Grow peppers at home

Growing pepper seedlings at home is not so much a whim as a necessity, since pepper came to us from southern countries, which makes the seedlings extremely sensitive to temperature conditions.

Given this fact, today we will talk in detail about how to grow pepper seedlings at home so that they can be planted in open ground and get a decent harvest.

When is the best time to grow?

If you plan to transplant pepper seedlings outdoors, it is best to start planting it on February 20, or if the pepper variety is early maturing, plant it on March 10.

These terms will give enough time for growth and correct formation of seedlings, and will allow weather conditions to stabilize, ensuring the proper temperature regime. Such dates are relevant for the latitudes of the middle lane.

If you live in northern regions, where summer comes late and lasts a short period of time, refrain from planting pepper in open ground, because in such conditions, if you get a crop, it will be small and stunted. To grow peppers in the northern regions, you need a greenhouse. Greenhouse seedlings should be planted in late February or early March.

As for the timing of planting pepper seedlings for planting and growing exclusively in a greenhouse, there is no special framework here, since greenhouse conditions are suitable for year-round cultivation of this crop.

For southern countries, pepper seedlings should be planted in mid-January or early February.

Planting pepper seedlings in open ground should be 60-80 days of its growth. If the variety is early maturing and prone to fruiting at 60-100 days of growth, replant the seedlings at the age of 30-45 days. These criteria will allow you to independently calculate the optimal planting time for seedlings of any kind of pepper, adjusting it to the weather conditions of your region. Remember, peppers are planted in the garden only when the average daily temperature has reached a stable level of + 15 ... + 17 ° C and above.

How to choose pepper variety and seeds?

Having learned about when to plant seedlings, you should decide on the choice of the pepper itself, the care of which will be optimal in your particular case.

So, there are 3 main varieties of pepper, such as:

1. Bell pepper.
2. Bitter pepper.
3. Peppercorns.

It should be noted right away that peppercorns are not suitable for growing outdoors in the conditions of the CIS countries.This type of pepper can be grown in greenhouse conditions, but it is difficult, expensive and not profitable, which means we will leave it for industrial companies that grow it in huge quantities and sell it as spices.

Sweet peppers are the most numerous and demanded plants of this type in our latitudes, and are divided into categories, such as:

1. Large. The fruits of such peppers reach a mass of over 200 grams, are distinguished by thick walls, and are best suited for fresh consumption.
2. Average. The fruits of such peppers reach a mass of 100-150 grams, have thinner walls, and are best suited for stuffing, preservation, freezing and any preparation for the winter.
3. Small ones. The fruits of such peppers reach a mass of 20-50 grams, have very thin walls, and are intended for canning and drying, while maintaining the integrity of the fruit.

All three categories have the following types of peppers in their assortment:

1. Early ripening peppers. Varieties for those who want to get everything at once.
2. Mid-season peppers. Varieties for those who do not like to rush things.
3. Long-ripening peppers. Varieties for those who value the process rather than the result.

Any of these peppers requires approximately the same conditions, consisting in warmth, plenty of sunlight, good watering and feeding. Choose peppers based solely on your aesthetic and gastronomic preferences. There are also varieties of pepper focused on warmer, or vice versa, colder regions, but their whole difference boils down to minor fluctuations in relation to a comfortable growing temperature.

As for the bitter peppers, they have also gained sufficient popularity and success among domestic summer residents and gardeners, as they are distinguished by abundant fruiting, and, in general, have a piquant taste.

Everything that has been said for sweet pepper is equally true for bitter, with the exception of a few points, such as:

1. Sweet and hot peppers should not be grown in close proximity to each other, as the sweet variety will become unpleasantly bitter.
2. Seedlings of hot pepper are transplanted a little earlier than sweet, at the age of 60-65 days.
3. Seedlings of hot pepper are more thermophilic, and they are transplanted at an average ambient temperature of 20-24 ° C.
4. Some hot peppers can be grown on a windowsill, with frutescens being an excellent example. In addition, most hot pepper varieties can be grown in pots and pots, making them easier to carry around when needed.

Having decided on the type of pepper, you should talk about the choice of its seeds. Many people mistakenly believe that by buying a beautiful and large pepper in a large store, you can extract seeds from it and grow a similar specimen in your yard, which is fundamentally wrong. The fact is that store peppers are represented by hybrid forms, the seeds of which are either sterile, or if they give a crop, it will be much worse than the parent plant.

