When to plant peppers for seedlings?
Fragrant cucumbers, ripe tomatoes and juicy bell peppers - something without which the summer-autumn period cannot be imagined. Hand-grown, they undoubtedly acquire a special taste. And if any self-respecting knows about the nuances of caring for tomatoes and cucumbers summer resident, then some questions arise about pepper. Let's try to answer them.
Planting seedlings
One of the most faithful and favorite ways for gardeners to get good bushes and crops is to grow pepper seedlings on their own. Why is this needed? Quite simply, bell peppers need warmth to grow properly. And since we cannot change the temperature outside the window, the seedlings will have to be moved indoors. In the open field, if the shoots sprout, they will quickly freeze and wither. And those attached in cozy pots somewhere on the south window will grow much faster and stronger.
What are the other advantages of the initial planting of pepper on seedlings:
- the period of fruiting increases;
- ripening of fruits in the future is accelerated by 2-3 weeks;
- no need to control weeds and pests.
These nuances are quite enough to make the right decision and think about planting pepper seeds for seedlings.
How to determine the timing of planting peppers for seedlings?
To accurately answer this question, you need to take into account the peculiarities of the region and climate in which the seedlings will be grown. Therefore, we generalize.
If you are going to transfer the plants to open soil in the first ten days of May, then planting pepper seeds for seedlings should take place already in early March. And under the condition of long daylight hours - even at the end of February. And even earlier, if it is possible to move the seedlings to insulated soil, for example, to greenhouse conditions.
Briefly what you need to consider when choosing when to plant seedlings:
- length of daylight hours;
- the estimated date of transplanting seedlings into the ground;
- quality of seeds.
Note! The seedling quality can also affect the dates of sowing peppers. Some manufacturers overdry them on purpose to increase shelf life. Such seeds will germinate an order of magnitude longer. There are also certain varieties with a late fruiting period. Usually they write about this on the package, therefore, when buying seeds, be careful.
Where to put?
As mentioned earlier, bell peppers do not like cold, and certainly needs direct sunlight. This is an important nuance that you should definitely remember. The best place for pots with sprouts is a south window, bathed in sunlight. On warm days, they can and even should be displayed on a glazed balcony.
When placing cups of pepper, check if there is a leak on the windowsill and if there is enough heat on its surface. If not, be sure to put something under the seedlings.
Where to begin?
When choosing a container in which pepper will be planted, remember that it does not tolerate a pick poorly.If you still decide to place the seeds in one common bowl, and then plant, then the seedlings will be delayed in growth for several weeks. It is best to select individual glasses straight away, ideally starting at 100 ml.
It is believed that peppers do not need much space. It's a delusion. As the roots grow, it must be transferred into large containers, ending with two-liter ones. Of course, in an apartment environment, it is almost impossible, but it is better to know how to properly grow pepper seedlings and, if possible, get as close to the rules as possible.
It is better to pre-soak the seeds, especially if you see that they are too dry. This will speed up and increase their germination. When the quality of the seeds cannot be determined by eye, you can try to plant a few things in advance and find out how quickly they will rise. Based on this, you can find out whether it is worth soaking them and more accurately determine when to plant peppers for seedlings.
The soil for seedlings should be insulated and "fed". It is best to mix soil with wood ash, humus and sand. And for heating, you can pre-pour hot water into cups with soil, collecting the vapor on a film stretched from above. You need to remove this film with the first sprouted shoots.
Is it difficult to care for pepper seedlings?
There are enough fertilizers in stores today that are suitable for pepper sprouts. The main thing here is not to overdo it, but just carefully read the instructions and follow them. Let them better be "undernourished" than the other way around. The frequency of watering depends only on how quickly the soil in the pots dries up. This just needs to be watched. In terms of watering, pepper is unpretentious, but you should not completely forget about it either.
When sprouted shoots, it is important that the roots have sufficient access to air, so the soil must be constantly loosened. And in general, the roots for pepper are a "sore spot". When planting plants in open ground, in no case should they be damaged and, if possible, even deform. This leads to a significant slowdown in growth, and in the future - to a decrease in fruiting.
Summing up
As you now know, in general, caring for pepper seedlings is not that difficult. Following just a few simple rules will help you harvest a large and good harvest of juicy peppers:
- always give the pepper as much heat and light as possible;
- do not regret a separate container for each sprout, increasing its volume as it grows;
- let the roots breathe;
- do not overfeed or flood pepper seedlings with water.
Read also: when is it better to plant tomato seedlings?
Yes, indeed, pepper is a very heat-loving plant, and special conditions are needed to grow seedlings: a lot of heat and sun. Room conditions are ideal. I plant pepper seeds in pots, plastic bottles. I do this at the end of February. When the seeds germinate and a few pairs of leaves bloom, I transfer the seedlings to a mini-greenhouse in the garden. I always have a great pepper harvest!
Inna! Can you sow pepper seeds in peat pots? For the first time this year, I will be engaged in sowing vegetable seeds for seedlings. I have been studying everything related to the garden since the beginning of the year.
Here, in the land of evergreen tomatoes, peppers have been grown since February, with lighting. The entire technology is clearly described in the article. It seems to me that compared to tomatoes, it does not stretch. It can slow down growth if it doesn't like something. And yet, for some reason, aphids love him in seedlings, they start up in the heart itself. I didn’t have it, but I have been preparing the soil well since autumn. Many suffer, especially relying on the dirt from the store. Any soil must be pickled before planting.