Today we will tell you the secrets of growing sweet peppers, which will allow you to get a huge harvest of giant peppers. Growing peppers in the garden or greenhouse is not a simple occupation and you need to know when and how to apply certain measures and perform agrotechnical tasks.
1. CHOICE OF SEEDS
Buy pepper seeds from verified manufacturers. Don’t get the cheapest ones! Also, read all the information on the package and make sure that the peppers of the respective varieties are plump (thick-walled), juicy and tasty.
2. CORRECT PLANTING
Before planting pepper seeds should be soaked, as they germinate more slowly. We tested different solutions for soaking them and the best result was obtained with the help of hydrogen peroxide: soak the seeds in hydrogen peroxide for 4 hours, then sow them. The first shoots appear in 5-7 days.
3. CORRECT FERTILIZATION OF PEPPER SEEDLINGS
When the seedlings have 4 developed leaves, fertilize them with potassium humate, preparing the solution according to the instructions on the package. Just one fertilization is enough! As a result, young plants begin to grow rapidly, developing their vegetative mass and becoming strong.
4. TIMELY REPLANTING OF PEPPER SEEDLINGS
It would be better to grow peppers in a greenhouse or solarium, because getting a plentiful harvest in the garden is quite difficult, due to the large number of pests and unfavorable conditions (peppers love heat and humidity very much).
But, regardless of the place of cultivation, pepper seedlings must be transplanted on time. The optimal replanting period is when night temperatures are maintained between 10-12°C. Before this it is necessary to fry the seedlings: take them outdoors during the day, so that they get used to the room temperature, necessarily shading them (place them in the shade of a tree or use a shade net).
5. OPTIMAL TEMPERATURE AND CORRECT WATERING
Peppers love water, like cucumbers. Water them with plenty of warm water: 2-4 liters of water for each bush (depending on the air temperature), if you do not use drip irrigation. If it is very hot outside, water the pepper bushes 2 times a day: 2.5 liters of standing water for each bush in the morning and evening.
6. FERTILIZATIONS
At the beginning of growth, peppers must necessarily be fertilized with nitrogen-rich fertilizers. The most suitable are organic fertilizers: fermented manure, infusion of nettles or weeds. This fertilization should be carried out after replanting the seedlings in the greenhouse, solarium or garden.
The next fertilization is done in a month. You can use the nitrogen-rich fertilizer again or switch to potassium humate (it is more balanced, contains many micro- and macroelements, which contribute to the development of a large harvest).
Two fertilizations (with the exception of the one applied to the seedlings) are sufficient to obtain a rich harvest.
7. PRUNING AND PINCHING THE LEAVES
Removing leaves from the bottom of pepper bushes allows them to be properly ventilated, which helps avoid their disease and prevent pest invasions.
Ripening ensures the development of large, fleshy and juicy peppers, as well as their timely ripening.
8. TIING THE PEPPER BUSHES
To get a large harvest of peppers, it is necessary to properly tie up their bushes. Otherwise they will sag under the weight of the fruit and may break.
Happy gardening!