And here we come to the main points of choosing seeds, such as:

1. Hybrid pepper seeds. If you buy fresh peppers in the store and get seeds from it, they will not meet your expectations. Despite this, special hybrid pepper seeds are sold in flower shops, which can please you with the sizes and shapes presented in large grocery stores, but at the same time require you to follow the ideal rules of agricultural technology, and their seeds, as in the case of store analogs, will be either sterile or give a poor harvest. It is recommended to purchase hybrid pepper seeds for experienced gardeners who want to grow the largest and highest quality peppers.
2. Varietal seeds. These seeds have lower requirements for their content at the seedling stage, and in general are suitable for beginners. Despite this, it is the varietal seeds that give the peppers weaker to diseases and pests, which should be taken into account by any gardener.Peppers grown from varietal seeds can give their fertile seeds, but with each generation of such peppers, they will degenerate.

Based on this, we can make an affirmative conclusion, if you want to plant and grow beautiful, healthy and tasty peppers, give preference to hybrid seeds. If you are a beginner, plant varietal seeds in the first season, the care of the seedlings of which forgives many mistakes, and if you like your crop, buy hybrid seeds next year and enjoy fruits that are in no way inferior to store counterparts.

What boxes and pots should be?

The container in which you will plant seeds and grow pepper seedlings is not of fundamental importance, and here any cups and plastic containers with a depth of about 10 cm are suitable.The diameter of the container depends on how many seeds you plan to plant, which should be located at a distance of 1.5 -2 cm from each other (seeds can be planted both in separate and in a common container).

The only requirement for the container is that it must be waterproof in order to retain moisture well and prevent the soil from drying out, which can lead to the death of seedlings.

Also, at the initial stage of seed germination, the container will have to be covered with glass or polyethylene, which means that the container where the seeds will germinate must be strong enough and retain its shape even in conditions of high humidity and heat.

How to prepare the substrate?

When growing pepper seedlings at home, you should properly prepare the soil substrate, which is discussed in detail in the following paragraphs:

1. Take 2 parts of humus or compost and mix well until smooth.
2. Take 2 parts peat and 1 part washed sand.
3. Mix the peat with the sand, and then sift the resulting mixture through a sieve.
4. The sifted mixture should be steamed in a double boiler for an hour in order to protect the seeds and seedlings from fungal invasions and bacteria.
5. Combine the humus and the sifted mixture.
6. The substrate for sowing pepper is ready.

If you don't want to mess around with preparing the substrate yourself, just buy it at any flower shop. For growing pepper seedlings, both the soil for general-purpose seedlings and the soil for pepper seedlings, which are sold in most stores, are suitable.

Remember, if you are going to grow healthy and viable seedlings, we do not advise you to use ordinary soil without preliminary heat treatment, because when germinating seedlings you will have to create high humidity in the container combined with high temperature, which can most likely activate fungal spores , especially if the soil was taken under the fallen leaves of fruit trees.

Step-by-step planting instructions

Before planting, you should first prepare the seeds themselves. The detailed seed preparation process consists of the following points:

1. Examine the seeds you have and remove damaged, underdeveloped, spoiled samples, leaving the largest and healthiest ones.
2. The remaining seeds should be additionally protected from fungi. To do this, collect the seeds, place them in gauze, and place the gauze in a solution of one of the preparations "Maxim", "Fitosporin-M" or "Vitaros". Soak the seeds in the indicated solutions according to the instructions on their packaging.
3. If you do not have the above preparations, soak the seeds for about 30 minutes in a concentrated solution of potassium permanganate. After potassium permanganate, you should thoroughly rinse the seeds without removing them from the gauze.
4. After washing the seeds, spread them on a damp cloth, cover with another damp cloth on top, and place them in a place whose temperature will be approximately + 25 ° C. Check the fabric periodically and do not let it dry out. If the fabric starts to dry out, dampen it.
5. After 7-14 days, the seeds will sprout, and then you can start planting them.

As mentioned above, you can grow pepper seedlings in almost any container, from cups to containers. But before planting viable seeds there, the container should be washed in a solution of potassium permanganate, and then dried thoroughly.

Next, you should fill the container with the previously prepared mixture, and slightly compact it so that the top layer of soil is about 2 cm below the side of the container. how tweezers will help you.

The seeds should simply be placed on the ground, without tamping them, so as not to damage the fragile roots. The decomposed seeds should be moistened with warm water, sprinkled with a spray bottle, and covered with soil 1-2 cm thick, lightly and tamped as gently as possible. Next, water the seeds using a spray bottle; when watering, make sure that the seeds are not washed out.

After watering, cover the container with the seeds with cellophane and put it in a warm place, where the temperature will not be lower than +25 degrees. Periodically look into the container and re-irrigate the soil in order to always maintain moisture.

