Picking peppers, when to pick after germination and is it possible

If you plant pepper seeds for seedlings in a common container, then after a certain time you will need to pick. Often this procedure becomes a problem, especially for novice gardeners.
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Today we will tell you how to pick peppers correctly so as not to lose the seedlings.

What is picking?

In general terms, the picking process is the transplantation of plants from a common container into separate containers for subsequent development .

Picking (picking) is carried out at a certain age, which is most often calculated by the number of true leaves of the seedlings. Also during the procedure, the soil in which the seedlings grow changes.

Is it necessary to bury pepper seedlings when picking?

Based on the above, we can conclude that it is necessary to bury pepper seedlings, but this should be done by people who understand the procedure. The fact that a crop does not tolerate transplantation well does not mean that it may suffer during picking if it is planted deep in the soil.

You need to wait until the seedlings have more than two strong leaves. It is enough to familiarize yourself with the simple rules of this method in order to bury the pepper and not destroy all the grown seedlings.

After planting, it is better to keep the plant in a greenhouse

Is it necessary to pluck pepper seedlings?

In general, diving is a rather painful procedure. It should be avoided if possible. But the reality is that there is always not enough space for seedlings, so sowing is carried out in common boxes. Up to a certain point, you can grow peppers there too, but soon the plants will become crowded, their roots will become intertwined. Therefore, it is necessary to pick so that the seedlings have room to grow and the seedlings do not interfere with each other.

IMPORTANT! The second reason to plant peppers is to acclimate the seedlings to transplantation. That is, the procedure performs the function of a kind of hardening of seedlings.

There is no need to pick those peppers that were immediately planted in separate spacious plastic or peat cups. In this case, the plants will have enough space to grow. The only replanting will have to be done when planting it in a permanent place in open ground or a greenhouse.

It is better to plant bell peppers with or without picking

Beginners who want to start growing bell peppers for seedlings should carefully familiarize themselves with the disadvantages and advantages of picking, which will help them decide whether to plant peppers with picking or to do without it.

Pros and cons of the procedure

Despite all the disadvantages, picking has a number of advantages:

it can increase productivity, because you can sow a large amount of planting material;
the peaked plant has a stronger stem, which prevents damage and breakage;

Picking bell pepper
the procedure promotes good development of the root system, which perfectly holds the above-ground part even in strong gusts of wind;
after picking, the plant develops the fibrous appearance of its roots much better, providing the sprouts with the necessary substances and moisture;
picking saves space from sowing to permanent planting.

Good to know!

In addition, the procedure helps to harden the seedlings, because plants transplanted several times are much less susceptible to disease.

The disadvantages include the laboriousness of the procedure, which requires maximum care to avoid damage to the roots. Frequent changes of soil can cause the development of diseases or mass infection of seedlings. Picked specimens shift the fruiting period, because after transplantation they actively build up the root system, and the above-ground part slows down in growth.

Rules for picking

Since picking has been proven to damage the roots of peppers, a safer transplanting method should be used, for example, planting seeds in a snail or in small cassettes. When sowing, you can place the seeds in a common container so that they are located away from each other and their roots do not intertwine.

About a few hours before picking, water the soil well so that it holds tightly to the roots and does not crumble. Such soil is much easier to remove from an old container. Next, prepare a new container: separate pots, cups or a container divided into sections. Containers and soil mixture must be disinfected (you can use a solution of potassium permanganate). The containers are filled 1/3 with fresh soil, after which they begin picking:

Using a small tool (spoon or spatula), carefully pick up the pepper sprouts from the old container. It is advisable to separate 1 piece each. at once. If you manage to extract two seedlings together, they are carefully separated by hand and planted in separate cups.

Pepper sprouts
Read also: Perfect taste and good yield - Pervoklaska tomato: description of the variety and characteristics
Make a small depression in the fresh soil and place the seedlings in it so that they are at the same depth as in the previous container.

Landing in the ground
The roots are sprinkled with soil and compacted a little so that the sprout is firmly anchored in the soil.
The planted peppers are watered with warm water.

If the soil has sagged a lot after watering, you should add a little soil on top.

