Come recent - winter , many of us gardener will go through the time - reward ritual of seed - starting . After having pored over our favourite crop catalogs and chosen our favorite seeds , we ’ll put those seeds into seed - starting trays pile with fresh potting soil , and set those tray under grow lights or in a greenhouse to give birth the commencement of our garden .
However , many of us do n’t have a knack for semen - starting , losing our newly started come to miserable sustainment , and cease up purchasing starts from professional farmers . Depending on how many plants you want to put into your garden , this method acting can get rather expensive .
But there ’s a root to the brown thumbs of the gardening world who get flustered over the thought process of another failed set of start : Overwinter the plant you ’ve already had success growing .
white pepper are an idealistic campaigner for overwintering . Because they ’re a tropic plant , in most sphere of the U.S. , they ’re a recurrent crop . To get a headstart on the growing time of year , you’re able to pull up your already mature plants and bring them indoors for the wintertime , and then come spring , you’re able to lead off growing pepper again on a full - sized plant .
Overwintering peppers is n’t overly complicated , but there are a few things you should have intercourse :
Tip 1: Hot Peppers Work Best
harmonise to some farmers , hot peppers overwinter better than sweet white pepper . Do with this entropy what you will . If you want to bring it secure , mayhap only drudge up your jalapeños and cayennes this year and carry through your bells for a later particular date , once you ’ve advance more trust in the overwintering department . If you ’re game for an adventure , though , dig up all your pepper plants despite their Scoville military rating .
Tip 2: Dig Up As Many Roots As Possible
Roots are the lifeline to your garden crops , so when dig out up your capsicum pepper plant plants for overwintering , judge to pull up as many of the surrounding roots as you’re able to . This will serve your industrial plant soak up food and moisture from the soil issue forth spring , when they ’ve been replant into the garden and are attempting to regain their strength .
Tip 3: Use Potting Soil
It may be allure to practice garden grease to smoke up your overwintering peppers — it ’s a destitute resource after all — but do n’t do it . Garden soil is full of critter , and once the dirt warms up inside , those critter will be all over your family . You do n’t want that ! alternatively , opt to habituate fresh potting soil or a dirt - less mix .
Tip 4: Water Just Right
There are two places you may put your overwintering white pepper once you bring them inside . The first option is a cool , dark basement in an area that find minimum light . This setting will draw the plants into dormancy , so they will look dead . ( Do n’t worry , they are n’t . ) During this period of dormancy , you ’ll want to make certain the grease does n’t get too wet or too dry . Give the stain a decent spritzing every once and for a while so it stay lightly moist .
The second place you may put your pepper plants is in a sunny window or under grow lights . In this case , they wo n’t die back too much , though they plausibly wo n’t develop . Give them a bit more lacrimation than the fully dormant plants site in a dark basement .
If you do n’t want to hassle with seed - starting in the fountain , or if you have a particular Piper nigrum flora you love , try overwintering it and you ’ll have more peppers in the beginning in the time of year .
