All experienced summer residents are engaged in growing pepper seedlings. But not all beginners know how to pick plants correctly so that they subsequently develop normally and produce a high yield. You can grow healthy and strong seedlings if you follow certain rules and create favorable conditions.
The need for picking pepper seedlings
Experienced gardeners argue about whether it is worth picking peppers at all, since they are very painful to transplant. However, if the seedlings are planted in a common container, then it is simply necessary to plant them. Otherwise, due to a lack of nutrients and light, the plants lag behind in development and later begin to bear fruit.
After picking the seedlings into a separate container, there will be no threat of intertwining of the root system, and further planting to a permanent place of growth will be painless. During the work process, it is possible to reject weak and poorly developed peppers. Also, thanks to picking, the risk of developing fungal diseases is reduced.
Timing for picking pepper seedlings
It is recommended to pick peppers during the following periods:
- when the cotyledon leaves open;
- after the appearance of 3 true leaves;
- after 6 leaves appear.
At the same time, experienced gardeners avoid replanting plants at the cotyledon leaf stage. The reason is that at this time the seedlings only have a central root.If it is accidentally damaged, the pepper dies.
Rules for picking pepper at home
During the cultivation of this valuable vegetable, recommendations were developed that allow you to successfully pick peppers and subsequently harvest abundant harvests from them.
- You must first prepare the required number of 200 ml containers and treat them with a 1% manganese solution for disinfection.
- Prepare a nutritious soil mixture consisting of garden soil, humus, peat and coarse river sand in a ratio of 2:2:2:1. Since peppers do not tolerate high soil acidity, a small amount of wood ash should be added. After this, the prepared soil is sent to a preheated oven or microwave for 20 minutes for disinfection. Then the soil is spilled with a solution of potassium permanganate so that the remaining pest larvae are completely destroyed.
- A few hours before the planned picking, water the peppers to reduce the risk of damage to the roots.
- Soil is poured into the container to 2/3 of its volume, then a depression is made in it and watered with warm water.
- Using a teaspoon, take out the seedlings, carefully separate them and select the strongest and most developed ones. Place them in prepared cups so that the roots in the recess are located freely and are not intertwined. The plants are sprinkled with soil and lightly compacted with your fingers.
- After picking, the containers with seedlings are placed in their original place and light shading is organized so that the sun's rays do not burn the plants during the adaptation period.
- 3 days after picking the peppers, additional lighting is provided. Daylight hours should last at least 8 hours.
By following the listed rules and recommendations, you will be able to grow healthy and strong seedlings for the coming season and achieve maximum yield from them.
