Content
Peppers are grown in seedlings. This makes it possible to get the harvest on time, because the crop has a long growing season. To grow high-quality peppers, you need to do the following:
- sow pepper seeds for seedlings;
- grow seedlings;
- prepare and plant pepper seedlings for permanent residence.
During all these periods, the sown pepper requires certain care and maintenance of the necessary environmental parameters.
It doesn’t matter what type of pepper seedlings you grow. For bitter or sweet, there are the same nuances of agricultural technology. Some gardeners believe that peppers can be safely sown in open ground and grown without seedlings. But in this case, the vegetables will ripen 20-25 days later, and in unfavorable weather they may linger longer. Therefore, a more reliable method is seedlings.
When to plant pepper seeds for seedlings? You definitely need to check the possible date with the lunar calendar and make a simple calculation.
Pepper ripens, on average, 100-150 days after the appearance of the first shoots. The seedlings are ready for planting after 60-80 days, and the seeds will sprout no earlier than 2-3 weeks after sowing. From the favorable day for planting seedlings in the ground, we subtract this entire period and get the sowing day.
sow bell pepper for seedlings possible earlier. But in this case, you will have to pay more attention to the growing seedlings - it will take longer to illuminate them.
We begin preparations for sowing
How to sow seeds for seedlings correctly? To get a good result, you will have to pay attention to each stage of pre-sowing preparation. At the very beginning, you need to choose a good variety of pepper for sowing seedlings. It depends on the purpose for which you will grow a healthy vegetable. Some varieties are good for salads and freezing, others for pickling and pickling, and others are great for all purposes. Many people like large-fruited peppers, while others are satisfied with the regular variety.
Once your choice is made, pay attention to the expiration date. The older the seeds, the less chance of getting high-quality pepper seedlings.
Then we proceed to pre-sowing preparation of the selected seeds. The fact is that they germinate quite slowly. Many gardeners generally do not sow pepper seeds without soaking them in growth stimulants. This really helps to speed up the time until the first shoots appear and increase their number. First, review the seeds and remove any that cause suspicion by their appearance. Treat those selected for sowing with antifungal drugs. For this, well-known fungicides are used - “Fitosporin-M”, “Maxim”, “Vitaros” or ordinary potassium permanganate. Pepper seeds are placed in a gauze bag, and the preparations are diluted according to the instructions.
The next stage is that the seeds undergo stimulation.
Some options for stimulating pepper seeds for seedlings:
- Wrap the seeds in a cloth and place them in hot water (about +55°C). Hold for 15 minutes and transfer immediately to the refrigerator. They will have to lie here for a day. After the procedure, culture must be carried out immediately.
- Soak the seeds in a solution of drugs (optional) “Zircon”, “Epin-extra” or “Energen”. You only need 4 drops per half glass of water. Silk and Novosil work well for these purposes.
After the pepper seeds have been selected and prepared according to all criteria, we proceed to preparing the soil and containers.
In terms of volume, a 50 ml or 100 ml container will be sufficient. Seedlings sown in one box will have to be pruned. This will delay the development of the pepper for 10-12 days. And from a glass it will be good to transplant a pepper seedling along with a lump of earth. It is necessary to ensure that there is enough space for the root system of pepper seedlings.
Some gardeners believe that pepper seedlings should be grown without picksso as not to injure the plants. Therefore, they sow the seeds at depth and simply add soil to the cups as the pepper seedlings grow. And others, on the contrary, are sure that they can’t do without picking.
Soil for pepper seedlings. It is prepared while the seeds are germinating. The ready-made mixture is an ideal option for those who have not prepared the soil since the fall. A little washed sand (ratio to soil - 0.5: 3) and the pepper will be “very happy.” Experienced vegetable growers prepare the soil mixture themselves. Observing pepper seedlings tells them which components are most needed. Most often, this is:
- humus or rotted compost - 2 parts;
- peat – 2 parts;
- sand (well washed) – 1 part.
The mixture is sifted, steamed well, and some are disinfected with biological products.
Let's start sowing
How to sow pepper seedlings correctly? The planting container is not filled with soil mixture to the very top. You need to leave room for adding soil and careful watering. To ensure that the seedlings appear with the seed shell already shed, the soil is moistened before planting.
The top layer is compacted and the prepared pepper seeds are laid out.
Then sprinkle with a 3-4 cm layer of dry soil and compact again. A tablespoon is ideal for this purpose. The glasses are placed in plastic bags and kept warm. If sowing was done in a box, cover it with film.
To see the first shoots after 7-10 days, you need to maintain a soil temperature of at least 28°C-30°C, but not higher than 35°C. Otherwise, you can destroy the seeds. Proper planting of peppers is the key to your great harvest.
It is convenient to use shelves or racks to place planting containers. Some summer residents set up mini-greenhouses in their apartments, which makes it easier caring for small peppers. There are many advantages to such a greenhouse:
- quick assembly and disassembly;
- possibility of installing additional lighting under the shelves;
- transportability (moves to the dacha at the owner’s request very easily).
