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overwintering 1st attempt at Overwintering and early starts in Pretoria, South Africa

Hey folks, decided to try Overwintering my late 2017 starts, and so far its looking reasonably OK. Today is 24th July, and our minimum early-morning Temps in Pretoria East are still hovering between 0-4 Deg C. Daily Max temps go to around 21 deg C. I have 18 plants that sleep in the garage every night, and at around 9am get carried out into the direct sunlight for around 4-5hrs, and dappled for another 2hrs or so.......and then I carry them back into the garage. My daily exercise regime...... Anyway, there is a single Reaper, 2 x Peach Bhuts, 4 x Naga Kings, 2 x Pimiento de Padrons, 4 x Douglaghs, and 5 x Pusa Jwalas. In seed starter trays are 8 x Moruga Scorpions, 6 x Rocoto Reds (Manzano) and 6 x Pimiento de Padron from one of my late season pods. My success with Rocotos has been BLEAK to say the least.....I have 1 that had sprouted before our 9 day Power Outage, and on Saturday sowed my last 6 x seeds. Hope runs strong.....LOL.
 
I digress, forgive me. Back to the OW's......they are already showing spurts of growth under this daily regime so hopefully we will see some earlier fruiting while I try and babysit the newbies. Another month before they will be living outside again....
 
https://imgur.com/gallery/1vuTjk0
 
Will post on progress - Cheers, Roy  
 
Thanks Jacques.....after perving over your Glogs I had to try.....LOL. This will be useful knowledge and experience gained for my (Hopefully) Rocotos going forward. I have other areas of the garden (indigenous sub-tropical shade) which should provide an excellent micro-climate for Pubescens during our Hot summer months.......when I eventually get them to grow that is.....! The Hots are what I am learning on......hehehehe   
 
So here is a pic of the scrawny OW bunch an hour ago. Almost time to lug them all back into the garage for their evening sleep. What's Hugely Interesting is that the Pusa Jwala (Annuum) plants fruit are ripening and they are aggressively pushing out new growth and blooms!!!! Between 1 and 4 pods currently ripening per plant, and all the others (Chinenses) are also perking up with new green at every node pretty much! As excited as a schoolboy again in mid winter. Crazy shit!!!! PS - the last pic with latex glove is the last of (much smaller) Naga Kings pod and the smallest Trinidad Douglah imaginable! LOL

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And yes before I get moaned at - the 5 x Pusa Jwala and 2 x Pimiento de Padron plants will be planted in the garden bed as soon as the onions are lifted in late September......and all of the Chinenses will be potted up into 20l (5 Gallon) Grow Bags during the 1st week of September. 
 
Looking good! Don't worry about what they look like now...Just treat 'em with love & hit 'em with nutes!

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Post lotsa pics with your plants progress as I'm sure you'll prosper!
 
 
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Many thanks for the confidence folks!!!!! Hugely appreciated. Hoping for early results thanks to overwintering (= me flippen carrying these buggers every day - LOL). So I gave them a light liquid nourishment of 5-3-5 as an early booster, and hopefully will see some results in the next 6 weeks when things really start to warm up. The plants are already showing lots of new and vigorous growth......so holding thumbs.....LOL. Pics from the scrawny OW clan today......
 

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Hi all, I have re-potted the plants up into 20l / 5 Gallon containers (30cm pots and/or black nursery grow bags) and they are now spending most nights outdoors as well (I only bring them indoors if minimum forecast temps are 11 deg C or lower). Max temps are good at 25-27deg C, and they all get around 5hrs direct sunlight and another 4 or so dappled sunlight. Lots of vigorous new growth so early signs are good. As soon as Spring arrives in 3 or so weeks, they will live out there permanently. Here are a few pics of them in their upgraded homes.
 
https://imgur.com/a/1kTTBaz
 
Cheers, RB   
 
If Spring is only 3 weeks away, you should be in good shape if you bring them in at 11 deg C or lower.
 
From the pictures, it looks like several of the plants are in large non-porous trash bags.  Or are those breathable grow bags (maybe I can't tell from the picture)?
 
As long as there's holes in the bottom, it shouldn't be a problem, but I was just curious.
 
DontPanic said:
If Spring is only 3 weeks away, you should be in good shape if you bring them in at 11 deg C or lower.
 
From the pictures, it looks like several of the plants are in large non-porous trash bags.  Or are those breathable grow bags (maybe I can't tell from the picture)?
 
As long as there's holes in the bottom, it shouldn't be a problem, but I was just curious.
 
The nursery bags are non-breathable 150 micron "plastic" and have 8 x 10mm drain holes on the sides at the base and the drainage appears very good - I can clearly observe the potting medium at the bottom, so this should also provide a good reference for moisture content methinks...... For the hard containers (they have 7 x 10mm drain holes underneath)........and I also drilled an additional 8 x 6mm holes around the base......so drainage should be good. 
 
Just a small turn in temperatures and ...off you go .
 
 
Those plants will just explode with growth in about 1 month.
 
karoo said:
Just a small turn in temperatures and ...off you go .
 
 
Those plants will just explode with growth in about 1 month.
 
Thanks Jacques.....those plants are now officially 1yr old - they were my late starts that popped up in August last year.....and me being an idiot delayed them by constraining them.....ah well....looks like they can spread their wings a little now....

 
 
The OW,s are all happily putting out loads of new growth and 11/15 are already flowering nicely. 3 more cold nights forecast for this weekend so they will sleep in the garage (lots of carrying indoors and out daily LOL) so things are really moving along great!!!! Hopefully an early harvest this year....
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