Content
Pepper is considered a slightly capricious plant, so many are afraid to grow it. In fact, everything is not as difficult as it seems. Caring for it is almost the same as for other vegetable crops. You just need to remember that pepper loves heat, and it cannot be grown in open ground in every region of Russia. In the northern regions, this vegetable is grown in greenhouses, but residents of the middle zone are luckier, and you can safely grow peppers right in the garden.
Better yields can certainly be achieved in greenhouse conditions. But if this is not possible, open ground is also good. The main thing is to take into account some important nuances. So let's look at all the secrets of growing peppers in open ground, from preparing seeds for seedlings to planting pepper seedlings.
When to start sowing seedlings
The sowing time depends primarily on the selected variety. Seed packages indicate when peppers need to be planted.
Usually seedlings for open ground grown later than for the greenhouse.It is necessary to determine when the frosts will end and the soil will warm up well. We will start from this date when deciding when to plant seeds for pepper seedlings. Early-ripening varieties of peppers are sown 2 months before planting in the ground, mid-ripening ones - 65–70 days, and late varieties should be planted no earlier than 75 days before planting in the garden.
Seedlings for open ground can be planted in early June, when there are comfortable conditions for good plant growth. But peppers can be planted in a greenhouse starting at the end of April.
Such calculations are very important. Sowing seeds are late, you risk not getting the fruits on time. But it’s even worse to sow ahead of time. In this case, before the time of planting, the seedlings will become tall and spreading, and ovaries or flowers will appear on them. It would seem that this will only speed up the ripening time of the pepper. But it’s the other way around: when transplanted, the plant will entirely devote all its energy to restoring the root. And the formed ovaries will most likely wither, or the fruits will ripen very slowly. Fruiting will slow down greatly due to the long development of the ovaries that have already appeared.
Preparing seeds for sowing
Many people prepare seeds themselves in the fall; in this way, they can collect seeds from the harvested crops year after year, and not spend money on purchased ones. But, if you are planting peppers for the first time or want to try a new variety, then specialized stores have a huge selection of different types of peppers.
When purchasing seeds, consider the packaging time.Remember that seeds suitable for planting should last no more than 3 years. In the fourth year, germination rate decreases. Usually, the packaging indicates the date of packaging, and not the date of collection of the seeds themselves, so their suitability is reduced by another year. Take only those that were packed no more than two years ago.
To start sowing with peace of mind, you can check the germination of seeds. This procedure will help separate viable seeds from those that cannot germinate. This is done using a saline solution, which can be prepared by combining:
- 1 liter of water;
- 2 tablespoons salt.
Stir the solution well until the salt is completely dissolved. Place the pepper seeds in a container of water and wait until they begin to separate from each other. Viable seeds will remain at the bottom, while dead ones will float to the surface. Some people do not use this method due to the fact that, along with bad seeds, simply very dried ones may float up. However, this method is still effective and very simple. After separation, the top seeds must be collected with a spoon, and those at the bottom must be strained, rinsed with clean water, and dried on a sheet of paper.
You can also simply sort out the seeds yourself. Small and too large ones are thrown away, and only medium-sized seeds are left.
Sowing seedlings
Before planting, the seeds should be soaked for several hours or a day to soften them. Now you can start sowing, but first we will determine what is best to plant the seeds in. For such purposes, several options are used: boxes, separate cups and pots, special peat tablets.
The last two options are most suitable for pepper seedlings.It is much easier to plant peppers from separate containers, and without harm to the plant itself and the root system. Seedling boxes are not so good to use, because taking seedlings out of the box can seriously damage the root and thin stem. Alternatively, you can do Pick into separate cups, but it will take longer. Moreover, pepper does not respond very well to transplants.
It is advisable to carry out picking only if you have bought some new variety of pepper and do not know for sure whether it will grow well. Then instead of wasting space on the windowsill and cups, you can sow the seeds in one box, and after they sprout, transplant the strongest shoots into separate containers. This must be done very carefully so as not to damage the root. The plant should be removed with a large amount of soil, and under no circumstances should the soil be compacted in the cup.
So, in each glass, place 2 or 3 seeds to a depth of two centimeters. Try to keep them not too close to the surface so that the root system can develop normally, but not too deep so as not to choke the sprout.
Before sowing, the soil must be moistened, but carefully so as not to turn it into a swamp. You can use a sprayer. If you plant seeds in a box, it is important to maintain a distance of up to 7 centimeters. At first, containers with seeds need to be covered with film to create a greenhouse effect.