After 7-14 days, the first shoots will appear, and at this moment the container should be opened and placed in a bright place, the temperature of which will be at least + 15-17 degrees. Sprouted seedlings should be watered with warm water in moderation, keeping the soil moist, but at the same time, do not allow water to accumulate in the pan.

Rotate the container with seedlings from time to time so that it grows even, otherwise it will reach for the light, and may become crooked to one side.

After 3-4 weeks, the seedlings can begin to dive. The best time for picking is when 1 or 2 true leaves appear on the seedlings. Before picking, the seedlings in a common container should be well watered, and wait until the water drains into the pan. This measure will allow, when picking seedlings, to preserve maximum soil on its root system, and will protect it from mechanical damage.

The very picking of seedlings is carried out in any containers, the volume of which does not exceed 100-150 ml. The pick is carried out exclusively with single sprouts, since paired cultivation will not allow them to be transplanted into the ground in the future without damaging the tangled root system. The previously prepared soil is poured into new containers, the recipe for which is mentioned in the middle of the article, or ordinary soil for seedlings bought in a store.

The sprouts should be transplanted into the holes that will allow their root system to settle without bends and twists. The root collar can be lightly sprinkled with earth, but no more than 0.5 cm. After picking the seedlings, pour plenty of warm water over it, and put it in a bright place to grow.

Further care

Seedlings planted in separate containers need some care, the basics of which are indicated below:

1. Avoid direct sunlight on the seedlings.
2. Store it in a light window, or illuminate it with lamps.
3. Water regularly, but avoid stagnant moisture.
4. Store seedlings at +15 degrees. If the temperature drops below +13, the growth of seedlings will stop.
5. Feed the seedlings 2 weeks after the pick and 2 weeks after the last feeding. The best dressings are Agricola, Krepysh, Fertika Lux, Solution;
6. 2 weeks before planting the pepper in the ground, you can take it out into the fresh air in the daytime, thereby hardening it.
7. After planting the seedlings in the ground, after about 10-14 days, it should be slightly trimmed, shortening the longest shoots. It is also necessary to remove all processes that are located below the main fork of the stem, so that they do not pull on the nutrients intended for the fruit.

What problems can arise when growing?

The main problems and how to solve them are indicated in the following paragraphs:

1. The seeds did not hatch.To avoid this trouble, we recommend planting 50% more seeds than you need, since some of them may be sterile.
2. The sprouts began to rot. You have waterlogged the soil.
3. The sprouts do not grow. The temperature at the window is too cold.
4. The seedlings are stretched out. There is little sunlight on the window, or overfeeding with fertilizers.

If you intend to grow large and healthy peppers, we recommend growing bell pepper seedlings, as this is one of the best species for a beginner. Sweet pepper seedlings can take up a lot of space, which means that you should prepare a lot of space for it on the site in advance, removing all objects shading the area from it.

Having a fresh, vitamin-rich product in your refrigerator all year round is far from a luxury, but a completely feasible task. It is not only an experienced gardener who can grow pepper seedlings at home. Everyone can cope with this, with a little effort, because, as they say: the eyes are afraid, but the hands are doing!

How to grow pepper seedlings at home

The choice of container and substrate for seedlings of peppers

What you need to know about seedling boxes and pots

Experienced gardeners say that it is best if the container is made of opaque plastic and will not let in the sun's rays. Natural light is useful only for the outer part of the pepper, its leaves, but the roots can be badly damaged by it. The sun's rays slow down the development of the root system, which directly affects the growth rate of seedlings and their quality.

The best container for seedlings is a box made of opaque plastic

There are several requirements for a container for growing pepper seedlings:

• it is desirable that it be integral, not divided into sectors;
• the optimal volume of the container is 0.3-0.5 l (for 2-3 pepper seeds);
• the presence of a flat bottom so that it can be covered with a thin layer of drainage (river pebbles, broken brick, expanded clay, polystyrene).

In order to grow pepper seedlings, wooden boxes, closed on the sides, or peat pots are also ideal. But if nothing like this is at hand, then you can use ordinary disposable plastic containers. And so that the sunlight does not have access to the roots, they can be placed next to each other in a deep cardboard box.

Substrate preparation

As soon as the seedling containers are prepared, it is necessary to proceed with the selection of the substrate. The land, in order for healthy seedlings to grow, must be very fertile. It is better not to use soil from a common garden or vegetable garden, as it has high acidity and is too heavy for pepper.

The soil for pepper seedlings must be very fertile.

