Growing Pepper in Peat Pills

Sweet pepper requires special care. Growing pepper in peat tablets is a convenient and easy way to avoid picking.

Pepper growing in peat tablets

Peat tablets choice

Peat pellet – a small washer, about 2– 7 cm in diameter, extruded torus f or coconut fiber. The substrate already contains all the necessary microelements, antibacterial and nutrients necessary for planting. When buying peat tablets, you need to pay attention to the presence of a special mesh: without it, the shape will not hold, or you can find a special glass or box for peat. The grid is located around the perimeter, except for the top for planting.

For growing seedlings of peppers in peat tablets, a pressed medium-sized substrate is selected, 3-4 cm in diameter. You can buy it both individually and in boxes. The latter is more convenient, because the box is useful for disembarkation. A cover is required. It is important to choose peat with low acidity in the composition. Pepper is a whimsical plant and does not accept other soil.

When choosing a substrate, preference should be given to materials that are sold in packaging. You also need to read the composition to be sure of this planting material

Advantages of peat tablets

This method of growing pepper has many advantages. These include:

• loose soil, ideal for air and moisture;
• peat, which has all the necessary vitamins and fertilizers for pepper;
• suitable indicators soil acidity (6-6.5 pH);
• protection against diseases and pests;
• ease of use (individually for each plant);
• does not harm the root system.

Seedling time

The best time for planting seedlings is in February and early March, but pepper can be planted in peat tablets later – in the second half of March or early April. Thanks to the perfectly selected soil composition in the tablet, the plant will grow faster and mature in time for planting in open ground.

Seed preparation

Seeds should be prepared for planting

Prepare pepper seeds for planting in the same way as when growing seedlings in the usual way. You must first make sure that they are suitable. It is recommended to lower the seeds for several minutes in water. If the grains rise to the surface, they will not bring a crop.You can work with seeds that remained at the bottom. The remaining ones are etched in a weak solution of potassium permanganate (20-30 minutes). After the seed must be washed under running water. Next, the grains are placed in a saucer or plate, after laying a piece of gauze soaked in water. Be sure to ensure that the moisture does not evaporate, keep warm at a temperature of 25-27 ° C for about 6-7 days. When the seeds hatch, they are planted in the prepared soil.

You can plant pepper grains without germination, but then some of them will not sprout. In this case, several seeds are planted in the tablet, and when they germinate, the weakest are removed. Do not root them: it can easily damage a neighboring sprout. It is recommended to carefully cut the seedling with scissors at the very base.

Planting seeds

Before planting the seeds, prepare all the necessary materials. For planting requires:

• Peat tablets. They are prepared and placed in a plastic container, preferably with a transparent lid or film.
• Swollen pepper seeds. They are pre-treated with growth stimulants.
• Thin skewer and shoulder blade for the soil. They are needed for the convenience of working with peat soil.
• Warm water. It is used for watering and swelling tablets.
• Tweezers. Using it is easier to plant sprouted seed.

The tablets are placed in the tray as close to each other as possible, because the finished substrate is not completely stable. They are watered with slightly warm water.After 15 minutes peat should increase volumes several times. If the tablet has not increased, add more water. After this, excess liquid is drained.

A small indentation is located at the top of the peat product. Make a hole with a skewer of 1-1.5 cm. Carefully, so as not to damage the hatching sprouts, transfer the seed to the prepared soil with tweezers. From above the seeds are covered with a nutritious soil mixture, slightly tamped. The tray is covered with a transparent lid or film and transferred to a warm place with a temperature of 25-28 ° C. Be sure to ensure that the soil does not dry out, watered on time. If condensation has accumulated under the lid or film, a little ventilate to prevent mold on the soil and rotting of the sprouts. Once a day, open the lid of the tray for several minutes.

Caring for seedlings

Provide seedlings with good care

After 7-10 days, the first leaves should appear. During this period, you can not fill the plant. Just spray them with water from the spray gun. For the next 3-4 days, it is desirable to lower the temperature to 17 ° C, and then transfer the seedlings to a more lighted and warmer place (24-25 ° C). At night, the temperature should not be higher than 15 ° C, but not lower than 12 ° C, otherwise the plant will die. Temperature differences day and night are needed for hardening seedlings: thus it is prepared for transplantation into open ground.

Seedling care rules:

• you do not need to feed the plant: the tablets have all the vitamins and minerals necessary for growth;
• seedlings develop quickly enough without additional stimulants ;
• watering the sprouts should be infrequent;
• it is important to monitor the status of peat: if it has decreased in size, just pour it into a tray of water;
• excess moisture is urgently removed, because stagnant water prevents the roots from breathing;
• take irrigated and cold water for irrigation;
• on a cloudy day it is advisable to use the backlight oh special lamp.

Transplant

If the roots of the seedlings have grown so much that they began to break through the net, this is a clear sign that the plant it’s time to transplant into larger containers. For this, flower pots are quite suitable. By that time, seedlings give 3-4 pairs of true leaflets.

The soil for transplanting seedlings can be bought in a special store, you only need to pay attention to the composition indicated on the package, as well as prepare the mixture yourself.

To do this, in equal proportions take humus, peat, turf or garden soil, add a little washed coarse sand. For 5 l of the finished soil composition take 1 tbsp. l mineral fertilizer and 0.5 tbsp. wood ash. Stir.

Pots must have a drainage hole so that excess moisture does not stagnate. Tare sizes are also considered.They recommend roomy dishes, since pepper roots like to grow, they need freedom.

In a prepared pot, pour a mixture of 3-4 cm A peat tablet is placed on top, having previously cut or completely removed the mesh. After well fall asleep with the soil and slightly tamp. The plant is watered immediately.

It is not recommended to use a transparent container for planting: the development of roots and plants will slow down dramatically.

planting in the ground

K planting in the open ground begin when the plant has already given 8 true leaves. Carefully observe the crops, periodically turning the pots to and from the sun. If you plan to grow seedlings of pepper in a greenhouse, you can do without planting in pots. Further, the plants are looked after as usual.

Conclusion

Growing seedlings in peat tablets for peppers gives an excellent result: strong healthy roots and stems of the plant. Together, this brings a high-quality crop.