To get a chic crop of sweet peppers, you first need to properly grow strong seedlings at home. The procedure for growing a crop is in many ways similar to eggplant and partly to tomatoes, but there are also cardinal differences. Pepper reacts sharply to fluctuations in temperature (sharp drops) and an unsuccessful transplant (pick), because of which the level of his vitality drops sharply and he slows down in growth.
Therefore, before you start sowing pepper seeds for seedlings, you need to familiarize yourself with the main features and rules for its cultivation. Next, you will find detailed step-by-step instructions for preparing and directly planting pepper seeds for seedlings at home, as well as useful photo and video materials.
Note! The site already has several detailed review articles about the most popular and best varieties of sweet pepper, which will definitely help you make your choice:
Video: pepper seeds - how to choose the right varieties
How to plant pepper seedlings
It is very important to properly plant pepper for seedlings, and first choose the optimal time for sowing, prepare and process the planting material itself, soil and containers. And, of course, sow the seeds themselves to the desired depth.
When to sow seeds: optimal sowing time
Note! The site already has a detailed article about, including favorable days for landing in 2019, according to the lunar calendar.
How to prepare seeds for planting seedlings
Note! More complete information on the preparation and processing of pepper seeds before sowing seedlings you'll find .
To make the correct and efficient planting of pepper seeds for seedlings, it is important to carry out preliminary seed preparation. This procedure will help to disinfect the planting material, as well as activate its vitality in a shorter time.
Note! The shelf life of pepper seeds should not exceed 3 years. Further, germination is significantly reduced.
Important! On sale you can find pelleted (granulated) pepper seeds. Such planting material does not need any preparation, it has already been processed and coated with a special nutrient shell. It must be sown dry so as not to wash off the protective film.
Technology for preparing pepper seeds for sowing:
- disinfection (etching) in a pink solution of potassium permanganate (this is a very weak remedy), it is much better in (Alirin, Gamair is also suitable) for 20-30 minutes (in gauze), followed by rinsing under running water;
- soaking in a growth stimulator, for example, in "Epin" or "Zircon" (according to instructions) in order to enhance growth processes;
As an option, you can use an infusion of ash (1 tablespoon per 500 ml of water, let stand for 2 days), in which you need to withstand the seeds wrapped in a gauze bag for 4-5 hours.
- germination (soaking) of seeds in water(you can add a growth stimulant) for their swelling and subsequent awakening (germination).
If you simply submerge the seeds in water, there will be no effect, because oxygen is required to awaken them. So seeds need to be soaked in a damp cloth (namely a cloth or cotton pads, they can grow roots into gauze) so that the seeds have access to both moisture and air), For example, putting it on a saucer, and covering it with a plastic bag (food wrap) on top so that moisture does not evaporate quickly, in other words, create a greenhouse effect.
Wherein optimal seed germination temperature pepper - + 23-28 degrees. Therefore, a saucer with soaked seeds should be removed in a warm place, for example, on a kitchen cabinet. and 2-3 days before germination.
Video: preparing pepper seeds for sowing seedlings
Note! The most complete information on the processing and preparation of pepper seeds for sowing seedlings you'll find .
Which substrate to choose
In order for seedlings to have all the necessary components for growth and development at the initial stage, a special soil should be selected.
The soil mixture itself should be loose, light and nutritious, and its acidity should be close to neutral.
If the gardener is not able to cook it on his own, you can solve the problem by buying ready ground for growing seedlings of pepper(which is usually also suitable for eggplant and tomatoes).
If desired, the necessary soil mixture can be prepared independently by combining and mixing the following components:
- garden (garden) land;
- peat;
- perlite, coconut substrate or river sand.
Important! Experts do not recommend adding humus or mineral fertilizers to the soil mixture at the stage of sowing seeds for seedlings, as this can lead to intensive growth of the aerial part with further lodging of seedlings.
Some gardeners initially sow germinated seeds in pure coco substrate (without soil), to subsequently transplant into pots with soil, although again you can mix the earth with coconut. But the method is very risky, it is better to just experiment with it first.
Advice! Before sowing pepper seeds, the right decision is to preliminary disinfection of the soil. For example, it can be calcined in the oven or microwave. Or shed with a bright pink solution of potassium permanganate, a preparation or "Previkur" (according to instructions).
Video: land for seedlings of peppers, eggplants and tomatoes
Planting tank selection
What is the best container to use for planting a crop, each gardener decides for himself.
Naturally, if you are going to grow with a pick, then it is initially logical to sow in a common container (wooden box, plastic container), and then pick into individual containers. Although initially it can be sown in small (0.1-0.2 liters) personal cups (pots or cassettes).
If without a pick, then, of course, immediately into separate sufficiently voluminous containers (from 0.5 liters).
Important! The main requirement for the landing container is that it must have drainage holes.
Alternatively, you can also (optionally) add a drainage layer of expanded clay or fine gravel.
To understand the advantages and disadvantages of one or another landing container, it is worth considering several options.
Plastic cups
The most popular and convenient container for growing seedlings of pepper and other crops.
For planting and further picking, plastic cups with a volume of 100 to 500 ml are required.
Advantages: reusable, extracting seedlings without damaging the roots, low price.
Disadvantages: lack of drainage holes, the need for an additional pallet, instability, inconvenience during transportation.
wooden box
The advantage of this container is that it is durable and you can make it yourself, saving the family budget. In addition, when transporting seedlings, no additional devices are required.
The disadvantage of a wooden box is that when filled, it has a lot of weight, and with further transplantation into the ground, the seedlings are almost impossible to pull out without damaging the root system.
Therefore, boxes, as a rule, are used only for the initial sowing of seeds, and in the future, individual containers are already used for picking.
Plastic cassettes
Cassettes are plastic cells interconnected. Now they are offered for sale in a very wide range, which allows you to choose containers of different sizes complete with a tray and a transparent lid.
As a rule, plastic cassettes are used for picking, but, in theory, they can be used for initial sowing.
The advantage of using them is that they are already equipped with drainage holes, are easily cut with scissors into individual specimens, and are also light in weight and allow you to easily remove seedlings from the cell (during transshipment and planting in the ground).
The disadvantages of the structures include fragility and relative inconvenience during the further transportation of seedlings.
Peat cups (pots)
They are round containers made of ecological material (peat and cardboard, ideally 70% and 30%).
Ideal for picking.
The main advantage is that they dissolve in the soil and provide additional plant nutrition while the root system is not damaged. In other words, seedlings are planted without taking out, but together with a pot burying it in the ground.
The main disadvantages of these landing tanks is that they are very moisture evaporates quickly therefore regular and frequent watering is very important. However, because of this, they often moldy(due to overflow). In addition, peat cups have a relatively high cost.
Video: the pros and cons of planting seedlings in peat pots
By the way! There are also peat cassettes.
Peat tablets
They are compressed peat, which is placed in a thin shell. Before sowing seeds for seedlings, you must first soak the tablets in water for about 10 minutes.
Tablets are easy to use, stimulate the development of a strong root system, as they have a balanced nutritional composition. The disadvantages include the rapid evaporation of moisture, the need for an additional pallet and a high price.
Video: sowing seeds in peat tablets.
By the way! Lately it has become popular to plant in snails. Indeed, this is convenient, but peppers do not tolerate picking, and with this method, rather severe damage to the roots occurs during picking. Therefore, it is better to leave it for tomatoes, for which the transplant is not at all terrible.
Landing pattern
When sowing seeds of sweet pepper, it should be understood that over time, the seedlings will need more space, so initially they should be planted at a distance so that they can fully develop before picking, without interfering with each other.
Important! In the case of dense plantings, the risk of developing diseases increases, the seedlings will stretch excessively and develop poorly due to lack of light and nutrition.
Bell pepper seeds are recommended to be planted in rows at a distance of 1.5-2 cm from each other and with a row spacing of 3-4 cm. The more free space each seedling has, the longer it will be able to fully develop without picking. Such an optimal sowing technology will contribute to the normal cultivation of seedlings in the future.
Think! Some gardeners believe that pepper is better to grow without picking at all, in other words, the seeds should be planted immediately in separate pots or at a greater distance (3-5 cm apart, 4-6 cm in a row).