The substrate should consist of:

• humus (3 parts);
• turf / peat (3 parts);
• river sand (1 part)
• ash (250 g of ash is added to 5 liters of soil).

If there is no experience in making a substrate, then, in order to avoid risks, you can purchase an earthen mixture in a store. It will contain all the necessary components for the effective and rapid growth of seedlings.

Sowing seeds

Pepper seeds are planted 2-2.5 months before the planned planting in open ground. This is how long it takes for the seedlings to emerge and be ready for transplant. Usually, seeds are planted in the ground at the very end of winter - early spring. The optimal time is considered to be the end of February - the beginning of March.

The optimal time for planting peppers is late February - early March.

Before planting seeds in a container with earth, they must be properly prepared. The preparation process includes:

1. Disinfection. In order for the seedlings to be less susceptible to its characteristic diseases, both the seeds and the container where they will be located must be treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate (1 g of potassium permanganate per 100 ml of water).The day before planting the seeds, the soil in which they will germinate should also be disinfected: for this, it must be poured abundantly with boiling water, loosened and left to dry until the next day.

   Disinfection of seeds with potassium permanganate

2. Soak. This procedure is necessary in order to test the seeds for germination. They are soaked for 5-7 minutes in salted water (for 0.5 l of 1 tbsp. L of salt). The planting material that has surfaced can be thrown away without regret - it will not sprout. After the good seeds have been selected for planting, they are soaked again, for 1-2 days to swell.

   Soaking different varieties of peppers

3. Tank and soil preparation. The bottom is covered with drainage, with a layer of no more than 1.5-2 cm. Soil, previously treated with boiling water, is poured on top. The optimum height of the ground level for planting seeds is 8-10 cm.

   Drainage layer with soil for planting pepper seedlings

4. Disembarkation... If the container has a rectangular shape, then it can be divided into grooves, about 5 cm wide. The planting material is planted along the grooves at a distance of about 2 cm from each other. From above, the seeds are slightly sprinkled with the same substrate.

   Planting pepper with grooves

After the seeds are planted in the ground, they are covered with cling film or glass, and left in a room with a temperature of 23-25 ​​° C. Over the next few days, it is not necessary to water the planted material, the existing moisture will be enough for it.

Seedling care and feeding

Pepper is a light-loving plant, and even a short-term lack of light can cause irreversible changes in seedlings.

When caring for seedlings, the following conditions must be observed:

1 condition: constant temperature not lower than 20 ° С. In order for the seedlings to grow intensively, the temperature can be increased to 24-26 ° C. The main thing is not to overdo it, because the rapid increase in sprouts can weaken the stem and leaves, they will lack nutrients.

For intensive growth of seedlings, the room temperature should be at least 20 ° С

2 condition: moderate humidity. You need to be careful with watering seedlings: the roots are quickly affected by rot if you overdo it with soil moisture. At the same time, excessive dryness of the substrate can affect further harvest. Pepper watering is carried out:

• after 3-5 days after planting seeds, already in moist soil;
• daily, after the appearance of the first leaves;
• 1 time in 4-5 days, but abundantly, as soon as the seedlings have grown and matured enough.

Watering pepper seedlings is carried out daily, after the appearance of the first leaves

3 condition: feeding. You need to fertilize pepper only a few times from the moment the seeds are planted into the substrate and until the already matured seedlings are planted in open ground. Top dressing is carried out in 2 stages:

1. When the first 2-4 leaves appear on the seedlings. The optimal composition of top dressing for 5 liters of water includes 10 g of potassium sulfate, 10 g of urea, 30 g of superphosphate. On average, for every 10 sprouts, 1 liter of the prepared mixture is consumed.
2. When more than 5 leaves appear on each sprout. In terms of time, this is about 2-3 weeks after the first feeding. Often, this top dressing coincides with the dive time of the pepper. The procedure must be repeated, increasing the concentration of fertilizers by half. However, to facilitate the work, you can buy ready-made fertilizers and mixtures.

Top dressing of pepper seedlings is carried out when the first 2-4 leaves appear in seedlings

After each top dressing, it is necessary to water the soil with pepper seedlings with plain or melt water to avoid scalding the root system. You should also make sure that neither water nor fertilizer gets on the leaves of the seedlings. They are very sensitive to moisture and minerals.

Video - Tips for growing peppers

Dive pepper

The opinions of gardeners about diving pepper differ: someone advises to carry out this procedure, and someone advises not to touch the seedlings until the very moment of transplanting it into open ground.A dive should be carried out only if the seeds were planted in one whole container. Pepper leaves in the process of growth begin to cast a shadow on each other, which leads to a slowdown in the growth of seedlings or even its death. If, initially, the planting material was seated in separate pots, then this procedure can be neglected.

