Grow peppers from seeds at home. Growing strong bell pepper seedlings at home

Bell pepper is an unpretentious plant that grows in southern latitudes without any problems. Difficulties in growing this crop in the middle zone and to the north are associated with the long growing season of the plant. If you know how to properly plant peppers for seedlings, then you can get a bountiful harvest not only in the greenhouse, but also in the open field.

Even the earliest variety of bell pepper has a growing season of up to 140 days, and the time from germination to ripening of the crop is at least 90 days. Plus, seed germination - germination time is from 10 days to 1 month.

Thus, if you have seeds of an early or mid-season variety, then sowing bell peppers for seedlings should be no later than mid-February (northern regions), early March (middle strip).

Germination rate of bell pepper seeds depending on 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 1 month;

The process of seed germination can be accelerated by their preliminary soaking and preparation.

Seed preparation

The preparation of seeds for sowing consists in their disinfection, stimulation and soaking.

Before starting preparation, low-weight seeds should be discarded, since they will grow weak plants or they will not germinate at all. For this, the existing seed is poured into the water. After a few minutes, discard all the seeds that remain on the surface of the water. Work continues with the drowned, which means full-bodied, seed material.

Disinfection of seed material is carried out with a solution of potassium permanganate (in the common people potassium permanganate). For this, a slightly pink solution is diluted, in which the seeds are immersed for a couple of hours. Non-chemical method of disinfection is heating in hot water (50 ºC) for 20 minutes. Then the seeds are immediately cooled in cold water.

Stimulation and feeding are carried out with special means such as Epin (Humate, Zircon). The existing drug is dissolved in water strictly according to the instructions, since an overdose is extremely harmful. The seeds of bell pepper, which were removed from the potassium permanganate solution, are transferred into the resulting solution. In "feeding" the material is kept for 20-30 minutes. Then they are washed and soaked for germination.

Germination is conveniently carried out between two cotton pads. For this, the seeds are laid out on the surface of the disc and covered with another one. The top disc can be signed with a ballpoint pen if you want to plant multiple varieties of pepper. Wet discs sparingly. Fully filled seeds will “suffocate” and die.

As soon as the peppers hatch, they need to be planted in the ground. A visible sprout should not be allowed - it will easily break off during sowing. The germination stage can be skipped, but this will somewhat delay the germination time.

Note! Seeds that have been pre-processed by the manufacturer do not need pre-sowing manipulations. A bag of such seed is written "Do not soak!" Follow this guideline - soaking these seeds will damage the nutritional and protective capsule.

Preparing the soil for sowing seedlings

You can sow sweet peppers in "purchased" soil, in peat tablets or in self-prepared soil. Experienced gardeners believe that at least 50% of the land for seedlings should be from their own garden. This is explained by the fact that the plant "gets used to getting" food from a certain soil mixture. A radical change of soil when planting seedlings from "purchased" land into the garden delays the development of the plant for a long time.

Requirements for seedling soil:

• neutral or slightly acidic environment;
• sufficient organic content for "looseness" and moisture retention;
• sufficient nutrient content;

It is not difficult to create such a soil mixture. Have to take:

• two pieces of garden land;
• one part of peat or special soil for seedlings;
• one part of humus, compost or the top layer (10 cm) of meadow soil;

To increase the nutritional value and adjust the acidity, add 10 liters of soil to it:

• oven ash (who has) - a handful;
• lime (who has no ash) - a handful;
• double superphosphate - 2 matchboxes;

Top dressing with potash and nitrogen fertilizers is best done later, when watering seedlings.

Note! The prepared soil mixture must be spilled with a weak solution of potassium permanganate for disinfection. The second way to kill pathogens in the garden soil is to preheat it to 60 ºC.

Methods of sowing pepper for seedlings

There are several ways to plant bell peppers in seedlings:

1. Classic - pepper is sown in a "common" container and subsequently dived into a larger container or separate pots.
2. In ready-made cassettes, 1-2 seeds are sown without picking.
3. In peat tablets - 1 seed is sown without picking.
4. In rolls - in rolls of toilet paper, followed by planting young shoots in large containers or separate pots.

Note! The best results are obtained by growing seedlings of bell pepper without picking, planting in separate containers. Pepper, unlike tomatoes, does not tolerate transplanting well, is sick for a long time and stunted in growth.

Growing seedlings in peat tablets

For sprouting peppers, tablets with a diameter of 3-4 cm are suitable. They are placed on the bottom of a large container and filled with water. As soon as the tablets have ceased to absorb water, the excess is poured out.

In the center of the formed cylinder (and it "grows" when it swells), place a seed to a depth of about 0.5 cm. Place the container in a warm place. To retain moisture, the top is tightened with cling film or polyethylene.

The mini greenhouse should be ventilated for at least 1 hour a day. Watering is carried out by the grass roots method as the peat dries up. After the emergence of sprouts, the cylinders are transferred into separate containers with the prepared soil mixture.

The mesh that envelops the peat cylinder prevents the lump from disintegrating and the root system of the pepper is not injured. Further care consists in timely watering and lighting.

Note! If you do not want to transfer the seedlings to pots, then you should buy 7 cm tablets.In such cylinders, the pepper will not need additional soil.

Growing seedlings in cassettes

Growing seedlings in cassettes or individual pots with a volume of 250-500 ml gives high-quality seedlings. You can sow germinated seeds one at a time, dry ones are better two in one container, followed by the removal of a weaker plant. The seed is buried 1 cm into the soil and watered.

Cassettes are placed on the south or west window, or under a lamp. It is important that the air temperature is at least 25 ºC. As the seedlings grow, soil is poured into the pot. Watering in cassettes is carried out by the bottom method - water is poured into the sump. Seedling pots are usually watered in the classical way.

The classic home-grown method of growing seedlings

The “grandfather's” way of growing pepper seedlings at home has a right to exist and even has some advantages:

1. When sowing in a general container, seed germination is not particularly important.
2. Sowing in small dishes is convenient.
3. When diving seedlings, weak plants are rejected.
4. If you follow the timing and agrotechnology of the dive, then the pepper will tolerate it relatively well.
5. Planting in the "native" land will not let the plants get sick and get used to the new soil for a long time after planting in the greenhouse.

For sowing, take a small container with earth and sow seeds densely to a depth of 0.5 cm. Water the earth, tighten the top with a film and put the container in a warm place. After the sprouts appear for a day (two), the seedlings are transferred to a warm window. As soon as the sprouts turn dark green, the first real leaf will hatch - they need to dive.

The box for picking (if there are no separate containers, which is preferable) should be at least 12-15 cm deep. Seedlings are watered several hours before transplanting. Seedlings are planted at a distance of 10-15 cm, preferably staggered.

Landing in twists (in Moscow)

Sowing seeds for germination between tapes of toilet paper has not been so long ago. There are adherents and opponents of this method. The main advantage of this method of seed germination is compactness.

