An important stage is the preparation of pepper seeds for seedling on seedlings, since it depends on how fast the shoots appear, what the bush and even the harvest will be. There are several different procedures that many gardeners use.
Preparation of pepper seeds for seedlings
Few people know that pepper is thermophilic, so immediately carry out sowing in the ground is not worth it, and yet it has been ripening for a long time. Because of this, this culture is usually planted through seedlings. Pre-sowing preparation of pepper seeds is of great importance, since they have a shell of essential oils, which slows the germination process. It can be carried out in different ways, for example, soaking, hardening and other procedures are popular.
Selection of pepper seeds for seedlings
When buying seeds in the store, choose the products of well-known companies. Beginners are encouraged to buy varieties that are less whimsical to growing conditions. It is carried out before seeding pepper seed selection - calibration.
- Pour the contents of the sachet onto a sheet of paper and remove small and too large specimens.
- When preparing the material for viability check, prepare the solution by mixing 1 liter of water and 40 g of salt. Dip the selected seeds into it and leave for 10 minutes. Instances that after time has fallen to the bottom are viable, and the rest - discard. Will only dry the planting material.
How to germinate pepper seeds?
The process of germination can take from 5 to 10 days, because it all depends on the specific variety. With this preparation, you can improve germination performance before sowing. There is some instruction how to germinate the seeds of pepper before planting:
- Take a small canvas bag or just a natural cloth.
- Put the seeds in there and lightly fill with water. Send the bag in a plastic bag, which should remain slightly ajar.
- Periodically check the wetness of the bag and, if necessary, spray it from the spray gun.
- After a week, sprouts should appear and you can sow seedlings. Do not wait until the roots sprout more than 2-3 mm.
Soaking seeds of pepper
This is the most popular procedure among truck farmers, which aims to "awaken" the seeds and reduce the amount of essential oils that prevent the rapid emergence of seedlings. For preparation, soaking of pepper seeds before sowing is carried out according to the following scheme:
- Prepare stagnant or thawed water. Pour it into a wide bowl.
- At the bottom, put a natural cloth or padded disks and pour the planting material on top in several layers. On top also cover with a cloth. It is important that the liquid is slightly covered.
- The preparation process lasts a day, for which it is recommended to completely change the water three times.
Preparations for soaking seeds before planting
It is possible to conduct soaking not in plain water, but in special solutions that will help to accelerate the germination of seeds before sowing on seedlings. You can use to prepare special preparations to improve the germination of seeds, but there are folk recipes. To begin with, the seeds need to be kept in a couple of hours in ordinary water, and then use the following tools:
- Aloe juice. This fluid is a natural immunostimulant, so the seedling will get stronger and more resistant to disease. It also stimulates growth. Cut the lower leaves from the aloe bush, wrap them in a napkin and leave for two weeks in the fridge. After that, you can squeeze juice and do it manually. Spread the juice with water, taking it in the same amount. Dampen gauze in the solution and wrap the seeds in it. Leave them for 24 hours.
- Ash. The solution on the basis of ash during the preparation stage promotes the saturation of the planting material with mineral substances. Mix 2 tbsp. spoons of wood ash and 1 liter of boiled water. Insist all 2 days, and then spend in a solution soaking before planting for 3-6 hours.
- Honey. The preparation of pepper seeds for seeding on seedlings may imply soaking in a solution of honey to stimulate growth. In 250 ml of water, dissolve 1 teaspoon of honey. Pour the solution in a saucer and put gauze with seeds in it and leave for 6 hours.
- Potatoes. To improve the growth, peel the raw potatoes and freeze them, then remove and leave until completely thawed. After that, squeeze the juice and soak the seeds in it before planting the seedlings for 6-8 hours.
Stimulant for the growth of pepper seeds
When soaking planting material, special means can be used that accelerate growth, increase the immunity of plants, protect against diseases and pests. Use at the preparation stage a growth stimulator for seeds at home for best effect, perform the procedure two times. The most popular tools:
- " Epin ". The preparation contains vegetable components, and it helps the plant to better tolerate unpleasant weather conditions, that is, pepper will not be afraid of frost and lack of sun.
- " Zircon " . This stimulant contains chicory acid, which improves growth and accelerates the process of root formation.
- "Humate" . Preparation of pepper seeds for sowing on seedlings can be carried out in this medium, in which there are sodium or potassium salts, so it perfectly nourishes and accelerates the germination of seeds.
Bubbling seeds of pepper
This procedure is used to saturate seeds with oxygen and reduce the amount of essential oils. It requires a compressor for the aquarium. Preparation of seeds of pepper for sowing on seedlings is carried out as follows:
- seeds pour into a glass container;
- fill them with warm water;
- Lower the compressor hose to the bottom;
- adjust the oxygen supply;
- the procedure lasts 15 minutes;
- dry the seeds.
Hardening of pepper seeds for seedlings
There is an opinion that the influence of low temperatures, helps the seeds to better transfer the crop and accelerate their germination.
- Tempering pepper seeds in the refrigerator can be done in this way: put the swollen seeds in a place where the temperature is -1 ° C.
- There is also a more complicated variant: first the seeds need to be kept for 10 days warmly, and at night they should be moved to a place with a temperature of -2 ° C.