Sowing pepper for seedlings: seed preparation, optimal timing

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Today, a lot of gardeners in our country are engaged in growing various vegetables and fruits. But in order to get a good harvest, it is necessary to provide crops with timely proper care.

Planting always starts with planning. To get a good harvest, it is necessary to provide optimal conditions for growing crops, as well as choose the right time for planting. In this review, we will talk about how pepper is sown for seedlings.

Capsicum is a herbaceous annual plant. Today it is often found in the greenhouses of experienced gardeners. In some areas of our country, it is even grown in open ground. To get a good and tasty harvest, you need to properly prepare. Sowing pepper for seedlings at home must necessarily include the process of seed treatment. They should be "tempered" and accustomed to natural conditions.

Since pepper is a heat-loving plant, it is extremely important to choose the right days for sowing pepper for seedlings. The fruits ripen in 150-200 days. Exactly because of this reasonplants start growing from seedlings, and not just plant seeds in the ground.

In any case, the stage of caring for green crops is not the easiest process. It involves the implementation of many complex procedures for at least six months. This must be remembered when choosing the timing of sowing pepper seeds for seedlings. The quality of the future harvest directly depends on the planting material. To increase the chances of germination, all seeds must be pre-treated.

Suitable days for planting

When is the right time to plant peppers? Sowing seedlings and the lunar calendar are interrelated concepts. The growing moon is considered the most necessary and suitable phase for gardeners. Planting plants growing above ground level should be carried out during this period.

It is worth noting right away that the sowing of pepper seeds for seedlings must be carried out starting in February. With optimal temperatures and regular irrigation, you can get strong and full sprouts.

The most suitable dates for planting peppers are:

• February 14 - sowing sweet varieties;
• February 16 - sowing of bitter and sweet peppers;
• February 23 - planting sweet varieties.

Here is an approximate calendar for sowing peppers for seedlings. It is these days that are most favorable in order to get a rich harvest after 2-3 months.

Types of peppers

In order to choose the most suitable variety, you must first determine what result you want to get. If your goal isin growing large fruits with fleshy tender pulp, then Winnie the Pooh, California Miracle and the like are best for you. For canning, it is better to buy Topolin or Merchant.

When choosing seeds, be sure to pay attention to the expiration date indicated on the package. Try to select the freshest materials as possible, this will allow you to get a good harvest. Otherwise, even with proper care, she will be weak.

How to check seed quality?

This issue needs special attention. Sowing pepper seeds for seedlings begins with seed treatment. It includes several stages. They can be combined depending on the wishes of the gardener, the quality of the material and weather conditions.

Typically, the main procedures include:

• bubbling;
• soaking;
• disinfection;
• hardening;
• calibration.

Do not neglect even a part of these procedures. Only their joint use will allow you to get a rich harvest. It is especially important to fulfill all of them when harvesting seeds on your own. Store-bought seed may have already gone through some processing steps.

If you are going to sow pepper seedlings in February, you definitely need to prepare the seed material. Many people prefer to buy it in stores, of which there are a huge number today. In this case, try to read the reviews and recommendations of experts. Also check the bags carefully.with seeds. They should not have holes. Each variety has its own growing requirements. If you are going to plant pepper for the first time, then it is better to give preference to varieties that are not capricious. In this case, caring for the plant will not require special attention.

Preparing pepper for sowing seedlings must necessarily include such an important step as calibration. To do this, it is necessary to pour the seeds on a sheet of paper and select too small and too large samples. This is followed by soaking.

Before you start sowing pepper seeds for seedlings, you need to make sure that the product you have chosen is of high quality. For this purpose, the seeds are poured with a warm saline solution prepared from 200 g of water and half a teaspoon of s alt. Within 5-7 minutes, this composition must be thoroughly mixed. Floating seeds are not suitable for planting. You need to leave only those that drowned.

Growing seedlings

This process is somewhat reminiscent of caring for tomatoes. Both of these cultures belong to the Solanaceae family. Special culture care is not required. Even a novice gardener can easily cope with its cultivation. However, there are certain features of cultivation that should definitely be taken into account. It is necessary to properly prepare the soil, seeds, provide the plants with proper watering, and so on. Let's consider each of the stages in turn.

How to prepare seeds?

