How to plant bell peppers outdoors. Growing pepper from seedlings and proper care

As it turns out, it is a perennial plant that can bear fruit for many years without annual sowing and troublesome seedling cultivation. But our climatic conditions do not favor this. Therefore, we are forced to carefully grow planting material on sunlit window sills until the time comes to plant it in the ground of the garden.

From the history of pepper

We used to call sweet pepper, but in fact it arrived in Europe from Mexico and Guatemala thanks to the ship's doctor Christopher Columbus, who drew attention to the native red salt. More than six thousand years ago, even the ancient Aztecs added spices from sun-dried crushed pods of bitter red pepper to food.

As an expensive exotic gift, a bag of caustic Indian red salt was presented to the Spanish king by Columbus. Pepper arrived on the territory of Russia from Turkey, so it long time called Turkish. And it became sweet as a result of five hundred years of work by European breeders who turned burning bitterness into juicy sweetness.

It's better to be late than to hurry

Bad for pepper low temperatures, even slightly frostbitten plants can be safely discarded. When making the right decision on the timing of planting pepper in, you need to be guided by this rule: better a little later, when the threat of frost has passed, than to hurry up and ruin the entire future crop.

For safety net, you can build wire arcs over the pepper beds in order to quickly stretch the film over them if necessary. Later, the turn of a new problem will come - too active sun can burn even well-hardened seedlings of pepper. He does not like pepper and drafts, so it is advisable to make the beds protected from wind blowing.

Where and when to start

In general, for the full-fledged cultivation of pepper seedlings, it takes up to two and a half months, which is why we begin seasonal crops of vegetables from pepper. It is better to sow the surface method, lightly sprinkling the seeds with earth. You can spread them on a ten-centimeter layer of snow, then they will smoothly enter the soil along with the melting snow. This method is also good because the seeds go on sale too dry, which reduces their weight, but requires additional moisture.

How and where to plant

All plants are very sensitive to moisture, pepper is no exception, reacting even to a slight drying of the soil. But having correctly planted the plant in open ground, you need to refrain from watering for a couple of weeks so that the root system strengthens. Its condition is controlled by observing the top of the plant: if the greens are light, you should refrain from watering, and if it has darkened, then you should slightly moisten the soil.

Plants are transferred to the ground with the already formed first flower bud. It is advisable not to damage the clod of earth, removing it for planting. To protect the bushes from the bear, when planting them in open ground, it is recommended to pour wood ash or a little crushed eggshell into the hole.

dropping off Bell pepper for the first time, it should be taken into account on the soil of which predecessors to plant it. Ideal soil after, pumpkin, legumes and all kinds of root crops. As a rule, pepper is planted in open ground with ready-made seedlings.

When to plant pepper

And when to plant peppers in the ground? It is necessary to choose a time of the year so that average daily temperature air was not less than +13-15 degrees, in addition, do not forget to exclude night frosts. In practice, this is approximately mid-late May.

Holes for planting sweet peppers are made according to the scheme 70x30-45 cm (depending on). The depth should correspond to the depth of the container in which the seedlings grew, a deviation of 1-1.5 cm is permissible. Before planting, the hole must be well shed, and after planting, cover the soil with peat so that moisture does not evaporate. For planting a plant, it is better to use evening time days, or cloudy days, so that the seedlings are well received and the plant goes into active growth.

plant care

Pepper loves sufficient watering, especially on dry, hot days. Remember - during watering, you should not touch the leaves and fruits, try to water directly under the root. After this process, it is necessary to loosen the soil a little and gently, without damaging the roots located at a not so great depth.

Do not forget also about: the first must be carried out in 10-15 days, the second is already carried out 10-15 days after the first ovaries appear.

When asked when to plant pepper in the ground, many gardeners talk about the estimated date of May 15th. Previously, few people risk planting a plant in open ground. It should also be borne in mind that planting different varieties preferably at a distance to avoid cross-pollination, because modern plants are hybrids with a very unstable characteristic of properties.

Despite all its whims, pepper remains the most popular among vegetables after tomatoes and cucumbers. It is also very nutritious and useful product, so it is worth making an effort to grow it on your site.

Growing pepper requires care and attention. But if you prepare a strong and healthy seedlings, competently care for her, the result will be an ideal harvest of large and juicy vegetables.

Seed preparation

Bulgarian pepper: cultivation and care in the open field

Proper care of pepper open field includes thorough preparation. You will need tools and tools for watering, weeding, fertilizing and warming from frost.

