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overwintering 2nd attempt at overwintering in extreme Northeast Ohio

Embarking today on only my 2nd attempt at overwintering my superchilis here in zone 5 of northeast ohio. realized a couple of errors I made 1st time. goal is for dormant plants til spring. last time i removed all dirt from root ball and then placed in medium..wrong-i now think. several questions..1) should any foliage remain if goal is dormancy? 2)if not and severely pruned-is any light necessary for success? 3) basement vs detached garage? basement-50-60 degrees-ambient light...garage-40-60 degrees--no light..4) what to expect over winter--any growth? how should the plant look? 5) fertilizer? i did last time--not sure I should have 6) watering? Was really disappointed this past spring when none of 11 plants came back after some effort...hopeful to do it right this time with better luck. soberdude
 
1. You are going to have a slower rate of growth,not dormancy. Pruning can be used to keep plant at a desired size.
2. Plants need light for photosynthesis.
3. 50-60 with ambient light in the basement.
4.As much as you want depending on the $ and effort you want to spend. Even with ambient light in the basement you will see some.
5.That will be determined by how much growth you want. Not something you can get a good answer for. Less in the cool conditions with low light that you mentioned.
6.Same as the food. That will be determined by how much top growth you push for. It will be far less than what was needed outdoor in warm conditions.

Good luck!
 
Those two posts needed to be combined for clarification:

1) should any foliage remain if goal is dormancy?
1. You are going to have a slower rate of growth ,not dormancy. Pruning can be used to keep plant at a desired size.
2)if not and severely pruned-is any light necessary for success?
2. Plants need light for photosynthesis.
3) basement vs detached garage? basement-50-60 degrees-ambient light...garage-40-60 degrees--no light..
3. 50-60 with ambient light in the basement.
4) what to expect over winter--any growth? how should the plant look?
4.As much as you want depending on the $ and effort you want to spend. Even with ambient light in the basement you will see some.
5) fertilizer? i did last time--not sure I should have
5.That will be determined by how much growth you want. Not something you can get a good answer for. Less in the cool conditions with low light that you mentioned.
6) watering? Was really disappointed this past spring when none of 11 plants came back after some effort...hopeful to do it right this time with better luck.
6.Same as the food. That will be determined by how much top growth you push for. It will be far less than what was needed outdoor in warm conditions.
 
I have unintentionally over wintered 2 peppers a Tabasco & a Habanero. I just put the two pots plastic 3 gal black plastic
into the dirt floor damp basement. Forgot them until spring then brought them out into the greenhouse cut off the dead branch ends.
Never watered them at all or fed them until I saw life then Fish & seaweed as usual.

Both plants bushed out & were loaded with peppers they would never have as an annual. The Tabasco was so beautiful I sold it to a girl
who gave it to her boss as a B-Day present.

This year I plan on over wintering at least 2 of each variety. I still have the damp cool dark basement I was planning to use for them, unless anyone can provide a better way. 🪴
 
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