In the dacha, in the backyard, most gardeners plant not only potatoes and tomatoes. The topic of growing seedlings of pepper and the time of its planting is considered relevant. And the question of whether it is hot pepper or sweet is not important, the essence of this does not change due to identical agricultural technology and a slight difference in varieties. A rich harvest of pepper can only be achieved if grown through seedlings. It has a long ripening period, so in order to get a good harvest, you should worry about the future already in the winter.
So, let's deal with the question of when to plant peppers from the very beginning. I would like to say a little about the seeds themselves. When buying them, you should pay attention to the packaging time and shelf life. If the seeds are up to two years old, you can be sure of their germination, their more respectable age is not welcome - you risk being left without pepper at all.
A few words about culture
Pepper has been cultivated in warm countries since time immemorial and enjoys well-deserved love from both amateur gardeners and culinary specialists. TakingTaking into account that not all varieties have time to ripen in central Russia, many are interested in which variety is best suited to our climatic conditions and when to plant pepper. Let's make a reservation right away - experienced gardeners try to plant early and ultra-early varieties of sweet and bitter peppers. Here are just a few:
- Rafaela F1 - early pepper, refers to early-ripening hybrids. Cone-shaped fruits with high palatability. Ripening, the fruits gradually change color from dark green to deep red. This variety of pepper is ideal for canning and eating raw.
- Lungi F1 - also considered a high yielding sweet pepper hybrid. The cone-shaped fruit is up to 5 mm thick. Resistant to diseases and adverse growing conditions.
- Ami is a variety that has gained particular popularity in the south of Russia. The undersized plant bears large cone-shaped fruits. The variety has a high yield and excellent taste.
You can also grow several varieties of early hot peppers. Each of them is distinguished by a high yield, an elongated fruit shape up to 12 cm long. Due to its specific taste, each of the proposed varieties - Gekgel, For mother-in-law or Fiery volcano - is used for making sauces, home canning, spicy paprika and so on.
Date of sowing seeds
After buying the treasured seeds, a natural question arises: "When to sow pepper for seedlings?" The distillation period can take from 5 to 30, sometimes more, days. The olderseeds, the longer they have this time. The normal period for seedlings of fresh seeds is 2-3 weeks. Reasoning on the topic of when to sow early pepper for seedlings should be based on the timing of its planting in the ground. Unlike tomatoes, which perfectly tolerate relocation to a permanent place, peppers are best planted after the first flower in the first fork. As a rule, this happens after 2-2.5 months from the moment of seed germination. If we look at the dates, then the pepper seeds that have risen from March 1 to March 15 can be planted in the ground from May 10, and the sowing of seeds will take place from February 20 to March 5. From how correctly the choice of planting material is made, its germination and future harvest will depend. Pepper seeds are characterized by a long germination period, this is evidenced by the special structure of the culture seed, which means that it is proposed to carry out artificial activation.
Before planting, the seeds can be treated with a growth stimulator, which will lead to friendly shoots. Most long-term horticulturists recommend removing the central flower from the first branch on the plant to get a large harvest.
Planting seeds
It is worth understanding that if you want to grow seedlings of pepper, which will subsequently give a good harvest, you need to make the right choice of a container for planting seeds. It is best carried out in small cups or special cassettes, but a box or a low pot will adversely affect growth. It is worth remembering that pepper is not very fond ofpicks. Planting it with a large company in a common bowl with subsequent picking will lead to a delay in the development of seedlings for about a week or two. Therefore, it is best to plant pepper seeds in small containers.
The soil mixture should be prepared a few days before planting. The soil must be warmed up to room temperature. You can also mix the substrate yourself, which will require the following components in equal proportions: lowland peat, manure humus and sod land.
Where to determine the seedlings
Everyone strives to use their greenhouse to the fullest. But in order to get a return on such plantings, you still need to listen to the advice of experts and not violate the rules developed over many years of practice: when to sow pepper, how to place seedlings. As a rule, pepper is grown in greenhouses, tunnels, greenhouses or open beds. But the best option, of course, is the greenhouse.