Terms of planting pepper in open ground

For planting, it is necessary to wait for warm weather so that the soil warms up.

• in the south of Russia and middle lane- at the end of May or beginning of June.
• For the northern regions, this time comes by mid-June, when the threat of return frosts has passed.

Hardening seedlings before planting

In order for the cultivation of pepper in the open field to be successful, the seedlings must be hardened 14 days before planting.

• Within a few days, open the window for 1-2 hours, if the weather is warm.
• Having built a sun shield from plywood sheets, hardening is carried out on a balcony or veranda for a week.
• If the night air temperature is not lower than 14 degrees. Celsius, then it is no longer brought into the room.

Site selection and soil preparation for growing peppers

Select the area where you plan to grow peppers. It should be protected from strong drafts and well lit. The bed must be pre-treated:

• In autumn, the soil is carefully dug up and loosened, after which complex potash and phosphorus fertilizers are applied (50 g per 1 sq.m.)
• In the spring on the site in upper layer soil is introduced 40 g ammonium nitrate for each square meter.
• Five days before planting seedlings, the soil is disinfected with a solution blue vitriol(1 tablespoon per bucket of water).

If you use different varieties, it is better to grow peppers in open ground at a remote distance from each other, as the culture tends to pollinate. You can distinguish varieties by planting tall plants - corn, tomatoes or sunflowers.

The procedure for planting pepper seedlings in open ground

Pepper does not tolerate cold soil, so it is better to raise the height of the beds by 20-50 cm.

• Pepper seedlings are watered to take them out of the containers with the root, they are planted in the morning or in the evening when the sun is not too active.
• Planted vertically according to the scheme 40x40 cm.
• Peppers are sprinkled with earth, the area around it is slightly compacted and watered well with warm water.
• The leaves of young plants break easily, so put a peg on each and tie it up.
• To ensure oxygen access, loosen the earth around the plant.
• Cover the ridge with a film, pulling it over pre-installed arcuate rods. After rooting, remove the film.

Build protection from the cold for peppers with available improvised materials by building a tent from roofing material, boards or cardboard. From above it can be covered with burlap or agrofibre.

Pinching peppers outdoors

For the proper formation of the bush and good development fruits are pinched every 10 days. When the plant reaches a height of 25 cm, cut off its top. As a result, the stem will give a lot of shoots, they must be partially removed, leaving 5-6 top ones. They will serve to form the crop. Pasynkovanie carried out in hot, but not dry weather.

To attract insects to your area that will pollinate the pepper during flowering, spray it with a special sugar syrup. It is prepared like this: in a liter hot water dissolve half a glass of sugar and 2 gr. boric acid.

Watering peppers outdoors

Growing bell peppers in open ground does not require abundant watering. The first time it is watered during planting, the second - after 5 days, then - once a week. For watering one plant, 1-1.5 liters is enough. But as you grow older, the rate can be doubled.

When the pepper begins to bloom, water it only with warm water (20-22 degrees Celsius). Watering is stopped 2 weeks before the vegetables are completely harvested. After each watering or rain, the soil must be loosened.

To reduce the number of waterings and better retain moisture at the roots of plants, mulch the peppers with a 10-centimeter layer of overripe straw.

Top dressing of pepper in the open field

Pepper care after planting in the ground necessarily includes three top dressings per season.

1. The first is carried out after two weeks. For good growth nitrogen fertilizers are needed. To do this, dilute a tablespoon of superphosphate and urea in a bucket of water. You can mix urea (1 teaspoon) in the same volume of water. Pour 1 liter of this composition under each plant.
2. The next top dressing is done during flowering. Since potassium is needed to set fruits, use wood ash. Feed again with urea, as in the first feeding.
3. The last time pepper is fed with the appearance of the first fruits. To do this, dilute potassium salt and superphosphate (2 teaspoons each) in 10 liters of water.

Watch the pepper grow, it may need additional feeding. It can be foliar, since the plant can receive the necessary substances not only through the roots, but also through the leaves.

Pepper growing problems and solutions

• If the leaves turn yellow, then they lack nitrogen. To provide this substance, spray with a solution of urea in water in the ratio: 1 tablespoon per bucket of water.
• If the pepper loses its ovaries, then prepare a solution of boric acid: a teaspoon in a bucket of water.
• In case of poor fruit formation, feed with superphosphate or ash: a teaspoon per 5 liters of water.

