When and how to plant pepper seedlings. 2 ways to pick and care for seedlings

Pepper - picking seedlings advantages and disadvantages

Diving has a number of advantages:

1. Transplanting a young plant into separate pots will prevent the root system from intertwining, which will improve its development and facilitate subsequent planting in a permanent place of growth.
2. The required amount of nutrients in the soil and good lighting will ensure the development of a powerful root system and the above-ground part of the seedlings, resistant to strong gusts of wind.
3. Weak, poorly developed specimens are rejected.
4. Thanks to this procedure, productivity increases significantly.
5. The risk of developing fungal diseases is minimized.

The disadvantage of this procedure is:

1. The complexity of the process.
2. Risk of damage to the still immature root system.
3. Slowing plant growth.

Is it necessary to pick peppers?

In general, whether to pick pepper seedlings or not depends on where the seeds were sown: in joint boxes or directly in separate pots. If the individual containers are of the required volume (at least 200 ml), then picking is not required - the plants in them will be able to develop normally from germination until planting in the beds. If in a common container, then picking cannot be avoided, since the plants will not have enough nutrients and sunlight for optimal development.

When should you pick pepper?

Seedlings can be planted at the following times:

1. After the opening of the germinal (cotyledon) leaves.
2. When two or three true leaves appear.
3. If there are five or six sheets.

Experienced gardeners rarely pick at the cotyledon leaf stage. During this period, the plant has only a central root, which, if damaged, dies and the plant dies.

The most acceptable period for replanting is considered to be 16-21 days after germination of the seedlings if the seedling has two to three true leaves. At this point, the root system becomes stronger and the plant adapts more easily to the new soil.

At the stage of 5-6 leaves, the root system of plants begins to grow laterally, which will entail intertwining of the roots, and accordingly increasing the risk of damage.

Picking dates according to the lunar calendar

Experienced farmers recommend that when performing this procedure, you should focus on the dates indicated in the lunar calendar. The most favorable period is considered to be the phase of the waxing Moon in the constellation:

• Calf;
• Scales;
• Scorpion.

Unfavorable phases are the new moon and the full moon. The Moon during this period is in the constellations:

• Fish;
• Sagittarius;
• Aries;
• Twins;
• Virgo.

Useful materials

Read other articles on the topic of growing pepper seedlings and further caring for them:

• Proper cultivation from seeds and do they need to be soaked before sowing?
• How to grow black peppercorns, chili or bitter at home?
• What are growth stimulants and how to use them?
• The main reasons why leaves on shoots curl, seedlings fall or stretch, and why shoots die?
• Planting dates by region of Russia and features of cultivation in the Urals, Siberia and the Moscow region.
• Find out recipes for yeast-based fertilizers.
• Learn the rules for planting bell and hot peppers.
• The timing of the first shoots and in what cases is additional illumination of seedlings necessary?

When picking sweet peppers, it is very important to take into account all the nuances and features of this rather whimsical nightshade crop, as well as to correctly select the most suitable time for such a complex operation according to the Lunar calendar. If you find the right balance between these factors, you will get a great harvest!

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.

Containers and soil

For replanting you need plastic or peat pots . The containers should not be too large to avoid acidification of the soil and the appearance of gray rot. The ideal volume of containers for picking is 100-150 ml. To drain excess liquid, you need to make drainage holes in the bottom of the pots , and place the containers themselves on a deep tray.

To fill the pots, the same soil mixture that was used to sow the seeds is suitable. The soil should be light and very nutritious, slightly alkaline or neutral .

A mixture of turf with humus or old garden soil with peat is ideal.

To lighten the soil mixture, add vermicult or washed river sand. The nutritional value of the substrate will be increased by a small portion of superphosphate and wood ash. The soil must be mixed thoroughly. Mix it immediately before filling the pots.

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:

1. Three hours before transplanting, the seedlings are well watered. Moistened soil will help reduce the risk of damage to the fragile root system.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. There is no need to pinch the main root.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Containers with seedlings are placed on a pallet, soil is added, and lightly compacted around the seedling, squeezing on all sides.
8. After replanting, moderate watering should be done with warm, settled water.
9. 30 minutes after watering, excess moisture is removed from the pan.
10. 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.
11. Three days after transplantation, it is necessary to organize additional lighting. Daylight hours should be 8 hours.