The technology is as follows:

1. A cellophane tape is placed on the table (it is convenient to use a food bag cut lengthwise).
2. Toilet paper is laid on top and sprinkled with water from a hand-held spray bottle (important! The edges of the paper and cellophane must match).
3. Seeds are placed on a tape of cheap (thicker and rougher) toilet paper at a distance of 2-3 cm from each other and from the top edge of the paper at the same distance
4. Cover the seeds with a layer of paper, moisturize well.
5. Roll in a weak roll, effortlessly.
6. They put the twist in a container, at the bottom of which a little water is poured.
7. Remove the structure in a warm place.

As soon as sprouts appear, the twist is transferred to a lighted place. Planting in the ground for seedlings is carried out with two developed cotyledon leaves. The roll is unwound and cut with scissors into separate fragments with sprouts. The seedlings are planted in a permanent container, where they will develop before being planted in the garden.

Growing seedlings at home is not too troublesome with a certain skill. Observe the deadlines and agricultural techniques, give the seedlings light and warmth - the bell pepper will delight you with the harvest until frost.

Sweet peppers in most regions of our country are grown in greenhouses: they are more thermophilic than tomatoes we are used to. And they begin to prepare seedlings for him even in winter, and they usually do this at home. The process of growing seedlings is not so difficult, but there are some nuances, without knowing which you can fail. However, nothing is impossible for a Russian summer resident.

Is it necessary to grow seedlings

Agrotechnology of bell pepper is very similar to that of tomatoes, but there are significant differences. They are connected with the fact that pepper is a more thermophilic plant, it also needs more moisture, and the growing season in pepper is longer than that of tomatoes. Various varieties of pepper begin to yield crops only 4–5 months after sowing the seeds.

All this leads to the fact that even in the southern regions of our country and neighboring states (including Bulgaria), pepper is necessarily grown through seedlings. True, in Bulgaria, sowing begins in January, but in our country it happens about a month later, in the second half of February. The last date for sowing pepper for seedlings is the beginning of March. From now on, it's time to move on.

When to plant peppers for seedlings: lunar calendar 2019

At the end of the twentieth century, it became fashionable to compare your life with the rhythms of the planets, astrological forecasts and other moments related to the movement of heavenly bodies in their orbits appeared. In the same years, gardeners and truck farmers drew attention to the lunar calendar, which describes the location of the moon in a particular constellation. There is a theory that the phases of movement of this heavenly body somehow affect the success of plant development: from sowing seeds to any other manipulations. Every year, for each culture, calendars are compiled and published, which indicate favorable and unfavorable days for planting, transplanting, inoculating, picking, etc. The irony is that in different sources these dates rarely coincide.

But if we take the average data, then the following days will be favorable for planting seedlings:

• January: 19, 20, 27, 29;
• In February: 6-8, 11-13, 20-25, 28;
• In March: 8-12, 15-20, 23-25, 27-29;
• In April: 1–4, 6–9, 11–13, 20, 21, 24–26, 29, 30;
• In May: 3, 4, 8-10, 17, 18, 21-23, 26-28;
• In June: 5-6, 13-15, 18-20.

The days of the new moon and full moon are considered unfavorable for working with pepper:

• In January: 5, 6, 21;
• In February: 4, 5, 19;
• March: 6, 7, 21;
• April: 5, 19;
• In May: 5, 19;
• June: 3, 4, 17.

Preliminary preparation

As with growing any vegetable seedlings, a gardener for pepper seedlings needs reliable seeds, suitable containers and correct, disease-free soil. For an experienced summer resident, the container always lies in a safe place, but with the rest, options are possible, but by February everything should already be in the house.

Seed preparation

It is not always possible to use your seeds for growing seedlings: recently, many hybrids (F1) have appeared, bringing a much richer harvest of significantly better quality than the good old varieties, and many gardeners have switched to hybrids. And collecting seeds from hybrids is useless: according to the laws of genetics, nothing good can come of them. Therefore, most often the preparation of seeds is to go to the store and buy the bag you like. But if you have been growing a good variety of pepper for several years, and you collect seeds from its ripe fruits, then you need to tinker a little before sowing.

Pepper seeds are very similar to tomato seeds and should be treated in much the same way.

This is not to say that the acquisition of unknown seeds will necessarily lead to a disastrous result: there is a lottery here, so lucky. So, once the author of these lines really liked a large, fleshy sweet pepper, bought in the winter in "Magnet". I tried to take seeds from him. In February I processed and sowed. The harvest is wonderful! So, it makes sense to experiment!

So, seeds of unknown origin must be prepared for sowing. But I would also like to advise the purchased seeds of hybrids not to put them in the ground immediately from the bags. Most likely, if the seeds are sold in a normal store and prepared by a well-known company, they are disinfected in advance, and it is not worth dressing them. But to harden, especially if it is supposed to plant seedlings not in a greenhouse, but in open ground at the end of May, it does not even hurt.

In general, I would like to give one simple advice: you need to read everything that is written in numerous sources, evaluate what you read. After all, if you do everything that you have read, there will not be enough time not only to live, but also to go to work. We do only what is really necessary. And we dismiss tips like bubbling pepper seeds with air from an aquarium compressor: it makes sense only for the seeds of those plants that sprout in 2-4 weeks, because they are covered with a dense film of essential oils (for example, parsley). Pepper sprouts a maximum after a week perfectly! Therefore, there are only three things to do:

• calibrate (if you don't trust the manufacturer);
• disinfect (in the same case);
• harden (if adult plants will grow in open ground).

If you do not want to disinfect, you can calibrate manually (if you have good eyesight, discard the smallest seeds) or by density: pour the seeds into a jar of salt water (a tablespoon for half a liter of water). If mixed vigorously a few times, good seeds will drown. The ones that come up are bad. Not entirely bad, most of them will also sprout, but the plants will be weaker.

If you disinfect, salt water is not needed, this is unnecessary trouble. The disinfection procedure is compatible with seed rejection. Let's prepare a strong solution of potassium permanganate. Strong is not 1%, as you can read in many publications, this is too much. And it is unlikely that you have a scale at home to take a sample of the drug of the order of 1 gram. Therefore, we will consider a dark-violet solution "strong", but we prepare it by eye. Fill a tiny pinch of crystals in a half-liter jar with warm water, 200 milliliters (dissolution is very slow in cold) and shake well periodically. We watch carefully so that all crystals dissolve! In no case do we throw seeds until we achieve this. The light pink solution is not a seed disinfection, it is a waste of time.

To dress the seeds, prepare a solution of the same color intensity as in the left vessel

When all the permanganate is dissolved, throw the seeds into the jar and shake well. Within a few minutes the best ones will go to the bottom, and those that did not drown in 8-10 minutes can be thrown away. Strain the rest through a strainer and wash very well with running water from the tap.