Preparing the ground for picking pepper

If the planting material was in very fertile soil, which was used to accelerate the germination of seedlings, then the land for picking should be chosen more adapted to the external environment. It is desirable that it be enriched with such macronutrients as potassium, magnesium and phosphorus.

Pepper soil should contain potassium, magnesium and phosphorus.

Pepper pick

Pepper roots are very sensitive to all manipulations. In order not to damage the fragile root system, it is recommended to remove the soil from the container with several shoots at once. The soil is located on a horizontal surface and is carefully separated from the roots of the seedlings.

Shrinkage of pepper seedlings

After the sprouts of the pepper are separated from the substrate, they can be pinched a little, i.e. shorten if they are too long and thin. The shoot is planted in the center of a small container in the ground, the earth around it is compacted a little. The planting field must be watered with pepper.

A. Uncooked root system. B. Root system that has passed the pick

In order for the young sprouts of pepper to feel comfortable and take root in a new place, they need to be protected from bright sunlight for 3-5 days and shortened if they are too long and thin. The shoot is planted in the center of a small container in the ground, the earth around it is compacted a little. The planting field must be watered with pepper.

Possible problems and solutions

It would seem that there is nothing difficult in growing pepper at home. However, some problems may arise on the path of novice gardeners, presented in the table below.

The seeds did not sprout	Poor quality planting material was chosen; insufficient disinfection of the soil, container and seeds themselves	Do not store seeds for more than 4 years; carefully carry out the disinfection procedure
Seedlings grow very slowly	Lack of light; lack of fertilizer; scarcity of soil; excessive moisture; the effect of light on the roots of seedlings	Install artificial light lamps aimed at the leaves and stems of the shoots; fertilize and feed seedlings regularly; watering as the land dries up; protect plant roots from light
After the dive, the seedlings overgrown and stretched out	Lack of light; planting pepper too early in open ground; excessively favorable indoor climate for growth	Plant peppers no earlier than mid-April; reduce the room temperature, where the pepper is located, to 18-20 ° С

Both too favorable and not very favorable, the conditions of keeping pepper seedlings can play a cruel joke with it. If the seedling grows very quickly, its stem becomes very thin and unstable, it can easily break or deform. Therefore, if the growth began to rapidly gain "height and weight", then it should be suspended a little.

Landing in open ground

Growing pepper: from seeds to planting in the ground

Pepper seedlings should be planted in open ground only at a time when the average daily air temperature, even at night, does not drop below 12-14 ° C. A number of conditions must be met:

1. Choose a suitable place. Seedlings should be in a sunny, draft-free place.
2. Dig up the ground to the depth of the shovel bayonet.
3. Fertilize the soil with peat or humus.
4. Dig holes for each seedling. The holes should be placed from each other at a distance of 0.3-0.5 m from each other. Rows with seedlings should be at least one and a half meters apart.
5. Pour a mineral fertilizer consisting of potassium, phosphorus and nitrogen into each well.
6. Carefully remove the seedlings from the pots.There is no need to shake off the previous soil from the roots, it is better to plant seedlings in the holes with it. Then it will be easier for the pepper to adapt to changing conditions.
7. Place the seedlings in the hole, sprinkle with earth. The layer of dust should be small so that the soil only covers the roots of the plant.
8. Water abundantly the planted seedlings in the holes.
9. After the moisture has been absorbed into the ground, it is necessary to completely fill the holes so that their surface is equal to the surface of the rest of the soil. The soil with which the pepper will be covered must first be loosened.
10. Mulch with peat. Lightly sprinkle the area under the bushes with peat.

If all the rules and conditions are met, and the seedlings successfully take root, then, soon, you will have a fragrant, sweet, environmentally friendly pepper in your beds. With proper care of the plant, it will bear fruit until late autumn.

Choosing seeds & nbsp & nbsp & nbsp & nbspWe plant & nbsp & nbsp & nbsp & nbsp

However, if you want to grow bell peppers, then there is nothing difficult, you just need to follow the recommendations.

Growing peppers from seeds at home with a step by step photo

This is southern culture loves warmth and bright sunso it is important to provide it with an appropriate location. However, seedlings should be protected from exposure to too bright sun, so as not to burn weak leaves.

Choosing seeds

When you enter a gardening store, you are faced with a difficult choice: which variety is better.

Important! Not all peppers are suitable for balcony cultivation.