Experts note that the position of the root in the soil plays a very important role in the further development of the crop. It is important that it is not bent or twisted counterclockwise. Experienced vegetable growers recommend that when transplanting, lower the seedling deep into the soil, sprinkle it with substrate and stretch it out a little. When performing this manipulation, the roots will align and take the correct position underground.

When to pick seedlings, do we choose the time?

The optimal age of pepper for the procedure is considered to be when the seedling has 2-3 true leaves. This stage occurs within 2-3 weeks after the sprouts hatch.

During this period, the plant already has a sufficiently developed root system to take root in the new container, but at the same time, it is not yet large enough to grow too much.

ON A NOTE. Experienced gardeners can pick at the stage of cotyledon leaves or 5-6 true leaves. But in both cases there is a high probability of damaging the plant, so beginners are advised to pick peppers at the stage of 3 true leaves.

Caring for seedlings in diapers

The first feeding is carried out 2 weeks after picking, the second - 10 days after the first with organic or complex fertilizers.

A sign of good development of pepper seedlings is the crown being colored pale green, while the bulk of the leaves are dark green in color.

If the seedlings are growing on a windowsill, do not forget to turn the container from time to time, then the seedlings will not stretch out and grow evenly.

As soon as you open the seedlings, do not place them under bright light. Give her calm, diffused lighting for the adaptation period. But in the future, remember that additional illumination of the seedlings will need to be provided, since pepper is very demanding on lighting. If the seedlings' leaves and stems begin to turn pale, or the internodes become thinner and longer, it means it does not have enough light.

How to choose a container?

When choosing a container, it is better to choose plastic cups with a volume of approximately 0.3 - 0.5 liters. These containers will give the peppers enough space for their roots to grow. The earthen ball will not dry out. And during transshipment during planting at a permanent place, the roots will be almost impossible to damage.

Special bags for seedlings are also now sold. They look like cups, but are made of thinner material. When transplanting, the earthen lump along with the pepper is easily removed from such a bag. The bags have one drawback - they are more expensive than ordinary plastic glasses, which can be bought very cheaply at any wholesale center.

ON A NOTE. For peppers, peat cups and tablets will not be a panacea. The roots of the pepper will still not grow through the cardboard, which means that the peat container will not provide any benefits. You will still have to replant.

Possible problems after picking pepper and ways to solve them

Problems that a gardener may encounter when picking peppers, and ways to resolve them:

The plant has stopped growing - the reasons are late picking, or poor soil. Peppers need to be fed with humate and treated with a growth stimulator.
Pulling seedlings up means lack of lighting or high temperature. Provide the plant with the necessary duration of daylight, or set the optimal temperature regime.
Pepper bushes wither - the roots were damaged during transplantation, or the plant lacks moisture. To restore seedlings, moisten them more often with a spray bottle.

Pepper is a rather capricious garden crop, and in order to grow good, high-quality seedlings, you need to make an effort. It is important to properly and timely plant the seedlings in separate containers so that their roots have enough space to develop and receive all the necessary nutrients.

How to choose a suitable lunar day for picking?

Let's start with the days when picking is undesirable.

These are full moons and new moons. In 2022, they fell on the following days: February 9 and 23, March 9 and 24, April 8 and 23, May 7 and 22.

It is recommended to carry out the procedure during the waxing moon. The most successful days will be when the star is in the constellations of Scorpio, Libra or Taurus.

In 2022, the following dates are MOST favorable:

February 3, 28 and 29;
March 26, 27, 28;
April 7, 24;
May 4, 5, 6.

When to pick peppers after germination

Picking is usually carried out during the formation of 2–3 true leaves (on average 2–3 weeks after sowing). Such early development of seedlings, which are nevertheless completely ready for this process, will allow them to endure relocation less painfully.

There are recommendations for very early picking - during the period of cotyledon leaves or later - if there are 3-4 or even 4-6 true leaves. Still, such early/late dates, I think, will not contribute to the health of the plants, but will only increase stress in a tiny one or in an adult plant already accustomed to its conditions.

Moon calendar

Carrying out picking taking into account the lunar phases is popular today. It has been proven that the celestial body influences various processes occurring on earth. Adherents of this practice, citing personal experience, claim that the best time for picking pepper is the period of the waxing Moon, when it is in Taurus, Libra or Scorpio.