Video: growing pepper without a pick
Direct fit
Step-by-step instructions for sowing sweet pepper seeds for seedlings:
- Pour the prepared soil into the container.
- pour over warm water and allow moisture to soak in, and the soil to settle.
- Make rows 1 cm deep with acceptable row spacing.
By the way! Some plant peppers to a depth of 1.5 cm, but the recommended one is exactly 1 cm.
- Spread the seeds at a distance.
- Sprinkle with soil and moisten the surface with a spray bottle.
- Cover the container with a transparent lid or cover with a plastic bag (film) to create a greenhouse effect.
- Put in a dark and warm place until shoots appear when temperature + 25-27 degrees, like a kitchen cabinet.
Video: sowing pepper seeds for seedlings
And the next video shows an even more detailed process of sowing sweet pepper seeds for seedlings:
Caring for pepper seedlings after sowing
In order to eventually grow full-fledged and strong seedlings, you should familiarize yourself with the basic rules for caring for and growing peppers at home.
Temperature and light conditions
In the future, for the stable growth of the aerial part without compromising the development of the root system the air temperature during the day should be within + 22-26 degrees, and at night - + 16-18 degrees. Optimal soil temperature - + 19-21 degrees.
Pepper is a short day plant.
Therefore, in order for the seedlings to fully develop, daylight hours should be only about 9-10 hours(and for late varieties even less).
Because sowing seedlings occurs early enough, then, of course, it is optimal to place the seedlings on the southern windowsill, but a western or eastern window is also suitable (or even better, a southwestern or southeastern one).
However, if your windows face the north side or you often have cloudy weather, then seedlings cannot be dispensed with.
Watering
Watering pepper seedlings at home should only when the topsoil dries up, avoiding overflow and drying out of the earth (especially withering of plants).
Important! Water for watering pepper seedlings should be separated and warm (+ 25-30 degrees) or at least at room temperature.
Video: utrails for seedlings of peppers - from germination to picking
picking
Pepper negatively tolerates any damage to the roots and recovers for a long time after transplantation, so picking should be done very carefully.
How to care for seedlings after picking
Further care for pepper seedlings is similar: you need to maintain temperature and light conditions, as well as water on time and, if necessary, start feeding.
top dressing
Top dressing is an important element in the care of pepper seedlings at home. However, if you originally used nutrient soil, then you can usually do without additional fertilizer. But, if the appearance of the seedlings causes concern, then top dressing is simply necessary, it will help the plant develop normally.
By the way! If your young plants need extra food, then all the information about feeding seedlings of pepper you'll find .
Preparing for planting in the ground - hardening
Since seedlings are grown at home, before planting seedlings in open ground, they should first be adapted to more severe environmental conditions (for example, to sudden temperature changes, direct sunlight, etc.) so that after transplanting, they do not fall into a strong stressful situation. .
To do this, 2 weeks before planting the seedlings in a permanent place, in open ground, you should start preparing it, in other words, harden it, gradually taking the seedlings to the balcony or to the greenhouse.
Video: caring for pepper seedlings - from picking to planting
When and how to plant pepper seedlings in open ground: optimal timing
Pepper seedlings should be planted in a permanent place only when minutes threat of return frosts, and the air temperature will not be lower than +15 degrees, regardless of the time of day. Wherein the soil should warm up to at least +10, and better + 12-15 degrees.
As for the requirements for appearance, then pepper seedlings by the time of planting should be strong, with a well-developed root system and have 8-12 true leaves. In addition, early varieties should have clearly defined first buds.
Thus, the approximate time for planting pepper in the ground in the South of Russia is the second half - the end of April, in the Middle lane (Moscow region) - the second half of May, and in the northern regions (Urals, Siberia) - no earlier than the 3rd decade of May - the beginning of June, around the same time, pepper is also planted in the North-West (Leningrad region).
Naturally, it is possible to plant in a greenhouse earlier (for 1-2 weeks), because. soil in closed ground warms up faster.
The very procedure for planting pepper seedlings in open ground is standard: transfer the seedlings into pre-prepared planting holes, maintaining the integrity of the earthen coma, and then thoroughly shed.
Thus, even a novice summer resident is able to grow strong and healthy seedlings of pepper at home, which in the end will be able to give a generous and tasty harvest. It is only necessary to comply with all the requirements for sowing and seedling conditions, and also not to ignore the basic rules for its cultivation.
Video: growing pepper from A to Z - from sowing seedlings to planting in open ground and harvesting
In contact with
Pepper is one of those crops that are grown only in seedlings. Planting seeds is an important condition for obtaining healthy seedlings of peppers. To choose the right seeds, it is necessary to take into account the peculiarities of the climate, growing conditions, taste preferences. The correct timing of planting seeds affects high yields. In this case, it is necessary to take into account the time required for seed germination, the duration of the growing season, the estimated time for planting plants in a permanent place, the period of the beginning of the first frosts. Of great importance is the timely inspection of plants and fruits for the presence of diseases and pests of seedlings. If necessary, measures must be taken immediately, otherwise the plant may die.
- Varieties and hybrids of vegetables are selected according to their climatic zone. If almost all varieties can be grown in the southern latitudes, then in the northern regions it is better to give preference to those subspecies of the vegetable that ripen quickly, and the harvest is carried out within 15-16 weeks from the moment the first shoots appear.
- Varieties are purchased that are suitable for growing seedlings. Pepper seeds are not sown in open ground.
- If there are no conditions for growing seedlings, then ready-made plants are bought.
- When buying seedlings, you need to decide what kind of pepper you need: sweet Bulgarian or hot. The material must be resistant to pests, diseases and bad weather conditions.
- If in the future it is planned to collect their own seeds, then they opt for varieties, not hybrids.
- You can choose seeds according to the appearance of the fruit. There are many different shapes and colors of vegetables.
- If you plan to grow only a few plants, then it will be preferable to purchase ready-made plants. This will help save time and money.
- Seeds are bought only in special stores. When purchasing material, you should ask to show a quality certificate for the selected varieties and hybrids.
- Make a choice in favor of bright packages with seeds. Usually the photo depicts a fetus that actually looks completely different.
- Buy hybrids if you plan to collect your own seeds. They are marked on the packaging with the F1 icon. Hybrids do not produce offspring.
- Be afraid of pelleted seeds. Dragee is a treatment with fertilizers to bring benefits to seedlings.
- Buy exotic types of pepper. Each variety has its own requirements regarding climatic conditions, so plants that are intended for cultivation in another region may simply not grow.
- Acquire a lot of planting material. Seeds have a limited shelf life, so if they are stored for too long, they may lose their quality.
- Humus (2 parts) and sod land (1 part).
- The same amount of peat and humus.
- Humus (3 parts) and sod land (2 parts).
- Nutritious peat soil (2 parts) and sod land (1 part).
- Peat (4 parts), soddy land (2 parts), humus (1 part), rotted sawdust (1 part).
- Nitrophoska or wood ash - 1 tsp. for 1 liter of water. The soaking time is 24 hours.
- Liquid sodium humate or fertilizer "Ideal". Seeds must be kept for one day at a solution temperature of 25–28 degrees.
- The drug "Azotifit" (5–10 ml) per 500 ml of water. Soaking time is 2 hours.
- Change the top soil in the greenhouse every year.
- After a few years, it is necessary to change the place for growing peppers in the garden. Poor predecessors are eggplant, tomatoes and other nightshade crops.
- Plant hybrids, as they are more resistant to viruses, bacteria and fungi.
- At the end of the season, all greenhouses and greenhouses must be completely disinfected. When growing peppers in year-round greenhouses, sanitization should be carried out twice a year.
- Seeds for seedlings must be degreased using an aqueous solution of manganese or hydrogen peroxide.
- Do not plant weak or pest-affected plants in open ground.
- When planting plants in open ground, plants should not be planted too densely. In the aisles, it is necessary to maintain constant cleanliness, to prevent the appearance of weeds.
- To prevent the spread of fungal diseases, plants should be sprayed with preparations that contain copper.
- Once a week, you need to carefully examine the fruits, stems, leaves. Constant monitoring of growth and formation of ovaries is necessary. Urgent treatment measures should be taken at the first signs of the disease. Otherwise, the plant may die.
