I live in Maine and can overwinter some with very little light. Cut the plants back, don't fertilize, and supplement with some shop lights with fluorescents. Many will survive to spring when they can bounce back.

Dean,

The Manzano should adapt nicely to a bright window. The jals and habs in my experience want more light.

An unheated basement is much better than you might think. I'm assuming temps in the 60s? An inexpensive 4' dual 40 watt tube shop light fixture from Wally World and a pair of GE Sunshine tubes from Lowes will keep the jals and habs happy & the manzano might actually bloom and set pods.

1/4 recommended strength fertilizer such as Miracle Gro 15-30-15 every 3-4 weeks or less will work nicely.

I pretty much match the natural daylight hours with the lighting most years. It all depends on what species/varieties I'm growing & whether I just want to keep the plants alive (this year) or go for setting pods.

You will have problems with aphids and possibly other insects. I buy ladybugs for control.

There are a lot of ways to overwinter plants & this is just one person's strategy. I keep the heating vents closed in my basement on purpose just to keep it in the 60s.

Good luck!

JohnT

I like the GE Sunshine tube idea.

How and how much would I cut back the plants(never have done that)?

What size pots and how much root to take?

How often should I water them?

thanks,

Dean

Dean,

We need more info. And a picture is worth etc... How large are the plants now? Are they compact or are they lanky? How large a container are they presently in? What kind of potting soil are they in now? How old in months are the plants?

You really can't give too much info.

I'm a big fan of the Sunshine tubes. There are other excellent tubes as well that provide more lumens, but I like the color temperature of these and perhaps a combination of tubes might be actually better. I forget at the moment what the name of the tube that provides like 3200 lumen. One of those and one Sunshine might be a good alternative. I've used many different tubes over the years and for the moment am happy with the GE Sunshine.

JohnT

I am asking the question actually for next year. I had planned on planting them(Habanero,Manzano,Jalapeño) in the ground and digging them up, thus sizes and recommendations is more of what I am looking for at this point.

thanks,

Dean

Dean,

May I suggest that you use 5 gal containers instead of in the ground? Or 2 plants per 8 gal container etc. Or even better do some of each (container/in ground) for comparison. I'm thinking ahead to your desire for overwintering. Container plants will produce earlier in a cold zone too.

I grew up in Minnesota and have experienced -30° all too many times and start seedlings for my 87 yo mom who still lives there. She plants mostly in the ground and for her to get ripe pods (for most varieties) I have to start seeds no later than Feb 15th and Jan 15th is much better.

Habaneros and manzanos can take a long time to set and mature pods & the jalapeños aren't all that early either.

Are you starting seeds or buying plants?

jt

I am looking at starting seeds and if that fails I will purchase some plants.

Last year I germinate my seeds in plastic bags fine, but when I transferred them to soil, they all died. I am trying again.

thanks,

Dean

Could I use this setup to start plants in Jan/Feb as well?

If yes, how would it need to be done? Closer to lights? heating pad under them?