All about picking peppers

The concept of “dive” is familiar to all gardeners, experienced and beginners. This is an event that is carried out for planting seedlings of plants sown by the continuous cover method. The procedure is vital, the quality of the crop largely depends on its timeliness and correctness.

The need for a procedure

Seedlings that have risen in a continuous “carpet” and grown in this form until transplanted to a permanent place will never be viable. Firstly, it will stretch, the stems will turn into weak and thin stems. Secondly, its roots will be so intertwined with each other that inevitably most of them will be damaged at the moment when they have to be taken out of the container and separated.

Pepper picking is a must for sweet Bulgarian and spicy species. Culture categorically does not like transplantation, even with the right picking, there is almost always a certain percentage of plant death, and the above case is a guaranteed death of almost all young animals.

It is in order to avoid such troubles that the picking method is used. The process itself involves transplanting from a common container into individual glasses and pots. Transshipment to a common container is possible, but with a much larger distance between the roots, but this is the least acceptable option. The ideal cultivation of pepper seedlings is with a closed root system in separate cups. The optimal time for the procedure is not earlier than 1–2 true leaves and not later than 5–6 leaves.

If the seeds are initially sown in separate containers, then there is no need for an event.

All about picking peppers

The benefits of picking.

  • Ensuring the possibility of optimal development, when the root system and the aerial part develop in the open, without oppressive neighborhood. Picking into separate glasses and pots will allow you to get strong seedlings with a closed root system, almost unresponsive to transplantation.
  • At this stage, you can always cull, choosing the strongest seedlings, getting rid of underdeveloped and too weak ones.
  • Another motive for changing the place of growth is the prevention of infection. Even one diseased sprout can destroy the entire crop. And so it can be identified and removed, thereby minimizing the risk of bacterial and fungal infection.
  • Separate glasses provide the plant with much more light, moisture and the maximum amount of nutrients.
  • The event is a kind of hardening and accustoms peppers to transplants.
All about picking peppers

Disadvantages of the procedure

  • The owner will need maximum concentration, perseverance and accuracy – the plants are too delicate, they are easy to damage, especially the root system. Careless attitude and haste will almost certainly lead to large losses, which will adversely affect the future harvest.
  • A certain time period is allotted for picking – its holding too early or, conversely, belated can also destroy seedlings.
  • There is always the possibility of damaging weak and thin roots.

As mentioned above, pepper does not like transplanting, unlike tomatoes. However, if you act carefully, calmly and slowly, everything will work out. Experienced gardeners can carry out an event at the stage of cotyledons or five and six leaves, but it is better for beginners not to risk it and do everything on time.

Attention! For those who are not confident in their abilities or simply do not want to do this, there is an elementary way out. Sow the seeds immediately at a sufficient (7–10 cm) distance from each other, and picking is not required.

All about picking peppers

Transplant timing

With the normal development of hatched sprouts, the picking stage occurs at the age of two or three leaves, approximately 2–3 weeks after sowing. This is the best time to plant the peppers in separate glasses – the plants are already strong enough to change places, and the small roots are not yet intertwined, which will help them survive the stress.

There is no need to talk about the exact numbers of planting, since the culture, like other vegetables, is divided into mid-ripening and late-ripening categories. They are guided by climatic features and methods of cultivation – a greenhouse or open ground. An important factor is the territory of our country, which includes almost all climatic zones.

In the southern regions, sowing occurs much earlier than in the Urals or Siberia.

All about picking peppers

As you know, many are guided in gardening by the lunar calendar, holding all seasonal activities in accordance with the phases of the moon. Justified or not, everyone decides for himself, but the great popularity of such interaction speaks in favor of the latter. The phases of the growing moon are considered the most favorable for intervening in the natural course of events, when the plant receives the maximum amount of strength and juice for growth. At this time, the roots and stems become more plastic, have a high ability to recover and adapt.

Favorable days according to the lunar calendar for 2022 for pepper are arranged as follows:

  • February – 2–15;
  • March – 3-17;
  • April – 2-15.
All about picking peppers

In this case, the last third of the ranges will be the most productive. Meticulous gardeners also take into account the influence of the zodiac constellations on the moon for events with all types of nightshade crops.

  • Pisces – lunar days February 3-4, March 3, the sign is considered the most productive.
  • Taurus is a sign of the root, lunar days in February are 7-9, in March – 6-8, in April – 3-4.
  • Virgo – It is believed that the sign is not very favorable for the harvest, but is great for working with the root system. Lunar days – March 16-17, April 13-14.
  • Libra – Peppers love this sign. All the manipulations carried out these days eventually lead to healthy fruits, with a beautiful shape and a rich color palette, there is only one day of the moon – April 15th.
  • Cancer – lunar days – February 12-14, March 11-13, April 8-9. The most fertile sign for nightshade.

