Not Big Jim but I do have an over wintering experiment going.
These are the first six-I did four more. As you can see from the pictures they have been radically pruned ( I've done this before) and then potted up in fresh potting mix. Put in the garage in a small east window they will get minimal light and since the garage isn't heated, minimal heat ( if it gets to freezing in the garage I will bring them inside temporarily). I want to see if I can keep them alive with minimal growth this way. It would save a lot of space and allow me to overwinter more plants.

The plants so far are:
CGN 22208-C. galapagoense
Cobincho-BR-C. chacoense/exile
Rocoto,Riesen-C. pubescens
Trinidad Scorpion-FG-C. chinense
CGN 19198-C. praetermissum
C. lanceolatum

First five on the list

C. lanceolatum-I thought it was interesting that this plant spread beneath the soil and put up new shoots. The two smaller plants were broken off from the main mass

All potted up

Their new home

John

You are a genius. Excellent idea. I have to follow your results on this experiment closely.

It is getting super cold tonight. Forcast down to 11 F tonight so the garage will freeze tonight.

I have some indoors on my experimentation. Although mine are more common peppers. My biggest problem so far is letting them dry out and a few died early from drying out. But some are doing ok. So far the best by far are those that I trimmed back strongly. Those at full size have more problems and a few of those died already from drying out.

I cut mine back real early and had them grow leaves back out early outdoors before really bringing them back indoors. I think it would have been better to wait to trim them back. Just my guess so far.

All of my plants are in their original pots I used to grow them outdoors.

I brought a few 5 gallon buckets of rain water into the basement for watering the plants over the winter. My tap water is not real good for plants. I have much better luck with rain water.

All my plants are under lower light conditions. None have a lot of good strong light and they seem to be OK with that. The drying out is more the problem for me.

Good luck to everyone on overwintering.

I would trim back the New Mexico type peppers. they are very strong growers and will grow strong and big next year. Just keep those roots alive. One of my worries is that if the roots are cold and wet they might rot. Just a fear. dont know if it would happen or not.

I have a tendency to not trim back those peppers that only grow small in the hope that I can get a big plant in the 2nd year. Those that grow strong and big I dont worry about trimming back.

One more thing and this is important. In the past I have always thrown out the "dead" plants. However, this year I am keeping them and the soil moist. I bet some of my dead plants will come back to life. I suspect they are not really dead. They just look dead with all the leaves falling off.

The C. lanceolatum looks like you could propagate it by dividing it.

Neat stuff!

Dan

Good to hear what you are doing. I hope Dale doesn't mind us hijacking his thread. If so pipe up and we will move it. It would be nice to have all the people who are over wintering report their stuff in one thread to help draw it all together.

We are supposed to go down to 7 F tonight so I will bring the plants inside for the night (I already know freezing them will kill them)and the back to the garage when it's safe. I water them just enough to keep them from drying out and you can see they don't get much light from that small east window.

In addition to the garage experiment I have some that I pruned back the tops but not the roots , did not re-pot, and have left inside. They were pruned 10/29 ( except the lanceolatum) and already have new growth while those in the garage have none.

Clockwise from top left-CAP 503,Rocoto Gt. Red, lanceolatum. Bih Jolokia

Shelbyguy

I think you are correct. The lanceolatum in the above picture is from the two smaller broken off plants in the first pictures

No problem guys I was just wondering if anyone had any luck getting bigger pods from a Big Jim from a second year plant.

Dale

Thanks Dale. I haven't over wintered Big Jim and results with other varieties has varied. Pubescens seem to always do better with mixed results with others.

john

I have some nice looking baccatum that I trimmed back and are sprouting new leaves. But I cut them back early in the late summer after harvesting them.

I put a mix of peppers by the cold attic window this morning. took it away as my forcast is for 9 F tonight. I will put it closer to the window again in the morning. It received good sun by the window with the sun in such a different spot. this window is high up and faces south so it had sun close to evening coming right into the window. never used the window before. but I like it now.

I have never grown the pubescens. but here is a blurb on them from Dave DeWitt

Here is a link that might be useful: Pubescens