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Criterias of choice
When choosing pepper seeds, one must not forget about the main criteria, which include the following points:
The best varieties of pepper for different regions:
Mistakes
Quite often, gardeners, when buying seeds, make mistakes that do not allow them to get the expected result in the end. When purchasing planting material, you should not do the following:
Sowing dates
Pepper is a crop that is grown only with the help of seedlings. If the seeds are thrown directly into the ground, then the first shoots will begin to appear 20 days later than with the seedling method. Moreover, most plants may simply not survive. Therefore, it is very important to correctly calculate the timing when it is necessary to sow pepper for seedlings. To do this, the subspecies of the plant, the time of seed germination, the duration of the growing season, the approximate dates of planting in a greenhouse or soil are taken into account. The time of the appearance of the first frosts, the climatic features of the vegetable growing region are important.
In order to determine the time of planting, it is necessary to choose the date of planting in a permanent place, subtract the duration of the growing season, which is usually indicated on the seed packaging. From the date obtained, it is necessary to subtract the time it takes for the seeds to germinate. The result is an estimated sowing date.
Do not rush to sow seeds for seedlings. In January and early February, sowing is carried out in professional greenhouses. If home seedlings are planted very early, then it will often be necessary to transplant them into large containers, the number of picks will increase, which will additionally injure the root system of plants.
The growing season of pepper is 90–150 days, and seedlings are transplanted at the age of 60–80 days. Accordingly, the optimal landing period is the period from February 20 to March 10. A more accurate date can be calculated if you know the characteristics of the variety.
According to the lunar calendar
For some gardeners, an important condition for determining the timing of sowing seeds is the lunar calendar. Favorable days for sowing pepper for seedlings in March: 8, 9, 10, 11, 20, 22, 23, 24; in April - 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 22, 23, 26, 27.
It is equally important to know what days you can work in the garden and garden. The following days are considered unfavorable for all types of gardening work:
Soil preparation
Pepper seedlings need nutritious, light and loose soil. You can buy it in a special store or make it yourself. There are several options for preparing soil mixtures:
If purchased soil is used for planting, chalk or dolomite flour must be added to it at the rate of 2 tbsp. l. per 10 liters of substrate. Another suitable option would be to mix the soil with the same amount of garden soil.
No matter what soil is used, it must be disinfected.
For this purpose, the soil is watered with a saturated pink solution of potassium permanganate. The earth is frozen and thawed several times, steamed or heated in an oven at a temperature of 90 degrees.
Seed preparation
Preparation for planting seeds includes several activities. First of all, the seeds must be disinfected. They must be examined, all damaged ones removed, soaked for half an hour in a saturated solution of potassium permanganate, rinsed with running water. After that, the seeds are aged in one of the following solutions:
For longer preservation of nutrients after soaking, the seeds must be treated with a solution of "Liposal". For 100 ml of water, 1 ml of the product must be used, after which the material must be dried well for one hour.
The next step is germination. This requires a low capacity. You can use a plate, saucer, jar lid. At the bottom of the container, gauze, cotton wool, filtered paper, a piece of cotton cloth well moistened with water or a solution of ash at the rate of 1 tbsp. l. for 1 liter of water.
Another way to prepare is to harden the seeds. This process is necessary in order to increase germination and resistance to poor conditions. To do this, place the material for 2 days on the lower shelf of the refrigerator. After that, it must be taken out and left for 24 hours in a warm place at a temperature of 18 degrees. After that, the seeds are again placed in the refrigerator. After 2 days, they must be obtained and immediately landed.
Seeds should be carefully scattered over the surface of the container, covered with plastic wrap on top. They should be at a temperature of 25-30 degrees. Drying out the seeds should be avoided. To do this, they need to be moistened periodically. You can start sowing when a part has already germinated, while others swell. On average, this process takes up to 2 weeks.
Sowing
The containers are filled with soil, which must be well moistened with clean water or a pink solution of manganese. When planting seeds in a seedling box, it is necessary to make grooves 1 cm deep at a distance of 3 cm from one another. If separate containers are used as containers, then 2 holes 1 cm deep must be made in the soil, in which one seed must be planted.
After that, the seeds should be sprinkled with a soil mixture with sand in equal parts. The layer thickness is 1.5 cm. The soil should be slightly compacted.
Seeds should be carefully watered so that they do not wash out on the surface of the soil. Plants need regular spraying with a spray bottle.
Put labels from bags with the name of the variety. To prevent evaporation of moisture, crops are placed in bags, a greenhouse or covered with cling film at a temperature of 25 degrees. You can put the containers on the battery, after laying plywood or board on it.
Growing seedlings
When the first shoots appear, it is necessary to remove the film and transfer the plants to a bright windowsill. During the first week, the seedlings should be at a daytime temperature of 13-16 degrees, and at night - from 8 to 10 degrees (for this you can open the window). Next, you need to raise the temperature again to 27 degrees.
Seedling care includes proper watering of plants. In the early days, moistening the soil is not recommended. It is necessary to water the seedlings abundantly once a week. Water should be poured under the root, trying to avoid getting it on the shoots.
After the first 2-4 true leaves appear on the plants, you need to pick in separate containers. This will help reduce the risk of damage to seedlings by root rot. When picking, you need to take the plants by the "ears" so as not to damage the stem.
The hole should be large enough so that the roots can fit freely in it without bending. The root system is sprinkled with soil and slightly compacted. The root neck can be deepened by no more than 0.5 cm.
2 weeks after picking, the first top dressing is carried out. For this, the composition is used: for 10 liters of water, 5 g of urea and 30 g of superphosphate.
The second top dressing is carried out 4 days before planting seedlings. For 10 liters of water, you need 50 g of superphosphate and 25 g of potassium sulfate. The top layer of the container must be loosened from time to time.
Preparation for landing in the ground
The height of seedlings ready for planting in a permanent place is 20–30 cm. Each plant should have 7-8 true leaves. Landing is carried out after 50-70 days at an average daily temperature of 16-17 degrees. Before this, seedlings should be prepared. To this end, two weeks before planting, the plants are hardened. On the first day, you can open the window for 1 hour, increasing the time to 7-8 hours. The day before landing, peppers should be taken out to the veranda and left for the whole night.
It is necessary to prepare not only the plants themselves, but also the soil, especially if the site has clay soil. It is necessary to introduce peat and humus into the soil, dig it well and level it. There should be about 50 cm between the holes. Row spacings are located at a distance of 60 cm. The depth of the hole should be such that the root neck is flush with the soil surface. Fertilizer based on nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium must be applied to each well.
Carefully remove the plant from the pot and place in the hole. Then it is half covered with earth. Abundant watering should be carried out (the third part of the bucket for 1 hole). After the water is absorbed, the hole should be filled with loose soil. Landings need to be mulched with peat. If necessary, the seedlings are tied to a support. After that, you need to put labels with the name of the variety. At temperatures below 13 degrees, plants should be covered with non-woven material.
