I have just cut down some plants....

[Hotpeppa]

So i have just cut down some plants for the winter... is there anything else i need to do ?

someone mentioned cutting the roots ? is there a right way and a wrong way to do this ?

And also, would i need to change the soil, if so, what kind of soil should i replace it with ?

and finally... will i damage the roots if i have to change the soil ?

thanks

 

[cheezydemon]

I would not cut roots. I would remove as much soil as possible from the roots and pot in new soil. Old soil will contain bugs, larvae, eggs, etc. that wil make winter a hassle.

Give them a mild/medium fertilizer. Will they go under lights?

 

[willard3]

If you prune the tops, you should prune the roots to keep the plant in balance.

 

[cheezydemon]

I find that the plant finds a balance. Roots are damaged in re-potting usually, I take that as plenty of root trimming.

Also, if too much root is removed, energy goes to regrowing roots rather than vegetative health. In hydro roots are a different matter.

 

[POTAWIE]

I trim roots way back just like Willard said. If I didn't I'd have huge pots full of root bound plants and they'd take up so much room. ALso if the plant is not getting much light then it doesn't need fertilizer

Its been cut back even more since the last peppers ripened

 

[Hotpeppa]

thanks everyone...great help !