Pepper is one of the most useful vegetables, as it has the largest indicator of the content of vitamins, especially vitamin C. This is why almost all growers grow it. But in order to get a crop, it should go up to 140 days from planting, which in conditions of short heat period is impossible. That's why for spicy and sweet peppers , growing with sprouts is used.
In this article, you will learn what are the features of planting peppers on seedlings, and the basic methods that allow you to get a great harvest.
Planting time of pepper for seedlings
Planting seeds of pepper begins before other vegetable crops. You can start it from the middle of January. The time of planting should be calculated depending on when you can land it in the open ground. Early varieties are recommended for 2 months, and later - for 2.5. But even in warm regions it should be done no later than the first week of March.
How to plant pepper on seedlings?
First we check the planting material for germination. To do this, we make a saline solution (30 g of salt dissolve in 1 liter of water), we dip the seeds into it for 7 minutes and mix it. We select only those that have descended. They must be rinsed in plain water and dried.
After this, we start preparing the seeds. It consists of the following procedures:
- Disinfection. We place the selected seeds for 30 minutes in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate . This field should again be rinsed thoroughly under running water.
- Hardening. We put on a small saucer, cover with moistened gauze or cotton wool. Within 6 days during the day they should be at a temperature of + 20 ° C, and at night - at + 3 ° C. Throughout this time, the covering material should be wetted.
- Stimulation. To wake seeds and increase germination, they should be placed for 5-6 hours in a biostimulating solution (for example: 1 tablespoon wood ash per 1 liter of water).
The landing can be made in a large container or in separate cups. As a primer, you can take a universal, coconut substrate or make it yourself, mixing the soil, sand and peat in proportions of 2: 1: 1. Immediately before the beginning, the soil is fertilized and watered.
In the prepared soil, we make furrows 1 cm deep every 5 cm. In them we sow the seeds (after 2 cm) and sprinkle with the soil. After that, the container must be covered with a plastic film or glass.
How to grow pepper seedlings?
In order to grow a good seedling pepper, it is necessary for him to create favorable conditions and proper care:
- temperature regime - optimal for the growth of pepper seedlings is + 25 - 27 ° C, in such conditions shoots appear on the 9-10th day, and at lower temperatures later on - by 18-20;
- lighting - after the emergence of shoots, shelter (glass or film) is removed, for normal development of seedlings, the light day should be 9-10 hours, which is impossible in winter conditions, therefore, it is necessary to organize the planting of plants;
- watering - until sprouts appear, it should be carried out every
2 days using a spray gun, after their appearance - 1 time a week (preferably in the morning), but abundantly, using only warm, standing water for this; - dive - is carried out after the appearance of 2-3 real leaves (approximately 15-20 days), while it is necessary to cut the root by one third so that the lateral roots begin to develop;
- top dressing - begins after the first month, use for this superphosphates (2 tablespoons per 10 liters of water) or Kemira Lux (10 g per 5 liters of water).
If on your seedling pepper before the landing in the ground flowers appeared, then they must be cut off.
Carrying out all the recommendations listed above, you will get a strong seedling of pepper, which in the future will give you a good harvest.