Pest and disease control
The yield of pepper can be significantly less due to the harmful effects of seedling pests. The table shows the methods by which plants can be protected:
Name | Manifestation | effect on the plant | Fighting methods |
The stems and axils of the leaves of the seedlings are covered with sweet streaks. | The larvae feed on the juices of young plant shoots. Seedlings wither, flowering stops, fruit formation | Spray plants with insecticides. For this purpose, an infusion of tobacco ash is suitable, with which seedlings are abundantly sprayed. Processing must be carried out before the appearance of ovaries |
|
The reverse side of the leaves and stems is covered with cobwebs | With severe damage, the plant withers, grows slowly or stops growing. Seedlings may die | For a preventive purpose, it is necessary from time to time to spray the crops with warm water, to ventilate the greenhouse, and to remove the film from the plantings. Affected plants must be washed with an aqueous solution of liquid soap, which is mixed with onion or garlic juice. This type of treatment is allowed at all stages of seedling life. |
|
Slugs spread during warm and humid weather | Eat the greens of seedlings, weaken plants, contribute to the decay of stems and fruits | It is important to monitor the timely removal of weeds, the maximum purification of the soil. To scare away pests, parsley is planted on the same bed with pepper. Near the beds with peppers, small grooves should be dug, which should be regularly sprinkled with ashes. |
|
More common outdoors than greenhouses | Manual collection of insects, shaking of bushes. You can plant bush beans nearby. It will help repel pests. An effective remedy is an infusion of celandine |
||
The plant is affected even at the seedling stage | The lower part of the stem becomes thin and dark | The reason is acidification of the soil as a result of abundant watering, low temperature and heavy soil. Frequent loosening of the earth around the plants. Watering is carried out next to the stem, and not under the root. You can dry the soil with wood ash. If the plant is affected, then it must be sprayed with a solution of an antibacterial drug, for example, "Barrier" |
|
dark spots on vegetables | Black spots gradually begin to appear on the fruits, which eventually spread throughout the plant or pepper | For cultivation, it is better to use hybrids that are resistant to this disease. Regular treatment of plants with a preparation such as "Barrier" is recommended. |
|
Brown spots with musty smell. The disease is typical for greenhouses with low temperature and high humidity. | At temperatures below 5 degrees Celsius, gray rot first spreads to the fruits, and then to the ground part of the plants. | Remove the affected areas of the vegetable and immediately destroy them. The plant is treated with any antifungal drug. The best option is to use "Barrier" |
|
Dark spots with a smell of rot on leaves and fruits | The disease is typical for greenhouses. The upper parts of plants are more often affected, which contributes to its rapid spread. | Contributes to the development of this disease, a high rate of potassium and nitrogen in the fertilizers used. The correct watering regimen and regular airing will help to cope with rot. The cause of the disease is an excess of potassium |
Prevention
In order to prevent plant diseases, you need to follow simple rules:
If you properly care for the culture, you can delight yourself and your family with delicious, fresh and healthy pepper fruits for a long time.
The fact that the lunar phases in one way or another affect all life on the planet has long been known. The same explains the popularity of lunar calendars for gardeners and gardeners. Today we will talk about how to properly sow pepper seedlings according to the lunar calendar.
Conditions for growing peppers
Organizing the necessary temperature conditions for the development of pepper seedlings in a residential area is not as simple as it might seem at first glance.
You should know at least that under the ceiling of the apartment the temperature is 1-2 degrees higher than the average, and above the floor level - 2-3 degrees lower. The brightest place in the room - the window sill, it turns out, is also the coldest, but the seedlings need warmth.
But it is possible to organize artificial lighting for seedlings, close to natural, in a warmer place in the apartment. Being at a temperature of 26-28 ºC, the pepper will germinate for the eighth to twelfth day. At a temperature of 20-26 ºC, the seeds will sprout in the period from 13 to 17 days. At 18-20 ºC - after 18-20 days. At 14-15 ºC shoots will appear after 30 days.
As soon as the seeds begin to sprout, they will need to be moved closer to the light. The temperature will need to be lowered to 15 ºC for 7 days. Then raise again to 23 ºC during the day and 20 ºC at night.
Important! Ventilate the room with seedlings regularly, but do it carefully enough. Seedlings are afraid of cold air and even more drafts.
How to choose the time for planting pepper seedlings using the lunar calendar
Using the sowing calendar, you will find out the auspicious time when it is best to plant pepper seedlings. You will learn the changes in the phases of the moon, which determine the quality and quantity of the crop. Plants should never be planted on a full moon or a new moon.
The fact is that during these periods, all the nutritious juices of seedlings are collected either in the upper part, or are concentrated in the root system. Such a course of events prevents the plant from developing fully.
But if you plant peppers during the waxing of the moon, its growth activity will be much higher compared to the waning period.
Favorable days for planting pepper for seedlings in January are the following - 5, 6, 7, 8, 30. Only on the 11th and 28th is it not recommended to take on this matter.
Seedlings of peppers february prosperous on these numbers - 14.16, 23. There are two unfavorable days - 11 and 26.
Planting peppers in March desirable 4, 14, 20, 31, and undesirable - 12, 28.
auspicious days April- 9, 18, 27, 28, and unfavorable - 11, 26.
Favorable days for planting pepper seedlings in May the next - 8, 14, 24. Unfavorable - 11 and 25.
AT June it is better to do 2, 11, 20 and forget 9, 24.
auspicious days July- 3, 4, 26, 30, and unfavorable - 9, 23.
August favors 2, 22, 24, 28, and warns 7 and 21.
auspicious days September- 5, 23, 26, 27, unfavorable - 6, 20.
AT October we sow pepper for seedlings - 3, 4, 22, 30, we do not sow - 5, 19.
Better days november- 2, 3, 19, 20, 30, and the worst - 4, 18.
December favorable 2, 20, 25, 29 and unfavorable only 3 and 18.
Did you know? The first written mention of pepper was found in India. They were written in Sanskrit over 30 centuries ago. India is considered the birthplace of pepper, even if it grows in other countries of the tropics.
To grow pepper, planting on seedlings of which should take place according to several important criteria, it is not enough to use only the lunar calendar. 
To grow it in 2017, two important points should be considered:
- Features of the planted variety.
- Is a pickup planned? If so, then the development of the plant will lag behind by about 10 days.
The local climate also plays an important role. Having decided on the approximate date of transplanting pepper to a permanent place, subtract from this number from 60 to 85 days. Thus, the date for sowing peppers for seedlings will be optimal.
After that, check again with the lunar calendar for 2017. So you calculate the days favorable for planting at home and get a good harvest in the future.
Did you know? Once upon a time, pepper could be used to pay for goods and pay off fines.
Features of growing pepper seedlings: the choice of planting material and seedling care
You can choose sweet and hot peppers according to many criteria, which for the most part are individual. The main condition for selection is based on basic criteria.
The main varieties and hybrids of pepper must be selected in relation to the climatic features of the zone in which they will be grown.
In the south, gardeners are almost unlimited in choice, because there you can grow late varieties of vegetable crops, which are highly productive. In the north, mainly early-ripening varieties that ripen for 14-17 weeks give a good harvest.
Remember that you need to choose exactly those seeds that are suitable for growing seedlings. Sowing seeds in unprotected soil is a thankless task, since the pepper will not be able to produce a crop before the onset of frost.
If you have unsuitable conditions for germinating seedlings at home, then do not take on the purchase of seeds at all. It is better to purchase planting material in nurseries, specialized stores or garden pavilions.
After all, it is there that you have the greatest chance to buy exactly those varieties of pepper that you want, as well as get expert advice about seedlings. But it is not always possible to buy either seeds or seedlings in such places, so it remains to move in the direction of the market.
When buying seedlings, pay attention that the leaves of the seedlings are sufficiently developed, even green in color, there is no white bloom and spots. In general, seedlings should look firm and stretched upwards.
If it is weak and drooping, then do not take it even after the assurances of the sellers that after landing it will perk up. It is not uncommon for seedlings to be sold on the market that at first glance are good and healthy, and as a result, the product turns out to be illiquid.
It can be overfed with nitrogen fertilizers, growth stimulants or inhibitors, on the contrary, inhibiting development. Such seedlings bloom poorly, develop poorly and give an unimportant harvest.
Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to recognize such a catch at the place of purchase. Therefore, it is better to take seeds in a package from a trusted manufacturer and grow them in the usual way for seedlings at home.
Important!Buy seeds for pepper seedlings exclusively in specialized stores. Also, always ask for a quality certificate for the selected seed.
Decide which pepper you want to grow: spicy or sweet, because their growing characteristics vary significantly. Calculate in advance the number of fruits of a particular variety that you want to get at the exit. Ask which varieties and hybrids are more resistant to adverse conditions, diseases and pests. First of all, choose hybrids of the most resistant varieties. If you want to harvest only from your own seeds in subsequent years, it is better to buy varietal peppers.
From them you can collect seeds that next year you will no longer have to buy again. It turns out that you will select the best varieties for yourself and then grow them for several years. You can also choose pepper according to external signs. Sweet pepper fruits have an incredible variety of color shades and shapes.
Did you know?Pepper nameChilealthough it is a homonym in Russian, consonant with the state of Chile, it comes from the word "chilli" from the Aztec languages Nahuatl, which means "red" in translation.