And a few words about hardening. Pepper seedlings are afraid of low temperatures, seeds are not very. But before hardening, you need to let them swell properly. The signal is the beating of the quickest. Therefore, we put wet seeds in a wet cloth and in any closed bowl. If you have a Petri dish - perfect. No - in any other closed vessel. But you don't need to put in a bag: they will suffocate, you need at least a little air. And we check it periodically. As soon as they saw that a tail appeared from several seeds - a cup of seeds in the refrigerator. 12 hours in the refrigerator, then the same amount in the room. And so three times. The seeds are ready for sowing. There are many tips for soaking in growth stimulants, warming up, which you just can't find, up to ultrasound. Do not. If the soil is normal, everything will be fine, subject to temperature and humidity conditions.

Soil preparation

Pepper is a relatively capricious crop, and is more picky about the composition of the soil than, for example, tomatoes. Seedling soil should have the following properties:

• be loose, air and moisture permeable;
• do not form a superficial crust after watering;
• be fertile, but not due to the abundant application of mineral fertilizers;
• have acidity close to neutral.

Since gardeners usually plant not very many pepper bushes, you can go to buy a bag of ready-made soil in the store. It will not come out so expensive, but you must not make a mistake, read well what is written on the package. And choose only among those where the word "pepper" is present in capital letters. If it is possible to prepare the soil mixture on your own, and even more so if you need a lot of it, it is better to do so.

If there is no word "pepper" on the package, you should bypass such soil.

They recommend different compositions of soil for peppers, it would be optimal to mix humus, sand and sod soil in a ratio of 2: 1: 1 and add a little wood ash. Humus can be replaced with good compost, any other sod land, but not from the garden where the nightshade crops grew. No additional fertilization is needed.

Self-prepared soil must be disinfected. The easiest way is to pour it well with potassium permanganate solution. Here the concentration may already be somewhat lower than for seed dressing. The guideline for the intensity of the color is as follows: so that through a layer of solution in a half-liter can you can see what is behind it.

Steaming the soil in the oven is an amateur activity. Firstly, in a city apartment, this is a dubious pleasure. Secondly, the soil should contain not only inorganics, but also useful microflora, and at high temperatures it will die.

The soil prepared a few days before sowing the seeds must be poured into containers, and on the eve of sowing, disinfection can be repeated, just in case, by watering it with a bright blue solution of copper sulfate.

Growing pepper seedlings at home in different ways

There are vegetables, the seedlings of which are very difficult to grow in a city apartment: these are any varieties of cabbage, it is hot at home. Tomatoes are easier: the temperature is ideal, but they usually plant so many of them that there is not enough space, and, if possible, grow seedlings in a greenhouse. Well, the pepper in the apartment is very good: this vegetable is very thermophilic, it is usually grown in not very large quantities, therefore, its seedlings are the right place in the apartment. In mass production, of course, the seedlings are planted in a greenhouse.

Growing in a house or city apartment

Pepper seeds are sown 2.5–3 months before the planned planting in a permanent place, since the seedlings grow slowly, especially at first. In open ground, it can be planted not earlier than the end of May, and in the middle lane and in the northern regions it is generally planted in a greenhouse. Therefore, sowing seeds is carried out at the very end of winter or early March.

The pepper does not like the transplant, so the seeds can be sown immediately into individual cups. But often, in order to save space in the apartment at least for some time, it is sown in small boxes or boxes, and then dived into separate “apartments”.

At first, you can grow peppers in a common home, but the plants shown in the photo should be planted in separate pots after a few days

Thus, two options are possible:

• sowing in separate pots;
• sowing in a box followed by a pick.

Sowing in separate cups

If you choose the first way, then the cups should immediately be chosen not too small, their volume should be at least 200 cm 3. Peppers grow at home for a long time, so it is not very convenient to use peat pots: in three months they manage to get so wet and sour that they literally fall apart in a pallet, and it can be very difficult to pick them up by the end of spring. Plastic cups with a pull-out bottom are best suited: it is very convenient to remove seedlings from them by pressing the hole in the bottom.

The pots are very convenient, from which you can push the plant along with the earthy clod by pressing your finger on the hole in the bottom

Sowing seeds in cups is not difficult:

1. Fill containers with pre-prepared soil.
2. Marking a small hole, put two seeds 1–1.5 cm deep (then the worst plant can be removed).
3. Cover with soil and pour gently with warm water.
4. Cover with glass and put in a warm place, the temperature before germination is from 24 to 28 o C.
5. When "loops" appear (the beginning of seedling hatching), reduce the temperature to 20-22 o C during the day and 15-17 o C at night, placing the seedlings in a good light.

We keep it this way for five days, then we raise the temperature again: up to 23-26 degrees during the day and no higher than 20 at night. All care for seedlings in pots consists of watering, feeding, observing temperature and light conditions.

You can water the peppers only with warm water, about 25 o C. Frequent watering is not necessary, but the soil should not dry out. Watering should be done carefully, from a small teapot, always at the root, without soaking the leaves. As the water grows, more and more will be required, in the phase of several true leaves, depending on the conditions, it will have to be watered every other day or even daily. From time to time, instead of water, you should take a pink solution of potassium permanganate.

You need to feed the seedlings only a couple of times, and even then slightly: in fertilizing, you can not use nitrogen fertilizers at all, but limit yourself to ash infusion. The first feeding - when the second pair of true leaves appears, the second - 7-10 days before transplanting to a permanent place. Immediately after feeding, as, in fact, and before carrying out it, you need to water the peppers with clean water.

For feeding seedlings, you can also buy a bottle of ready-made fertilizer: its composition is well balanced, and it is very convenient to use

After the second feeding, it is time to harden the seedlings, it is gradually taught to the breeze and lower temperatures, for which it is taken out onto the balcony, first for half an hour, and then for a longer time. The best seedlings ready for planting should have not only a few pairs of true leaves, but also the first flower buds. If without buds, it doesn't matter, but it should already be a fully formed plant with a height of at least 20 cm.

Sowing in a box with subsequent picking

Pepper picking is not very desirable, but it is quite possible if necessary. Therefore, in order to save space, the seeds are often sown first in small boxes or just cardboard boxes of a suitable size: for the first time, a layer of soil 4–5 cm thick is enough. Sowing is simple.

1. If the planting container does not have holes in the bottom for the drain of excess water, drainage should be put in a centimeter layer (coarse sand, pounded eggshells, etc.), and prepared soil on top.
2. Mark grooves (up to 1.5 cm deep), placing them 4 cm apart and water them well.
3. Sow prepared pepper seeds 2 cm apart.
4. Sprinkle the seeds with soil; re-watering is not required.
5. Cover with glass and put in a warm place, temperature from 24 to 28 o C.
6. After emergence, lower the temperature for several days.
7. When a pair of true leaves appear or a little later, plant them in separate pots and continue to look after as usual.

What are the advantages of growing pepper seedlings in a city apartment? In the ability to constantly check the condition of plants, quickly correct the situation. The downside is that it is not always easy to provide suitable temperature conditions and sufficient illumination.

