When cultivating peppers, I pre-prepare a greenhouse that allows me to get a relatively early harvest of juicy fragrant pods. In order for the seedlings to be strong, I observe the terms and rules of sowing. Be sure to follow the instructions on the label.
Sowing for seedlings
I start sowing activities in the second or third decade of February. Be sure to provide for the equipment of phytolamps to provide seedlings with sufficient lighting.
When preparing the seeds, I wrap them in gauze and immerse them in water heated to + 50 ° C for 15 minutes. Then I put them in the freezer overnight.
This procedure can be replaced by keeping the grains for 30 minutes in the Zircon, Energen solution prepared according to the instructions. Such activities contribute to the acceleration of seed spitting and the formation of strong seedlings.
If I plan to get a small number of seedlings, I immediately prepare individual containers with a volume of 400-500 ml. This will avoid damaging the fragile stems of picking.
I fill the molds with a loose, high-fertility ready-made substrate, which I spray with settled water using a spray gun.
When cooking on my own, I take garden soil frozen on the balcony. In equal proportions, I combine it with fine-grained sand and crushed humus. I warm the mixture at +70 ° C in the oven or pour it with boiling water.
I plant 3 grains in each container, maintaining an interval between them of about 20 mm. Sowing depth - 3-4 cm. I cover the seeds with a dry soil mixture, which I slightly compact.
I cover the molds with a transparent film. I set it to heat. If the average temperature is not lower than + 27 ° C, sprouts appear after 6-8 days. At lower rates, seedlings should be expected later.
Greenhouse preparation
Peppers under cover should create the necessary conditions. I start preparations in the fall.
I remove organic residues and debris from the surface of the earth in the greenhouse. Every 3 years, a layer of soil 10-15 cm thick is replaced with a fresh substrate. I disinfect all internal structures and surfaces, as well as inventory with a pink solution of potassium permanganate. If the soil cannot be replaced, I spill it with Fitosporin 8-10 days before stable frosts.
seedling care
I water the pepper every 5-7 days. It is important to avoid excessive waterlogging. But prolonged drying of the earth negatively affects the development of young shoots.
I turn on the lamps so that the daylight hours are at least 12-13 hours.
I start feeding pepper seedlings when they have 2-3 leaves. I take 125 g of superphosphate, to which I add 50 g of urea. I supplement the mixture with 30 g of potassium salt. This amount is calculated for dissolution in a 10-liter container with settled water. I carefully water the seedlings, protecting the leaves from drops.
I repeat the same top dressing when 4-5 leaves develop. As the seedlings grow, several times I pour the soil substrate into the pots, preventing the roots from being exposed.
In order to ensure hardening, I begin to take out seedlings of pepper on the balcony 14-15 days before the predicted date of moving them to the greenhouse. Plants acquire resistance to possible temperature changes. Increase the time spent outdoors gradually.
High-quality strong seedlings are ready for transplanting into greenhouse conditions by mid-May. By this time, I carefully dig up the ground, form the beds. A week before landing, I spill them with hot water and cover with a film. When planting in soil warmed up to +15…+17 °C, pepper quickly adapts and then develops well.
Share in the comments, please, your experience of sowing pepper in order to grow viable seedlings.
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