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overwintering Overwintering Scotch Bonnets in Containers

Welcome,
 
This is my first post. Thanks to everyone that has contributed to this forum. It has been a wealth of knowledge and this will be my first post and request. 
 
This is my first time growing scotch bonnet peppers. I purchased pepper seeds from botanical interests last year and started 4 pepper plants in containers late in the spring. After finally placing the plants outside in mid-summer, and growing the plants outdoors through early October I now have the plants indoors under a combination of the following:
 
2x 60 Watt 5500K CFLs
2x 32 Watt (I think these are 5500K) 4 foot T-8 fluorescent tubes
 
The soil mixture that I am using is potting soil with a mix of perlite and orchid bark. 
 
So far the soil drains well, and as recommended I used matches in the base of the soil to add sulfur. I use epsom salt to help supplement minerals and a basic balanced organic fertilizer. 
 
I was looking through some videos on youtube this fall, and I pruned the plants back after bringing them in. Each plant has between 3-5 broad leaves remaining. 
 
Before I brought the plant in, it never had fruit, only flower blossoms. Shortly after bringing the plants in the blossoms dropped. Also, after pruning I have not had new leaves develop on the pepper plants. Recently I bought a pH test to see if there was an issue with pH. The pH reading was somewhere between 6-6.5.
 
I plan on moving the peppers outside once the weather improves in April. 
 
I have a few questions:
 
Is there anything that I am missing, or is this a typical overwintering experience?
Should I invest in doing any soil amendments such as worm castings or a different fertilizer?
With a pH reading of 6 - 6.5, should I use some lime on the plants?
Do the leaves appear healthy?
 
Any help is greatly appreciated.
 
Happy new year.


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The plant should be fine. Are you looking to keep the plant alive until it can go back outside or are you hoping that it produces fruit indoors? Those are the 2 things you have to ask yourself because they would require different ways of doing things. If you just want 2 keep it alive so it can go back outdoors when the weather warms just put 1 cheap fluoro light over the top of it on a 12/12 lighting schedule and do not overwater. 
 
 
If you have a southern window, put the plant at the window where it will get sun, give it a little water only when it needs it, then be amazed at nature. It will grow just fine. No need for ferts when overwintering. It is too easy to love a plant to death. Let nature do her thing.
 
Yours look fine to me. I love how its so easy to keep them going over winter. This is a random shot of one of mine which my kids call leaves on a stick! :)
 
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I cut it down to a stick, gave it some light and water when the soil was completely dry and here she is! :)
 
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