In a greenhouse

In a heated greenhouse, you can sow peppers at any time, in an unheated one - as soon as the heat comes: the temperature regime is no different from that which must be maintained in an apartment. As a rule, in most regions, heat comes later than is required for sowing pepper seeds for seedlings, so an unheated greenhouse is not very suitable for growing seedlings of this crop: seeds can be sown at home a little earlier. In addition, the greenhouse should be close to home, because leaving the seedlings even for 1-2 days unattended is risky: any temperature fluctuations can cause disease or death of plants. The plus in using the greenhouse is obvious: it is spaciousness and a sufficient amount of light.

Growing seedlings in greenhouse conditions is carried out in the same way as at home. The only peculiarities are that if it is supposed to grow peppers in this greenhouse until the harvest is obtained, the seeds should be sown in a box, and the seedlings should be cut straight to a permanent place so as not to injure the plant roots once again.

In this state, as in the figure, the seedlings can be immediately planted in a garden bed prepared in the greenhouse.

It seems irrational to immediately spread the seeds into the holes in the garden without further diving.

If sowing in a box is no different from home sowing, then a bed for picking plants should be prepared in advance, even in the fall: after all, in fact, this is already the home of pepper for many months. Therefore, in the fall, general cleaning of the greenhouse is carried out, digging of the beds with fertilization, disinfection of the soil, and, if necessary, its complete or partial replacement. While the seedlings are in the box, they carry out the final formation of the beds, re-disinfection with copper sulfate, watering with warm water.

With the onset of heat, they make sure that the greenhouse does not overheat, periodically ventilate it: stagnation of air greatly increases the likelihood of plant diseases.

Use of peat tablets

Besides sowing seeds in boxes or individual pots, peat tablets are popular. They have a lot of advantages. The tablets are convenient for growing seedlings of those vegetables that do not like transplanting. They are made from pressed peat, to which the nutrients necessary for the seedlings to grow quickly are added. These are various growth stimulants, fertilizers, anti-fungal components. During manufacture, tablets are placed in a light mesh, which prevents the destruction of the tablets. The shelf life of tablets is not limited. True, they are not very cheap, and this is their only drawback, but they are quite affordable for growing a small amount of seedlings.

The optimal diameter of tablets for pepper seedlings is 7 cm, but smaller ones can be used, depending on the type of pepper. First, the tablets must be filled with warm water. At the same time, their height will grow several times, and the width will hardly change. Water can be added little by little, until the peat is saturated with it. Before pouring the water, you need to find out where the pill is up: there is a small dimple into which the seeds are sown. Sowing pepper is carried out, as in ordinary soil, after which the seeds are lightly covered and watered a little again. When grown in tablets, the sowing time for pepper can be slightly shifted, it should be carried out after March 8, since the pepper will grow better without picking.

Peat tablets (in the background), when soaked in water, swell and turn into an excellent container for seedlings

Seed tablets should be placed in a transparent box, closed and placed in a warm, bright place, making sure that the tablets do not dry out. The contents of the box must be ventilated periodically. After the emergence of shoots, the box is opened, the tablets are poured by spraying or simply pouring water into the box. It is not necessary to feed the seedlings in tablets. The main advantage of the tablets is that the seedlings are not dived, but planted in the ground together with the tablet, but it is better to carefully remove the mesh.

Many gardeners use the smallest tablets for sowing pepper, and as the seedlings grow, they transplant it along with the tablet into large pots. Whether there is a need for this, it is up to everyone to decide. This approach makes sense in cases where the variety involves the development of large bushes, and also if it is supposed to plant seedlings in the ground already with flowers: until that time, the pepper will really grow as a large plant, and even the largest tablet will not be enough for it.

Sprouting pepper in a "snail"

The most important advantages of such a "tricky" technique are space saving and ease of extraction of seedlings for picking. However, since pepper does not really like picking, the technique is not very widely used for growing it. The procedure is approximately as follows:

Periodically, the bag is removed and the soil moisture is checked. Remember to lower the temperature in time and then raise it again.

Growing in a diaper

An option for growing in a snail is to use disposable polypropylene diapers. In this case, the diaper can simply play the role of the very material on which a thin layer of soil is poured, seeds are sown and the resulting cake is rolled into a snail. The advantages and disadvantages of this technique are the same as for any variant of the "snail".

Sometimes at home growing seedlings do without soil at all, germinating seeds on "hydroponics". Toilet paper is laid on the unfolded diaper in several layers, it is moistened well, the seeds are laid out, folded into a snail and pepper is grown in it until the dive. For pepper, this option does not seem very suitable, it needs nutrients from the very beginning of development.

And, finally, the third direction of using nappies is making full-fledged containers from them for growing seedlings in soil: polypropylene is strong, flexible, the diaper is breathable. Therefore, the material is much better suited for rolling "cups" than dense plastic wrap. In such cups, seedlings are kept until they are planted in the garden. Compared to reusable plastic cups, this design is less durable, but it is not necessary to store boxes with containers in winter, which take up a lot of space.

Perhaps the only reasonable use of non-woven diapers is to make them like pots.

Features of growing on the northern windowsill

Growing pepper seedlings requires heat and sunlight. If the windows face the north side, it is imperative to highlight the seedling containers. But first, they must be placed so that the seedlings are as close to the sun as possible.

You can install various reflective elements: a mirror or, for example, food foil. They should be positioned so that as much sunlight as possible gets into the screen and the light is reflected on the plants.

But still, on the northern side, sowing pepper seeds should be done much earlier. And even backlighting is not a savior. Illuminating pepper seedlings with ordinary lamps is bad: they heat the air too much, and even for bell pepper seedlings, excess heat can lead to excessive drying. Diode lamps for illuminating seedlings seem to be the best option.

Is picking required

Unlike many other vegetables, picking is not only optional for pepper, but also undesirable: it does not like unnecessary trauma to the roots. But the classic picking is pinching the lower segment of the central root to ensure the growth of the lateral roots. However, if there is such a need, the pick can be carried out, but on time and according to the rules.

Pepper picking is carried out in the phase of three or four true leaves, that is, about 3 weeks after the first shoots appear. The day before the pick, the seedlings must be watered abundantly. You can dig up the seedlings with any suitable small tool. It is not necessary to shorten the central root too much, pinch just a little.

Having made a small hole in the ground with a pencil, it is necessary to lower the seedling there to almost the same depth as it grew in the same place: unlike tomatoes, there is no need to do significant deepening, up to cotyledon leaves. Only if the seedlings managed to stretch out, it should be planted deeper during transplantation, but even then not very deeply.

When planting peppers in pots, do not deeply deepen them.

After transplanting, it is necessary to carefully squeeze the roots and pour well with warm water. For three to four days, pepper seedlings should be removed away from the bright sun and the temperature should be slightly raised.

Growing bell pepper seedlings at home presents certain difficulties, but it is quite affordable even for a beginner. If you choose and prepare seeds and soil correctly, subject to temperature conditions, sufficient illumination and simple care, the seedlings grow of high quality, there is no need to spend money on its purchase. In addition, self-grown crops always add pleasure.

