Pepper is a rather capricious culture that does not tolerate transplantation. Planting unprepared seedlings at the wrong time and without following certain rules will lead to a slowdown in the growth of pepper, and in the end result to a decrease in its yield.
That is why it is so important to follow the rules of how and when to plant seeds for seedlings and recommendations for planting pepper seedlings in open ground.
Further we describe in detail how to grow peppers in the open field?
When are peppers planted in open ground? Approximate dates
Even if pepper seedlings outgrow, do not rush her to plant in open ground. This is a heat-loving culture, so it can only be disembarked when the threat of frost is over, and the temperature of the air at night will not fall below 13-15 degrees.
Age of seedlings ready to move into the open ground, 60-65 days. Usually the first bud appears on every bush.
All buds formed before transplanting are recommended to be removed. This usually happens in overgrown, older than 65 days, seedlings.
Such a procedure is necessary to stimulate new flowering and the formation of fruits. The fact is that the peculiarity of this culture is the undulating fruiting. By tying the first fruits, the plant stops flowering until they grow to marketable sizes.
Only after that new flowers begin to appear. If you do not remove the first buds, the development of fruit formation will slow.
The removal of the first few buds will entail an abundant formation of leaves, which is favorable for pepper. Unlike tomatoes, a large number of leaves only benefit him, as this increases the yield.
Site selection and preparation
When choosing a landing site, please note that heat-loving and very demanding to light culture. If he does not get enough sunlight the maximum time during the day, you will not wait for a good harvest. Therefore, any areas that during the day fall into the shadow of buildings or trees should be immediately excluded.
The best predecessors of pepper are cucumber, cabbage, carrots, onions, zucchini. You can not plant it in those areas where tomatoes, eggplants or potatoes grew in the previous season. In no case can he be put on the same place for two years in a row.
This is due to the fact that during the development of each culture consumes certain minerals, pulling them out of the soil.
And planting the same culture in one place will lead to the fact that each subsequent generation will receive less of the elements for nutrition, which means it will be bad to grow.
For growing peppers plots with light soil of low acidity. If the acidity is increased, it is recommended to produce it in autumn. High beds are prepared for planting so that the root system is warm. The direction of the ridges make the west-east. When digging the soil in spring, it is necessary to add humus, compost and superphosphate.
Effective for growing peppers use a “warm bed” on biofuels. To prepare it, a trench is being dug 40-50 cm deep.At the bottom it is necessary to lay manure mixed with chopped straw or compost. A layer of soil is poured over this mixture.
A few hours before the pepper is planted, the bed is watered with hot water, and the biofuel begins to generate heat. Pepper roots on such a bed will be warm and will not suffer even from a cold snap. In addition, the lower layer will serve as additional nutrition for plants. Different varieties in the same garden.
That sweet pepper does not become bitter
Pepper is a self-pollinated plant, and this must be taken into account when planting. If you plan to grow a bitter, sweet and sharp variety, you need to plant them in different places.. When planting them close to each other, pereocirculation will occur, and the taste qualities of each class will change. Sweet will taste bitter or spicy.
How to prepare seedlings?
Do not immediately take out the boxes with pepper and plant peppers in the garden. If the seedlings were in the home, it will not suffer a sharp change of conditions and will die.
Before planting pepper in open ground seedlings need to harden.
Preparations for the landing begin two to three weeks before the expected date. Seedlings need to take out a few hours a day on the street and set in a shady place. In the first days of the walk should be short, only 3-4 hours from noon and up to 16 hours.
Gradually increase the time. At night, be sure to bring seedlings into the house. In the last two or three days before disembarking, leave the boxes at night for the whole day.
In addition to hardening, it is necessary to provide the seedlings with protection against fungal diseases in advance. 7 days before landing must be treated with systemic fungicide (Bordeaux liquid, Blue sulphate, Oxyh).
The day before removing the soil from the box must be thoroughly watered.
How to plant seedlings of pepper in the ground?
Planting pepper in open ground: planting scheme and recommendations.
- For planting pepper prepare the beds 80-100 cm wide.
- Holes with a depth of 15-20 cm are made at a distance of 40-45 cm from each other, 50-60 cm between rows.
- At the bottom of each hole, you need to pour a handful of well-rotted humus and pour at least 2 liters of water.
If each instance was grown in a separate tank, disembarking is carried out by the method of transshipment. Removing the plant with a lump of earth, you need to try so that it does not fall apart. With this method of transplanting the roots of the pepper will not be affected, therefore, the plant will quickly take root.
When growing seedlings in boxes, the roots of individual bushes can be intertwined. Removing these plants from the ground, you are sure to damage the roots.
To protect plants as much as possible from damage to the root system, longitudinal and transverse cuts are made to the full depth before planting in the drawer with a sharp knife.
The stem of each bush is buried in the soil at the same level at which it was in a box or pot. It is impossible to plant it deeper for two reasons:
- When planting deep, the roots will fall into cold soil and will also lack oxygen.
- Pepper stalk does not form additional roots, like a tomato. Therefore, part of it, which turned out to be in the ground, may begin to rot.
Plant with a lump of earth is placed in the hole.The soil is tamped. If the bushes are already high, you need to put pegs next to them for tying. As long as the stem is not thick enough, it can easily break when the wind gusts.
After planting, the plants are well watered, the soil around the stem is carefully mulched to prevent it from drying out. As a mulch you can use humus or peat. The next watering is best done in 1-3 days.so that the roots could settle down and not begin to rot.
The landing should be carried out in the evening hours.so that the sun does not burn the plants. With the same purpose in the first days after planting it is desirable to plant plants.
How to prevent overcooling of plants?
It is impossible to delay the landing of pepper in the open ground before the onset of stable warm days. There are two reasons for this:
- In the heat of the planted plants will take root poorly and may even burn.
- Overgrown bushes, on which the buds have already begun to form, will drop them.And you will lose part of the harvest.
Therefore, the landing has to be carried out when night temperatures are not yet ideal for pepper. Yes, and the threat of return frost exists almost until the end of June. Temporary shelters for planted peppers will help solve the problem.
For their preparation, arches are placed over the bed and covered with a film or nonwoven covering material. This method, in addition to heat, also provides an opportunity in the first days after planting to protect the seedlings from the scorching rays of the daytime sun.
Shelter, thrown on the arc, at the bottom is fixed with heavy objects or sprinkled with earth. During the day, you need to open such a mini-greenhouse from one end.
A few days after the transplanting of pepper into the soil, when the plants take root, you can remove the covering material for the day. At night, it must be re-cast over the arcs, as night temperatures in June are not yet comfortable enough for pepper. When hot weather is established, the temporary greenhouse can be dismantled and continue to grow peppers in the open field.
Plant care in the first days after disembarkation
Finally bushes will take root only 13-15 days after disembarkationtherefore, in the first days you need to give them maximum attention. To ensure that the seedlings of the pepper are well rooted you can help her with the following actions:
- Loosen the ground regularly around the pepper. This technique improves aeration of the roots and prevents their rotting.
- Water the pepper every other day. and after watering, be sure to mulch the soil.
- Sure to shade the bushes in the midday heat. If the weather is hot and dry, conduct surface watering with warm water.
Compliance with all the rules of planting peppers in open ground and caring for them will contribute to the rapid rooting of seedlings, and, consequently, obtaining a large crop.
Useful materials
Read other articles on pepper seedlings:
- Do I need to soak the seeds before planting?
- How to grow black pepper peas, chili, bitter or sweet at home?
- What are growth promoters and how to use them?
- The main reasons why seedlings stretch, fall and die.
- Rules of additional lighting and feeding young saplings.