Foliar top dressing is carried out exclusively in the morning or evening, otherwise the leaves may burn out in the scorching sun. In this case, the weather should be calm. Fertilization with yeast has a good effect on the development of peppers.

Pepper yeast recipe

For cooking, you need 100 grams of fresh yeast. They are soaked in 0.5 liters of water for a day. Before use, add 5 liters of water to the solution.

Fertilizer recipe for dry yeast peppers

Dissolve one package of dry yeast in a bucket of water, add 2 tablespoons of sugar, leave for 2 hours to activate the fermentation process. Dilute the infusion with water at the rate of 0.5 liters per 10 liters of water.

Apply this dressing only to sufficiently warmed soil. It can be applied no more than twice per season. After fertilizing with yeast, be sure to add wood ash.

Pepper protection from diseases and pests in the open field

• To protect peppers from major pepper pests, dust them three times in a season. wood ash. This should be done early morning when there is still dew on the plant.
• To prevent damage by a bear, 1 hour before planting the pepper, fill the wells with onion water (0.5 kg onion peel insist on 10 liters of water for three days).
• If during the growing season you find an aphid infestation, treat with a solution of 1.5 liters of whey in a bucket of water. After spraying, crush with ash.

Harvest dates for outdoor peppers

• The fruits are harvested when they have acquired the size and color corresponding to ripening. Since these vegetables are fragile, it is better to cut them with a stalk.
• The first harvest appears by mid-August, then it is harvested every week until frost.

To prepare seeds for next year, choose a few large fruits. Do not remove them until the end of the summer, allowing them to fully mature. Cut and wrap in paper until dry. Cut and collect the seeds. Their varietal characteristics can persist for three years if cross-pollination does not occur.

Sweet pepper: cultivation and care in a greenhouse

Since pepper is a very heat-loving crop, its cultivation in open ground most often begins with seedlings. When sowing pepper seeds into the ground, they are carefully processed and well hardened. That is why many gardeners prefer growing bell peppers in a greenhouse, where you can create ideal conditions growth.

For planting seedlings or sowing seeds, glass, film greenhouses or greenhouses are used. It is also now widely practiced to grow peppers in a polycarbonate greenhouse.

The technology of planting bell pepper in a greenhouse

Peppers are planted in a greenhouse in early April. It can be sown from seeds, but for better yields, use 2-month-old seedlings 20-25 cm high, which already have 6 to 10 leaves.

• Ridges are prepared in the greenhouse at a distance of half a meter from one another.
• Holes are made in them, corresponding to the size of the container in which the seedlings grew.
• A solution of manure or chicken manure is poured into the pits. To cook it on a bucket warm water(about +50 C) dissolve half a liter of manure or a glass of litter.
• Pour 1 liter into each well.
• Pepper seedlings are watered to take it out of the container with the root.
• After that, pepper is planted in prepared holes and tied to pegs.

Peppers in a greenhouse cultivation and care

The main care for peppers in the greenhouse is to observe the optimal temperature regime, water, regularly feed, weed and loosen.

• The greenhouse must be ventilated, and in the heat - shaded.
• Peppers are watered every 2-3 days, 1-2 liters of water are poured under the root of each plant.
• Growing peppers in a greenhouse involves maintaining the optimum temperature. During the day it should be at the level of 20-27°С, at night - 15°С. After the onset of fruiting, it can be reduced by a couple of degrees.
• Bushes spud when the soil is still wet. After the soil dries out, it is necessary to loosen the aisles.

Caring for peppers in a polycarbonate greenhouse does not differ from the rules for caring for a conventional greenhouse.

How to properly feed peppers in a greenhouse

Growing peppers in a greenhouse is not possible without sufficient nutrients. For top dressing, urea is used in a similar proportion. But it is better to use a solution of bird droppings in water in a ratio of 1 to 15. They are watered with 1 liter of each sprout. Before top dressing, pepper care includes sprinkling with wood ash.

• The first feeding is carried out two weeks after planting in the greenhouse.
• The second - at the ovary of fruit.
• The third is before harvest.

The composition of fertilizers can be the same for each of the procedures, if the plant does not show signs of a lack of any trace elements.

Outcome

Bulgarian pepper, the cultivation and care of which we examined, will delight you excellent harvest in compliance with agricultural regulations. Follow the recommendations, carry out timely watering and fertilization and you will not have any problems with this crop.