Month	Favorable days	Unfavorable days
March	March 1, 2, 7, 8, 22, 23, 26 and 27.	March 13 (New Moon) and March 28 (Full Moon).
April	3–5, 8, 9, 18, 19, 23–26.	April 12 (New Moon) and April 27 (Full Moon).
May	1, 2, 5–7 and the period from 20 to 23.	May 11 (New Moon) and May 26 (Full Moon).

I looked at several examples of the Lunar calendar. It turned out that not all of them are identical in terms of favorable and unlucky days. All these theories are completely subjective. Carry out the planned work taking into account your time, physical capabilities, or based on your experience and the condition of the plants (which is most justified).

Photo: Many summer residents rely on the Lunar calendar.

If necessary, choose the best constellations for specific jobs. Pisces, Virgo, Libra, Taurus, Scorpio, Capricorn, Cancer are considered fertile and neutral. Aquarius, Aries and Leo predict less success in agricultural affairs.

What types of procedures are there?

There are several ways to pick peppers.

Traditional method

With the traditional method of carrying out the procedure, you simply need to transplant the peppers from a common container into separate containers. At the same time, it is very important to try not to damage the root, since pepper does not tolerate this.

With the traditional method, it is very important to choose the correct size of the new container so that the pepper does not become crowded again after a while.

Using film

This method (also called Diapering) will save space. It is also good because you can add soil to the resulting “diaper” as the pepper grows.

To pick with film, you will need an empty container and plastic bags.

Place a tablespoon of soil in the middle of the bag.
We place the seedling on top so that its roots are in the ground and the rest is outside the diaper.
Place another spoonful of soil on top of the seedling.
Roll up the package like a roll.
We fix it with an elastic band, put it in a container and water it with a syringe.

Method - snail

For this method you will need a roll of isolon about 20 cm wide.

Unwind the roll.
Pour about 4 cm of soil on top.
Carefully twist the snail and secure it with an elastic band.
We plant the seedlings in a checkerboard pattern so that they do not interfere with each other.

REFERENCE. The disadvantage of this method is that sooner or later you will have to replant again, since there will not be enough space for the peppers.

Transshipment

The essence of this method is that the pepper is picked together with the lump of earth in which it grows. This is done so as not to injure the roots.

How to care for peppers after picking

Picking is stress for seedlings. In order for her to recover faster, she needs to be given careful care:

watering - moderate and regular, as the top layer of soil dries out;
lighting - the duration of daylight hours is from 10 to 14 hours, this can be ensured by illumination with phytolamps;
temperature from +18 °C to +20 °C;
preventive treatment with Epin against diseases and pests.

The gardener needs to use fertilizers for pepper seedlings to speed up their recovery after picking.

Step by step instructions for picking peppers?

A few hours before the procedure, moisten the soil. This will make it easier for the seedlings to separate from the soil.
Cups or other containers are being prepared. Drainage holes are made and a thin layer of drainage is poured.
The prepared soil is poured into the cups to 60-70% of the volume. The soil can be used of the same composition as when germinating seeds.
The soil is moistened and compacted a little. In the center you need to make a small depression for the seedling.
Using a teaspoon, popsicle stick or any similar tool, carefully separate the seedling.
Most likely, you will grab several plants at once. They must be carefully separated. The strong and healthy are placed in cups. Weak and wilted ones can be thrown away.
The selected seedling is placed in a glass. The roots should be positioned freely. Under no circumstances should the roots be allowed to curl counterclockwise. The growth of seedlings will stop!
There is no need to go deep. Next, add the required amount of soil and lightly compact it.
All cups with seedlings are placed in a common box so that they do not fall.
Watering is carried out with settled warm water.
The seedlings are placed in the same place and slightly covered from the sun for several days.
After 3 days, the lighting is normalized.

What is required for picking

To carry out this agrotechnical procedure, you need to prepare the soil mixture and containers with a volume of 200-250 ml in advance. for transplanting seedlings, treated for disinfection with a 1% solution of potassium permanganate.

To prepare the soil, you need to mix the ingredients in the following ratio:

garden soil—2 parts;
humus—2 parts;
peat—2 parts;
coarse river sand—1 part.

Pepper does not like acidic soil, so to normalize the acidity of the soil, it is recommended to add 250 grams of wood ash per 10 liters to the prepared soil mixture. It is recommended to soak the substrate for 20 minutes in a microwave oven or pour it with a strong solution of hot potassium permanganate to disinfect and destroy pest larvae.