How to replant correctly at home

How to properly plant, grow and care for peppers at home on the windowsill? To replant peppers without loss of seedling material, you should prepare the planting soil in advance (you can do it in the fall) with a soil composition suitable for the plant and disinfect it. Stock up on suitable containers for diving, items that allow you to easily remove young shoots from a common box, prepare mineral compositions for fertilizing the soil and plants, and, if necessary, select root formation and growth stimulants.

Find out what to do if pepper seedlings fall here.

What container to put the seedlings in

Any containers with a volume of not <0.3-0.5 liters and a height of 10-15 cm are suitable for picking sprouted pepper seedlings. These can be:

1. Special plastic pots for seedlings. They protect the rhizome well from damage; the plant does not need frequent watering; they can be used repeatedly.
2. Large peat blocks, tablets of sufficient volume. The porous walls are capable of maintaining an optimal air-water regime for pepper and ensure high survival rate (up to 100%) of picked seedlings.
3. Homemade containers - cardboard boxes for juice, etc., cut to height, plastic bottles made of paper, polyethylene.

For picking containers, you should prefer light-proof containers; seedlings will develop better in them. A special requirement is the mandatory presence of drainage holes at the bottom of the container, for better drainage of excess moisture during watering.

In cups

Having chosen a transparent container for diving, you can shade the walls of the glass with homemade paper cups inserted inside. Further progress of work:

• the glasses are filled 1/3 with the prepared soil mixture;
• from a common container with seedlings, carefully remove one sprout at a time with a pointed, not wide object, and try to simultaneously grab a small lump of earth;
• immerse the plant with soil in a glass to the level of the leaves, gradually add soil around the roots;
• Lightly knead the soil around the transplanted pepper;
• The soil around the plant is watered with settled, warm water so that air bubbles appear on the surface.

For planting, take large plastic cups with an internal volume of 0.5 liters. They should not be transparent, because... under the influence of the sun, fungal “blooming” may begin on the sides of the earthen clod.

Growing and planting sweet and bitter peppers in diapers

With this method of picking sweet and bitter peppers at home, rectangular strips of polyethylene measuring 18x27 mm are used. or 20x30 mm. You will need a shallow container to install the “swaddled” pepper; its bottom can be sprinkled with sawdust. Further sequence of actions:

• 3-4 tbsp is poured into the middle of the polyethylene. spoons of nutrient soil mixture;
• The transplanted bush is placed on top, while the root system is carefully laid out on the surface, the stem part with leaves should be outside the upper edge of the film;
• the roots are covered on top with another three or four tablespoons of soil;
• wrap the bag with soil and seedlings like a roll;
• installed in a container;
• After placing the required amount of pickled pepper, each diaper is watered at the root with water at room temperature.

At what depth should peppers be planted when picking, is it necessary to bury them?

During the diving procedure, monitor the immersion depth of the transplanted plants. When pepper is transplanted at the stage of emerging true leaves, the root collar of the seedlings can be slightly buried in the ground, but not more than 0.5 cm. When picking pepper only with cotyledon leaves, they should protrude 2-3 cm above the ground.

This material will tell you about the depth of sowing pepper seeds.

Excessive deepening of seedlings during diving can lead to the appearance of putrefactive lesions on it. Therefore, the acceptable depth for planting carrot seeds in the ground, like other plants, is the same as where the sprouts were before diving.

Caring for seedlings after picking

After diving, the seedlings require the following care:

1. Mandatory temperature control. The temperature in the room should not be lower than +21°C during the day, and +16°C at night. After three days, the temperature is increased to +24°C during the day and +18°C at night.
2. Watering should be moderate. It is carried out no more than twice a week, as the top layer of soil dries. Water for irrigation is used warm, standing for 24 hours. If there is insufficient air humidity in the room, it is recommended to carry out irrigation.
3. Loosening is carried out after each watering in order to prevent stagnation of moisture in the soil and the formation of a crust on the soil surface, which prevents the saturation of the root system with oxygen.
4. Plant feeding is carried out 15 days after the dive. For these purposes you can use:

• yeast feeding (dilute 100 grams of yeast in 10 liters of water);
• nettle decoction (pour 100 grams of nettle with 1 liter of boiling water, leave, strain);
• ash solution (dissolve 20 grams of ash in 1 liter of water, leave for 12 hours);
• complex mineral fertilizers (superphosphate—8 grams, potassium salt—3 grams, urea—1 gram, water—2 liters);
• rotted manure.