Preparing the soil for growing seedlings
Soil for seedlings can be bought at a specialty store, but if you are not looking for the easy way, you can prepare it yourself. The components are the most affordable, different options are possible. The main components are:
- Peat or peat mixture.
- Sod land.
- Laying saw blades.
- Humus.
- Ash.
- Sand.
Proportions and components may be different. For example, you can combine peat, soil, sand and humus in equal parts. It all depends on the components you have.
And if you buy soil in a store, watch the pH level, which should be indicated on the package. For pepper, the norm will be from 7 to 7.2, since it does not like acidic soils.
To ensure that the soil does not contain viruses and fungi, it must be treated with a solution of potassium permanganate, or if there are few seedlings, you can heat the soil using a conventional oven.
Seedling care
Since pepper is a heat-loving vegetable, the most important thing when growing seedlings is to maintain the desired temperature. For seedlings to grow and develop well, they must be between +24 °C and +28 °C. If the room is cooler, you can use heat lamps. Not only the air, but also the soil must be heated.
Planted seeds should be covered with film until the first shoots appear. You can't open the film early, so you'll have to be patient. After germination, seedlings especially need a large amount of light so that the sprouts become stronger and grow well. Cups or boxes of seedlings should be kept on the south side of the house. During the germination period, it is also advisable to illuminate with lamps.
Note! To prevent the glasses closest to the window from blocking the light from the others, you can put them all on a tray, and under it on the edge of the window sill, put a board that will give the tray the necessary slope.So, the cups farthest from the window will also receive the right amount of light.
If you notice that the sprouts are becoming too thin and elongated, this means that the seedlings are not getting enough light. You may need to leave the lamps on all day. When peppers are grown in a common box, the sprouts may prevent each other from receiving sunlight. In this case, it is necessary to break through the seedlings.
It is very important to keep the soil moist and avoid drying out and over-watering. Do not water pepper seedlings with cold tap water; it should be 2 °C warmer than the soil temperature.
During the entire growth period, it is necessary to carry out 2 subcortical treatments. For these purposes, manure is well suited, which needs to be transported with water (1 part manure to 10 parts water). The mixture should stand for a couple of hours, and then you can pour it over the pepper. Purchased fertilizers, such as vermicompost, are also used.
Hardening off pepper seedlings should begin a week or two before planting in the ground. The purpose of hardening is to accustom plants to changes in air temperature and humidity levels. To do this, boxes with seedlings are taken out to an open balcony or outside, first for a couple of hours a day, and then the time will need to be increased. Pepper seedlings in open ground especially need hardening, because they will definitely have to face different weather conditions.
Planting pepper seedlings in the ground
It is difficult to name the exact date when to plant pepper seedlings in open ground, however, you can accurately name the signs that will help determine whether it is time or not. Firstly, the soil temperature must be warmed up to +15 °C. Only then will the peppers take root well in the new place. Secondly, you can plant pepper only when it grows to twenty centimeters in height.Each sprout must have at least 9 leaves.
Choose a well-lit place for planting pepper seedlings, away from strong winds. The ideal time to plant peppers is evening. After all planting pepper seedlings in open ground This is already stressful for the tender sprouts, and in the scorching sun they will weaken even more. When digging holes, take into account the height of the cups from under the seedlings. It should be a little higher so that all the soil from the container fits into the hole.
The distance between low-growing varieties should be about 35–40 cm, and between their rows - from 50 to 60 cm. Tall peppers are planted at a greater distance of approximately 60 cm between bushes and 60 cm between rows.
Pepper transplant begins with soil preparation. To disinfect the soil, it is necessary to water the holes with boiling water in advance; this will also destroy pests. Next, carefully remove the seedlings from the cups to maintain the integrity of the soil. Various fertilizers can be added to the holes. You should not deepen the sprouts too much, as this will greatly slow down their growth. Once again, pour water into the hole and carefully cover it with soil. If desired, you can mulch the bed with peat, this will help retain moisture and heat in the soil.
The first time after planting pepper seedlings, it is advisable to use film covers. There is no need to expect much growth at first; the seedlings will get stronger only after a week. In the meantime, pepper can only be irrigated with a small amount of water. It is necessary to loosen the soil only superficially so as not to affect the delicate root system.
Conclusion
Planting pepper seedlings in the ground is one of the most important stages in growing this vegetable. A lot depends on where and how the pepper is planted. So, if you want to get a good result from your work and grow delicious peppers, you need to follow the above rules. Have a good harvest!
Reviews