This is a very important stage, on which the further disembarkation depends. When you decide on the choice of variety andbuy seeds, you need to pour them on a sheet of white paper for a thorough visual inspection. Small or damaged should be removed immediately. When sowing pepper for seedlings in February, it is better to use only high-quality material. To prevent the development of various diseases, the seeds should be treated with a solution of potassium permanganate. Instead, you can use special preparations. However, experienced summer residents still recommend using this time-tested method.

Preparing pepper seeds for sowing seedlings necessarily involves soaking in warm water. To do this, they are laid out on gauze, folded twice. This is done in order to make it easier to collect the seeds after soaking. Otherwise, you will have to use tweezers for this procedure. Typically, the soaking step is carried out in order to get the pepper sprouts as early as possible. The dense natural shell softens as a result of this process, and the sprouts are much easier to hatch.

Sowing pepper seedlings sometimes includes a procedure such as bubbling. In simple words, this is the treatment of seeds with air bubbles. It allows you to speed up the germination process. Usually sparging is carried out two weeks before sowing. Another important advantage of this procedure is the purification of seed material from pathogenic microflora.

To carry out bubbling, it is enough to take a simple compressor for an aquarium. It is necessary to prepare a high container in advance, fill it with 2/3 water and lower the compressor tube there. Pepper seeds are poured into the water and left there for about a day. seedsafter this procedure, it must be dried. If at the stage of bubbling the seed immediately began to hatch, it can be transplanted into the ground.

Positively affects the germination of seeds and the procedure for saturation with elements. Thanks to her, young peppers will better resist the effects of negative environmental factors. It also guarantees a quality harvest. It is better to saturate the seed with microelements a day before the expected date of planting in the ground. Simple wood ash is best suited for processing seed. It is necessary to mix 20 grams of this substance with a liter of clean water and insist for a day. The next day, the seeds should be lowered into this solution and kept for 3-5 hours. After that, the seed must be washed and dried.

Another very useful procedure is the hardening of pepper seeds. Thanks to her, the seed will not be afraid of temperature changes. Hardening is usually performed after pickling. The seeds must be placed in warm water, and when they swell, move them to the refrigerator for 1.5 days. You can perform this procedure in other ways. Within 10-12 days, swollen seeds need to create such conditions that they regularly feel temperature changes. For example, they can be kept at 20 degrees for half a day, and then at 4 degrees.

It is also worth mentioning such an important aspect as seed storage. After all, the quality of the crop will ultimately also depend on this. Pepper seeds are best stored in paper or linen bags. Can be done insidea layer of polyethylene, which will provide good waterproofing. When using purchased seeds, it is best to leave them in their original packaging. It only needs to be rolled up well so that moisture does not accidentally get inside. You can also put some flour in the bag of seeds. It will absorb excess moisture. If you store seeds in a glass or plastic container, make sure that the lid is well closed. The bottom shelf of your refrigerator is great for storing seeds. Do not keep seeds for more than 2 years. During this time, they will simply lose their germination.

Preparing the soil

So, what do you need for this? How to prepare pepper for sowing seedlings? The most important step is the choice of soil mixture. You can not particularly bother and buy ready-made soil in a flower shop. Experienced gardeners advise mixing it with a little sand.

You can prepare the soil mixture yourself. To do this, it is necessary to mix peat and washed sand in equal proportions. You can also add some of the humus. The resulting mixture is calcined in an oven or double boiler for 40 minutes. This procedure helps to disinfect the soil, and in addition, it will protect future seedlings from diseases and weeds. The choice of soil for seedlings should be approached with special care.

Sowing

This process is no different from sowing other vegetable crops.

Just follow the instructions below:

1. The seed container should be about 80% full of potting mix. ATsmall holes must be made at the bottom of the container.
2. Pepper seeds are spread on the palm for convenience. If you choose not to pre-soak them, then you won't need to use tweezers. It will be enough just to open the package and pour its contents into your hand.
3. Spread the seeds evenly over the surface of the soil and tamp them down a little. Since the method of planting seedlings with boiling water is described, it is not necessary to cover the seed with soil.
4. Carefully pour boiling water over the seeds, making sure not to skip a single section. You can water them directly from the kettle. Try not to spill. The soil should not be excessively wet.
5. Tightly close the container with a lid or film. Cover immediately after watering. You can see how steam comes from the ground. The container must be moved to a warm place.
6. 5-6 days later you can get the first shoots. They need to be sprinkled with a small amount of earth. Seedlings will be ready for transplanting after 1.5 weeks.