If you sowed several favorite or new varieties, put up signs indicating the names.
This way, it will be easier to provide proper care and monitor the characteristics of the variety. You can choose the most suitable one for further cultivation. Planting pepper seeds is finished, now comes the next important stage - growing healthy and strong seedlings.
The seedlings have appeared - we continue to take proper care of them
As soon as pepper shoots are noticed, immediately transfer the container to the light, but reduce the temperature to 16°C -17°C. Water moderately with warm water and place the bowls in the light if there is no additional lighting.
During this period of development for pepper seedlings it is necessary to provide:
- timely, gentle watering;
- temperature indicators;
- sufficient lighting;
- nutrition.
Another stage that confuses beginners is picking seedlings. Let's start in order.
First, about watering. Summer residents religiously follow the rule when caring for pepper seedlings - do not overwater! Such an oversight leads to blackleg disease. But serious drying out of the soil is also unacceptable. The first watering is needed 4-5 days after the first shoots appear. Take warm water, about 30°C; cooler water weakens the seedlings. It is good to use settled water and adjust the frequency of watering, taking into account the weather, temperature and soil characteristics. On average, for some it may happen several times a day, for others - only once a week. Watering is carried out in the morning, because peppers like drier air than cucumbers. Spraying is done as necessary. When ventilating the room, carefully protect the pepper seedlings from drafts.
Picking
For those summer residents who have never done this - planting seedlings in a separate (or large) container. This technique is necessary for better formation of the root system of peppers. After planting, the seedlings form lateral and adventitious roots. Time for picking - two real leaves. There are two options:
- with recess;
- without deepening.
The seedlings need to be buried no more than 0.5 cm. The whole process can be described as follows:
Water the soil generously and wait until the moisture is completely absorbed. If the soil is dry, the delicate roots of pepper seedlings can easily be injured.
Prepare containers for seating. It must be equipped with drainage so that the water soaks the entire soil and does not stagnate.
Fill it with the same mixture that was prepared for sowing the seeds, and water it with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. In the middle of the container, make a depression sufficient for the roots of pepper seedlings.
Carry out the picking carefully. Care must be taken not to damage the stems and roots of the seedlings. Place the roots in the hole, cover with soil and compact lightly. The root collar can be buried no more than half a centimeter.
Gently water the transplanted seedling, holding it with your finger. After the water has been completely absorbed, add more soil if it has subsided.
New life stage of pepper seedlings
The next phase of seedling development is coming, and our task is to provide it with proper care. We put the container on the windowsill and monitor:
- Lighting. Direct sunlight is not allowed. They can burn tender stems and leaves until the seedlings are adapted to sunlight. It is better to shade by covering the window glass. Don't forget to rotate the pots so that the pepper seedlings don't lean to one side.
- Temperature indicators. It is necessary to control not only the temperature of the air, but also the soil. This is an important indicator for pepper seedlings. It should not fall below 15°C. The outside air is heated during the day to 25°C on a sunny day and to 22°C on cloudy days. At night the temperature is maintained at 17°C -18°C.
- Water mode. For spiky seedlings, one-time watering for 5-6 days is sufficient.She needs to be given something to drink for the first time six days after the procedure. The water is settled for irrigation, its temperature is maintained at least 25°C -28°C, so as not to stop the growth of seedlings with cold water. Watering is carried out in the morning.
- Food. During the time that will pass before planting pepper seedlings for permanent residence, you need to feed the seedlings twice. The first time was 14 days after planting, the second time was another 14 days after the first time. Feed pepper seedlings in liquid form. It is optimal to combine watering and feeding seedlings. Ready-made drugs that are purchased in a store chain are convenient. They are bred according to the instructions. You can prepare your own composition. A humate solution works well.
- If pepper seedlings develop slowly and the leaves become light in color, take urea (0.5 tsp) and water (3 liters). Dilute and pour. A worthy alternative is “Ideal” (according to instructions). In case of problems with the root system, feed with superphosphate or nitrophoska. 1 tablespoon of the component per three-liter bottle of water is enough. The dry fertilizer used for Signor Tomato tomatoes is perfect in this case.
- Hardening of seedlings. We take them out into the fresh air, gradually adapting them to environmental conditions. The temperature is maintained at least 16°C, protecting from direct sunlight and drafts.
We reviewed the main steps before planting in the ground. As soon as the first buds appear, the seedlings are ready for planting.
Be sure to prepare the soil, water the seedlings and plant them at the recommended density. It is important to monitor the condition of the root system. It is better to plant with a lump of earth from a pot.
Fill the hole halfway, water it, and wait for the moisture to be absorbed.Now add loose soil, mulch and place boards with the name of the variety inscribed on it. Care for some varieties may vary. This will help you follow all recommendations. Now our peppers are getting ready for harvest.
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