When to plant pepper?

Sweet pepper is a rather capricious culture for the climatic conditions of the Russian Federation. Success is not least determined by the answer to the question of when to plant peppers in a greenhouse or in open ground.

Bulgarian sweet pepper should be planted on seedlings, taking into account the variety and ripening period. This crop has a long growing season. If you miss the deadlines, the crop simply will not have time to reach the stage of removable ripeness. Pepper seeds are also tight: they can germinate in 2-4 weeks. Therefore, by the time indicated on the bag of seeds, you need to add not 1 week, as for tomatoes, but almost a month. At the same time, it is impossible to overgrow seedlings – early-set fruits in conditions of lack of light deplete the plant.

Landing in open ground is easier to decide. Experienced gardeners are guided by the local climate and long-term weather forecast. Peppers are very thermophilic, for growth they need a temperature of at least + 20 … 23 ° C, without fluctuations and jumps.

All factors affecting the timing:

• region;
• variety;
• growing method.

On average, pepper seeds in the Russian Federation are sown from February 15 to March 10. In the southern regions – in early February. Seedlings are planted in a permanent place in open ground not earlier than mid-May, in most regions – only at the beginning of June. Under film shelters can be planted 2 weeks earlier.

At the time of disembarkation, the air temperature must be at least +15°C. The following are averaged recommendations for the regions of the Russian Federation. But you should focus on the climate in a particular area and even in a particular area. Dry, well-lit areas at higher elevations can be several degrees warmer than a neighbor’s bed located in the lowlands.

Terms of planting pepper in open ground.

• South of Russia (Crimea, Krasnodar Territory, Rostov Region, Stavropol Territory) – from April 15.
• South of the middle lane (at the latitude of Saratov) – May 5-31.
• Central Russia, Moscow region, Moscow region (north in the middle lane) – from May 27 to June 15.
• Northwest (in the Leningrad region) – from June, but in this region it is better not to grow peppers in unprotected ground. The average temperature even in the warmest month – July – is + 17 … 18 ° C, and very sharp jumps are possible.
• In the Urals and Siberia – June 1-20. These are also very difficult regions for peppers. Plants will need occasional shelter, or a choice of the most unpretentious, hardy varieties is necessary.

All varieties of sweet pepper are divided into several groups.

• Very early (“Lamuyo”, “Trio”, “Claudio”, “Gypsy”, “Pompeo”, “Khalif”, “Husky”) – 90-100 days pass from germination to removable fruit ripeness.
• Early (“Yellow Fence”, “Red Fence”, “Aelita”, “California Miracle”, “Grill Bomb”, “English Boot”, “Quinta”, “Fio-Summer”, “Chunga-Changa”) – 101- 120 days.
• Mid-early (“Danelia”, “Alkmaar”, “Orange Lamuyo”, “Tequila”, “Funtik”, “Eroshka”, “D’Artagnan”, “Chocolate round dance”) – 121-135 days.
• Late (“Ingrid”, “Cornet”, “Nobleman”) – 136-150 days.
• Very late (“Swat”) – over 150 days.

Since the early ripeness of peppers is very much in demand, they can be described in stores as early-ripening frankly late varieties. In this case, the ripening period is indicated not from shoots, but from the moment of planting in the ground. And also it is necessary to distinguish between technical and biological ripeness. The last one comes 10 days later. But for some varieties, this period can be very long. For example, the variety “Svat” ripens completely (biologically) after 150 days from the moment of sowing, but it can be removed on the 120th day, but the variety “Ingrid” is better to hold on the bush until the very end.

Seed germination can be stimulated by pre-soaking, preferably in growth stimulants (Epin, Zircon), sometimes soaked in aloe juice and potassium permanganate. Ordinary vodka is also used – it disinfects the seeds and helps to open the protective shell more quickly. However, in an alcohol solution, you can keep the seeds for no more than 30 minutes.

For friendly seedlings, crops need to organize the optimal temperature of air and soil – + 25 … 27 ° С. The soil is often neglected, so germination is delayed. But the bottom heating works wonders. You can postpone planting seeds for seedlings and planting plants in the ground for a maximum of 1 week. Any delay will result in the harvest not having time to reach even technical ripeness. All labor will be in vain.

Sometimes for those who missed the deadline, recommend a rather extreme method of accelerating seed germination – tillage for planting with boiling water. The earth is well tamped, spilled with boiling water, and dry seeds are immediately planted in moist hot soil at a depth of 0,5 cm. Cover with a black film, put in heat. Processing, indeed, can spur the development of plants, they will germinate in 3 days, sometimes a week later, bloom in early May, the crop can already be harvested in early July. The method is good for inexpensive or self-harvested seeds.