Soil mix for pepper seedlings
Sowing pepper for seedlings is best done in loose, nutritious, sterile and neutral soil, possibly slightly acidic with a pH level of 6-6.5. You can buy ready-made soil mixture in specialized garden stores or cook it yourself at home.
There are several recipes for preparing the optimal soil for sowing pepper seeds.
Take leafy soil, sand and top peat in a ratio of 1:1:1. You can correct the acid level of the soil with lime fertilizers.
Sod land, river sand and humus in proportions 2:1:1.
Humus, peat and well-washed sand in a ratio of 2:2:1. Then sift the mixture through a sieve.
Humus, sandy loamy soil and turf in the ratio 1:2:2. Stir and add a matchbox of potassium sulfate and two boxes of superphosphate per 10 kg of this mixture to the mixture.
Any of the soil mixtures must be decontaminated before fertilization. A 10% solution of manganese is suitable, which needs to be poured over the soil.
Preparing pepper seeds for sowing
If you bought pre-prepared pelleted seeds, then when you sow peppers for seedlings, you should not prepare them. Since they are encapsulated in a mixture of fertilizers with growth stimulants, soaking them can damage the protection.
Ordinary seeds, in order to disinfect, should be kept in a solution of potassium permanganate. It is prepared as follows: 1 g of the drug should be diluted in 100 ml of water and pepper seeds should be dipped into it for 20 minutes.
When the disinfection is successful, place the seeds in a growth stimulator, which must be prepared strictly following the manufacturer's instructions. Or you can fill them with a solution of mineral fertilizers for 5 hours. After that, rinse the seeds with warm clean water and sow wet.
You can also use bubbling seeds, in which they are placed in a gauze bag and lowered into water, into which air is supplied by a compressor. The duration of this procedure takes 5 hours.
But often the seeds germinate. They are wrapped in wet gauze or a loose cloth, placed in a warm place and moistened regularly, preventing the cloth from drying out. It is better to put a bag of seeds on a saucer and place under a loosely fitting cling film.
Important! In no case do not fill the seeds with water, as they also need oxygen for germination.
This method gives the best results at a temperature of 20-23 ºC. But the seeds that have sprouted have a significant drawback - the sprouts can break off when planted.
Sowing peppers for seedlings at home and caring for it
One of the features of sprouted pepper seedlings is a long recovery after picking. Therefore, it is recommended to sow seeds in separate pots or cups with a diameter of 10 cm and a depth of 12 cm.
If there is no such possibility, it's okay. Prepare a spacious container so that later it will be easier to transplant seedlings with a large earthen clod into pots. The depth of the box should be 5-7 cm, and the soil level should not reach the edge by a couple of centimeters.
Before sowing, be sure to disinfect the container in a solution of potassium permanganate. Sowing pepper seedlings is best done with tweezers. Spread the seeds on the surface of the soil mixture in 2 cm increments and press down. Moisten through a strainer and sprinkle with earth in a layer of 1 cm. Lightly compact. Cover the container with glass or plastic wrap.
Watering pepper seedlings
The first days of seedlings of peppers should not be watered.. If the soil begins to dry out, then gently spray it with water from a spray bottle. From the moment the cotyledon leaves open, watering the seedlings should be transferred to thirty-degree water.
After the seedlings can be moistened with settled rainwater or tap water that has stood at room temperature for a day. Do not let the soil dry out near the seedlings, as peppers react negatively to dry periods.
Excess moisture in the root system is also unacceptable. Maintain 70% humidity in the seedling room and remember that the soil in a small container loses moisture faster than in a large one.
Illumination of seedlings of peppers
Pepper has a longer vegetative period than other vegetable crops, so February or March are the most suitable months when it is necessary to sow pepper.
At such times, daylight hours are still quite short, but seedlings require daily lighting for at least 14 hours in a row.
Therefore, it is necessary to equip additional sources of artificial light. Otherwise, the seedlings will grow thin and elongated with sparse leaves.
Seedlings need 20,000 lux from February to March, when natural light is only a quarter of that - only 5,000 lux.
In order for the process of photosynthesis to take place, the necessary spectrum of light rays is needed: red acts as a stimulator for seed germination and flowering of seedlings; purple and blue help form cells; yellow and green rays have no effect on the formation of plants.
It is for this reason that ordinary yellow incandescent lamps do not make sense to use for the development of pepper seedlings. In addition, they also emit infrared gamut, which overheats the seedlings and stretches it.
The best option for artificial lighting are fluorescent lamps or LED lamps, designed specifically for this purpose. Lighting power should be 200 W per 1 m² of crop area.
At the first stages of development, the backlight should be placed at a height of 20 cm from the tops of the peppers; over time, it should be raised. With the onset of the phase of development of the cotyledon leaves, to stimulate the rapid growth of seedlings, the seedlings should stand under the lamps for 72 hours.
As soon as the first leaves grow on the peppers, reduce the daylight hours to 14 hours. If the sowing of pepper occurred in February, then illuminate the seedlings from early morning until eight in the evening without interruption. In April, light should be given from 6 am to noon and from 4 pm to 7 pm.
Did you know? The conquistadors, who still conquered wild America, got acquainted with red pepper thanks to the Indians. They fended off the "pale faces" by sprinkling embers on them when the wind blew towards the invaders.
Feeding pepper seedlings
In order for the root system of pepper seedlings to develop faster, they should be fed with potassium humate in a proportion of 5 ml per 2 liters of water.
Until flower buds are laid, pepper seedlings grow slowly. After growth is gaining intensity and during the flowering period, seedlings should be fertilized with a composition rich in trace elements. Its recipe is simple: in 10 liters of water, dissolve 1 g of manganese sulfate and 1 g of iron sulfate, 0.2 g of zinc sulfate and 0.2 g of copper sulfate, 1.7 g of boric acid.
Pinching pepper seedlings
Home seedlings of pepper must be pinched - remove the growth points of seedlings. This procedure should be carried out in order to stimulate the development of the root system in the seedlings and the growth of stepchildren in the internodes from sleeping buds, because additional inflorescences are formed in them.
Pinching is carried out during the period of intensive development of pepper. Remove with scissors the part of the plant that is located above 4-6 internodes. When the stepchildren begin to grow, adjust the load of the bush, leaving the 5 most developed stepchildren, and remove the rest. Do not touch the stepchildren in the lower internodes.
Picking pepper seedlings
If the pepper grows in a large container, then at the stage of the appearance of two leaves, the seedlings should be dived. Moisten the soil well and let excess water drain. Dive the seedlings into separate containers of 150 ml.
Carefully transfer the seedlings along with the earthen clod into the holes made in advance. They should be of such a size that the plants can be accommodated without problems along with the root system. Place the roots loosely, avoiding bends, and sprinkle the hole with soil and lightly press.
Do not deepen the root neck of seedlings by more than half a centimeter. Water the seedlings after transplanting. At first, protect it from direct sunlight and keep it at a temperature of at least 15 ºC. Already at 13 ºC the growth of seedlings stops.
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If you have never dealt with peppers and this is your first time learning about this topic, this article will be very useful, as it will give you not only the basic information about all the steps required to obtain a crop, methods, tricks and secrets. But even those experienced gardeners who have their own skills or preferences when growing peppers will also be able to learn something new for themselves, and maybe fundamentally change their approach to business.
A thermophilic vegetable that came to us from Central America - sweet pepper, which our gardeners often call Bulgarian, has more than 2 thousand varieties. And each of them is remarkable not only in taste, the amount of vitamins and other useful substances, but also in the beauty of bright, juicy fruits.
How to choose from the many alluring bags of varieties that you will not be disappointed in? Read the description on the packages and select based on the specific conditions in which you will grow peppers. So in small greenhouses it is better to take low-growing plants, early varieties will soon ripen in open ground, and if there is a desire not to spend money on the annual purchase of planting material, but to collect your seeds from the crop obtained in the garden, then heterozygous hybrids will not work for this. Although they are guaranteed to give healthy and maximally protected plants from diseases.
F1 Pinocchio:
The variety is very early, the fruit weight is about 100 g, the fruits are red, the walls are 5-6 mm thick, interesting in shape - they resemble the elongated nose of a famous wooden doll. Bush up to 70 cm high. Resistant to traditional pepper diseases: top rot and tobacco mosaic.