How to properly care for a crop?

The container with seedlings should be moved to a well-lit place in the house. From time to time it needs to be turned over relative to the light source. This must be done at least a couple of times a week. If possible, additional lighting sources should also be installed. Seedlings of peppers should be protected from drafts. They have a negative effect on the plant.

After 20-27 days after the appearance of the first shoots, real leaves will grow. Seedlings should not be wateredmore than once a week. The first watering should be carried out only a week after the emergence of sprouts. The soil must have a sufficient level of moisture, so you need to water the seedlings regularly. It is best to use warm water for irrigation. Summer residents with extensive experience recommend enriching seedlings with settled water, although this is not necessary.

How to pick?

It is a process of planting seedlings in separate containers or containers. This allows you to accelerate the growth of the root system. As a result, lateral and adventitious roots are formed. Picking should be started when the plant has 2 leaves. It will be much easier to transplant it at this stage than when the cotyledon leaves appeared.

When picking, be sure to take into account some features. Somewhere in 2-3 hours, the plants should be watered abundantly. Experts do not recommend picking from dry soil. After watering, be sure to wait a while for the water to drain from the containers, and you can proceed. Most often, plastic glasses are used for picking. You can also use peat. They cost a little more, but they will be more useful.

How is the sowing of pepper for seedlings done? In each of the glasses it is necessary to pour a little soil that was used during sowing. The soil must be sprinkled with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. In the middle part of the container, it is necessary to make small holes, designed for the size of the root system. During picking, the main thing is to try not to damage the plants.

Seedlings needtake it by the ears. Pepper must be placed in a pre-prepared hole, sprinkled with earth and tamped. In this case, the root neck must be buried in the ground by five centimeters. Each seedling should be watered. When the liquid is absorbed, you can add a little more earth.

Diseases and pests

Many novice gardeners are interested in the question of how to sow pepper seeds for seedlings. If the technology is not followed, the plants may be affected by various parasites. Pepper most often suffers from thrips. This is the name of small insects that infect the leaves of plants. If you grow seedlings at home, this does not guarantee you 100% protection from pests.

Tobacco tincture is best for thrips. She just needs to spray the seedlings. This tool is considered one of the most effective. To prepare the solution, you will need 5 liters of water and a pound of tobacco. The mixture must be boiled over low heat for 20-30 minutes. The resulting composition is infused for 12 hours, after which it is filtered through gauze and mixed with a small amount of laundry soap.

If you do not trust folk remedies, you can use ready-made preparations. The most common among summer residents are "Zircon", "Intavir", "Barrier". They are effective for diseases such as leaf mold, blackleg, late blight, mosaic disease.

What else is worth knowing if you are going to grow sweet peppers? Sowing for seedlings must necessarily includesuch a procedure as loosening the earth. Also, all plants are recommended to be treated with special preparations.

Planting

If you chose the right time for sowing pepper for seedlings, then after 50-60 days it will be ready for transplanting into open ground. Usually, the plant already has 12-17 leaves, and its height is 20 cm. Seedlings can be planted in the ground immediately after the first buds appear.

If you miss the timing of sowing pepper seedlings, most likely, the plants will be susceptible to diseases. The flowers and leaves that appeared on them may gradually fall off. Therefore, you should especially carefully monitor the development of peppers.

In rare cases, seedlings after transplantation may even stop blooming. This phenomenon can be explained by a sharp change in habitat. The plant gives all its strength to the formation of the root system. Therefore, before planting, you can remove the first flowers formed on the plant. Try to plant the pepper very carefully. Minor damage to the roots and stems can kill the plant.

In closing

In this review, we examined in detail the preparation of pepper for sowing seedlings. However, it should be borne in mind that the method of growing this crop described above is not the only true one. If desired, the gardener can combine some procedures with each other or even replace them with others.

One of the most important factors is choosing the right date for sowing seeds. In order not to be mistaken, use the lunar calendar, as well as recommendationsexperienced gardeners, and then a rich harvest is guaranteed to you. Have a great season!