Before planting seedlings, it must be hardened off. This must be done in order to accustom the plant to the sun, wind, daily temperature fluctuations, in general, to fresh air. Hardening begins a few weeks before planting such a heat-loving crop as pepper in the ground. What is the best preparation method? Graduality is important here. Seedlings are taken out to the balcony, to the street. You can even just open the window, increasing the ventilation time every day. But it should be borne in mind that the temperature outside must be at least +13, otherwise the seedlings mayfreeze.
In the absence of a greenhouse, the planting of pepper seeds has to be scheduled for the month of February, so that by the time of transplantation, the seedlings are about 100 days old. It is not recommended to pamper your seedlings with excessive watering, as this can lead to a disease, popularly referred to as the black leg. But you should not allow the soil to dry out either.
Feeding seedlings
During the period of growing seedlings, it will need to be fed a couple of times. Proper seedling seedlings will need to receive their first top dressing two weeks after the first shoots appear. The second is carried out a few days before planting the plants in the ground. The composition of the nutrient mixture includes: urea - 5 g, superphosphates - 30 g, potash fertilizers - 10 g (per 10 liters of water). A good top dressing is obtained from a mixture of wood ash and nettle infusion in a ratio of 1:10. It is worth remembering that potassium chloride is contraindicated for pepper.
Place to land
Pepper is a heat-loving vegetable crop, which means it needs a sunny, warm place, protected from the wind. Also, the plant is very demanding on the soil, therefore, strong seedlings are required. The land must be fertile, retain moisture well and allow air to pass through. The best predecessors of pepper are carrots, onions, and legumes (except beans). Do not plant pepper on the beds after eggplant, tomato, potatoes. The first couple of weeks after planting, the plants grow very slowly. Therefore, it is recommended to help them - to loosen the soil. This improves the supply of oxygen toroot system of pepper.
Correct watering of pepper
Pepper prefers frequent but moderate watering with warm water. After each, the earth must be fluffed up, remembering that the root system of the crop is very close to the surface. Therefore, the procedure is carried out very carefully, trying not to damage the roots of the plant.
Irrigation rate before the formation of ovaries - 30-35 liters per 1 m2, during the fruiting period - 40-45 liters. Watering stops 20 days before the last harvest.
Virtues of hot and sweet pepper
Hot pepper has a lot of useful properties, not to say about which it would be just a sin. Oddly enough, it is popular not only in the preparation of individual dishes or in preservation, but also as a strengthening agent for hair, as well as warming for colds and inflammatory diseases.
It is best to start with a gentle way. To do this, hot tincture is diluted with kefir or vegetable oil with the addition of vitamins A and E. The mask has a stimulating effect on the hair without overdrying the scalp. Tincture can be prepared independently, or can be purchased at pharmacies. For self-preparation, you will need finely chopped hot peppers (2 pcs.), Which must be poured with 150 ml of alcohol and hidden in a dark place for 7 days. After that, the solution is ready for use. Apply it to the scalp, diluting with water in the proportion of 1 tablespoon of extract per 10 tbsp. l. water.
Now about sweet peppers. Thanks to the presenceroutine and a record amount of ascorbic acid strengthens capillaries, supplies the body with vitamin C. Eating ripe fruits will normalize the secretion of gastric juice, improve digestion and appetite. Pepper contains trace elements such as zinc and cob alt, which regulate the production of its own melanin.
Outdoor pepper
When to sow pepper seedlings for open ground? At about the same time as for greenhouses, but in the southern regions of our country, they shift by about 3 weeks by the beginning of the calendar year. Sweet pepper seed varieties such as Denis, Arsenal, Slastena, Heracles or Novocherkassky have established themselves as species that give an excellent harvest. They are very often grown by amateur gardeners. You can pick up other varieties of sweet pepper, which, through the efforts of professionals and amateurs, were bred for cultivation in the middle lane in open ground.
Among the varieties of bitter pepper, I would like to highlight such pepper for open ground as Astrakhan modification 147 and 628, Ukrainian bitter or Elephant trunk modification 304.
Agriculture of hot and sweet pepper is in many ways similar to the cultivation of tomatoes. But peppers, as it turned out, are much more sensitive to temperature changes and the effects of cold air currents. This means that you should choose varieties of bitter and sweet peppers for growing in the open field with a great eye on the weather and climate calendar of a particular area.
