Gardeners are in a hurry
Haste is a good reason why peppers grow poorly. Many people are unable to wait until the culture adapts to environmental conditions. It varies 8-12 days. Wait for the seeds to activate.
It is normal for seedlings to remain in one position for a while. The frail state of the plant warns of the possible death of the pepper. If their appearance does not inspire doubt, there is no need to panic. After waiting, the formation of leaves and other parts will begin.
How to feed pepper seedlings?
Read it, it’s very useful to learn how to do it correctly: - Feeding pepper seedlings after picking.
Organic fertilizers from mullein or compost: 1 kg of material is poured into 10 liters of water, after which each liter of this infusion is diluted with another 10 liters and pepper is sprayed. Yeast fertilizer: If you use live yeast, then you need to take 200 g, if dry - 10 g per 10 liters of water. The yeast is poured with warm water and placed in a dark and warm place until it cools. Iodine supplement. Iodine helps the plant absorb nitrogen from the soil, which has a beneficial effect on the quality of the crop. In order to properly prepare the fertilizer, you only need one drop per 3 liters of water at room temperature. It is useful to introduce such fertilizing both at the seedling stage and for adult plants. Getting an excellent pepper harvest is not difficult if you follow these simple recommendations. The care and attention to detail will pay off when the finest quality peppers are harvested. Plant and grow with pleasure!
Fear of cold
Cold is one of the most common factors in plant failure. Pepper needs warmth. Optimal numbers during the day are +25 degrees, at night +10-12C. If this factor is not taken into account, then the root system will be the first to suffer, which will lead to the death of the pepper.
Shoots begin to appear towards the end of February and beginning of March. Gardeners recommend placing seedlings in a lighted place. Covering with film or canvas will help cope with the cold. Not enough heat and the pepper will stop developing. You should protect yourself by creating arches in the greenhouse in case of frost.
Basic plastic bottles are suitable for saving plants on the ground. Take care of heat sources in the form of stones. They should be left in the sun in advance so that they warm up and then release positive temperatures to the soil in the dark. This method is extremely beneficial for pepper roots.
Why do peppers grow poorly?
There are many reasons for failure when cultivating lettuce peppers, among the main ones:
- bad seeds, which in the future manifests itself in the form of weak stems;
- the seeds were not prepared - no preliminary germination was carried out;
- incorrect dive and transfer times;
- going too deep into the ground, causing damage to the roots when replanting;
- problems with the soil (infertile composition or unsuitable structure, cold soil in the greenhouse);
- systematic violation of the temperature regime, exposure to low temperatures or extreme heat, temperature changes during the day and night;
- dry air in the greenhouse, poor ventilation or the presence of draft winds;
- untimely irrigation, use of poor quality water;
- short daylight hours, poor lighting;
- ineffective fertilizing, overfeeding the bushes or, on the contrary, adding insufficient amounts of useful elements;
- ignoring pinching and pruning of pepper varieties that need it.
Wrong choice of planting depth
The planting was very deep. Incorrect actions and, as a result, peppers grow poorly or die. The plant does not like depth, preferring the top layer of soil.
Peppers should not be subjected to extreme force. To survive. The most important thing is to channel the pepper’s energy towards a good harvest. If you make this mistake, you will have to wait a very long time for growth. Don't forget about the support and garter.
Also very often, gardeners make the following mistakes:
- Root damage. The root was broken during planting. Peppers may not grow tall. Do not pinch or cut the roots. On the contrary, try not to damage and carefully move the plant for further growth. This will lead to good adaptation and development of the pepper.
- Seed quality. Bad seeds will cause the growth of weak stems.
- Eating from one extreme to another. If you underfeed or overfeed, the peppers will not grow after planting in the ground. You need to find a middle ground so that the roots develop at the same level as the ground part.
- Landing in the wrong place. You should not plant capricious peppers where tomatoes or potatoes grew.
- Soil quality. Pepper is picky about soil; it does not like dense soil with a high degree of acidity.
- Deficiency or excess of a nutrient element. The plant becomes pale with a small amount of nitrogen. The leaves will begin to fall, destroying the pepper. And excess phosphorus will slow down growth.
Excess or lack of nutrition negatively affects seedlings
Sometimes peppers do not grow well in height due to an “overdose” of fertilizers.
Often we feed seedlings without thinking about whether the plant needs additional nutrition or not. And an excess of superphosphate, for example, can lead to the fact that the roots begin to develop faster than the above-ground part. The result is growth retardation. In this case, fertilizing must be stopped and abundant watering must be provided. The opposite situation also happens, although much less frequently. If the peppers were grown in purchased low-nutrient soil without fertilizing, and then we planted them in poor, depleted soil, a slowdown in growth is quite predictable. Here, on the contrary, you will have to come to your senses and feed according to the schedule.
Mistakes when watering
Incorrect watering. This is why peppers grow poorly both in open ground and in greenhouses. Pepper is sensitive to lack of moisture. Growth will slow down and crop loss may occur. When growing peppers, you need to observe regular watering. They serve as a guarantee of the integrity of the peppers.
Water frequently: every 1-2 days in the greenhouse, and every 3-6 days in open ground. On hot days, feed the peppers with water twice a day. The volume of each watering should be approximately 1 liter of water. This will bring down the temperature.
It is best to use watering from a watering can. Why doesn't pepper grow in open ground? The reason is over-watering.
Do not overuse it, because excess moisture attracts slugs, rot and diseases of late blight, fusarium, etc. to the plant. There is a negative impact on vegetation and direct growth due to soil depletion.
What can you do?