Bell peppers are one of our favorite vegetables. Not a single vegetable garden can do without this vegetable. The use of pepper in cooking is very wide - it is used in salads, in the preparation of main dishes, in preparations for the winter. This vegetable is a rich source of nutrients.

Growing pepper seedlings from seeds

The question of how to grow good seedlings of pepper from seeds is asked by many gardeners and lovers of this healthy vegetable. There are a wide variety of peppers and each of them requires a different care. Growing pepper seedlings from seeds is quite troublesome. Pepper loves warmth very much. It cannot be planted directly into open ground in a vegetable garden.

Seeds are sown long before the beginning of summer, they are carefully looked after and already matured plants are transplanted into open ground. This process is quite complicated, but if you find out all the rules, then growing pepper seedlings from seeds will become feasible and experienced and novice gardeners.

When to sow seedlings

Before growing pepper seedlings from seeds, a lot of work is required. Fans of actually grown vegetables in the garden area begin preparations for sowing seeds from the end of winter. A favorable time for planting seeds is considered to be the period from February 20 to March 10. The ripening period of fruits in different types of pepper differs and averages from 100 to 150 days from the moment the sprouts appear, and the bushes are transplanted into the open air after about 60 to 80 days. Each variety of pepper has its own ripening time and you can roughly calculate yourself when you need to start sowing seeds.

In order to grow good seedlings, it is necessary to carry out the main preliminary work before sowing:

• prepare seeds;
• prepare soil for planting.

How to prepare seeds

Growing bell pepper seedlings begins with seeds. It is preferable to buy seeds from trusted sellers, in large stores and from well-known manufacturers. This will avoid purchasing expired and spoiled seeds. Many gardeners harvest their own seeds. It must be remembered that the shelf life of seeds is 3 years.

It is important to find out the characteristics of the peppers in advance. They come in a variety of colors, bitter or sweet, early maturing, mid and late maturing. Planting times and planting rules differ for different varieties.

Before planting, it is advisable to sort out the seeds. During storage, some of the seeds become dark, damaged and dry. All such seeds must be removed, nothing will grow out of them. You can check the quality of the seeds with salt - place the seeds in a saline solution.

Seeds that have surfaced can be thrown away, they will not sprout. Then the selected good seeds must be processed. For this, a manganese solution, any fungicide ("Maxim", "Fitosporin-M", "Vitaros", "Fundazol", etc.) or "Epin" is suitable. The seeds are folded into a bag of gauze and kept in one of the solutions for some time.

This will get rid of the fungus, fertilize and stimulate seed growth.

Then the seeds need to be rinsed, in the same gauze bag. The seeds must lie in moisture for germination. They are laid out on a piece of gauze or cloth, placed in a plate with water and placed in a darkened place. It is imperative to monitor the liquid level so that the seeds are constantly moist and not dry out. The sprouts appear in about 1.5-2 weeks.

Experienced gardeners advise to harden the seeds by keeping them in the refrigerator for 12 hours. It is believed that the pepper after such hardening will be stronger and more resistant to temperature extremes.

How to prepare the ground

The quality of the soil strongly influences the growth quality of the pepper. Fertile soil promotes good seedling growth. It is good to use ready-made primer from the store.

It is already treated for pests and infections, enriched with nutrients, you just need to add sand and seeds can be planted.

Garden soil will not work. It has a lot of acidity, it is too heavy soil for pepper. Experienced gardeners often prepare their own soil. This requires mixing humus, peat and sand in proportions of 2: 2: 1 or 3: 3: 1. It will be helpful to fertilize the ground with a small amount of ash. Such a mixture will definitely need to be poured with boiling water or use a double boiler to protect the seedlings from infections and weeds.

It will also be good to additionally fertilize the self-prepared soil mixture.

Sowing seeds

Each grower uses their own suitable container to germinate pepper seeds. The most common are:

Most gardeners prefer opaque containers as sunlight affects plant roots. It is important to organize a drainage system in any of these containers. At the bottom of the container, it is required to lay a layer of coarse sand and pebbles and make holes on the bottom. This helps to ensure that no liquid accumulates at the bottom and the roots do not rot.

Before sowing, the soil must be shed again with a warm solution of potassium permanganate. You can make grooves and lay out the seeds 2 cm apart or make one hole for each seed at the same distance.

A tighter planting will cause the seedlings to sit too tightly together and stretch out due to lack of light. The seeds are laid out neatly, the sprouts that have hatched are very thin and fragile, they are easy to damage. The decomposed seeds must be covered with soil and pressed down a little. If 2 or more varieties of seeds are planted in one container, it is better to sign where which variety is planted.

For sprouts to germinate, you need to maintain comfortable moisture and warmth. Cover the container well with foil or glass and provide warm air. It is required to keep the soil moist, do not forget to water the soil. It should be watered with warm water, separated by at least a day. But it is not worth overmoistening the soil either, this contributes to seed rot. Pepper loves humid air very much. Spray the seedlings from a spray bottle periodically.

The first shoots appear approximately 10 days after sowing. If this does not happen even after 2 weeks, then the seeds were spoiled. When the first shoots have already appeared, you can remove the film or glass and put the box closer to the window. A solar window or fluorescent lamps work well.

With a strong inclination of the sprouts towards the light, it is necessary to rotate the containers for uniform illumination and to prevent stretching of individual sprouts. The period of illumination of the sprouts should be 14 - 18 hours a day. Taking care of pepper seedlings during this period is very important. Light and moisture in optimal amounts are the most important conditions for growth.

Pick rules

A pick is required so that the already grown pepper sprouts do not block each other's light and do not interfere with growth. The seedlings should begin to dive after the appearance of two true leaves in the sprouts. This moment comes about a month after planting the seeds.

Before starting a pick, it is required to thoroughly moisten the soil in a container with seedlings. This will make it easy to separate the seedlings from each other. Small pots of 100-150 ml are suitable for planting individual peppers. In such a container, the seedlings adapt faster, they will receive enough feed and the roots will not sour. Or you can plant it in boxes, at a great distance, so that the grown seedlings have enough room for growth.

The root system is very sensitive to various movements. It is recommended to first remove the soil with several shoots at once, and then gently separate them on the table. Individual shoots are carefully removed and transferred to a separate pot. You need to see how the spine fits. It should not bend up. If the roots are too long, they can be shortened slightly by cutting with scissors. The hole is made so deep that the stem deepens as much as possible, almost to the leaves.

The seedlings are covered with earth, slightly compacted and thoroughly moistened. After watering, the earth can settle down a lot, you need to add more.

At the first time after picking, it is important to cover the seedlings from direct sunlight, slightly shading the window, you need to control the temperature of the soil. A temperature of at least 15 ° C is required, a cooler soil will stop growth.

Dived sprouts grow slowly, they need time to adapt to new soil. Many gardeners try to avoid this and initially plant pepper seeds in separate pots and then transplant them into open ground. Seedlings planted in large boxes must be dived. Otherwise, the sprouts will stretch out strongly due to lack of light.