Pay attention to the size of the adult plant. You should also take into account the timing of germination and the rate of fruiting. At home, we want to get the fruits as quickly as possible.

We plant

How to grow peppers from seeds at home? After you have chosen the right variety, you should plant the seeds. Many experienced gardeners recommend pre-soak them in a damp cloth or cheesecloth for four days. There are also recommendations to soak them for several hours in a weak solution of potassium permanganate to avoid the appearance of diseases.

After the seeds have hatched, they must be carefully planted in small containers. For these purposes seedling pots work wellsuch as peat or small plastic cups.

You can plant seeds directly into the ground, they will germinate a little longer. For these purposes also small peat tablets are conveniently suitable for seedlings.

REFERENCE! Learn about planting methods such as toilet paper and snail.

Different varieties germinate in different ways, some up to 3 weeks, so you have to be patient.

Attention! Check soil moisture daily. The soil should not dry out, but also not be too wet. You can use a spray bottle to moisten the soil.

You should adhere to the temperature regime... The optimum temperature for germination of pepper seeds is 18-25ºC.

The first shoots have sprung up, what to do next?

After a while, seedlings appear. Now they need create the most optimal conditions... The first is light. If it is not enough, then the plants will begin to stretch, and then completely die.

Attention! Do not place young seedlings directly under the scorching sun.

It is convenient to use artificial lighting for seedlings. Special lamps for flowers are now on sale, but you can also use daylight, choosing the right amount. Incandescent lamps are not suitable for these purposes - they emit little light, but a lot of heat, which can burn delicate leaves.

Daylight lamps are positioned at a height of about 30 cm, daylight hours should last about 18 hours, but not less than 14 hours. To make it more convenient, you can connect special on / off control timers to the luminaire.

We land on a permanent place

As soon as the pepper seedlings reach 10-15 cm, it must be dropped off at a permanent place... Use large pots or boxes for these purposes: it grows quickly and has an extensive root system.

We carefully take out the sprout. The most convenient and less traumatic for the plant use the transshipment method... Pepper, sprouted in peat tablets, is planted with them in a pot.

Keep in mind that the larger the planting container, the larger the plant will be. As soon as the frost passes, the plant is taken out to the balcony.

If you grow large varieties of bell peppers, then take care of large containers and methods of garter plants.

Soil for pepper and top dressing

Excellent suitable soil for seedlings, as well as garden soil... Peppers need a lot of nutrients for good fruiting, so humus is added.

Fertilizers are used only specially designed for vegetable crops.

Remember! You eat the fruits, so it is not recommended to over-water with top dressing.

The safest feeding is humus. You can also mix wood ash with water at the rate of 2 tablespoons per liter.

Watering

The plant needs a regular supply of moisture. Water is used warm, better settled, without chlorine... Do not allow the soil to dry out, otherwise the buds and fruits may begin to fall off.

Growing pepper seedlings on the windowsill

As we remember, pepper is a southern culture. Place it in the lightest and warmest place. Avoid drafts. It is great if the balcony is glazed, so you can avoid the effects of spring frosts.

Growing peppers on a windowsill has its own characteristics: choose the lightest window or provide additional lighting.

Additional care

Examine the plant daily for pests. Even at home in plants sometimes diseases appear and pests attack.

If you notice dark spots, yellow, curled and falling leaves, as well as insects, take action immediately, otherwise the plant can be lost. What to do if seedlings fall?

Interesting

Many varieties of chili peppers can grow and bear fruit in a room for several years. There is an interesting variety, the fruits of which change color depending on the stage of development. Hot peppers come in varying degrees of pungency. The sizes of the fruits also differ. A small-fruited variety is suitable for the kitchen; it will also be a decoration of the room and an excellent seasoning for dishes.

In general, caring for sweet and hot peppers is not difficult. The most important thing is to germinate the seedlings correctly, choose a large container and ensure the maximum supply of light.

So, today we looked at how to grow pepper seedlings on the windowsill, what nuances should be taken into account? But growing peppers on the balcony is much easier, so we recommend this method for novice gardeners.

Useful video

Hello dear readers!

So, dear friends, after reading the previous articles, you are probably thinking about planting lemon, dill, parsley or cilantro at home. Maybe some of you have already planted these plants? Then let's talk about the next inhabitant of our windowsill - sweet pepper.

Sweet pepper is very beautiful for its tight fruits, bright, tasty, filled with vitamins. It is him that we lack so much on rainy autumn days, and on harsh winter weekdays, and during the period of spring beriberi.

