Content
Pepper belongs to the most thermophilic vegetable crops. Because of this, it becomes impossible for residents of the northern part of the country to grow this vegetable in the open field. Indeed, the quantity and quality of the harvested crop depends on the heat. Therefore landing pepper seedlings in a polycarbonate greenhouse is the only option for these regions. Although, residents of the middle lane are also recommended to grow peppers in greenhouses, in such conditions it grows larger and ripens much faster. This is due to the fact that no external factors interfere and do not slow down the growth of plants.
For a business to be successful, you need to follow some rules. Of course, skill comes with experience. But in order not to make mistakes, let's try to figure out when and how to plant pepper seedlings in a greenhouse. And also how to care for the planted seedlings so that they give a good harvest, be healthy and strong.
Greenhouse and soil preparation
Good seedlings are only half the battle. It is very important that the soil and conditions in the greenhouse are conducive to good growth of the pepper.
To begin with, it is necessary to disinfect the greenhouse and the soil. This is done if the premises have already been used for growing various vegetables. If the greenhouse is new, then we skip this step. The soil is cleaned of plant residues and roots. The soil is also treated against pests and fungi. You can use ordinary boiling water in these cups. Do not neglect this stage, because parasites and pathogenic bacteria remaining on the remains of plants can destroy the seedlings.
After these activities, you can start fertilizing the soil. The soil for growing pepper must be loose and moist. To improve the quality of the soil, the following fertilizers are applied:
- ammonium nitrate;
- manure;
- humus;
- wood ash;
- superphosphate.
We fertilize the soil a few days before planting, or at least one day. Remember that pepper seedlings do not like acidic soil. If you have just such a soil, you can adjust the acidity with dolomite flour. Usually it is applied directly at the time of planting pepper seedlings. After the holes with pepper are covered with soil, it is sprinkled with dolomite flour and carefully spread with a rake. If you are afraid of touching the plants, sift the flour very evenly, then you can do without the use of tools.
If your greenhouse is new, and not yet divided into beds, then you need to do it in the right way. The length of the beds does not really matter, they can be short, or stretch along the length of the entire greenhouse. But the width is of great importance. Too wide beds are inconvenient to water, and it will be almost impossible to get to distant plants without touching the previous ones. The normal width for a garden bed will be 80–90 centimeters. At this distance, you can place two or three rows of seedlings, depending on the variety and spreading of the bush. The distance between the beds should also not be too wide, it is better to save space and plant a few more rows of seedlings. The main thing is that you can comfortably move around the garden.
You need to think in advance where what varieties to plant, and sign the beds.Low-growing varieties of pepper are best planted closer to the walls so that they receive enough light, and tall ones - in the center of the greenhouse.
When planting pepper seedlings in a greenhouse
Timing planting pepper seedlings in open ground and in the greenhouse, of course, are different. In a greenhouse, plants are not afraid of wind and temperature drops. Therefore, disembarkation can be started earlier. However, you need to be completely sure that the frost will never return. Soil temperature is an important factor. It must be at least +15 ° C. At this temperature, the pepper will stop growing and the ripening process will take much longer. If the spring is cold and the soil does not naturally warm up, artificial lighting methods can be used.
Usually, planting pepper seedlings in a greenhouse is carried out in May. In warmer regions, you can start from the beginning of the month, and in the northern ones - towards the end. When doing this, consider the condition of your seedlings. By the time of transplantation, it should be fully strengthened and reach about 25 centimeters in height. Tall peppers are great for a greenhouse. In such conditions, they are easy to care for, and the yield is much higher than the undersized varieties.
Planting pepper seedlings in a greenhouse
If more than 10 leaves have formed on the stalk of a pepper, it is considered suitable for planting in a greenhouse. Buds may be present, but not opened. These flowers are likely to wither during adaptation to new soil. And if they grow further, then more slowly.
About an hour before planting in the greenhouse soil, the seedlings need to be watered with plenty of water so that the soil softens and it is easy to get it out of the container. In order not to damage the root, it is necessary to get the pepper with a whole lump of earth.
Before planting, it is required to loosen the soil again, since after transplanting, the pepper will especially need access to oxygen. After that, the ground is leveled with a rake. Also at this time, you can apply fertilizers, or place them directly in the hole. Now you can start planting seedlings.
