Content
Pepper has long found its place in the garden of almost any vegetable garden in the country. The attitude towards him remains frivolous. Under the motto: "what has grown has grown", they do not show special care for him. The result is that the quantity and quality of the crop suffers. The fruits do not ripen, do not gain the desired sweetness and aroma. Although caring for this crop is no more difficult than growing tomatoes. You just need to know the features and preferences of peppers. The most important condition for the growth of all living organisms is nutrition. Therefore, the most important event will be the study of information on the topic: how to feed pepper seedlings.
First food - soil
The initial nutritional power is given to the plant by the soil in which the seed is laid. For each garden crop, its own soil composition is preferable. Most of our vegetables are of foreign origin. This means that their ancestors grew under different conditions and on different soils. Therefore, ordinary land from the garden will not be as useful for them as special priming.
You can buy specialized soil for pepper seedlings, or you can prepare it, focusing on the desired composition. Moreover, the soil on the store shelves does not always meet the requirements. There are different variations for preparing soil for pepper seedlings:
- Peat, humus and garden soil of the same volume. Plus a half-liter jar for a bucket of wood ash. Superphosphate in the amount of 2 matchboxes.
- River sand, humus, garden soil, peat in equal proportions.
- The earth, combined with sand and peat, is equally poured with a nutrient composition of water dissolved in a bucket, superphosphate, potassium sulfate (30 g) and urea (10 g).
- Garden soil, turf, river sand and compost with an addition of ash, the ratio is a glass to a bucket of mixture.
- One piece of sand and compost for two pieces of turf.
- Take equal parts of leaf humus, garden soil, dilute with a small amount of sand and vermiculite.
- For three parts of ordinary land, take one part of sawdust and river sand.
- Mix peat and humus of the same amount, fertilize with superphosphate and potassium sulfate.
- Mix earth, sand and humus in equal parts, fertilize with a small amount of ash.
The main aspect of the preparation of nutrient soil for seedlings of peppers is to achieve a light porous structure and a balanced mineral composition.
The first feeding of pepper seedlings
There is an opinion what to feed seedlings pepper should be started only after diving. Others carry out the first feeding before the pick. The seeds have already been planted in carefully prepared nutritious soil and the first leaves have appeared. So, it's time to feed the seedlings with the first top dressing. Give impetus for further growth. To do this, the following trace elements must be diluted in a liter of water:
- Any potash fertilizer 1 part;
- Ammonium nitrate ½ part;
- Superphosphate 3 parts.
All constituent ingredients must be thoroughly dissolved in warm water, at a temperature of at least 20 degrees. With this composition, they make light watering under the bushes of pepper seedlings. Before feeding, it is necessary to water the sprouts with clean water in a few hours. This technique will allow the fertilizer to be evenly distributed in the soil and not to burn the delicate roots of the plant.
There are analogues among natural fertilizers. A good first feeding for the growth of pepper seedlings can be a mixture of nettle infusion with ash. However, a problem creeps in here: in mid-latitudes, during the initial growth of seedlings, there are still no nettles. There is a way out - to prepare fertilizer from dry grass:
- For this, 100 g of dried nettle leaf is placed in a three-liter jar of water at room temperature;
- The liquid should only reach the shoulders of the jar;
- Place the container with the solution in a warm place;
- As soon as the fermentation process begins and an unpleasant smell goes, cover the jar with plastic wrap, securing it with an elastic band on the neck of the jar;
- This infusion should be infused for 2 weeks. Twice a day it is shaken;
- The finished solution smells like fresh manure.
Ready fertilizer for seedlings of peppers must be diluted with water, in a ratio of 1 to 2, and add 2 tbsp. l. ash. Water as usual.
The process of preparing such a natural fertilizer is very long, but the resulting composition acts on pepper seedlings as a growth stimulant.
The finished composition can be stored all season in an opaque container in a cool place.
Second feeding
The second feeding of pepper seedlings is carried out 2 weeks after the first. The difference between the second nutrient mixture from the first is that phosphorus and other macro and microelements are added to the nitrogen-potassium composition. A wide range of such fertilizers can be found on the shelves of specialized stores:
- Kemira-Lux. For 10 liters of water, you need 20 grams of fertilizer;
- Kristalon. In the same proportions;
- Compound fertilizer from superphosphate (70 g) and potassium salt (30 g).
Purchased fertilizer for pepper seedlings can be replaced with an ash solution that contains phosphorus, potassium and other elements. Ash can be from burning wood, tops and plant residues, weeds. The best composition with a high phosphorus content in ash from burning hardwood.
Substances from their combustion pollute the earth, have a negative effect on plants, and are carcinogenic.
According to professionals, you should not overdo it with nitrogen fertilizers. Otherwise, you can get a powerful green bush with a poor harvest. Therefore, if the soil for pepper seedlings was prepared correctly, it contains humus, then nitrogen with the second top dressing will be superfluous.
The next feeding will be necessary only after planting pepper seedlings in the ground.
Method of preparation and use of ash solution
100 g of ash is poured into a bucket of water with a capacity of 10 liters, mixed and insisted for a day. The ash will not dissolve with water, but will saturate it with useful microelements. Therefore, do not be upset when you see all the ash in the sediment. Stir and water the pepper seedlings again before use.
Helping Weak Plants
Weakened seedlings will be helped by watering with a special liquid. It is prepared from used tea leaves. Only loose leaf tea is suitable. Pour a glass of tea leaves with 3 liters of hot water. Infused for 5 days. Used for watering.