Russian gardeners grow sweet and bitter peppers mainly seedling way because it has a number of advantages. But there are many nuances in this seemingly simple matter. Learn how to properly plant peppers in the ground with seedlings, because the development of plants and, ultimately, the volume of the crop that the vegetable grower will receive depends on this. Learn about the rules for preparing the site, soil and seedlings, as well as caring for it for the first time after transplanting.

Pepper belongs to thermophilic crops, because it can be planted in garden beds only after the threat has finally passed spring frosts, and the soil temperature will no longer fall below 15 °C. In each region of Russia, such conditions for planting pepper in open ground occur at different times - in May, or even in June.

The age of seedlings, which can already be placed on the beds, should be approximately 60-65 days. It is not worth overdoing it longer, a 2-month-old pepper outgrows, begins to throw out the first flowers. When transplanted into the ground, the plants experience stress and drop the color from which fruits could form. At the same time, the vegetable grower loses part of the crop, and this is unacceptable. If this happens at the time of planting, you need to cut off all the buds on the seedlings. This will stimulate the growth of leaves, which will favorably affect the further laying of flowers and fruiting.

Choosing a site for growing

The choice of a place for planting pepper seedlings in open ground must be taken responsibly. This culture is very fond of warmth and a lot of light. The amount of harvest depends on how much solar energy hits the plants. Therefore, sweet peppers need an open, well-lit area. It is better not to plant this crop near buildings, fences and trees, as it will be in the shade, which will certainly affect its growth, development, and productivity.

Wind, especially cold north, and a draft are also unacceptable: pepper does not like hypothermia. Therefore, it is worth choosing sites protected from the wind for it, for example, not far from the same residential or outbuildings, fences. In such places, plants will be able to feel under reliable protection.

The soil on the site should be fertile, light, nutritious. Water should not stagnate in it, but air should penetrate well inside. The acidity of the soil that peppers love is low or neutral.

It is also necessary to pay attention to those crops that grew on the site earlier. Permissible precursors for pepper are pumpkin, cabbage, onion, garlic, root vegetables (except potatoes). You can not use ridges where tomatoes, tobacco, eggplants were grown before pepper. They draw nutrients from the soil in the same volume as pepper, and besides, they can also suffer from the same diseases. It takes only 1 year to plant pepper in one area, and return to it only after 3 or 4 years, observing the rules of crop rotation.

If it is planned to plant sweet and bitter peppers, then the beds where these varieties will grow should be removed from each other as far as possible. This should be done so that their flowers do not pollinate.

Soil preparation

The soil for pepper can be prepared in the fall after the end of the vegetation of the predecessors or in early spring. The bed must be carefully dug up, weed roots should be selected, if any, and the soil should be filled with fertilizers: mineral or organic.

The best soil for peppers is cultivated sandy loam and loam, but if there is a different type of soil on the site, then it needs to be improved:

1. On the sands in autumn, you need to make peat, clay soil and organic matter, and mineral fertilizers- in the spring (for each m 2, 30 g of nitrogen and 40 g of phosphorus-potassium mixtures).
2. Clays are made easier by adding peat, sawdust or sand.
3. Acidic soil must be limed autumn digging or at least half a month before spring work, and just before planting, fertilize with potassium sulfate and superphosphate.
4. For each meter of fertile soil, up to 1 bucket of rotted compost or humus and up to 500 g of wood ash are added.

In the northern regions, it is recommended to plant pepper on " warm beds”, heated by the decomposition of plant residues. To do this, you need to dig a trench with a depth of at least 0.5 m. Put a layer of manure (compost) mixed with chopped straw on its bottom. Pour a layer of fertile soil on top. On the day of planting seedlings, the trench should be shed hot water to start the overheating process. In warm ground, pepper roots will always be warm and will not suffer, even if it gets colder.

seedling preparation

Seedlings are prepared for planting in the ground 1-1.5 weeks before. You can’t immediately transfer it to the ridges: pampered in warmth, it can die. Hardening will save seedlings from this fate. It is carried out as follows: in the first days, pepper is taken out on Fresh air for a couple of hours, and then brought back into the heat. In the following days, the hardening time is gradually increased. Seedlings should not stand in direct sunlight, but in a shady place so that the leaves do not burn.

In addition to hardening, pepper seedlings must be protected from fungal diseases. To do this, it is treated with fungicides a week before transplantation. A couple of hours before planting, the seedlings are watered abundantly. This will allow you to easily remove the plants from the planting containers and not injure the roots.

