overwintering Overwintered Bhut Jolokia, root's alive but won't re-sprout! Help!

[shoVel]

I was unsuccesful at overwintering a few plant's but one single Bhut Jolokia refuses to give up. The root ball is massive and clearly alive yet the stem is entirely dead so I pruned it to about an inch above the soil. I've been checking on it waiting to see if it either dies or comes back but nothing. I've carefully taken it out of the soil twice to check the roots and they actually are getting bigger and spreading but I guess there is nowhere for the plant to sprout from. I've used some rooting hormone to at least see if that would work but nothing new other than the new root growth. I'm considering trying some GA3 or 6BA since I have both and know first hand how well they work on adding mass and height to an already fully growing plant but I've never tried on just a viable root ball. A little while ago I re potted it again in some fresh mushroom compost and yes the roots look great but no sprout. Any ideas or should I just let it go.

 

[megahot]

I wouldnt let it go quite yet, You can try loosening up the root ball, trim back the roots a touch, then possibly pot up? then water it with a touch of fish fert, maybe add a touch of blood meal, both are high in N which should help spark it to grow!

 

[megahot]

btw an inch above soil is way to short to cut it back!