When digging holes, keep in mind that the correct planting scheme is important for the pepper. The rows should be at least 60 cm apart. Between bushes of low-growing varieties of pepper we leave from 20 cm to 35 cm, and between tall ones - from 30 cm to 40 cm.2 there should be up to five plants.
The holes should be so deep that the seedlings fit completely together with the earthy clod. Try to make it not too deep, as this will slow down the growth of the pepper. Pour up to 1 liter of water into the dug hole, let it soak a little and place the sprout there. You need to fill it with soil along the first leaves on the stem. You can put fertilizer at the bottom of the hole. For these purposes, compost or humus is used. Purchased fertilizers are also popular.
It is better to install the support for the planted peppers immediately. And once the plant needs a garter, you can do it with ease. You can also immediately mulch the soil, because you cannot water the seedlings for the first week, and mulch will help keep moisture longer. Dry leaves, straw, tree bark, sawdust are perfect for this. The coating will retain heat and help the soil stay loose for longer.
The first time the beds with seedlings must be covered with a film. For convenience, you can pre-install arcs. Such a device will save pepper from night temperature drops, and when there is stable warm weather outside, the film can not be used. If you want to do without additional costs, then it is not necessary to install arcs at all, since now there are many thinnest films that will not harm the seedlings.
Top dressing of pepper
For feeding, 2 types of fertilizers are used: mineral and organic.Both those and others have a very good effect on the growth and development of pepper seedlings. If you applied fertilizers when planting seedlings, do not rush to re-feed. Too much fertilizer is just as detrimental to the pepper as the complete lack of nutrients. The next feeding is advised to be carried out after the ovaries appear, and the plant will especially need strength.
The following mineral fertilizers are suitable for pepper seedlings:
- nitrogen. Promotes the growth and formation of fruits;
- phosphorus. Good for fruit growth and size;
- calcium. Supports the stable growth of pepper from the moment of planting to ripening of the fruit;
- potassium. Especially important for fruits, their formation and growth.
These minerals are used by all experienced gardeners to get a good harvest of pepper. But some people prefer purely organic feeding. Consider the options for preparing the most popular fertilizers:
- Bird droppings or manure. The solution is prepared in the same way in both cases. In one container we mix 10 liters of water with 1 liter of droppings or manure. Let the solution brew for a day, and pour it under each bush. If the solution is prepared from manure, then about a liter of the mixture will be needed, and if from the manure, then half a liter.
- Herbal fertilizer. Nettle, horsetail, plantain, woodlice and tansy are combined in equal proportions. Further, all this is poured with water and left for four days in order for it to ferment. The mixture should rise to the top, after which it must be stirred, and again wait for the rise. Now add water to the mixture of herbs in a ratio of 1: 9. Pour pepper with this solution in the same way as in the previous method.
Pepper feeding is done 2-3 times during the entire period of growth in the greenhouse. But, in addition to this, it is necessary to monitor the condition of the seedlings, the color of the leaves and the size of the fruits formed, in order to apply the necessary fertilizer in time, which the pepper lacks. You also need to maintain a stable temperature, and not allow a drop to +10 ° C. If you see that the condition of the plant is deteriorating, and the leaves begin to wilt, most likely, the pepper lacks potassium. Many people mistakenly think that the reason is insufficient watering, and begin to flood the seedlings abundantly, which affects the sprouts even worse.
Insufficient magnesium is indicated by stains and yellowed leaves. The quality of the fruit also deteriorates. A solution of magnesium with potassium will help correct the situation. And if the fruits begin to rot, then the pepper needs calcium. When using this mineral for feeding, you need to be very careful, because an excess of this fertilizer can completely destroy the crop.
Conclusion
As you can see, when growing pepper, you need to know and observe many nuances. Improper care can completely destroy the seedlings. But, pepper planted using all technologies will give a very high yield, and will delight your eye. Growing peppers in a greenhouse makes your work much easier. After all, the greenhouse itself will create the necessary conditions for good growth, and all that remains is for you to water and feed the plants. And how to do this, you can clearly see in the video.
And for me, on the contrary. In the open field, though in high beds, the peppercorn grows well, the harvest is good, and does not get sick. And I do not process them with anything. But in the greenhouse it is constantly covered with something and the harvest is not very good, and with Eggplants the same way. In general, everything grows better in my open field than in a greenhouse. True, there are no problems with tomatoes. They grow well everywhere.