For peppers, there are two more favorable signs – Capricorn and Scorpio, the latter being most suitable for melons and nightshade crops, but in 2022 the signs will be in the waning moon. As for the unfavorable days, in February they fall on the 17th-28th, in March – on the 19th-31st, in April – on the 17th-29th.

All about picking peppers

Meeting the deadlines is extremely important for the health of pepper seedlings. Picking too early will result in maximum stress – plants may simply not survive it or slow down development so much that this will inevitably affect yields. A transplant carried out too late severely damages the regrown roots – by that time they have already grown strong, grown and intertwined. The division will tear most of the roots. The seedlings that have grown, but not plucked, begin to actively compete for nutrients and for light, therefore, they give all their strength to growth, while infringing on the development of the strength of the stem and root system.

It is interesting! Picking and transplanting are not the same thing at all. Initially, the concept of picking meant the procedure of pinching roots by 30% during transplantation.

Gradually there was a substitution of concepts, and now a pick is called a transplant from one container to another at the stage of two leaves, although in reality it is a transshipment.

All about picking peppers

Prepare

Before the picking process itself, it is necessary to carry out preparatory work – to provide the appropriate soil, tools and containers.

Емкость

For powerful peppers, the optimal container size is 0,3–0,4 liters. In pots of this volume, the plant will develop freely, without feeling constraint and without giving strength to fill too large an earthy coma. At the bottom of each cup, you need to make a drainage hole, if there is none. It is very convenient to make them in a plastic container with a soldering iron.

Then you should organize a drainage layer, for example, put a cork from a plastic bottle and cover it with a piece of moss, which perfectly passes water and is an organic material. The cork will come in handy next year, and the moss roots will be braided and “taken away” with them when transshipment to a permanent place.

As containers, ready-made plastic sets are used, consisting of glasses and pallets, as well as peat-humus pots. In the application of the latter there is a small but significant nuance. Peat containers do not always correspond to the norm – unscrupulous manufacturers use cardboard with a small addition of peat or peat with sawdust as the main material, and all this mass is mixed with glue, without adding humus.

In such cases, the roots cannot break through the walls, they do not receive nutrients and oxygen. A plant planted in a permanent place along with a pot does not develop and eventually dies. Visually, it is impossible to distinguish a high-quality peat-humus container from a low-quality one, and judging by the reviews of gardeners, the former are not on the market at all. At the same time, it should be understood that there are no State standards, as well as responsibility.

On sale there are packages for seedlings from 0,5 l with drainage holes. They are sold in packs of 50 pieces, they are folded in the form of an envelope at the bottom, therefore, when opened, they take a rectangular shape, they are made of dense polyethylene. Bags, like glasses, can last for several seasons, they fold well and take up almost no space when stored. Tightly installed in pallets, they keep their shape perfectly; when planting, they easily give up a clod of earth along with the plant. There is, perhaps, one drawback: they still do not have the stability of glasses.

To complete the picture, it is necessary to mention the roll (“snail”) and diaper method of growing seedlings and picking them. You can find a lot of information about these methods on the Web, but I must say that among gardeners this technique has not found much popularity.

Its huge plus is only in saving space, so it is ideal for those who have little space, and I really want to grow seedlings with my own hands.

Ground

Ready-made soil compounds, which are always commercially available, are usually used as soil, but experienced gardeners make them themselves. Mixtures can be different, in which case everything again depends on the area. The basis is garden soil, to which they add:

  • peat;
  • organics;
  • river sand;
  • wood ash;
  • sod land;
  • deciduous or forest soil;
  • spruce (not pine) litter as a baking powder.

There are many recipes, often each has its own, as well as the proportions for mixing. From fertilizers, complex special formulations are used, which include potassium and phosphorus. The soil should be disinfected both before sowing and before picking. This can be done with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Those who have ovens “roast” the soil on the stove.

How to dive seedlings?

To properly transplant peppers, there is an algorithm that has been empirically tested over many decades. The soil in the container with seedlings should be well moistened a few hours before the start of the event. This will ensure the safe excavation of plants from the soil and the total mass.