Rules for feeding and hardening

After picking, all care for pepper seedlings consists in watering and maintaining optimal conditions of light and humidity. To properly grow sweet pepper seedlings, and they are strong and robust, they need to be fed as they grow. Even a well-prepared soil cannot provide the seedlings with all the necessary minerals for the entire growth period. Before the time of planting seedlings in the open air, it is required to feed at least 3 times.

• The first feeding is carried out after germination of the second true leaf in the seedlings;
• the second - two weeks after the first;
• the third - two weeks after the second.

Top dressing is used only in liquid form. Many people use ready-made fertilizers - "Fertika Lux", "Agricola", "Solution", "Krepysh". Before use, be sure to read the instructions and follow their recommendations.

You can prepare the feeding solution yourself. A standard bucket of water will need: 30 grams of superphosphate, 10 grams of urea and potassium sulfate. One liter of this fertilizer can process 10-12 bushes of seedlings.

After processing the seedlings with fertilizer, be sure to pour clean water. This will reduce the risk of root burns. It is important to ensure that the fertilizer does not fall on the leaves of the seedlings. The leaves are very sensitive to various minerals.

About 2 weeks before planting seedlings in open soil, the plant must be hardened. This is done using an open window or take out the seedlings to the balcony. It is important to cover the first days from direct sunlight and strong drafts. Every day the time spent in the open air needs to be increased and after a few days it is already possible not to cover the plants.

Top dressing will provide additional substances for good plant nutrition and accelerate their growth. Hardening will help you get used to the open air and adapt more quickly after planting in open ground. These methods of improving seedling growth are not necessary, but will allow you to grow strong seedlings and ultimately reap a rich harvest.

How and when to plant in open ground

It is allowed to transplant pepper seedlings into the open air only if the average daily temperature does not fall below 15 ° C. At lower temperatures, seedlings may freeze. It is good to choose a warm day without wind for planting.

Prepare the soil before planting. Pepper loves loose soil. Therefore, it must be dug up and, if necessary, loosened with humus or peat.

Pepper bushes prefer space, therefore, holes should be made at a distance of half a meter from each other, and a distance of at least 60 cm must also be observed between the rows.

It is advisable to sprinkle fertilizer containing potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus into the holes. Seedlings must be removed from the container carefully so that the lump with the earth does not collapse. Such a transplant will allow the plant to quickly adapt to the new land and changing environmental conditions. Sprinkle the hole with earth on top and pour abundantly with water. After watering, the earth will settle down a little and more soil should be added.

If necessary, the bushes are tied up so that they do not fall to the ground and the stem does not break. When nighttime temperatures drop, cover the seedlings with protective material.

When planting several varieties of pepper at once, a greater distance should be left between them to avoid cross-pollination. When growing peppers in the same place for several years in a row, it depletes the soil, so you should change the planting site every two years.

If all the recommendations on how to properly grow pepper seedlings are followed, then very soon the pepper bushes will adapt to the new conditions and begin to bear fruit. After transplanting pepper seedlings into the open air, the main care for pepper seedlings is good moisture, getting rid of pests and picking fruits. With proper care, the pepper bushes will bear fruit until late autumn.

Conclusion

In order to grow bell pepper seedlings from seeds, you need to avoid the following problems:

• Do not skip soil processing and hardening of seeds. It takes additional time, but the result of these actions will only benefit the growth of the seedlings.
• If you decide to do the soil yourself, then you should do it right. You cannot take land from the garden area where other vegetables and flowers grew. Humus can only be used after 3 to 4 years.
• Poor illumination of seedlings. Due to the lack of light, the stalks of the pepper stretch and develop unevenly.
• Overgrown seedlings. Sowing seeds is carried out based on the calculation of the approximate date of transplanting seedlings. Peppers grown for a long time in closed conditions adapt longer and react more strongly to changing environments.
• Excess or lack of moisture. The first promotes root rot, the second to the drying of the plant. As a result, in both cases, the plant will die.
• Violation of the roots during the pick. This can be avoided by sowing seeds in single pots or using peat tablets.
• Incorrect collection or violation of the storage conditions of self-collected seeds will lead to the fact that the seeds will not sprout.
• At the first appearance of pests, you should immediately start processing seedlings. For this there is a wide variety of drugs.
• Do not avoid feeding, but do not overdo it.

There is a lot of information and advice on how to grow good bell pepper seedlings from seeds and get a rich harvest at the same time:

Kira Stoletova

correct cultivation of pepper seedlings is the key to successful cultivation of pepper. In order for the seedlings on the windowsill to grow healthy, certain rules must be followed. The article provides step-by-step instructions for growing pepper seedlings.

Soil preparation

Growing pepper seedlings at home involves choosing a soil for sowing seeds.

Each individual crop has its own requirements for the soil and its composition. The soil mixture for peppers must meet the following requirements:

1. Lightweight, well-drained with a loose structure so that water can easily pass through and not stagnate.
2. Nutritious, with an optimal amount of trace elements (N-0.2%, P-0.2%, K-2%) and the presence of magnesium, calcium, manganese and iron.
3. Neutral in acidity, with a pH of 5-7.
4. It must contain live microflora and organic matter.

Preparation of soil mixture

You can purchase a ready-made soil mixture, but it will not be difficult to prepare it yourself. For this you need:

• sod land 3 kg;
• low peat 3 kg;
• sand 3 kg;
• ash 300 g;
• vermiculite 0.5 l.

All ingredients must be mixed thoroughly. This mixture is ideal for growing pepper seedlings at home.

The soil mixture must be disinfected to exclude contamination by pathogens or pests. This can be done in two ways:

1. Thermal: the soil is kept in the oven at a temperature of 90 ° C for 30-40 minutes. or spill the soil with boiling water.
2. Chemical: for disinfection use potassium permanganate (1 g per 1 liter of water) or hydrogen peroxide (1 tbsp. L. Per 1 liter of water). The soil mixture is poured with the prepared solution and allowed to dry.

By treating the soil in this way, young plants can be effectively protected.

Selection of containers

Any available containers are suitable for planting. These can be plastic containers, balcony boxes, plastic cups, special cassettes, peat-paper cups. Peat pots are especially convenient for sowing seedlings; together with them, grown plants can be planted in a permanent place without unnecessary trauma. These can be purchased at gardening stores, or you can make your own.

To do this, use the following ingredients:

• peat 700 g;
• humus 300 g;
• mullein 100 g;
• slaked lime 30 g.

Peat must be sieved, the mullein is poured with hot water (250 ml). All components are thoroughly mixed. Water is added in small portions until a thick slurry is formed, it should not spread. Peat pots are formed with two glass or plastic glasses. The inner walls of one glass are laid out with the resulting mixture, and the second is inserted into the middle. Allow the cups to dry well so they are ready to use.