Do you want to admire the pepper and eat it all year round? In this case, feel free to start landing. pepper on his windowsill, as these plants are ideal for home care and cultivation.

Best grade pepper on the windowsill

Compact, undersized varieties of pepper (they are the most unpretentious and persistent) will be ideal for planting at home. The growth of this plant will reach half a meter and it will perfectly fit into the size of your window. The best varieties:

• Treasure Island. After 90-100 days, the pepper will invite you to taste its juicy orange-red heart-shaped fruits. Their mass reaches 60 grams, the thickness of the peel is up to 7 mm.
• The firstborn of Siberia. The crop ripens in 108-113 days from the moment of germination. The fruits are large, up to 100 g (peel thickness up to 6 mm). Bright red in color, these peppers are aromatic and tasty.
• Dwarf. Pepper variety with juicy, red fleshy cone-shaped fruits. Their weight reaches up to 83 grams (walls up to 9 mm). You can harvest the crop after 110 days from the time the sprouts appear.
• Watercolor. Glossy scarlet cone peppers will be ready for your table in 110 days. This pepper on the windowsill has small fruits, "for one bite", their weight reaches 30 grams, with a thin peel up to 2.5 mm.
• Gift from Moldova. Large peppers of a dark red color will delight you with a rich, sweet taste after 124-136 days. The weight of the fruit reaches 90 grams, the thickness of the peel is up to 6 mm.
• Martin. A fragrant variety, the red juicy fruits of which can be used to decorate the table after 130 days. The fruits are large, up to 84 grams, with thick (up to 5 mm) walls.

These varieties of pepper are distinguished by high yields, they will delight you with their attractive fruits all year round.

Seed preparation

To rid future plants of infections, the seeds should be kept for 20 minutes in a 2% solution of potassium permanganate, then rinsed with cool water. And soak in nutrient solutions of epin or zircon (growth biostimulants):

• Epin. Take 2 drops for 100 ml of water.
• Zircon. Add 1 drop to 300 ml of water.

In the healing solution, the seeds should be kept for about a day at room temperature. Then place them in damp gauze and place them in a dark, warm place.

Keep the pepper seeds there for 3 days at a temperature of + 20 ° C to + 25 ° C. Periodically moisten the cloth with warm water (it must not be allowed to dry out).

As soon as the seeds hatch, you can transfer pepper on the windowsill.

Getting started landing

We need to prepare several containers in advance for growing pepper... Each pepper needs its own house, a separate wide and deep enough pot (so that the plant's rhizome is spacious and comfortable).

Do not forget about the drainage layer (fine gravel, expanded clay or broken small pieces of red brick will do).

You can plant seeds at one of the most convenient periods for you:

• The last days of February are the beginning of March. It is necessary to find the most suitable time for landing (be guided by the weather forecast). If, a week after planting the seeds, nature decides to pamper us with very warm, sunny weather, the pepper can slow down its growth. In this case, at home, at the beginning of its growth, it is better to keep the pepper on the north window for a while.
• Winter months. When planting seeds in winter, it is necessary to ensure that the daylight hours are 12 hours daily. In addition, light the pepper with fluorescent lamps.
• The plant germinates well when planting seeds in late July or early September. Again, keep an eye on the weather forecast (so there are no too warm days ahead).

Preparing the soil

For peppers, it is better to purchase ready-made soil ("Terra-Vita" or "Ogorodnik"). This soil is already enriched with essential microelements and does not contain harmful microorganisms.

If you decide to use ordinary garden soil, ignite it first with a saturated solution of potassium permanganate, then pour it over with water. Or prepare an enriched soil:

• Sod land 2 parts
• Humus 1 part
• Clean, sifted sand 1 part

Sod land is best taken from the place where meadow clover grows. Ash must be added to any soil (2 glasses of ash for every 10 kg of soil). Peppers are extremely sensitive to soil salt and acidity levels. Add dolomite flour or lime to the soil (take 16 grams of the substance for 1 kg of soil).

You can use special hydrogels. They are made for home gardening. When hydrogels mix with the soil, they swell, absorb excess water and simultaneously loosen the soil, retaining nutrients.

Planting seeds

To wait for the first shoots of pepper on the windowsill, you need to be patient. Peppers germinate after 1-2 weeks.

If the plant stubbornly does not want to germinate, increase the length of daylight hours (extend additional lighting from 7 am to 9 pm).