Atlantic F1: Also a very early variety, but these peppers are taller (up to 110 cm) and the fruits are much more massive (up to 450 g) and have a barrel-shaped appearance.
Gemini F1 is remarkable for its fleshy bright yellow cube-shaped fruits and high fecundity.
The Siberian format will delight you with its juiciness and thickness.
Wonderful reviews about the varieties Bagration, Country, Big Red, Winnie the Pooh, Chardash, Yunga, Zdorovye, Maecenas, Barguzin. Popular varieties are Eroshka, Funtik, California Miracle, Swallow.
Video - sowing pepper seeds for seedlings
Determining the development period
Pepper is a plant with a rather long development period, therefore, seeds are planted for seedlings before all other crops: in February-March. In more northern regions, where fruiting in the open field ends with the onset of cold weather (sometimes as early as September), it is good to have grown plants ready for planting by May. In a warmer climate (or with the expectation of greenhouses and hotbeds), you can wait until the second half of March. The information on the seed bags will allow you to calculate the timing depending on the ripening time of this variety.
It should be remembered: the daylight hours in February are still not long enough for seedlings and you will definitely need additional illumination up to 12-14 hours a day. Ideal for this with a balanced spectrum of light.
In addition, more and more fans of growing fruits and vegetables recognize that it is useful to check the planting day according to the lunar calendar. For peppers, the second phase of our satellite is suitable.
Preplant seed preparation
To plant with dry and unprepared seeds means to complicate and lengthen the process of the entire planting. There are several well-established methods of pre-sowing treatment of seeds for their early germination and obtaining strong and disease-resistant seedlings. Of course, you should not expose the seeds to all possible methods at once, but choosing one of them is highly recommended:
- seeds are kept in water at a temperature of 45-50 degrees for at least 4 hours, then placed on a damp hygroscopic cloth (gauze, cotton) and germinated at 25-27 degrees for another 2-3 days;
- for disinfection, the seeds are dipped in a solution of potassium permanganate (1%) and left there for 20 minutes;
- 10-15 minutes are kept in a forty-degree solution of hydrogen peroxide (per 100 g of water they take 3 ml.), Then they are dried without washing;
- to activate the vitality of the seeds, they are treated for a day with a solution (1: 1) of juice from aloe leaves, previously aged in the refrigerator for about a week;
- fill with health and give quick shoots special purchased means for soaking seeds (Energen, Baikal, Fitosporin, Ideal, Agricola-Start). Ash can also serve as growth stimulants. In 1 liter of water, stir 20 g of ash and insist for a day. Keep the seeds in this solution for 6 hours;
- alternate heat and cold. With this method, the seeds are laid out on a damp gauze or napkin, covered with two layers of film and kept for a day at a temperature of 24-28 degrees, then they are taken out to the cold (5-10 degrees) for 4 hours. Can be on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Then again for 20 hours in heat and for 4 hours in cold. Repeat three times. This method allows the seedlings to harden and vigorously start growing.
IMPORTANT: when soaking the seeds, do not allow complete immersion in water. Seeds should be wet, but not sink!
Usually, the most suitable seeds for seedlings are selected in appearance, that is, the largest and most intact, with a uniform color, but the method of weighing them in saline can help in determining viable seeds. Use a 3% solution. Those seeds that float to the surface when immersed are considered empty and it is useless to plant them.
Soil selection, fertilizer
Prepared seeds are planted in the ground. Since peppers are afraid of picks, it is recommended to plant one or two seeds separately in their container. The cups should be at least 200 g, since tightness will also interfere with the development of plants in the future.
The soil for peppers should be light, loose, non-acidified. You can buy ready-made soil, but it’s more reliable, and sometimes cheaper, to make it yourself:
One part of peat, garden soil and sand is taken.
You can use humus, earth and sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1. Pepper loves additives from finely crushed eggshells or wood ash. They are added in a tablespoon per kilogram of the mixture. If you have the opportunity to dig the soil in a pine or spruce forest, then this is also a great option for seedlings of peppers. But do not forget that the earth excavated closer than 500 meters from highways can be stuffed with harmful and toxic substances.
The acidity of the soil for sweet peppers should not exceed pH 6–6.5. Seedlings are especially sensitive to this indicator, so it is useful to lime the ground.
NEVER spread unrotted manure into the seedling substrate. The nitrogen released as this seemingly beneficial fertilizer decomposes will kill your tender seedlings.
But it will be useful to dilute the soil with such modern materials of the chemical industry as vermiculite or perlite.
We apply fertilizers only after the seedlings release 3-4 true leaves. Before that, there is a danger of overfeeding the plants.
Potassium humate is useful, in order to improve root formation, it is recommended to feed it with a solution (25 ml per 10 liters of water).
After the plant grows confidently, it is useful to water with solutions containing trace elements: boric acid (2 g per 10 liters of water), iron oxides and manganese sulfate - 1 g each. It is very good to add biofertilizers.
Temperature, humidity, watering
Bell peppers love warmth. After the sprouts have hatched, in no case should the temperature drop below 13 degrees for a long time. Pepper will simply die. Optimal temperature -
25-27 degrees. Only in the phase of 7-8 true leaves, you can start hardening pepper seedlings. To do this, the temperature is gradually reduced over 7 days to 14-16 degrees, then again brought into conditions that are comfortable for him.
Humidity is not particularly important for peppers, but if they are too dry they will not grow healthy. Therefore, seedlings must be removed from central heating batteries or moved away or blocked with heat-resistant material.
Watering young bell pepper plants is recommended only with warm, settled water.
IMPORTANT: while the seeds are still sitting in the ground, you should only spray the substrate, in order to avoid their displacement and damage to the resulting roots.
Seeding instructions
So, the seeds are processed, the substrate is ready, we start planting:
Never stack seeds one on top of the other when soaking. The biofield of the seed may be damaged. Place them so that the seeds do not touch each other.
If the variety of bell pepper you have chosen is early ripe, then you can increase its yield in this way: pinch the tops over 6-7 leaves. Seedlings will lag a little behind in development, but subsequently several times more fruits are formed from each formed side shoot.
It is not difficult to get your own seeds from your peppers: select the largest and most beautiful fruits, leave them for a week or two in room conditions, then cut out the middle and separate the seeds. After 5-7 days of drying, place them in a glass jar. Thus, it will be possible to plant seeds up to 5 years.
Video - instructions on how to sow bell peppers for seedlings
When and how to plant pepper for seedlings: planting seeds, terms of the rule, preparing seeds and soil, caring for seedlings, which is described in this article, should be carried out according to all the rules. To get healthy and high-quality pepper seedlings, experienced gardeners recommend growing it yourself. Therefore, summer residents have many questions about how to grow seedlings at home bell pepper.
Before proceeding to planting sweet pepper seeds, first of all, it is necessary to study the information about what the soil should be, landing time, seed preparation rules, proper care, etc. This is discussed in detail in this article.
Planting seeds immediately in open ground pros and cons
Sometimes summer residents do not want to spend time growing seedlings. With the onset of spring heat, they plant seeds immediately into open ground. In this case, there is a certain risk. Pepper belongs to heat-loving plants, therefore, when frost occurs, it may die.
Only gardeners in the southern regions or central Russia can try to plant pepper seeds immediately in a permanent place. Do not plant seeds directly in open ground in the Urals, as well as residents of the northern regions, especially those that are on the list of risky farming. There is no chance that the seeds will germinate and the plant will survive.
There are early ripe varieties that can be planted in open ground, and the rest do not have time to bear fruit before the cold snap. Seeds of early varieties of pepper, as a rule, begin to be sown in the ground from mid-May to early June. At the same time, according to forecasts, there should be no frosts. This method of planting a crop has its plus: no time is wasted on growing pepper seedlings at home.
Disadvantages of growing seeds in open ground:
- With this method, only early ripening varieties can be used.
- In the event of a sudden cold snap, the plant may die or its development will lag far behind.
- Peppers may not fully ripen before the arrival of cold days, even in the southern regions.
- It is necessary to constantly monitor changes in weather conditions, and in case of a cold snap, cover young shoots with covering material in time.
