Hi, Firstly...I am a complete novice with "growing stuff"! I tossed a packet of "mixed" chilli seeds into the ground mid last summer....7 germinated. Just before 1st frost in October when they were barely 8 inches....I put them into several pots and placed them on a window sill. They seem to have flourished although they are lucky to see real sun light more than 4 hours every few days...I am in Pittsburgh. Only other light they get is the single 75w bulb in that room...in a constant temp of 70 deg F. Humidity is very low at this time but I regularly spray them with water. They continue to flower and develop the occasional pod which grow very quickly. It is now mid January, none have died and the leaves/stems appear strong and healthy.... My question is: Is there any more I should do and will they likely survive the next couple of months before they can get outdoors regularly again. Thanks, Dennis.
Sounds like you're doing all the right things, and the plants certainly look healthy. They will absolutely survive until spring - where I live, Chilis and other peppers are perennials.
The only thing I might suggest if you are concerned about light is maybe look into getting a full spectrum lighting rather than a regular bulb, which might not generate all of the wavelengths that are helpful to the plant. On the other hand it might not be fully necessary as many plants are fine going dormant, or somewhat dormant for the winter. One more thing is in regards to watering/misting the plants. I believe misting is the way to go with low humidity. When temps and humidity drop low together, I would say resist the temptation to water them a lot so as to avoid root rotting. On the other hand the misting will keep the parts of the plant exposed to the dry air nice and happy. Keep up the good work, and as always just listen to what the plants are telling you they need!