Landing pattern

How far apart peppers should be planted will depend on the variety. Information on optimal plant placement is listed on the package with certified seeds, but there is also standard scheme which can be adhered to. In a row, plants are placed 40-50 cm apart, and 60-70 cm of area are left between the rows. According to this scheme, bushes of normal height and large-fruited ones can be planted.

For undersized varieties culture, the scheme for planting seedlings of pepper may be different. They can be placed more densely (30 cm in a row by 40-50 cm in the aisle). This distance is sufficient for varieties with an average fruit size. Another benefit of close planting is that the pepper leaves can better protect the fruit from sunburn. Its disadvantages: it is difficult to carry out watering and loosening, processing bushes and picking fruits.

Transplanting

Transplanting plants to the garden is carried out in the morning or evening hours. 1-2 hours before the seedlings are watered abundantly. So the seedlings tolerate the procedure better and are easier to work with. A wet clod of earth is easier to get out of the container, and it holds the roots tightly. Dry often sprinkles and injures them, then the seedlings take longer to recover and take root.

Planting seedlings of peppers in open ground is carried out according to the selected scheme. Holes are marked and dug in the garden. The soil must be moistened. Plants are placed in recesses flush with the ground, the free space is sprinkled fertile soil and slightly tamped.

It is impossible to deepen the pepper below the root collar, it does not take additional roots like a tomato, so this makes no sense. In addition, being deep in the ground, the stem can rot.

Next, the plantings are irrigated. If possible, the soil is immediately mulched with peat or other available material. Full-sized seedlings are left as is, overgrown seedlings are immediately tied to supports.

If for some reason the gardener failed to qualitatively prepare the soil for planting pepper, nutrients can be put into the hole when planting. Such agricultural technology is not considered correct, but is permissible in special cases. Depending on what fertilizers are available, the following options are used:

• any complex preparation according to the instructions;
• humus + ash;
• humus + potassium sulfate.

When making such top dressing, it is thoroughly mixed with the soil so that it does not burn the roots of the plants. The rest of the landing is carried out as standard.

Plant care in the first two weeks after planting

All measures for the care of pepper after planting in the ground consist in watering and loosening the soil after them. In sunny weather, it is necessary to shade young bushes so that they do not get burned under intense rays. It is also necessary to monitor how the plants take root and feel in the beds.

How to prevent hypothermia of planted seedlings

When planting seedlings in open ground, there is always a risk that the plants will not have enough heat, especially at night. In this case, temporary tunnel shelters will help solve the problem of additional heating of landings. They are installed on the beds after planting or immediately in front of it. Peppers are planted under a film or agrofiber is used as a covering material.

In the future, depending on the weather, one side of the greenhouse is opened for ventilation during the day. At night it is completely closed. If the weather is warm, and the seedlings are already well rooted, shelter is not used. The structures are removed only after the temperature environment will be comfortable for the growth of pepper. The minimum for it are indicators of 15 ° C.

planting

When planting plants in the beds open type it often happens that some part of the seedlings does not take root or dies. It happens by different reasons. Among them, the most important are:

• improper deep landing;
• pests and diseases;
• weather conditions, heat or cold;
• planting weak, frail, elongated plants;
• poor care of non-rooted seedlings.

Anyway, experienced gardeners always grow 5-10% more bushes than they need. Such a reserve is usually enough to plant plants on the beds in case of their death. The replacement of seedlings is carried out in the same way as a normal planting.

Watering and loosening

Proper irrigation of pepper is the key to getting rich and bountiful harvest. Its regularity largely depends on the climatic conditions in the region, temperature, soil structure. Young plants need moisture constantly, but in small quantities. Waterlogging leads to diseases and death of plants. From a lack of water, on the contrary, they dry up and also die.

The first moistening of the soil is carried out when planting. Further, the pepper is not watered until the soil at the roots dries out. The need for an operation is determined by the state of plants and soil. On average, the beds are moistened 1 time in 2-3 days.

For irrigation use warm settled water. Cold liquid straight from the pepper wells is not suitable. Plants suffer from thermal stress and do not develop for a long time. Irrigation tap water harmful due to the presence of chlorine in it. Peppers do not like this microelement, therefore it is necessary to defend the liquid from the tap. Water the seedlings in the morning or in the evening under the root. Sprinkling is more risky, but also acceptable for young plants.

Regular loosening of the soil ensures the penetration of air to the roots of plants, which is well reflected in their growth and fruiting. But it should be superficial, not deep, otherwise you can cause pepper more harm than good. Until the seedlings are well rooted, you need to carefully work with the tool in the bush area. Loosening is necessary after each watering, except for the first, however, it can be successfully replaced by mulching with hay, straw, sawdust.