When to sow pepper seeds: optimal sowing dates
This culture has too long a germination time. After planting pepper seedlings must withstand 90-100 days and only after that it is transferred to a permanent place. Young shoots of early ripe varieties grow to the desired size within 3 months. After the earth warms up to a temperature of 16-18 degrees, they are planted in a permanent place.
The plant is transferred to the greenhouse a little earlier, and later to the open ground with shelter. The landing time largely depends on the climatic conditions of the region. Usually, the planting of pepper seeds is determined taking into account the day of the future planting of seedlings in the ground.
- AT Central Russia seeds begin to be sown in late February - early March.
- In the southern regions you can plant seeds from January, and at the end of April, the seedlings are ready for planting in a permanent place.
- In the cold regions of Russia on Ural and Siberia and Northwest seeds are planted in trays in the last decade of March. Plants are best placed in a greenhouse with good heating, then all the fruit ovaries will have time to ripen.
- The crop is planted in a greenhouse with year-round heating twice a year: at the end of January-beginning of February, and then at the end of September.
Often gardeners start sowing peppers taking into account the data lunar calendar. The best time for planting a crop is when the Moon is under the influence of Libra, Aries, Scorpio, Sagittarius. These dates change every year, so there is a special calendar where you can find the exact days. It indicates not only favorable dates for sowing pepper, but also inappropriate days. These dates change every year, so a 2017 or 2020 calendar won't work for 2019.
On packages with seeds, also indicated landing time.
- Varieties with an early development period can be planted in the third decade of February.
- Late varieties should be sown as early as possible.
Important! Seedlings, which were sown in January, require additional lighting. The fact is that for the normal development of shoots, daylight hours are needed more than at this time.
Peppers, even the most early ripening varieties, have such a feature as the time of vegetative development lasting up to 140 days. After the appearance of sprouts, 90 days pass when the fruits begin to ripen. Seeds can germinate for a period of 10 days to 30 days.
Therefore, seeds of early and mid-season varieties are recommended to be sown in the northern regions no later than mid-February, in warmer areas - in early March.
The germination rate of bell pepper seeds depends on the air temperature:
- 26-28 ºC - 8-10 days.
- 20-24 ºC - 13-17 days.
- 18-20 ºC - 18-20 days.
- 14-15 ºC - up to 30 days.
In order for pepper seeds to germinate in a shorter time, they must undergo a special preparation procedure. To do this, you need to prepare in advance:
Planting pepper seedlings at home
To grow healthy and strong seedlings, you should follow some rules.
Which substrate to choose
The soil for planting seeds is prepared in advance. Pepper loves loose soil, well fertilized with neutral or weak acidity (pH 6-6.5). In addition, the soil must be sterile. It is best to use a ready-made substrate purchased from a specialized store. But you can make your own mixture.
So, several of these recipes that do not require special costs can be prepared at home. To do this, take:
- Composition No. 1 - in equal proportions such components: leafy earth, peat and sand. To obtain the desired acidity of the soil, lime fertilizers are introduced;
- Composition No. 2 - soddy soil, compost, sand in a ratio of 2: 1: 1;
- Composition No. 3 - 2 parts of humus and peat, 1 part of washed river sand, then pass the mixture through a sieve;
- Composition No. 4 - humus, meadow sandy loamy soil and soddy land in (1: 2: 2). A handful of potassium sulfate and two handfuls of superphosphate are added to the resulting mixture per 10 liters of the finished mixture.
Important! Before introducing fertilizer into any soil mixture, it must first be disinfected.
One way:
- steam on a steam bath;
- calcine by placing the soil in the oven for half an hour at a temperature of 150 degrees;
- pickle by treating the mixture with a strong solution of manganese.
How to prepare seeds for planting seedlings
The pelleted seeds, which are contained in capsules, do not need special preparation for sowing, since they already contain both a growth stimulator and all the necessary nutrients.
Such seeds cannot be soaked, otherwise their capsule will become unusable.
Ordinary seeds for the purpose of disinfection are placed for 20 minutes in a solution of potassium permanganate:
- per 100 g of water;
- 1 g of crystals.
After that, the seeds are dried and treated in a growth stimulator. You can also place the seeds for 4-5 hours in a solution of mineral fertilizers. After all the procedures, the seeds are washed well in running water and immediately sown in the ground.
Sometimes vegetable growers prefer to sparge the seeds. They are placed in gauze and lowered into a jar of water. Air is passed through with the help of a compressor for 4-5 hours.
Most gardeners follow the more common seed germination procedure. They are placed in a light cloth moistened with water and kept warm on a plate. So that the gauze with seeds does not dry out, it is covered with a film. Planting material should not be completely in the water, as it still needs air.
Seeds sprout best at room temperature of 20-23º C. However, pepper sprouts are too fragile and can be easily damaged when sown. In the case of using this method of preparing seeds for sowing, it is necessary to treat them with a growth stimulator after disinfection.
Sowing pepper seedlings
Since this crop has a long recovery period after picking, gardeners advise sowing pepper seeds immediately into small containers with a diameter of 10 cm and a depth of no more than 12 cm. If this method is inconvenient to use, you can take spacious trays for sowing seeds.
In this case, when picking, the seedlings can be transferred to separate cups with a large clod of soil. The depth of the container should be about 5-6 cm, while the soil is not filled up to the very edges of the dishes, but 2 cm are left.
Important! Trays must be washed and treated with a solution of potassium permanganate.
For sowing seeds, you can use tweezers, with which they are laid out on the surface of the earth. Seeds are slightly buried in the ground at a distance of 1.5-2 cm from each other. After that, the surface is moistened with water from a spray bottle and sprinkled with soil with a layer of 1 cm. The substrate is slightly compacted and covered with a film.
When sprouts appear, the trays are placed for 1-2 days on a warm windowsill. After the sprouts turn dark green and the first leaf appears, the plants should immediately dive.
The depth of the container into which the seedlings will be transferred should be about 12-15 cm deep. A few hours before transplanting, young plants need to be well watered. It is desirable to plant seedlings in a checkerboard pattern at a distance of 10-15 cm.
picking
When 2 good leaves appear on the pepper sprouts, the dive procedure is carried out.
Interesting! Some experts believe that it is best to pick a pick during the appearance of the cotyledons.
Seedlings in trays are first watered and wait for excess moisture to drain. Then they are transplanted into separate cups (100-150 ml).
In order not to damage the roots, the seedlings are transferred together with an earthen clod into pre-prepared pits in the ground. The hole is sprinkled with a substrate and lightly pressed down. When transplanting, it is important to deepen the root neck of the plant into the soil by only 5 mm.
The next step is to water the seedlings. If the soil settles, then it is necessary to supplement the cups with earth. The first days for seedlings, it is necessary to create a temperature regime of at least 15 ºC and protect it from direct sunlight.
Important! At a temperature of 13 ºC peppers stop their development.
Seedlings of pepper in peat tablets
Pepper seedlings are sensitive to picking and may not grow for a very long time. Therefore, you can use the method of growing seedlings in peat tablets. Several tablets with a diameter of 3 cm are placed in a transparent bowl, poured with warm boiled water and kept until they pick up moisture.
After swelling of the tablets, the remaining liquid is poured out of the container. In the upper part of the capsules, holes are made up to 1-1.5 cm deep. Prepared seeds are carefully placed in them and covered with nutrient soil. The dishes are covered with plastic wrap or other transparent object.
For quick germination, the seeds are provided with a temperature of at least 25 ºC. After 7 days, you can see the first shoots, and then the greenhouse shelter is removed from the trays and placed in a bright place. At the same time, during the daytime, the air temperature is maintained at the level of 25-27 ºC, and at night - within 11-13 ºC.
After a while, 2-4 strong leaves will appear at the seedlings, and sprouted roots can be seen through the mesh. At this time, seedlings in tablets are planted in separate cups, in which nutrient soil prepared according to the recipe is already located.
Watch the video! How to use peat seedling tablets
Growing seedlings of pepper in cassettes
Nowadays, special plastic cassettes are produced for growing pepper seedlings from seeds. The market has a wide range of products with different sizes. So, there are cassettes measuring 18x13.5x6 cm, in which they have 4 cells for seedlings, each of them has dimensions of 8x6 cm, and the volume is 240 ml.
