Content
It would seem that such a simple process is watering the seedlings. But everything is not at all easy, and this business has many of its own rules and laws. Their observance will help to grow strong seedlings and get a rich harvest. In addition, proper watering helps to avoid illness. pepper seedlings.
Watering before planting
This is done for the first time before the seed is laid. After it is impossible in any case. The soil will be washed away, some seeds will float, others, on the contrary, will go deeper. Slightly compacted soil is best pre-moistened with a spray bottle. The moisture must completely seep from the surface, otherwise you will have to dig into the dirt. The earth should not be a sticky lump, but loose and moist.
There is a great way to water first before planting with snow. Melt water is very useful for all living things. Its cells have the correct ordered shape. The benefits of melt water have long been proven, so why not use it for growing pepper seedlings. The container with the prepared soil is tamped with a layer of snow of about 2 cm, covered and placed in a warm place. When the snow melts, check the degree of moisture. Too wet soil is left until morning, and the procedure is repeated with under-watered soil.
Well-moistened soil at room temperature is ready, it's time to sow pepper seedlings.
Process technology
Watering pepper seedlings is a delicate matter. A moisture-loving plant can die from excessive water flooding. There are three parameters for watering pepper seedlings:
- Amount of water depends on the capacity and age of the seedling itself. You can not fill in so that it pours over the edge. Gradually and gently moisten the soil. At the initial stage, a couple of teaspoons are enough. In a transparent container, you can clearly see where the moisture has reached, and in an opaque container, you can slightly squeeze the walls. In this case, you will feel either soft and moist earth, or a dry lump. Over time, any person begins to understand how much water his pepper seedlings need.
- Watering time and frequency... How often can pepper seedlings be watered: every 3 days - until the leaves appear, then every day, and 2 weeks before planting in the ground 2-3 times a week. The main thing here is not to let the earth dry up, it must always be moistened. Before sprouting, the best way to water is by spraying water from a spray bottle. Watering pepper seedlings is carried out strictly in the morning. Watering pepper seedlings at night is simply dangerous. This is a direct route to black leg disease.
- Water quality... The water from the tap must be settled so that chlorine evaporates, the excess of which is very harmful to plants. The water temperature for irrigation should be around 30 degrees. Pepper seedlings are very fond of heat, cold moisture can lead to root rot.
Moisture on the green part of the plant can lead to fungal diseases.
There is one interesting trick for increasing watering efficiency. After each moistening of the soil, it is necessary to "salt" the surface of the soil with dry soil. You can call it micromulching. Moisture is retained in the ground, a dense crust does not form on the surface, the delicate roots of pepper seedlings are not exposed.
So different water
Water brings more than just nutrition to the plant. Based on where it was received, unpleasant content can be assumed.
Well water
Oddly enough, water from a well in most cases is not suitable for watering plants.Here's the thing: most wells collect water at the depth where the limestone deposits pass and below. Therefore, this water is quite hard. Watering pepper seedlings from a well can lead to alkalization of the soil, which has a very negative effect on plant development.
The addition of a small amount of ash can help in this case. It will soften the water and at the same time saturate it with useful elements: potassium and phosphorus.
Tap water
The main trouble with the water supply system is that it contains a weighty amount of chlorine. It is added to disinfect water. That is, to destroy dangerous microbes. Here it is worth considering: a substance that kills living organisms can harm the living organism of a larger plant? The question is rhetorical.
There is only one way out: to stand water for watering pepper seedlings for at least a few hours. Chlorine quickly evaporates from the liquid.
Tap water contains many substances dissolved in it, for example, calcium salts, the high content of which in the soil interferes with the absorption of nutrients by the plant.
Exit: add ash. The content of calcium salts makes the water hard, and ash, as already mentioned, softens the water.
Another way of solving the problem is not softening, but adding acid to restore balance. It is enough to add a few grains of citric acid per liter of water to water the pepper seedlings.
Melt water
Melt water acts on plants as a growth stimulant, so it would be a mistake not to use it for watering pepper seedlings. Melted snow is suitable for this. You cannot specially heat it with heating, so all the useful properties disappear. The snow melts in the room naturally, then the resulting water can be slightly warmed up, for example, on a radiator.
When there is no snow, you can freeze the water in the freezer:
- Pour water into a plastic bottle, up to the hanger;
- Put in the freezer for 10-12 hours;
- Drain everything that is not frozen (these are unnecessary impurities);
- Use the melted ice for watering.
Watering pepper seedlings with melt water has many positive reviews. The seedlings grow healthier and stronger, according to the testers.
Rainwater
Rainwater is practically the same as melt water. It is very soft without heavy particles. To collect this life-giving moisture in rusty old barrels is simply sacrilege. Destruction of all good. Therefore, the container must be clean, preferably non-metallic.
Using rainwater to water pepper seedlings in industrial areas can be dangerous. All substances from factory pipes are carried in the atmosphere for tens of kilometers, settling on rain clouds.
Boiled water
The use of boiled water for watering pepper seedlings is not recommended. During boiling, a large amount of oxygen evaporates from the water. This depletes the benefits of water.
Oxygen is needed by the roots of plants.
Watering with benefit
This is about how to usefully water pepper seedlings. Water can be flavored with useful substances, not to be confused with chemical fertilizers. Such solutions cannot completely replace pure water, but alternating with mineral dressings is very useful.
Humates
Scientists have not yet decided whether it is a fertilizer or a growth stimulant. The mechanism of their actions also generates discussion. Only one thing is clear: they bring undoubted benefits to plants.
It has been experimentally proved that the use of humates increases the resistance of seedlings in unfavorable conditions, increases the percentage of absorption of nutrients and prevents the absorption of harmful compounds.
Humates are economical to use, as they are added to the water dropwise. The dosages are indicated in the annotation table.
Water aeration
The water is artificially saturated with oxygen by driving air through it. Those who have an aquarium know what this is about.This can be done just with the aerator for the aquarium. This water is more beneficial for pepper seedlings than regular water. According to reviews, the plants really grow stronger and healthier.
Tea water
For better growth of weak seedlings of pepper seedlings, it is recommended to replace the water with an infusion of sleeping tea. It is very simple to prepare it: pour 300 g of used leaf tea with 5 liters of water. Insist 4-5 days.
Ash solution
This liquid will successfully replace mineral fertilizer. There is no nitrogen in it, but there is a lot of potassium and phosphorus, which are very useful for pepper seedlings during the entire period of growth, and especially during flowering and fruit setting. This watering can be alternated with nitrogen nutrition. A half-liter can of wood ash is soaked in a bucket of water (10 liters) overnight.
Ash for the nutrition of pepper seedlings should be obtained by burning wood, without garbage. Ash from deciduous wood has an advantage in the content of useful elements.