If planting peppers for the first time, it is better to choose dwarf or compact varieties. They can be used as a container culture, do without a transplant, and at the same time track the entire cycle of plant development live in your own conditions.

Seedlings of peppers are planted in a permanent place in the following terms (taking into account the germination of seeds for 7-14 days).

• In winter greenhouses with heating, at the age of 60 days (sowing on December 1-10) – in mid-February.
• In spring greenhouses with heating, at the age of 60 days (sowing – February) – in mid-April.
• In spring greenhouses without heating, under film, under covering material, in any greenhouse, at the age of 50-55 days (sowing in early March) – in mid-May.
• In open ground, at the age of 45-50 days (sowing late March – early April) – after the last spring frosts, the 1st decade of June or later.

On the street, it is also important to assess the temperature of the soil. It should warm up to no lower than + 15 ° C. You can get an approximate value using a conventional outdoor thermometer. The measuring device is added dropwise at the landing site, held for 10 minutes. The displayed temperature will be several degrees higher than the actual temperature. More precisely, you can measure the temperature of the soil using a thermometer with a probe.

Pepper is a crop with an active ground part, large, juicy fruits. It is planted on the days of the growing moon. Favorable landing days in 2022:

• in March – 14-17 numbers;
• in April – 3-15 numbers;
• in May – 1-15 numbers;
• in June – 1-13 numbers.

Plants are not planted during the full moon. This is the peak of the moon’s attraction. All the juices of the plant are at the highest point. Seedlings do not take root well, wounds are perceived more painfully. Full moons in 2022: March 18, April 16, May 16.

New moon days are also unfavorable. This is the most depressing period. Nature freezes and subsides. If some garden work is still possible on the full moon, for example, the collection of raw materials of medicinal plants, then on the new moon it is better to refuse to work in the garden at all. Peppers planted at this time will be weak, passive. New moons in 2022: March 2, April 30, May 30.

Relatively good dates may be the days of the descending moon, which is in a suitable sign.

• Taurus is one of the three most fertile signs. Peppers planted on these dates have a strong root system, they are stocky, powerful, hardy, the harvest is plentiful. However, you should not plant these days for seeds, and it makes sense to bypass varieties of peppers that are prone to disease. Seeds will germinate longer, but will please with friendly shoots. Moon in Taurus in 2022: March 6-9, April 3-4, April 30, May 1, 2, May 27-29, June 24, 25.
• Cancer is the most productive sign. Undersized peppers will be delighted. Strong stems, strong plants, excellent taste and juiciness, abundant harvest. Cons: the harvest will not be the longest, and the period will not work if you need to collect seeds from plants. Dates: March 11-13, April 8-9, May 5-7, June 1-3, 29, 30.
• Pisces is a very productive sign, one of the top three. The harvest will not be too long, but very plentiful and tasty. Peppers will have a short, strong stem, clustered fruits, and a strong root system. Days: March 30-31, April 26, 27, May 23, 24, June 19, 20.
• Scorpio is a very fertile sign. Plants are active, instantly grow strong, powerful roots. They resist disease well. The sign is loved by all nightshades: peppers, eggplants, tomatoes. Dates: March 21-24, April 17-18, May 15, 16, June 11, 12.
• Libra is a medium fertile sign, but very suitable for those who want to get not so much quantity as quality. The fruits will be tasty, perfectly sized, beautiful, thick-walled and brightly colored. The sign favors transplantation, plants quickly take root. Dates in spring 2022: March 19, 20, April 15, May 12-14, June 9, 10.
• Gemini is an unfertile sign, dryish, but pepper, as a representative of hot countries, loves it. Days: March 9-10, April 5-7, May 3, 4, 30, 31, June 26-28.
• Pepper has the same relationship with Sagittarius. This sign is considered generally unfavorable for plant transplantation, but peppers perceive it well: March 23, 24, April 19, 20, May 17, 18, June 13, 14.

Gemini and Sagittarius are good for plants that stretch upwards. Both signs give good speed, the plants will bloom quickly. On these dates, it is best to plant peppers for the purpose of collecting seeds, and not for crops.

And also can be favorable for pepper Aries and Leo, but both of these signs are difficult for plants, it makes sense to choose these days only if there is no other choice. These are March 4, 5, 1, 2, 10-12, 28, 29 April, 8, 9, 25, 26 May, 4, 5, 21, 23 June.