To transplant seedlings, you can use peat pots or plastic glasses with holes to remove excess moisture from the soil. If the cups are transparent, you need to wrap them in a thin layer of paper or newspaper to prevent light from reaching the roots.

Pros of picking pepper

Despite all the ambiguity, diving has quite obvious advantages:

Sorting of seedlings. During the procedure, weak and diseased plants are discarded.
Minimize the spread of fungal and bacterial infections.
Increased productivity.
Space for plant development. Each seedling will have its own glass, where it can receive maximum moisture and beneficial minerals.
The seedlings build up their root mass.

Peat pots: what is their disadvantage?

Peat pots are a universal container for growing seedlings. They are made from a compressed and dried mixture of peat, humus, wood pulp and fatty soil. Plants are transplanted into open ground directly in pots. The procedure takes place without damaging the root system. Over time, the pot dissolves from watering, mixes with the soil and becomes part of the soil. It would seem that you could come up with something better? But such convenient eco-containers have 2 significant drawbacks:

Pots dry out too quickly
Excessive watering causes mold or rot to appear, which damages the plants or leads to their death.

For this reason, plastic containers are more often used for picking plants than peat pots.

How do peppers behave after the procedure, what should you pay attention to?

Peppers, like any other plants, do not like picking. Therefore, it is possible that they may feel a little sick immediately after the procedure. Let's take a closer look at the behavior of seedlings after picking.

What to do if the peppers stretch out?

This problem has 2 possible causes: lack of light and excess nitrogen fertilizers. It is necessary to provide the plant with sufficient light. If you cannot place the seedlings closer to the sun, resort to the help of phytolamps.

Have the peppers withered?

Peppers wither due to root damage and improperly organized development conditions. You can try to save the seedlings using foliar treatment with Epin.

The seedlings have fallen

There can be many reasons for this phenomenon: this is an incorrectly carried out diving procedure, and incorrect conditions of detention. To save seedlings, it is necessary to normalize care, ensure regular watering and sufficient light. You can also carry out preventive treatment with epin on the leaf.

The seedlings stopped growing

There are 2 reasons: damage to the root system and an air cushion between the roots and the nutrient soil. Compact the soil around the seedling and treat with Kornevin to accelerate root growth.

Equipment required for picking

Before transplanting pepper seedlings, you need to stock up on the necessary equipment:

containers - trays or cups with sides height from 5 to 10 cm;
a small spatula with which you can carefully remove the roots;
a small watering can or spray bottle.

Water suitable for watering seedlings:

melting;
purified bottled;
settled;
rainy

Attention! The water used should be at room temperature. Watering seedlings with cold liquid is strictly prohibited.

Before picking, you need to prepare growth stimulants and preparations for the formation of the root system. Recommended products for pepper: Epin, Kornevin, Zircon.

Tools previously used on other crops must be disinfected

Features of caring for picked seedlings

After the procedure, the picked seedlings need to be provided with appropriate conditions.

Temperature

After picking, the plants need a temperature slightly above room temperature (22-23 degrees) during the day and below 16 at night. A few days later, when the peppers have settled into their new location, the temperature can be increased to 25 and 18 degrees, respectively.

Watering

After picking, water the seedlings sparingly. The first watering after the procedure should be approximately 2-3. In general, you need to focus on the condition of the soil. If your house is very dry, then you need to water more often, and you can use spraying.

After watering, do not forget to loosen the soil so that it does not clog. This will protect the roots from rotting.

Lighting

Immediately after picking, the seedlings need to be provided with diffused lighting, and three days later, the amount of light should be increased again. Daylight hours should be no less than 8-10 hours.