Also, when planning to plant seedlings in the ground, for peppers it is necessarymake a careful choice of location. To protect plants from the wind, they try to plant them along the fence, hedges, and so on. Due to the ability of the crop to cross-pollinate, we sow pepper seeds at a considerable distance from each other. This will give the plants the space they need to develop.
Planting pepper seeds into the ground should be accompanied by the application of organic fertilizer. Receiving regular top dressing from complex fertilizers, the plant develops a powerful root system.
Planting pepper seeds
Pepper is a rather capricious crop: the germination of seeds quickly falls, and since they have a rather dense shell, it is likely that the sprouts will be few, and it may happen that they will not be at all. A completely logical conclusion follows from this: planting pepper seeds must be prepared in advance. How to do it?
Immediately before planting a pepper, it is recommended to make a careful selection of seeds for planting. To do this, you need to make a solution of table s alt (30 g per 1 liter of water). Seeds are immersed in it for no more than 10 minutes. Full seeds will sink to the bottom of the container, while hollow or weak ones will float. Floated seeds can be collected and thrown away without regret, since there will be no sense from them unambiguously. Drain the solution, and rinse the seeds remaining at the bottom with clean water and spread out to dry completely.
The next step to take before planting the pepper is called dressing. With it, you can disinfect the seeds and prevent plant diseases. To do this, sortplanting material in size and make a 1% solution of manganese (1 g per 1 liter). Put the selected seeds into the solution and leave there for no more than 15 minutes. After that, rinse again with water and let them dry.
In order to give the plants he alth, it is recommended to treat with microelements a couple of days before sowing pepper seeds for seedlings. To do this, make small bags from gauze and put the seeds prepared for planting in them. Immerse in a solution with microelements (Ideal or Elin fertilizers) and leave for 12-14 hours. After that, the seeds must be removed and dried. It is worth noting that it is not required to wash them after this procedure.
In addition to chemical fertilizers, seeds can be treated with folk remedies. For example, take 2 g of wood ash per 1 liter of water (the mixture should stand for a day with frequent stirring). Then the seeds are folded into gauze bags and lowered into the nutrient mixture for 3 hours. After that, rinse and dry everything.
If you want to get guaranteed seedlings, the seeds can be germinated in advance. To do this, put the pepper seeds disinfected in potassium permanganate on gauze, wrap and put in a shallow plate, slightly moisten. Put in a warm place. After a day, you can observe how small roots hatch. Germinated seeds can be planted in the substrate.
There is another way of seed germination, which is considered more effective - this is bubbling, which involves the processing of planting material in water saturatedoxygen. This method of processing pepper seeds allows you to accelerate the emergence of seedlings. This method is good 1-2 weeks before transplanting.
To do this, it is recommended to prepare a three-liter jar and fill it with water at a temperature of 20o C by two thirds. Lower the jar to the bottom and turn on the compressor. After the appearance of bubbles, lower the seeds into a jar for a day. After that, take it out and dry it.
And the last method used in seed treatment is hardening. With its help, plants will be able to safely endure the vagaries of nature. After carrying out the necessary disinfection, it is recommended to soak the pepper seeds in warm water and leave them to swell. Then immediately put on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator for 24 hours. Then let them dry. You can start sowing pepper seeds for seedlings.
How to grow peppers
If seedlings are bought for growing pepper, then you should pay attention to the stem of the plant - the leaves on a strong stem should be dark green. Only under these conditions can we say that this is the correct seedlings of pepper. It is worth abandoning the one on which there are flowers or fruits. This is a guarantee that there will be no harvest. In dry weather, the plant requires abundant watering. Otherwise, due to lack of moisture, the fruit may be bitter, and the flesh will be thin and dry. Pepper is a lover of warm soil, which means that it is best to plant it in soil warmed up to +15 degrees. Pale greens and slow fruit growth may indicate a lack of proper nutrition. You can feed the plants with mullein or compost tea.
BRecently, gardening has been influenced by fashion. This is evidenced by the rapid rise or fall in the popularity of a particular variety. Most amateur vegetable growers try to plant their own material, which was obtained from the seeds of the previous crop, but sometimes disappointment comes from the second generation of a new variety. Many seed varieties that appear on the market are first-generation hybrids that produce a wide range of genetic traits the next year. Resistant traits are usually provided by time-tested varieties.