  • Properly prepared cups are covered with earth by about two-thirds of the total volume. The soil should be compacted, but without fanaticism – it is not necessary to make a cast lump out of it.
  • A small hole is made in the compacted soil, most conveniently with a stick, pencil, and a little water is poured in.
  • The seedling is separated from the total mass with a fork, a teaspoon, a special spatula (as it is more convenient for anyone). In this case, it is necessary to act as carefully as possible, without damaging the roots and delicate stems – the teeth of the fork are the safest in this regard.
  • The roots of the removed plant are lowered into the recess and sprinkled, compacting the soil, again, without effort. It is only necessary to provide the root system with a tight fit with the ground, leaving no air sacs.

Pour the required amount of earth, slightly compact and moisten. How much you can deepen the plant depends on the height of the stem.

During this process, rejection occurs. Preference is given to strong and strong plants, and weak and unviable plants are removed. When removing plants from a common container, several roots are often captured at once, so they have to be separated. This should be done by smooth stretching in different directions, then the wet elastic roots are easily unhooked.

During transplantation, the sprout should not be allowed to “twist” into the ground, thereby guaranteeing its death. The roots should freely enter the prepared recess. If the hole suddenly turned out to be small, then it needs to be slightly expanded. The penetration should not be too strong.

It would be nice to be careful and leave free space from the edge of the container. It will be needed if, suddenly, due to a lack of light, the plants stretch upwards, in which case it will be possible to add the required amount of soil. The seedlings are placed in the same place where they grew before, but they shade them for a couple of days, giving them the opportunity to get stronger and adapt to new conditions. Then the illumination is increased to the previous indicators.

All about picking peppers

Sometimes a question arises to which there is no definite answer: is it worth pinching the root. However, given the dislike of pepper for any manipulation of the root system, it is better not to do this, since plant survival drops sharply even among experienced gardeners.

Sometimes they are transplanted immediately to a permanent place if the pepper grows in a heated greenhouse or cultivation takes place in a subtropical climate. The landing itself is no different from a standard pick at home, however, subsequent care for the near future will require great care and concern.

Obligatory shading from the scorching rays of the spring sun, especially aggressive during this period, is necessary. It is also necessary to create an increased humidity of the environment, since for weak seedlings it is not so much watering that is important as air humidity. A dry atmosphere can kill tender seedlings even with good moisture.

In this case, a wet layer of sawdust will help out: gradually drying out, they release moisture to the environment, maintaining the required level.

Aftercare

Having found out that peppers react very negatively to a pick, you should not be afraid if they feel bad for some time. Proper care will avoid the death of plants and increase their chances for optimal development. Careful observation will help to notice signs of poor health of the seedlings.

  • Pulling plants. Clear evidence of a lack of light or nitrogen. In the first case, you need to increase the level of illumination. If natural is not enough, then you should use the method of illumination. To do this, use phytolamps and even ordinary LEDs, with cold white light, as close as possible to daylight. If we are talking about a lack of nitrogen, then special fertilizers should be used.
  • Withering. Most likely, the roots were damaged. Emergency help – foliar top dressing with energy stimulants (“Epin”, “Zircon”). HB 101 can be added to water for irrigation, like Kornevin.
  • Seedling fall. There may be several reasons for this. A black leg, and then it saves watering with a solution of copper sulfate (1 dessert spoon per 2 liters of water). Too dry air, especially typical for apartments with central heating. Helps constant spraying, but the best way out will be the same sawdust. It is necessary to install the glasses in a box with sawdust, while watering, moisten the glasses and the sawdust layer at the same time. Plants feel very comfortable in such conditions. And, of course, the prevention of “Epin” by vegetative mass.
  • Growth stop. This is a consequence of damage to the root system or the remaining air between the roots and the nutrient medium (soil) during planting. The treatment with “Kornevin” and the compaction of the earth around the seedlings come to the rescue.

Further care lies in traditional activities.

  • Watering. Regular, but not abundant. The roots must not be allowed to rot. The frequency depends on the specific conditions in which the seedlings develop. At high temperatures and a lot of sun, moisturizing is carried out more often, in a cool room two to three times a week is enough. It is important to remember that an excess of moisture is dangerous for the root system, but beneficial for the upper part of the seedlings, so do not forget about the humidity of the environment.
  • Lighting. Pepper greens should receive light for 10-14 hours a day. For most apartments, this is not possible, so you need to be prepared for additional lighting. The optimal distance between the lamp and seedlings is 12–14 cm for small ones, 20–25 cm for grown seedlings.

Temperature. 18–20ºC is the most favorable mode.

The introduction of additional nutrition is carried out no more than 1 time in 10 days. Apply complex specialized fertilizers. Performing basic procedures will help the gardener grow strong seedlings and lay the foundation for the future harvest.

Anna Evans

Author-editor

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