How to pick peppers correctly: step-by-step instructions

In order for the seedlings to successfully take root after picking and not to stop growing, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

Three hours before transplanting, the seedlings are well watered. Moistened soil will help reduce the risk of damage to the fragile root system.
The prepared containers are filled with soil to 2/3 of the volume, compacted, a depression is made in it and the soil is moistened.
Carefully, using a special device or a teaspoon, remove the seedling and separate it from the rest, holding it by the leaves. If several specimens are separated at once, then the strongest and most well-developed ones are planted first. Remove the plant with a small amount of soil so as not to damage the still weak root.
There is no need to pinch the main root.
Move the plant into a previously prepared container, making sure that the roots are located freely in the recess and do not intertwine or curl counterclockwise. If the roots are not positioned correctly, seedling growth stops.
The root is immersed in the soil a little deeper than its previous depth, then carefully lifted so that the earth crumbles under the roots. Excessive deepening should be avoided, as this will slow down development and can lead to rotting of the root system. However, if excessive elongation of the seedlings was observed during the growth process, then when picking it is recommended to deepen it by 1 cm.
Containers with seedlings are placed on a pallet, soil is added, and lightly compacted around the seedling, squeezing on all sides.
After replanting, moderate watering should be done with warm, settled water.
30 minutes after watering, excess moisture is removed from the pan.
The containers with the plants are placed in their original place, shaded from sunlight, and left for two to three days to adapt. It is not recommended to move picked seedlings to another place, since a change in microclimate will increase the adaptation period.
Three days after transplantation, it is necessary to organize additional lighting. Daylight hours should be 8 hours.

How to fertilize after picking, step-by-step diagram

Feeding 0 (optional). To reduce stress levels, 4 days after picking, plants can be treated with Kornevin. This drug helps the roots take root in a new place.

Feeding 1. It is generally accepted to carry out the first feeding 2 weeks after the dive. The following solutions are most suitable:

50 grams of live yeast per 5 liters of water;
100 grams of wood zala per 5 liters of water. First, the solution is infused for half a day;
Mineral fertilizer based on 5 liters of water, 20 grams of superphosphate, 8 grams of potassium salt, 3 grams of urea.

Feeding 2. Fertilizers are applied a second time after another 2 weeks (in total, a month after the dive). Any of the drugs mentioned above can be used.

IMPORTANT! Nitrogen fertilizing cannot be carried out, as it leads to stretching of seedlings.

Feeding 3. A few days before transplanting to a permanent place, fertilize with epin or zircon.

IMPORTANT! There is no need to be overzealous with fertilizing. Excess fertilizers cause more harm than their lack.

How to bury pepper seedlings when picking

The optimal period for picking in a greenhouse, in the Russian climate, is the end of May or the beginning of June. However, most often, separately planted seedlings are kept at home. Agronomists still recommend leaving them in the greenhouse or placing them on a closed windowsill. Bushes need hardening to make them hardier and healthier.

Important! If the seedlings are sick and yellowed, you should not pick them, much less bury them in the ground. First you need to cure the bushes.

Before transplanting seedlings directly, it is recommended to slightly prepare them for this. Spray with water two days before the event and place the box on a window with diffused light.

Where to seat?

As noted earlier, peppers must be planted in separate containers. You can use cardboard bags for juices or dairy products.

IMPORTANT! Make drainage holes in the bottom of the boxes to allow excess moisture to drain out when watering.

The ideal option would be peat pots , which can be purchased at any store that sells garden supplies or seeds.

Such pots are then planted in the soil without removing the plants from them, which allows the root system to be completely preserved . In addition, peat pots will further serve as an additional source of nutrition for your plants.

Pots for picking should be large enough to provide enough space for the root system to develop.

Fill the planting containers with special soil that has the ideal composition for growing this crop. If it is not possible to purchase ready-made soil, you can make it yourself.

Mix two parts soil with one part sand and humus, add a little wood ash to reduce acidity. The mixture should be as loose and breathable as possible.

Top dressing

How to fertilize pepper seedlings after picking? The first fertilizers can be applied only 14-15 days after picking .

Use any universal mixture for vegetable crops or special compositions for feeding seedlings.

If the plant develops correctly, then the upper, young leaves will be light green, and the lower ones will be dark.

IMPORTANT! Do not fertilize peppers with high nitrogen mixtures or manure. Such fertilizers will negatively affect its development.

Compliance with all the rules for picking such a capricious plant will allow you to get a rich harvest in the future. We told you what picking pepper seedlings is, how to carry out picking at home, when is the best time to do it, approximate timing?

REFERENCE! Learn about different methods of growing peppers: in peat pots or tablets, in open ground and without picking, and even on toilet paper. Learn the tricky method of snail planting and what diseases and pests can attack your seedlings?