overwintering First crack at over wintering

[Robisburning]

I grew chilli peppers for the first time this season. I had some successes and other plants that didn't perform so well. Anyway, I have read all of the over wintering guide, which was a fantastic resource. My trinidad scropian went in late and only made 5 pods. I was pretty happy with it so want to give it a chance to see next summer. It had a bit of leaf drop while the other chillies have exploded as we approch winter. Over night lows are occasionally getting down to 7c(44f), I reasoned perhaps the scorpion is a bit more sensitive to cold.

Anyway I have repotted and was going to bring it inside when I realized I might have the perfect location outside. I have inculded pics but it is a covered area on a huge chunk of concrete (at least 3ft thick). I am hoping the thermal inertia is enough to keep in alive over winter with the awning preventing thermal radiation. This would be perfect as I can fit all my chillies up there as I bring them out of the ground into pots. I took some measurements and it at about 3am the soil temp was about 10c (50f) where it had been planted and the scorpions pots soil was about 16c (61f) so I can keep in about 10f above the soil temp. Where I live it rarely gets to freezing with maybe 5 frosts a year. So, does this sound like a workable solution. The sun is still able to shine directly onto the plant.

I really want this plant to make it so welcome any suggestions, comments.

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http://www.flickr.co...in/photostream/

 

[pshngo]

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http://www.flickr.co...in/photostream/

when it gets really cold you might want to bring it in. you might not feel it or see it but if it frosts then it might die

 

[Gotrox]

42F in my greenhouse right now (air temp @ 4:40 AM) and a few more like it in the past week, but I have IR heat lamps on them from 9 pm to 6 am, so the actual temperature of the plants and soil never falls below 50F.
They are covered by a temporary (portable) greenhouse so a cold breeze doesn't affect them.

Coldest night was 28F and didn't bother them a bit.
Couple pieces of plywood to close a portion of what you have open, and a single IR lamp shining on all that concrete would probably do the trick.

 

[millworkman]

That area does seems pretty perfect. As both have stated above me, get a small heat lamp up in that fixture for night times just to keep it a tad warmer and nights when you expect frosts or freezes take inside.