When planting peppers in open ground, do not rush. This can be done only when the soil has warmed up sufficiently and its temperature is plus 10-12 degrees. The best time for planting is from the twentieth of May to the first of June.
Try to plant peppers in loose and soft soil rich in nutrients, in places where other plants previously grew.
When planting, handle the root system carefully using the topping method, keeping some of the soil in the root system.
When caring for the plant, try to fertilize it with organic fertilizers, such as compost or humus, adding them in small portions. When using chemicals, try not to overdo it.
If you fertilize the bed with nitrogen, then this is only necessary during the active growth stage. As for potassium and phosphorus, it can be added throughout the season. These substances have an excellent effect on the roots and accelerate the growth of the crop, including its fruits.
Attention! When choosing fertilizer, never use manure. It is very harmful to peppers and can burn the plant, causing its death.
Resumption of development
After identifying the main obstacles to the growth of pepper, you can move on to eliminating these problems. Do not use garden black soil because of its density. Add raising agents to the soil: peat, Perlite, etc.
The liquid will go straight into the plant. The measure will allow the roots to breathe. As soon as you have watered, loosen the soil. Do not damage the pepper roots that are near the surface. This will prevent weeds from appearing in the future.
- Adjusting light and heat. Create the optimal temperature for pepper growth. There should also be a reasonable amount of light. If there is an excess of it, the seedlings will become excessively elongated and die. The lack of light is minimized by special lamps.
- Behavior after a pick. You should not perform this procedure too early or late. Plants experience discomfort when transplanted. Fertilizers and fertilizing will help improve the situation.
- Helping pepper with excess nutrition. Stop feeding the seedlings. Excess substances will go deep into the bud, and the seedlings will return to normal growth.
- Stop the pests. Protecting the plant from pests is important. Treat with special preparations. It is better to do this in the evening, because during the day the sun's rays hitting the wet leaves of the plant can create stress for them.
Causes of poor growth of peppers
In reality, there may be many such reasons, but the main ones are:
- bad seeds, as a result of which seedlings develop poorly;
- no pre-germination of seeds;
- during a transfer or pick-up, the time was chosen incorrectly;
- deep planting;
- root damage;
- infertile soil;
- consequences of a lack of nutrients;
- constant temperature changes;
- poor irrigation and poor quality water for irrigation;
- insufficient amount of sunlight;
- poor quality feeding;
- absence or untimely stepsoning.
At the initial stage of development, peppers do not grow in height if not properly cared for. By violating even one condition of proper care, the gardener may face a stop in the growth of the crop.
The best fertilizer for peppers
Agronomists have discovered that pepper loves potassium sulfate. It needs to be dissolved in water and watered. This feeding will show results in the form of pepper growth spurts within a week.
Add peat and humus to the soil and use potassium permanganate before planting, which will protect the soil.
A common mistake people make is using chicken droppings and fresh manure. Unfortunately, peppers do not grow well on it and slow down their growth. This type of fertilizer literally burns the leaves and stem.
Effective stimulants include:
- Epin-Extra;
- Zircon, Seal;
- Novosil.
Now you know how to avoid stopping the growth of peppers after planting in the ground. By following the correct sequence, you will receive a high-quality harvest in the form of healthy peppers. Be diligent and patient to ensure your growth succeeds.
Common diseases of sweet pepper seedlings and their control
Most often, sweet pepper diseases appear on the leaves or stem, so regular inspection of the bushes is mandatory. Some diseases are very dangerous and can destroy up to 90% of the crop.
1. Powdery mildew. It lies on the leaves like an uneven white coating. Most often it affects vegetables in greenhouses. To combat it, air humidity should be increased. Increase watering and lower air temperature.
2. Black leg. It most often affects seedlings, but can also occur in adult plants. Due to excess moisture and insufficient saturation of the soil with oxygen or planting too close, the stem at the base begins to turn black, becomes thinner, and the leaves wither. The disease is bacterial in nature, but if you reduce the amount of water when watering, the disease will recede.
A very useful article, read: - Why do the leaves of pepper seedlings curl up or down, how to treat them?
3. Wilt. A fungal disease that develops in soils that are not saturated with oxygen and are moist. The plant begins to wither, the leaves dry out and fall off, and black spots are visible on the cuts. This disease has no cure; if an affected plant is discovered, it should be disposed of immediately.
4. Tobacco or cucumber mosaic. Perhaps the most dangerous disease that can completely destroy the crop. It is viral in nature. It can be identified by the uneven color of the leaves and necrosis on the veins. The affected plant does not form an ovary; after flowering, the bud disappears. Having found the symptoms of this disease, the plant should be immediately removed from the rest to prevent the spread.
Photos of pepper diseases
Choosing a suitable place for pepper
When choosing a place to plant, take into account the characteristics of the culture. Pepper loves warmth, good lighting and fertile soil with a neutral reaction. It is best suited to small hills where the soil warms up faster.
In addition, you should avoid planting in beds where other nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes or eggplants) previously grew, because The causative agents of their common diseases may remain in the soil. And when choosing a place for a plant, you need to remember that it does not tolerate drafts.
Selecting good neighbors for pepper
Just like people, the environment in which they need to thrive is important to plants. Each crop, including pepper, has its own “good” and “bad” neighbors.
Onions, garlic, marigolds, nasturtium, basil, etc. have the most beneficial effect on sweet peppers. These “neighbors” protect the vegetable from diseases and pests by releasing phytoncides. But dill and fennel, on the contrary, inhibit the development of sweet peppers. It is also worth planting legumes and nightshade crops further away from it.
- A good neighborhood: what can be planted next to pepper
Not all vegetables get along well in one garden bed. Today we are choosing neighbors for our beloved bell pepper.
