overwintering Bringing DWC buckets indoors for the winter...

[Helvete]

So, I may be asking a question that I already know the answer to, I just don't like it.
 
 
I have some DWC plants in 5 gallon buckets that are doing rather well, but I've just been keeping them on the patio.  In this area of Virginia our winters can get around 20º or slightly lower on some days, but we often have a 70º January for some reason.  I have some double doors that I only use one door, the other one is great for overwintering soil plants, I've used it for this before. I was considering moving my DWC plants to the same spot but I'm concerned about temperatures, especially since the other door gets opened every so often.  This is in a basement with a wood stove though and I typically keep that sucker crankin' all winter.  I'm trying to avoid having to set up another lighting area for these but it might seem like I need to.  Will I be able to just stick my bucket plants in the ambient light or am I going to need another light source?
 
They aren't superhots, just anaheims, jalapenos, serranos, and bell peppers and I don't mind losing them for the winter if I have to, but I'm going to be setting up some reapers and fataliis in them next year and would like to see if there are any options for keeping them hydro, other than putting them in my aquaponics bed.

 

[DevilsEyes]

If u just want to overwinter it should be fine, but when u want to keep them producing u wil definateley
need some kind of lighting system setup there.

 

[Gotrox]

Overwintering in dirt is fairly easy-----you want them to go dormant, and not freeze.
 
Not sure how that works in a hydro----done dirt, but never let my hydro plants go dormant, always let them just grow along happily under lights.
 
Maybe an expert here will have your solution.

 

[Helvete]

Overwintering in dirt is fairly easy-----you want them to go dormant, and not freeze.
 
Not sure how that works in a hydro----done dirt, but never let my hydro plants go dormant, always let them just grow along happily under lights.
 
Maybe an expert here will have your solution

Yeah I've overwintered dirt plants with no problem, not just peppers but ornamental plants as well.  I just want to know if they even will go dormant or just flat out die.  I'm not really sure how to ask the question, to be honest.
 
Edit:  I figured maybe taking a picture of the doors would help, It's facing due south and catches light from about 11am-dusk in the winter.  I've started seeds here the last two Februaries (boy that word looks weird pluralized, but spell check says it's correct) as well as overwintered.  I already have my shelving placed.
 

 

[Helvete]

So I asked the guy at the hydro store what would happen and he seems to think that the plants will go dormant but only if I keep the bubbler going, they'll develop roots slowly over the winter but not much else.  I'm not sure whether that's true or not, it seems like that would just kill the plant.  I think I'm just going to end up putting together a grow tent.  Another option would be to transplant them into soil to let them go dormant.
 
 
This is an Anaheim that was doing poorly in my raised bed, I put it in a bucket and it started thriving within days. 
 
This is 8 days worth of root growth...you can also see one of the double tipped leaves this plant has, which I though was unusual...I meant to ask about it.
 

 

[Jeff H]

I plan on overwintering a ghost pepper and a monzano hydro. They are both in a dutch bucket drip system now, but will be put back in bubbler buckets for the winter. Based on what my indoor plants did last year, I think the hydro store guy is probably correct. They will grow very slowly if at all with window light but they will stay alive.
 
Once I fire up the lights for next years grow, I'll put the hydro plants in the grow room but that won't be until Jan of Feb. Until then, I'll just let them go dormant in the living room in their buckets.
 
I do plan on heavily trimming both their roots and their branches before I bring them indoors. There is no room for 4' wide ghost pepper plants in my living room.

 

[xxkamikazexx]

So I asked the guy at the hydro store what would happen and he seems to think that the plants will go dormant but only if I keep the bubbler going, they'll develop roots slowly over the winter but not much else.  I'm not sure whether that's true or not, it seems like that would just kill the plant.  I think I'm just going to end up putting together a grow tent.  Another option would be to transplant them into soil to let them go dormant.
 
 
This is an Anaheim that was doing poorly in my raised bed, I put it in a bucket and it started thriving within days. 
 
This is 8 days worth of root growth...you can also see one of the double tipped leaves this plant has, which I though was unusual...I meant to ask about it.
 

Hi ikeepfish, quick question are those pebbles that you're using as a grow medium?
I'm thinking of overwintering some seedlings as a test but don't want to spend too much on them...it's more of an experiment.

 

[Helvete]

Hi ikeepfish, quick question are those pebbles that you're using as a grow medium?
I'm thinking of overwintering some seedlings as a test but don't want to spend too much on them...it's more of an experiment.

Yeah, I've only been doing indoor hydro growing since last winter and I'm still cheap about everything, so river pebbles it is.  I don't like the idea of using hydroton because I know what clay mines do to the environment, we have some nearby for cat litter and pottery that have just destroyed otherwise pristine land.  People can tell themselves that clay is sustainable but it comes out of strip mines just like any other mineral.  My next batch I might upgrade to glass beads.
 
My DIY bucket design is pretty standard, I posted some pics of it here
 
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/41650-hydro-containerreservoir-question-dwc/

 

[xxkamikazexx]

Okay I see I see, I've read that the clay pellets also tend to be a bit messy.
Also, thanks for the link to your set up, more ideas to work with.