If balcony boxes are used, in which plants have already been grown, then they need to be doused with boiling water or washed well with soda solution, add 2-4 tbsp for 1 liter of warm water. l. baking soda.

The soil mixture is poured into the selected and prepared container. Watered several hours before sowing.

Seed preparation and sowing

Pepper seeds are sown for seedlings in late February - early March. This is the most suitable time for sowing. Until the moment it is planted in the ground or greenhouse, it will grow up and get stronger.

Before sowing the seeds of sweet bell peppers or hot peppers, you need to pickle against diseases and pests and soak to stimulate germination. For etching, I most often use a solution of potassium permanganate, peroxide or ammonia. Prepare solutions observing dosing:

• 1 g of potassium permanganate per 1 liter of water;
• 2 tbsp. l. peroxide per 1 liter of water;
• 1 tbsp. l. ammonia per 1 liter of water.

In one of these solutions, the seeds are soaked for 2-4 hours. After etching, rinse with water. To make the seeds germinate faster, they are spread between two moist layers of fabric (bandage, gauze, cotton wool). Place in a warm place (25-28 ° C). Compliance with the temperature during sowing plays an important role, it affects the timing of seed germination. The lower the temperature, the longer the germination time. At temperatures below 12 ° C, seeds stop development.

It is important to ensure that the seeds do not dry out, as they dry out, they are moistened. After 3-5 days they hatch and can be sown in the ground. Seeds are sealed to a depth of 1-1.5 cm. On top of the container, tighten with foil and set in a bright place, with a temperature of 23-25 \u200b\u200b° C without drafts. Seedlings appear in 7-10 days.

Care

After the first shoots appear, the film is gradually opened, after a few days it is completely removed. Subsequent care for pepper seedlings consists in observing the temperature regime, sufficient lighting, regular watering, and feeding. Each process has its own characteristics and only considering them, you can achieve a good result when we grow bell peppers for seedlings. Proper care promotes good plant growth and development.

Temperature and lighting

To grow pepper seedlings on a windowsill, you need to be very careful about the temperature and lighting. This is a southern culture that requires warmth and a lot of light, and these features must be taken into account. The correct temperature and sufficient light are essential for growing healthy seedlings.

The optimum temperature for seedling growth is 22-26 ° C. At a temperature of 15 ° C, hardening begins. To do this, she is taken out into the street or balcony for several hours. Each time increasing the time the plants are in the fresh air. It should also be borne in mind that the higher the air temperature, the more intense the lighting should be. With a lack of light, the seedlings begin to stretch and ache.

Pepper grows vigorously with 12 hours of daylight. At the time of sowing and growing seedlings, there is still little natural light, the day is short, and there are many cloudy days. To adjust the lighting, you can use the backlight:

• fluorescent lamp;
• phytolamp;
• sodium lamp.

The lamp is installed at a height of 30-40 cm above the plants. Additional lighting is included in the morning and evening on sunny days to increase daylight hours. On cloudy days, the lamp should illuminate the seedlings all day.

Watering

Moisture plays an important role in the cultivation phase of sweet and hot pepper seedlings. A sufficient amount of moisture will ensure the full development and nutrition of young plants.

The first watering is carried out three days after germination. They do it very carefully, you can use a syringe or a teaspoon, add each seedling in small portions. It is recommended to water the pepper every day in the morning, in small portions. Use settled, warm water. It should also be remembered that the amount of watering will depend on the temperature in the room, the volume of soil in which the seedlings grow, and the ability of the soil to retain moisture. The higher the temperature and the lower the volume, the more often you water.

There are situations when it is impossible to water on time. So that the seedlings do not suffer from drying out, 1-1.5 cm of agroperlite is poured on top of the soil. It retains moisture well and will not let the earth dry out quickly.

Top dressing

For good growth, peppers need nutrients. The first feeding is carried out already 14 days after the emergence of shoots, the second 10 days before planting in the garden.

To grow pepper seedlings at home, you can use the following tools:

1. The banana peel must be dried and powdered. Sprinkle the powder over the moistened soil.
2. Take a shell of 3-4 eggs and pour 3 liters of water. Leave in a dark place for 3-5 days. Before use, dilute with water in a 1: 2 ratio and pour over the pepper.
3. Iodine. Add 1 drop of iodine to 1 liter of water and water the bushes.
4. Baker's yeast. 10 g of yeast and 5 g of sugar are dissolved in 3 liters of warm water, insisted for 40 minutes. The plants are watered with the finished dressing.
5. Herbal infusion. Any green grass (dandelion, nettle, calendula) is suitable for infusion, 200 g of chopped grass is poured into 1 liter of warm water, and insisted for 5-7 days. Before use, dilute with water in a ratio of 1: 5. Peppers are gently watered with this infusion.

All of these dressings are simply prepared, but will greatly benefit young plants.

You can also use ready-made soluble mineral fertilizers (Master, Kemira, Plantafon) or organic fertilizers (Gumat-Potassium, Stimovit, Agricola). They are used in accordance with the dosages indicated by the manufacturer.

Picking

In the event that the seeds of sweet Bulgarian or bitter pepper are sown in a common container or several plants grow in a small container, a pick should be done. Pepper is a plant with a delicate root system that can be easily injured. Therefore, the dive must be carried out accurately and correctly.

1. A pick is carried out when 4-5 true leaves have already grown on the plants.
2. Water the day before the procedure.
3. For picking, plastic cups with a volume of 200-350 ml with a made drainage hole are suitable.
4. The containers are filled with a soil mixture prepared, as for sowing seeds, and a deepening is made.
5. Plants are removed from the common bowl using a spoon or spatula with a lump of earth.
6. First, they plant stronger seedlings, make sure that the root lies flat, or in a circle in a clockwise direction
7. Sprinkle with soil, slightly compact near the stem.
8. After picking, the plants are shaded for 2-4 days from direct sunlight.
9. Watering is carried out after 4 days.

Diseases

If the seedlings are well-groomed, sown and grown according to all agrotechnical requirements, then they are rarely affected by diseases. Common diseases that can affect pepper seedlings are blackleg and fusarium.

Blackleg

The most common disease of pepper seedlings is black leg. Non-observance of the temperature regime and overflow provokes its occurrence. The disease develops very quickly and can lead to the death of all plants. When infected with a black leg, the stem and root collar become thinner and darker, the leaves wither, and the seedlings fall. To prevent disease, the rules for the preparation and processing of soil and seeds must be observed.

If, nevertheless, the disease has affected the seedlings, it is important to see this at the initial stage. The first affected peppers are removed by grabbing the ground and nearby plants. The place where it grew is treated with a slightly pink solution of potassium permanganate. And the remaining plants are treated with Previkur.

Fusarium

It is possible that pepper seedlings can be affected by this fungal disease if you used not disinfected soil mixture or untreated seeds. Symptoms of the disease are wilting of leaves, brown vascular capillaries on the cut of the stem, thinning of the root collar. The best way to prevent it is to comply with all planting and grooming rules. In case of damage to the disease, diseased shoots are removed, and the rest of the seedlings are treated with Trichodermin. This is a biological product based on live bacteria Trichoderm, which naturally destroy pathogens.