Also, you can buy boxes of the same size, but with a large number of cells: 6, 9, 12. There are cassettes packed in boxes with a lid through which daylight passes, and at the same time, it does not allow the liquid to evaporate. Gardeners often use cassettes such as mini-greenhouses.
The cells are filled with the desired substrate or peat tablets are placed in them. Pepper seeds are sown in them, covered with plastic wrap or glass. The cassette is placed on a special tray and kept in a warm room at a temperature of 25 º C. It is important to maintain the humidity level by regularly adding water to the tray.
Landing in twists (in Moscow)
More recently, a new way to germinate seeds using toilet paper has been invented. Some gardeners like this method, but there are also its opponents. The main thing in this method is compactness. The technology here is not complicated:
When the sprouts break through the paper, the twist is exposed to a bright place. After the appearance of 2 developed leaves, the roll is untwisted and cut into pieces, in which there are crops with sprouts. They are planted in trays for further development. After the seedlings get stronger, they are transferred to the site.
Caring for pepper seedlings after sowing
Growing conditions
When growing pepper seedlings at home, it is quite difficult to maintain the correct temperature regime. It can be noted that the air under the ceiling is much warmer (by 2-3 degrees). But on the floor it is lower by 2-3 degrees.
In a residential building, the window sill is the brightest place, but it is the coldest, so it is not suitable for growing pepper seedlings. Seedlings should be deepened in the middle of the room, where it is warm, and provide them with artificial lighting.
- Seeds will begin to sprout on days 8-12 at 26-28 ºC.
- At an air temperature of 20-26 ºC, crops will appear in 13-17 days.
- At room temperature around 18-20 ºC, the sprouts will hatch in 18-20 days.
- If the room temperature is 14-15 ºC, then seedlings may appear after 30 days.
After the appearance of sprouts, the trays are immediately transferred to the windowsill with a temperature of up to 15-17 ºC. After 7 days, the temperature is increased during the daytime to 22-25 ºC, and at night - up to 20 ºC. At the same time, try not to expose seedlings to drafts. Also, peppers need fresh air, but not cold.
Watch the video! How to Grow Healthy Pepper Seedlings
Watering seedlings
After the appearance of young sprouts, they are not watered for 2-3 days. If the soil is too dry, it can be lightly moistened with water from a spray bottle. Seedlings begin to water after the first couple of leaves appear. In this case, the water temperature should not be lower than 30 degrees.
Seedling feeding
In order for the root system to develop well, it is fed with potassium humate. For the preparation of fertilizer take:
- 2 liters of water;
- dilute 5 ml of the product in it.
Important! Pepper seedlings develop too little before the formation of flower buds. After that, it grows more intensively.
When the flowering period comes, the plant requires top dressing. Fertilizer is prepared in the following composition for 10 liters of water:
- 1 g of manganese sulfate and iron sulfate;
- 0.2 g of zinc sulfate and copper sulfate;
- 1.7 g of boric acid.
pinching seedlings
Pepper seedlings, which are grown at home, require pinching the ends of the shoots, that is, removing the growth point. In this case, the root system develops better, and the buds wake up in the internodes, from which the ovaries are formed. This procedure is carried out at a time when crops increase their growth rate.
Using a sharp knife or scissors, cut off the part of the shoot that is located above the 4-6th internode. After a while, the plant begins to sprout. Of these, 4-6 stronger stepchildren are left, and the rest are removed. In the lower internodes, it is recommended not to touch the processes.
Seedling illumination
Peppers have such a feature as a long growing season, so their seeds begin to be planted at a time when daylight hours end too early.
Advice! When growing seedlings of pepper, it is necessary to provide additional lighting, since the shoots need up to 12-14 hours of light per day.
- When the seedlings have the first strong leaves, you need to increase the lighting time to 14-16 hours a day. Otherwise, the seedlings will be too weak, the stems are long and thin, and the internodes will be located at a great distance from each other.
- Since February, the plant has been provided with artificial lighting constantly from 7-8 in the morning to 19-20.
- In the spring, in April, additional lighting is left in the morning from 6 to 12 o'clock, and then turned on in the evening from 16 to 19 o'clock.
Diseases and pests on seedlings and treatment
Sometimes vegetable growers are faced with such a problem: when cotyledon leaves appear, the plant begins to turn yellow, and the subcotyledon stem darkens near the ground. As a result, the stem is overstretched and the seedlings die. The cause of death is infection of the bush with a disease such as a black leg.
Its fungus is mainly found in the ground. It happens that the causative agent of the black leg is found in seeds or dirty dishes. That is why, before sowing, it is necessary to disinfect everything. The fungus is activated when:
- poor watering;
- excess moisture;
- incorrect temperature conditions;
- densely planted area.
To prevent infection with a fungal disease of the entire crop, the diseased plant is immediately removed. The rest of the seedlings are treated with preparations that contain copper. In addition, seedlings need to provide good lighting.
Peppers can also become infected with a fungal disease such as Fusarium. The symptoms of such a disease are:
- shoots that already have 2 pairs of leaves suddenly begin to fade, while the leaf plates do not change color;
- seedlings noticeably slow down their growth;
- drooping leaves turn yellow from bottom to top;
- a dark ring forms inside the stem.
Fusarium is a serious disease of vegetable crops. The fight with him is carried out in the same way as with the black leg. In order to prevent infection of seedlings with this disease, before sowing, procedures for preparing the soil, utensils and seeds should be carried out in accordance with all the rules.
If gray fluff is visible on the walls inside the dishes, on the surface of the soil, and also at the base of the shoots, then the seedlings are infected with gray rot. To prevent the disease, it is necessary to spray the seedlings with a solution of potassium permanganate of medium consistency (bright pink) every 10 days.
If signs of infection with gray rot appear, diseased bushes are removed. Crops are treated with copper or bacterial fungicides.
Adult seedlings can become infected with late blight. Its pathogens usually live in the soil. The stems of the plant are covered with dark stripes, and on the leaves closer to the ground, light spots appear, which darken over time.
When the first signs of the disease appear, seedlings are treated with this solution:
- per 1 liter of water;
- 5 ml of iodine.
A later stage of the disease requires the use of fungicides, all infected specimens must first be removed.
With powdery mildew disease, light plaque and spots appear on the stems and leaves. The growth of peppers stops, and the leaves begin to turn yellow. This disease can infect both seedlings and an adult plant. In the treatment of powdery mildew, a bright manganese solution or bacterial fungicides are used.
There are times when seedlings suddenly die without any signs of illness - a hurricane withering of seedlings. Most often, this disease affects crops that are grown in the southern regions (nightshade and sunflower). Unfortunately, there is no cure for this disease, so pepper seeds will have to be sown again.
When and how to plant pepper seedlings in open ground: optimal timing
When 7-8 leaves and large buds appear, and the stem grows up to 20-25 cm in height, the plant needs to be hardened off. Seedlings are kept at a temperature of 16-18 º C for 7-10 days, and gradually it is reduced to 12-14 º C.
Trays with seedlings are taken out to the balcony or to a well-ventilated room with access to direct sunlight. Every day, the time of such procedures is increased. 2-3 days before landing in a permanent place, the peppers are taken out into the fresh air and kept there all night. If the nights are still cold, the seedlings need to be protected from the cold.
When planting plants in open ground, the average air temperature should be below 15-17 degrees. At this point, the seedlings have already formed 8-9 leaves and several buds. Peppers should be transferred to an already prepared area. It needs to be dug up well and leveled. If the soil has a clay structure, peat and humus are added to it.
The holes are dug at a distance of 50 cm from each other, and about 60 cm are left between the rows. Add 1 tbsp to the wells. spoon of mineral fertilizer (superphosphate) and mix it with the ground. The holes are made capacious so that the roots of the bush fit freely in it. When filling the hole, make sure that the root neck is at the level of the surface of the site.
Pepper seedlings are transferred to a hole with an earthen clod. Then earth is poured so that most of the roots are covered. Almost a third of the bucket is poured into the hole and waiting for it to be absorbed. After that, the hole is completely covered with soil.