Top dressing

In open ground, when growing pepper, the first top dressing is carried out 2 weeks after planting. With good preparation of the beds, stable weather and regular watering, healthy, strong seedlings at first have everything they need to take root in a new place and start growing. The soil has enough nutrients, and the moisture makes them available for consumption. Additional fertilization is not required at this point.

The only thing you can feed the pepper after planting is stimulants and growth regulators. These liquid or bulk preparations increase the survival rate of seedlings, improve its adaptation in the garden, and increase the productivity of adult bushes. These include Humat, Kornevin, Epin, Zircon, etc. The dosages and method of application are described in detail in the instructions for each of them.

Expert opinion

Maria Vlasova

gardener

Ask an expert

Preparation of pepper seedlings for transplanting into the ground and the procedure itself should not raise questions from the gardener. If everything is done correctly, then the plants will take root well, get stronger and give the gardener a generous harvest.

Good day everyone!

Our today's gardening theme is dedicated to such a popular garden plant as pepper.

It belongs to the type of vegetables that any self-respecting gardener will definitely plant in his summer cottage.

Pepper got them to us Central America back in the 15th century and is still an indispensable culture for any garden. To date, there are about 2 thousand varieties of pepper, but they can all be divided into two groups such as sweet and bitter.

Most often, we plant sweet varieties of pepper, such as the bell pepper we all know. This is an annual with simple leaves and flowers collected in a bunch, having a white or purple corolla. The fruit of the pepper is a berry, false hollow, three or four-celled. Takovo botanical description pepper.

Growing peppers in most gardeners begins with the acquisition of seeds and planting them for seedlings.

When to plant (sow) pepper for seedlings in 2019 according to the lunar calendar

In most cases, when planting any garden crops, we focus on data lunar calendar. Determining from it auspicious days, we begin to conduct certain work.

As for pepper specifically, it is best to plant seeds for seedlings in February and March. These are the most favorable months for such work. Moreover, late varieties are best planted in early February, and early varieties at the end.

However, for northern regions countries planting pepper for seedlings is carried out in late January, early February. And below I will explain why this happens.

The most favorable days for planting pepper according to the lunar calendar:

• in February 2019 - 6th, 11th, 12th, 17th
• in March - 7, 12, 15
• in April - 7, 12, 18

During the new moon, which falls on February 5, March 6, April 5, it is not recommended to work with plants. As for the full moon, in February 2019 it will be February 19, and this day is also not very favorable for landings.

March is the most auspicious month for working with pepper, and indeed, for growing any seedlings. Here the daylight hours are already lengthening, and the sun pleases more and more every day.

• Most good days days for planting work will be: March 7, 12 and 15. During the period of the new moon from March 6, as well as on the full moon of March 21, work is not recommended. These are the worst days.

Peppers are planted for seedlings in April. I have already indicated successful days above, and on the full moon on April 19, and on the new moon on the 5th, it is better not to carry out any landings.

When planting seeds in planting containers, it is also necessary to take into account such a moment that the age of pepper seedlings by the time it is transplanted into the ground should be from 50 to 70 days.

So, for example, if you plant it on March 7, then it will be necessary to transplant it into the ground on May 19 (70 days), seedlings on March 12 - into the ground - May 10 (age 60 days) and seedlings on March 15, then we plant in the ground on May 25 (the age is also 70 days, which is the most successful).

How to plant pepper seeds for seedlings

Before starting planting work, it is necessary to determine the timing. For pepper, early planting in open ground is not typical. The longer it grows seedlings, the better and stronger the plants will be later.

This is especially true of the northern regions of our country. In apartments in winter, as a rule, it is quite cool, especially on the windowsill, where our seedlings stand. And there are almost no sunny days. In this regard, the development of the plant is slow. For good growth and development, sprouts need an air temperature of 20 - 30 degrees, and bright sunlight. In winter, neither one nor the other is in the apartment. Therefore, more time is needed for growth and development.

Therefore, many gardeners in the northern regions of our country sow seeds already in late January or early February. In the southern regions, they are sown in late February or early March.

However, if you have good greenhouse, in which pepper can be planted already in April, then the seeds can be planted a little earlier.

What is the best way to grow

This question worries many gardeners. Let's deal with it.

