Good afternoon, my reader. Pepper shoots wither year after year, and sweet fruits, not having time to fill up with juice, dry up and crumble? Perhaps the time has come to try something new - and this is not about foreign fertilizers or expensive equipment. In a seemingly hopeless situation, simple straw can help - you just need to make unusual beds from it, which will feed the plants throughout the season. Our article will tell you more about the method of growing peppers on straw.
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Seedling preparation
Whether you are going to grow peppers in a greenhouse or outdoors, in nutritious soil or on straw, the seedling preparation methods are universal and suitable for any of the situations described.
It is recommended to start sowing in late February or early March - the information on the package with seeds will help to narrow the time. Before planting, the grains must be disinfected with a 2% solution of potassium permanganate - they should be kept soaked in this composition for 20-25 minutes. Any industrial fungicide will be a worthy substitute for the chemical. The seeds will also come in handy with the help of growth stimulants such as "Zircon" and "Epin".
At the end of sowing, the pots with future seedlings must be covered with transparent material and placed in a warm place. The room temperature should be 25-30 ° C. If you do not forget about the timely moistening of the soil, the first shoots from the ground will begin to break through in 5 days. Young shoots should be fed twice with mineral fertilizers.
Preparing straw beds
Preparation of the future nursery should begin at least two weeks before planting. It is recommended to prepare materials since autumn, although there is no need for this. It is best to purchase rectangular bales for making beds, while round bales can be cut yourself.
Making eco-friendly straw beds is not difficult - you just need to follow the algorithm described below:
- Choose a suitable site - planting by the rays of the sun should be illuminated for at least 7 hours a day.
- Cover the selected place with a film or geotextile - these materials will limit the growth of weeds.
- Two weeks before planting, moisten the straw with water and start composting - treat the bales with organic fertilizers and water again abundantly. A week later, wet the hay again, and on the 7th, 8th and 9th days, add a liter of organic fertilizers to the garden bed (of course, not forgetting about watering). On the 10th day, organic matter should be replaced with potassium-phosphorus fertilizers - 500 grams per bale will be quite enough.
- Install wooden slats along the edges of the straw beds. Pull a wire or twine between the latter - in the future, trellises will become a good support for young shoots.
After a while, the hay will be covered with black spots. Do not be afraid - these unsightly "decorations" indicate that it is time to start planting.
Planting pepper
So that the seedlings are not "frightened" of the unusual environment, they should be planted in holes filled with a small amount of soil. To prepare such a planting pit, it is necessary to move the top layer of straw apart and fill the resulting depression with disinfected soil mixture (the soil layer should be 5-7 centimeters).
Within 2-3 weeks, the roots of the seedlings will feed on the beneficial elements contained in the soil, and then they will get stronger and fill the space inside the bales. Within a week after planting, the shoots must be tied to a support.
How to care for peppers in straw beds
Proper watering
Water from the surface of the straw bales evaporates in no time, so the beds must be watered in a timely manner. It is best to carry out this procedure every two days, while the water consumption should be 5 liters per square meter of plantings. During the period of ovary formation, this number should be increased to 10-15 liters per square meter, and in hot weather - up to 20 liters.
It is recommended to use warm water during watering. Irrigate the beds in the evening or early morning.
Top dressing
The seedlings should be fed at least once every ten days. During the flowering period, the peppers will need help from a solution prepared from 20-30 grams of urea, 10-20 grams of potassium chloride and 30-40 grams of superphosphate, diluted in ten liters of water.
During the fruiting period, plants will benefit from a superphosphate solution (40 grams per 10 liters of water).
What problems can arise and how to prevent them
Even children's books taught us that hay is the best refuge for a variety of rodents. To avoid mice infestation, cover the bottom of the straw bales with foil. If the peepers still come, it is worth luring them out of the shelter with the help of poisoned traps.
Straw bales can shrink, putting a lot of stress on sensitive shoots. Such a nuisance can almost certainly be avoided if you do not remove the net from the hay, with which it was pulled together during transportation.
Do you plant peppers in straw beds?
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