1. Plant two seeds in small peat pots (pre-filled with loose, fertile soil). Pour and cover the pots with cling film. Put them in a warm place at a temperature of + 25 ° C. The pots can be buried under adult, fruiting peppers in a lighted place (if you have already grown peppers before).
2. After the first, tender sprouts appear, pierce the film with a knitting needle in several different places. When the peppers start growing confidently and acquire the first two or three leaves, the film can be removed. And start transplanting (picking) one young sprout into a large pot. We remove the weaker plant.

Picking. Transplanting seedlings into a more spacious dwelling (with root shortening). The shortened root begins to branch out and develop more violently.

The rhizome after the pick becomes stronger, wraps around and holds the earthen ball better, and the homemade pepper itself on the windowsill brings more harvest. Dive process:

• fill the soil in the pot where you will transplant the pepper with plenty of water a day;
• before diving, make a depression in the center of the pot in the new ground;
• moisten the soil around the sprout abundantly an hour or two before the operation;
• gently take it and lift it together with an earthen lump, shake it off the ground;
• very carefully shorten the root by about 1/3 (you can pluck it with your nails);
• gently place it in the prepared hole in a new pot so that the central root does not bend, and the leaves are 2 cm above the soil level;
• compact the soil around the seedling with your fingers;
• pour warm water over the transplanted pepper.

In order for the pepper to grow large, fertile, it must be transplanted and grown in small capacious buckets or large ceramic bowls.

Before diving, gradually accustom the young sprout to more severe conditions (gradually take it out into the fresh air, increasing the walking time).

But make sure that the small pepper does not fall under drafts and the effect of a low, destructive temperature for it (below + 13 ° C).

Taking care of our pepper

Operation	Pepper desires	Tips
Watering	As needed	Pepper on the windowsill should be watered with settled warm water (water temperature + 30 ° C). Sprinkle the pepper with warm water daily. To prevent the plant from overheating during the winter heating season, cover the battery with a damp cloth. Remember to loosen the soil constantly.
Lighting	In winter, daylight hours should be 12 hours	Periodically turn the plant with different sides to the window. Fluorescent lamps will work with the usual white spectrum. Avoid direct sunlight.
Temperature	Day + 25 ° - + 27 ° С Night +10 ° - + 15 ° С	In the summer, it is good to keep the pepper on the balcony, in the winter, transfer it to the windows in the south. Beware of drafts and sudden temperature fluctuations.
Top dressing	Fertilize once every two weeks after watering	You can feed the peppers on the windowsill with purchased nitrogen fertilizers for indoor flowers. Or make a nutrient solution (3 liters of water and 6 tablespoons of ash). As a top dressing, you can prepare decoctions of nettle, plantain, clover. This is very beneficial for peppers.

The plant may suffer from a lack of minerals. How to grow peppers in the most favorable conditions? Just monitor the condition of its leaves and apply the necessary fertilizer with a suitable composition in a timely manner:

• the leaves curl, a dry edge appears at the edges - a lack of potassium (add potassium sulfate or potassium nitrate);
• the matte color of the leaves with a grayish tint, the foliage begins to shrink - there is not enough nitrogen (ammonium nitrate, which contains 35% nitrogen, will help);
• the lower part of the leaves acquires a purple color, and the leaves themselves begin to nestle against the trunk and stretch up - there is little phosphorus (phosphoric acid is needed 16-18% percent);
• the deciduous crown acquires a marble color - the pepper on the windowsill lacks magnesium in the diet (magnesium in sulfate form is needed).

You can not use potassium salt, potassium chloride (their composition with an excess of chlorine is harmful to the roots of the pepper). But the excess nitrogen is not terrible for pepper.

We are waiting for the harvest

Most domestic peppers are self-pollinated plants. By the way, they can also be pollinated. Therefore, try to keep different varieties of peppers apart from each other.

When the first fruits appear, do not overload the plant - leave up to 4-5 fruits on it.

Getting our own seeds

For this we select red, ripe fruits. Cut the pepper neatly in the circle of the stalk and very carefully remove the seed-bearing, holding it by the stalk.

We devote the next 4 days to drying the seed crop at a temperature from + 25 ° C to + 30 ° C. And we separate the seeds. Store them in a paper bag in a warm, dark place.

The maximum shelf life of seeds is 5 years.

We transplant the plant

It is necessary to transplant pepper on the windowsill once a year. He wants new, fresh land for a richer harvest (after all, he has already taken everything useful from the old soil). Change the land completely to fresh.

Transplant the plant carefully, being careful not to injure the root system with an earthy clod.

And after two years of the pepper's life, it already needs to be changed. It is a biennial plant and will readily pass the baton to younger and stronger peppers.

I wish you a rich harvest!

See you soon, dear readers!

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