Pepper came to us from the coast of Mexico. Since this is a southern plant, lovers of summer cottages are wondering how to properly grow pepper seedlings. It can be sweet and bitter, but the main points are the same for all varieties.

Seed and soil preparation

Preparation begins from February to mid-May. Pepper seeds lose their germination after three years of storage. Before planting, they must be sorted out and damaged and darkened removed.

In order to check whether the seed is suitable for planting, it must be placed in a 3% salt solution (for 1 liter 30 grams).

Which, after 7 minutes, float up can be thrown away. The seeds that have settled to the bottom are removed, washed with water, dried and started to prepare for sowing.

The seed, pre-etched in potassium permanganate and treated with a growth stimulator, is soaked in warm water. The seeds are laid out on a cloth and placed in a warm place, such as a radiator. It is important to keep the seeds in a humid environment. Pepper seeds germinate for 1.5 to 2 weeks. You can put the soaked seeds in a thermos of water at 40 degrees for 2 hours.

For using the following types of substrates:

• Ready-made soils. Soil mixtures prepared especially for peppers are the most reliable option for planting. They will avoid damage from infections and pests.
• Self-prepared soil. Experienced summer residents prepare a substrate based on soil, humus and peat. If you decide to prepare the soil yourself, do not take the land from the site where nightshades were grown in the previous year and spill it thoroughly with a solution of potassium permanganate.
• Coconut substrate. Good for growing peppers
• Peat tablets. A very convenient option for sowing seeds. When transplanting and picking, the plant, along with the tablet, is simply transferred into a large container.
• Soil with the addition of hydrogel. Adding hydrogel to the soil will keep moisture in the soil longer. For this, balls already swollen in water are added directly to the soil. If you add dry granules, then when they swell, they can displace the earth from the bowl.

The quality in the future and the harvest largely depend on the correct preparation for planting seedlings, therefore the process requires close attention.

Planting seeds and caring for seedlings

To properly grow pepper seedlings, you need to pay attention to all growth factors:

• The soil.
• Humidity.
• Illumination.
• Top dressing.

For growing pepper seedlings, special boxes, peat pots, and plastic cups are used.

Craftsmen suggest planting seeds even in mayonnaise bags. The most important thing is with the help of sand and small pebbles, and also do not forget to punch holes in the bottom. This will avoid stagnation of water during watering and root rotting.

The soil is spilled with a warm weak solution of potassium permanganate. The seeds of peppers prepared for sowing are laid out at a distance of 2 centimeters into small grooves, covered with soil by 1 centimeter and slightly compacted. To provide the seedlings with the most comfortable temperature (25-30 degrees) and humidity, the boxes with them are covered with a film or a sheet of glass and placed in a warm place.

Under good conditions, the first shoots will appear within 10 days. When they appear, the boxes are rearranged to the light and the covering material is raised to avoid the accumulation of condensation. The glass is removed when the bulk of the seedlings levels out and the first pairs of leaves begin to appear. If after two weeks not a single seedling has appeared, the seedling has failed.

It should be ensured that the soil is always well moistened.

Room temperature settled for at least a day. When watering, it is necessary to avoid waterlogging of the substrate. To maintain a comfortable humidity, the green mass is sprayed, or a humidifier is used. Avoid drafts and use a covering material when ventilating.

With the appearance of seedlings, they begin to be illuminated, at first this is done around the clock with the help of fluorescent lamps. To provide sufficient light for the seedlings, it is necessary to keep the windows clean and make reflective screens with foil. As it grows, the green mass is supplemented with light in the morning and in the evening, so that the total length of the day is 12-18 hours.

You can feed the plants every 10 days after the first leaves appear using ammonium nitrate.

Nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus fertilizers must be carried out before planting in open ground. Pepper seedlings are quite capricious and in order to grow strong seedlings, you need to make a lot of effort and follow all the rules.

Pick and hardening

Concerning the picking of young shoots among gardeners, there will be controversy. Opponents insist that after it the pepper slows down growth, spending energy on restoring the root system. Proponents, however, say that after a dive, the plants increase their vegetative mass better and get more nutrients.

Pepper seedlings dive when the first true leaves appear, about three weeks after the start of cultivation.

The seedling is carefully removed from the well-moistened soil, holding it by the upper leaves by one third, the main root is removed and transferred to separate containers with a volume of about 200 milliliters. Large dishes are useless, as the roots can rot or build up excess green mass. Try to make sure that the root does not bend up and is well spread. The stem is buried almost to the first leaves, the soil is poured, compacted and watered.

The picking is also convenient because the plants planted in separate cups are easy to move apart. Pepper does not like to touch the neighbor with the foliage and begins to stretch upward, spending growth energy.

Tempering allows you to get powerful seedlings that are resistant to external environmental factors.

About a month before planting, the planting material begins to be exposed to open sunlight, gradually increasing the exposure time.

To do this, the boxes are taken out onto the balcony or a window is opened. At the same time, care must be taken that the seedlings do not fall under drafts that have a negative effect on them and do not experience a lack of moisture. The described actions are not necessary, but their use allows you to grow good seedlings and get a bountiful harvest.

Seedlings are ready for transplanting in at least 60 days. Seedlings of 70-80 days of age give a high yield. The decision to disembark is made by visual inspection.

Plants should be intact, have 10-12 leaves, be 20-30 centimeters in height.

In mid-May, peppers are planted in a greenhouse or greenhouse, and in early June in open ground. One of the problems a gardener may face is overgrowth. To avoid it, when picking seedlings, you should cut off the roots and do not abuse fertilizing, especially nitrogen. If the plants do outgrow, reduce watering and lower the ambient temperature.

The pepper patch should:

• Be well lit.
• Have loose soil.
• Be protected from draft and wind.
• Have a pH of no more than 6.

Before transplanting, the seedling boxes are well shed in order to carefully remove the plants. Saplings are transferred from pots together with an earthen clod. Pepper is sensitive to damage to the root system. The seedlings are carefully transferred into the holes, covered with earth and mulch, then the beds are watered abundantly.

The distance between the rows is 50-79 centimeters, in the row between the peppers 40 cm. If the distance between the plants is less, they will feel uncomfortable and stretch. The embedment depth is approximately the same as it was before transplanting.

Sweet and bitter peppers are planted in different places to prevent cross-pollination.

With the likelihood of night frosts, the transplanted peppers must be covered. Covering materials are also used to protect against bright sunlight for the first time after transplantation.

The main troubles in growing peppers await summer residents at the stage of growing seedlings. After transferring to open ground, the main care is reduced only to timely watering, protection from pests and subsequent harvesting.

Quite painstaking work. But if all the requirements and recommendations are followed, the beds will delight you with an abundance of fleshy, multi-colored and healthy harvest of peppers.

You can find out a lot of tips on how to plant pepper seedlings by watching the video.