Re: [CH] Northern California wintering
Lynn Edwards (ledwards@crl.com)
Tue, 25 Aug 1998 21:14:38 -0700
DON_DILLON@HP-Sonoma-om2.om.hp.com wrote:
> I'm very interested in hearing about wintering techniques people have used
> in my area. I'm approx. 50 miles north of San Francisco in Santa Rosa, Calif.
> We normally get a couple of weeks of below freezing temperatures during the
> winter, but not snow or permanent frost conditions.
>
> I have my peppers in 15" pots now, and plan to set them under my covered patio
> and possible even cover with clear plastic from december through feburary to
> avoid the frost and freezing.
>
> Anyone in this area have experience wintering over peppers?
I overwinter about 15 to 20 plants every year in an enclosed but unheated south
facing patio. It is rare that I lose any plants though some can look quite
unhappy during the process. Most plants are in 5 gallon pots though some of my
older special plants are in much bigger pots. There is a large difference in
success between species which c chinense plants doing the worst and c pubescens, c
cardenasii, c baccatum, and c. eximium doing fairly well. But by spring all are
looking pretty ratty though. They do recover eventually and do so way ahead of
new seedlings just started.
My climate is probably similar to yours (at 25 miles south of San Francisco) .
Typical first frost is in November, last frost in late February. It never gets
even close to freezing in my patio area though. I have never measured the low
extremes that the plants get but don't believe that it ever gets below 40 degrees.
In late winter/early spring when it warms slightly the biggest threat is aphids
which need constant vigilance. This is the time when I have lost the most
plants. I get busy for a few days and don't notice the aphid explosion until it
is too late. They attack the weakest and smallest plants first so it is easy to
miss..
Best,
Lynn Edwards
http://www.crl.com/~ledwards