After two weeks, fertilizing can be repeated. Avoid nitrogen-containing fertilizers to prevent excessive stretching of seedlings.

1. Two weeks before planting seedlings in a permanent place of growth, it is necessary to harden them. When warm weather sets in, it is recommended to take the trays with seedlings out into the fresh air and leave them for a short time in places protected from direct sunlight and gusts of cold wind. The residence time is gradually increased.

Seedlings before transplanting

Approximately 60-70 days from the date of sowing, the seedlings should reach a height of 20-25 cm, and the thickness of their stem at the bottom should be 7-9 mm. If you sowed pepper in cassettes or directly into glasses, the seedlings may have buds and even open flowers, but no more than 10% of the number of buds.

If sowing was carried out in a common container, then there should be no buds on the seedlings, because the plants, after transplanting into the ground, will most likely immediately drop them, and you will lose the first harvest.

You can plant seedlings in the garden when the soil temperature rises to 12-16 ⁰C, or even better – to 16-18 ⁰C. If you plant seedlings in insufficiently warmed soil, the root system can be affected by root rot, it will stop working and the leaves of the plants will begin to turn yellow and fall off.

In some cases, peppers planted in cold weather die. That is why I once again want to emphasize the importance of correctly calculating the time for sowing seeds for seedlings.

All the best to you.

Possible problems after picking and ways to solve them

It’s not uncommon for gardeners to encounter the following problems after picking:

• The growth of seedlings has slowed or stopped. This occurs due to damage to the roots. The plant will recover when new roots grow. Another reason for growth failure may be poorly compacted soil after transplantation, when an air space has formed between the soil and the roots of the plants. The roots begin to dry out. The problem can be eliminated by carefully compacting the soil around the seedling.
• Drooping, limp leaves. This problem occurs when the root system is damaged. Torn roots do not absorb moisture. After new roots grow, turgor will be restored.

• The pale color of the leaves indicates insufficient lighting. It is necessary to organize additional lighting using fluorescent lamps.
• The trunk became thinner and changed color. These symptoms indicate the occurrence of a fungal disease in the plant - black leg. The cause of the disease is excessive soil moisture. It is recommended to transplant the seedling into new soil. It is recommended to regularly ventilate the room in which the seedlings grow.

Frequent disputes arise between farmers regarding the need for picking. However, it must be taken into account that this procedure, if performed correctly, will have a beneficial effect on the growth of seedlings and will delight you with a generous harvest.

We are waiting for the opinion of our readers on the issue of picking seedlings.

How to reduce seedling stress

Are you planning to pick pepper seedlings? We recommend stocking up on the drug – an activator of root formation and growth. It will need to be diluted according to the instructions and the dug peppers placed in the solution. That is, we soak the roots in the solution for the time specified in the instructions. Such drugs include Amulet, Energen, Zircon.

The use of the drug will reduce the stress that plants experience during transplantation and stimulate the formation of the root system. After such soaking, the seedlings almost do not notice the transplantation and begin to grow again on the 3-4th day.

However, it is recommended to soak seedlings that have been dug out from a common seedling container. Plant roots are usually intertwined in them. After digging, the bushes have to be separated, as a result of which the roots may be damaged. In this case, solutions from Zircon, Amulet or Energen will help them recover.

If the seedlings grow far from each other and you managed to dig them up along with a lump of earth, after planting in a separate container, simply water the seedlings with the prepared solution.

Choosing the time to pick pepper in March 2022 according to the lunar calendar, depending on the variety

The recommendations of the lunar calendar are very important when choosing a specific picking day, but it is necessary to begin the procedure depending on the condition of the plants.

When 2 true leaves appear on the pepper, then pick it.

NOTE! First, the seedling will produce two cotyledon leaves. So, they do not participate in the counting!

Both sweet and hot peppers peak during the waxing moon, that is, on those days when the moon increases in size. This phase occurs after the new moon.

If we talk about the types of varieties based on the speed of their ripening, then early-ripening varieties peak earlier than mid- and late-ripening varieties and hybrids. This is because such peppers grow faster, which means they will produce a second pair of true leaves faster. Late ripening ones will be ready for picking a little later.

This is very convenient for managing time and not missing out on seedlings.