Folk methods of feeding pepper seedlings
All the methods described below, although they are folk, because they are passed from mouth to mouth, still have a scientific justification. They contain nutrients necessary for nutrition, so they are suitable for feeding pepper seedlings.
Yeast growth promoter
Yeast contains phosphorus and other useful elements, and is also a source of nitrogen. Yeast feeding nourishes not only the plant, but also microorganisms that live in the soil. These organisms are useful soil microflora. The disadvantage of such a fertilizer is that it eats up potassium, therefore, after using it, it is useful to use potash fertilizers, or just ash.It is not difficult to prepare such a fertilizer to feed pepper seedlings:
- Dry yeast - a tablespoon, pressed - 50 g should be dissolved in 3 liters of warm (not higher than 38 degrees) water, add 2-3 tablespoons of sugar.
- Insist the prepared composition for a day.
- Dilute 1 liter of the resulting fermented liquid in a 10 liter bucket of water.
- Fertilize by watering.
Such feeding is a stimulator of the growth of the plant itself, and not of the fruit, therefore it is carried out before flowering.
Green mash
Nettle often becomes the basis of such fertilizer, but dandelion, wormwood, yarrow, and tomato tops are suitable. It is better to prepare such an infusion somewhere on the sidelines, because it has a terribly unpleasant smell.
Cooking method:
- Collect herbs without seeds and place on the bottom of the container. The amount of grass should be enough to fill the barrel by 1/6 of its volume.
- Pour a container with warm water, almost reaching the top.
- To speed up the fermentation process, you can add a humate solution. For 50 liters, you need to take 5 tsp.
- Insist 5-7 days in a warm place.
- The finished liquid is diluted with water for irrigation. A 10-liter bucket needs a liter of green mash.
This is the best home feeding pepper seedlings, therefore, use it once every 2 weeks, throughout the season.
Onion happiness
An excellent fertilizer for pepper seedlings with elements of protection against harmful microorganisms is obtained from dry onion husks. You need 10 g of husk, pour 3 liters of warm water and leave for 3-5 days. You can replace water for watering seedlings with such a solution. Onion peels contain many trace elements.
Banana peel
Potash fertilizers are the main thing with which to fertilize pepper seedlings during the period of fruit growth. Potassium is always necessary, it is he who gives the fruit meatiness and sweetness. Banana peel, like the fruit itself, contains a large amount of this element. It is dried, crushed and added to water for irrigation. Insist fresh peel in water. Burn it to ash. Simply cut into small pieces and put in the ground. This is a good analogue of potash fertilizer.
Energy
Potato broth belongs to energy fertilizers. The starch in potatoes gives the pepper seedlings energy for growth and other processes. Sweet water works similarly: 2 tsp. in a glass of water.
Manure and bird droppings
Pepper seedlings react extremely negatively to nitrogen fertilization in the form of manure infusions. Such food can lead to putrefactive diseases. If the use of these infusions is the only way of nitrogen feeding, then the use of poultry manure will be better than the manure option. Preparation of fertilizer for seedlings of peppers from bird droppings:
- 2 parts of poultry droppings are diluted with one part of water;
- Insist in a sealed container for 3 days;
- For feeding, dilute with water, 1 part to 10 parts of water.
The role of trace elements in dressing
The main contributors to various fertilizers are potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen. There are also a bunch of substances that take part in the life processes of pepper seedlings, but it is this trio that plays a major role.
Potassium
The main merit of this element is beauty, sweet taste, meatiness, health and size of the fruit. Therefore, it is necessary to lean on potash fertilizers during fruiting. But it is necessary, starting with laying the ground for pepper seedlings. The best source besides artificial fertilizers is wood ash.
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is an active participant in all metabolic and building processes of pepper seedlings. He himself is an integral part of the greenery. Therefore, it is vital for health and resistance to adverse conditions. Again, in addition to artificial superphosphate, it is found in large quantities in ash.
Nitrogen
Nitrogen from various compounds is needed by seedlings of peppers as a growth vitamin. The presence of nitrogen helps to grow green mass of plants, increases productivity.Nitrogen is quickly washed out and recycled by microorganisms, so it is often not enough. Excess can make the fruit dangerous due to its high nitrate content. These fertilizers are needed once every 2 weeks in a small amount. Sources are green mash, yeast infusion, poultry manure fertilizer.
Permanent fertilization
When planting pepper seedlings, fertilizers are placed in the holes. I must say that fertilizers for pepper seedlings are equally useful for eggplant seedlings.
Fertilizer options:
- 1 tbsp. humus can be mixed with earth and a handful of wood ash.
- Water the wells with a solution of mullein, or bird droppings.
- Stir with the ground 30 gr. superphosphate plus 15 gr. potassium chloride.
Plants planted in this way do not need feeding for at least 2 weeks.
Conclusion
For the entire period of growth of pepper seedlings, it is enough to carry out 2 dressings. The first is predominantly nitrogen content. Before or after the pick depends on your desire. The only thing is that 2-3 days should pass before the pick after feeding. Properly prepared soil does not require frequent and abundant dressings. Fattening of plants, when an abundance of supermeasure green mass is noted, suggests that it is time to go on a diet of pure water.
The choice of fertilizer for seedlings of peppers from those offered by stores, or homemade mixtures, depends entirely on the personal preferences of the grower.
