro as they don't need them to get water/food....it's being delivered.

I prune my roots to a nub with no bad effect.

crop3834.jpg
 
willard3 said:
Chiles don't grow a lot of roots in hydro as they don't need them to get water/food....it's being delivered.

I prune my roots to a nub with no bad effect.

crop3834.jpg
Click to expand...

After pruining them back like that, how do you overwinter them?...what I am asking is how do you force them into a dormant state and keep them that way until planting time?
 
willard3 said:
Chiles don't grow a lot of roots in hydro as they don't need them to get water/food....it's being delivered.

I prune my roots to a nub with no bad effect.

crop3834.jpg
Click to expand...


After you prune them how to you take care of them throughout the winter?

Great Pic btw!
 
AlabamaJack said:
After pruining them back like that, how do you overwinter them?...what I am asking is how do you force them into a dormant state and keep them that way until planting time?
Click to expand...


I have had this conversation with williard before.


You want them in the dark and dry, but not dried out.

You want them cold, but never frozen.

Yes, you want them completely dormant.
 
cheezydemon said:
I have had this conversation with williard before.


You want them in the dark and dry, but not dried out.

You want them cold, but never frozen.

Yes, you want them completely dormant.
Click to expand...


I'm going to give it a go. We're getting closer to frost everyday.
 
I don't think my peppers really go dormant. I like to call it semi-dormant since they are still growing, just very slowly.
I put mine in a cool spot in the house(8-12C) where they get only a few hours of light a day. I don't water until they get quite dry and I don't fertilize until spring when I want them to start growing again. It would be intersting to see how the plants would do with no light, I've never seen this done.
Once again the biggest problem is always aphids, especially when they start growing again.
 
It's getting a little more warm here atm, but I wouldn't describe it as warm anyway. I hope I can keep my plants until mid October at least.

After that I'll move most of them into the garden house and some selected plants like the Douglah under lights in my app. I'll keep everyone posted about it!
 
I grow year around in a greenhouse and don't want the plants to go dormant. I just plant them back in hydro after the pruning.

Same plant less than 1 mo after pruning........

crop4376.jpg
 
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