Pepper seeds can be grown in individual pots, or in shared boxes. Growing in a separate container is considered ideal. Pepper is very sensitive to various kinds of transplants, and it takes a long time to get used to new conditions. For a while, it may even stop growing.

But how much space do you need for this? a large number pots?! But you still need to comply with all the conditions for each of the plants. Keep them warm in cold weather, provide access to light. Therefore, seeds are sown, as a rule, in a common container, and then they dive.

Someone thinks that growing seedlings in peat pots is considered the most optimal. But some gardeners have a completely different opinion. And they believe that moisture evaporates strongly through the walls of such pots and the earth dries up. If you start watering more often, then the rapid growth of the root system will begin. The roots will begin to penetrate the walls of the pot and get stuck there.

When you plant plants in the ground, the pots need to be removed. And this procedure will definitely damage their roots. It is believed that seedlings can be planted directly in peat pots, and that supposedly they rot in the soil. Maybe so, but the time for this action takes much longer than the roots of the plant grow. And this means that the walls of the pot simply will not allow the roots to develop.

Therefore, it is ideal to sow the seeds in polyethylene cylinders, or glasses. Often used kefir bags, or cylinders made of plastic bottles. But do not forget that it is necessary to make holes at the bottom to drain excess water.

What land to use

To grow good seedlings, you need good fertile soil. Peppers love just such a land - nutritious, loose and airy.

The best soil is, of course, your own garden land. You can prepare in advance the so-called turf land. Then mix it with garden soil. And the proportions will be like this.

• bucket of garden seedlings
• half a bucket of sod land
• two handfuls of peat
• manure humus

And someone adds a little more sand.

In addition, based on 10 kg of the mixture, you can add a glass of ash and a teaspoon of fertilizer (mainly superphosphate) to it.

If the land is taken from your garden, then it is considered environmentally friendly. And cooked in the proportions that we indicated above, it is also alive. The smallest organisms live in it, useful for further development plants.

In this regard, such land should not be steamed, doused with boiling water, or fried before planting seeds.

If the land for seedlings is taken from a greenhouse, or from a garden bed, then various pests and pathogens can live in it. Such land must be cultivated before planting. It is steamed in a water bath, or treated with manganese.

And you can use ready-made purchased soil mixture. Many of them are prepared on the basis of biohumus created with the help of earthworms. And they, as you know, secrete active substances in the course of their life that kill all pathogenic microbes.

Seed preparation

So, the soil mixture was prepared, the container for seedlings was taken out. Let's get to the seeds. Many use the seeds of their already grown vegetables. But if you purchased them in a store, then you must first sort them out, removing the bad ones.

Some gardeners sow the seeds immediately into the soil, that is, dry, and some sprouted. big difference not in the sowing method. Both of them germinate, as well as give a harvest. It's just a matter of habit here. Let's consider different ways.

1. Select the largest, and therefore viable seeds. Prepare a saturated solution of potassium permanganate and soak the seeds in it for 20 minutes. Then rinse them under running water. Put in a damp cloth and leave for a day or two in a warm place.

2. And there is another way in which you need to melt the snow in a glass and place the seeds there. The temperature of the water must be at room temperature. Leave for a day. Transfer to a damp cloth and place the seeds in a plastic bag. Tie off, but leave a small hole for air flow.

Suspend from the battery and leave for 4 - 7 days, until the time when the seeds hatch.

3. This method similar to the previous one, with only one difference. Soak the seeds for a day in a solution of microfertilizers. After that, transfer them to a damp cloth, and place them in a plastic bag. Put or hang in a warm place for 4 - 7 days until the seeds hatch.

3. You can soak the seeds in an ash solution. The ash must be from woody plants. Let's look at how to prepare such a solution.

• dilute a tablespoon of ash in a half-liter jar.
• let it brew for 24 hours, with occasional stirring of the solution
• drain the water
• soak the seeds in water for a day (and someone can withstand two days)
• drain water through a sieve
• plant seeds for seedlings

4. A very controversial method, but nonetheless existing - increasing the plant's resistance to frost.

Sprouted seeds are placed in a damp cloth and in a bag, then put in the refrigerator under freezer where the air temperature is + 1 degree. Leave for a week. Then plant in the ground.

Planting seeds

Well, the seeds are ready. Now it's time to think about how we will sow them. To do this, we determine whether we will sow in separate containers, or in common boxes. We prepare both the containers and the ground in advance.

When the time comes to plant the hatched seeds, we take the prepared soil and scatter it in pots or prepared containers. The soil should be warm, so water it with warm water.

If planting in a common container, the distance between the seeds should be about three centimeters. If in separate, then either one at a time - two, but not more than three seeds. They should be sown to a depth of 4 cm.

To do this, you need to compact and moisten the soil, after that, sow the seeds. Then sprinkle them on top of the ground, just on these same 4 cm. Put landing capacity in a warm and well-lit place and wait for the sprouts to sprout. Do not forget to cover the seedlings with foil. We do not remove the film until germination.

As a rule, seeds germinate 10-14 days after sowing.

How to care for plant seedlings

After planting the seeds, they should be watered only as needed - when the earth begins to dry out. Watering is carried out with warm water 20 -25 degrees. It is advisable to defend it for 2 - 3 days.

If under the film is kept optimum temperature at 24-26 degrees, the seeds will sprout in 10 days. Moreover, the temperature in the room should not be lower than 25 degrees, at least preferably.

If it gets cold at night, then the seedlings should be covered with a film.

Peppers have a control germination period of 14 days. If during this time the seeds did not sprout, you can throw them out.

Light

After two or three days, a film with planting material will need to be removed for ventilation. Early seedlings that sprouted in February need additional illumination from 8 am to 8 pm. To do this, it is better to use fluorescent lamps, which are hung at a distance of 10 cm from the plants. If it's cloudy outside, we turn on the lights for the whole day.

This mode should be maintained in the first seven days of emerging seedlings of plants. Then the temperature should be slightly increased, during the day up to 23-25°C if it is sunny, and up to 19-22°C if it is cloudy. At night, the temperature should be around 17°C.

In addition, boxes with seedlings can be periodically turned one side to the light, then the other.

Watering

Now, as for watering. The first few days you can only slightly moisten the soil. Peppers are watered more abundantly about once every 4 days and, preferably, in the morning.

When the seedlings have the first leaves, and this will happen on the 35th day, we already water the seedlings more moderately - no more than 1 time per week. Water for irrigation should be sufficiently warm and settled.

picking

After the appearance of the first two leaves, you can start picking seedlings. At the same time, each plant is transplanted into an individual pot.

Before picking, we feed the seedlings with a solution of calcium nitrate based on 10 liters of water - 1 tbsp. l. fertilizers. We also water the seedlings three hours before picking.

As containers, it is best to take small plastic pots, or plastic glasses, polyethylene cylinders from bottles made by yourself. Used containers from kefir are also suitable. Do not forget that all of them must have a hole to drain excess water.

We use the same land in which the seedlings grew before picking. After filling the containers with earth, it is necessary to water it. You can use mixtures such as Effekton, or Agricola Forward. Now we plant the plant almost to the very cotyledon leaves. Feed the seedlings again after three weeks.

Many gardeners do not like to dive peppers due to the fact that the roots are weak and easily torn. Therefore, you can grow pepper without picking. But for this, it is advisable to sow one seed at a time in a pot.

top dressing

And another important point is the feeding of seedlings. As for watering, after picking, we water every 5 days.

For top dressing, which, moreover, will always be at hand, already used tea leaves are well suited. By the way, many use it for indoor plants.

In 3 liters of water we insist 1 cup of tea leaves for six days. After that, we drain the solution and water the seedlings with it.

You can also use bird droppings at the rate of 20 grams per liter of water. Or a mineral fertilizer like Kemira-universal. There is such a calculation, it will be necessary to add 2-3 grams per liter of water.

Plants need to be fed while watering. That is, the ground must be moist.

Most often, peppers need potassium-phosphorus top dressing. For this, 1 tbsp. l. dissolve the ash in 1 liter of water and insist for a day. After that it can be used for watering.

If you use mineral fertilizers for feeding, then for the first time they are used after the appearance of two leaves in the seedlings.

To do this, 0.5 g of ammonium nitrate, 3 g of superphosphate and 1 g of potassium fertilizers must be diluted in 1 liter of water. Two weeks later, we carry out a second top dressing, while increasing the dose of fertilizers.

Well, the last time we carry out top dressing two days before planting seedlings in open ground.

Video on how to plant pepper seeds for cultivation

And at the end of the article, watch the video in which you will learn helpful tips on proper fit pepper seeds.

Well, now perhaps everything. I think that now you will definitely cope with this tricky science.

So, if you did everything right, then you will have good seedling, which you can safely land on your site and get a wonderful harvest.

Good luck with your gardening endeavors!