How to grow pepper and tomato seedlings

Bulgarian pepper and tomatoes are heat-loving crops. Plants love nutritious soil, timely watering, they respond well to top dressing. Due to many similarities, almost the same technology is used to grow seedlings of tomato pepper. Of course, there are peculiarities of caring for each culture, which we will talk about now.

Preparing tomato and pepper seeds for sowing

Despite some differences in the agricultural technology of crops, when growing seedlings, the preparation of seeds is the same action. To get a generous harvest of peppers and tomatoes, it is necessary to select healthy grains, carry out certain preparatory procedures with them, and grow strong seedlings from them. Each experienced vegetable grower has his own secrets of selecting and preparing seeds for sowing. We will consider the simplest and most common:

• Begin preparing the seeds of peppers and tomatoes with sorting. A small amount of grains is easier to sort by hand. They are laid out on the table and all small, blackened, broken ones are discarded. A large number of tomato and pepper seeds are easier to sort in saline. Pour warm water into a glass jar with a capacity of 1 liter, chop 2 tbsp. l. salt, after which the seeds are poured there. The floating grains of tomatoes and peppers are considered unsuitable, and the jars that have settled to the bottom are taken for sowing. In order not to confuse the grains, each variety must be sorted separately. For convenience, the selected seeds can be sorted into bags and the name of each crop can be signed.
• On the shell of many seeds are pathogenic microbes that infect future seedlings. You can get rid of them pickling grains of peppers and tomatoes in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate. Seeds are scattered in gauze bags, and dipped for 30 minutes in a dark red liquid. After this treatment, the shell of the grain of a tomato or pepper becomes dark brown. Next, it remains to rinse the seeds under running water, and then proceed to the next stage of preparation.
• For better germination do awakening of the fetus. Seeds of tomatoes or peppers are kept for 2 hours in clean water at a temperature of 50–60^оC. It is optimal to perform this procedure using a thermos, as it keeps the same temperature well for a long time. The heating process will accelerate the germination of even those seeds of tomatoes and peppers that have been stored for several years. It is not advisable to warm the seed material on a radiator or other heating device. From high temperatures, the embryos can dry out.
• The awakened germ of a pepper or a tomato needs strength for further growth. This is where special Stimulants. The drug can be bought ready-made or use folk recipes. The easiest option is to pour 1 tbsp into 1 liter of water. l. wood ash, plus a pinch of boric acid powder. In this solution, the grains are soaked for 12 hours.
• The following method has many opponents and admirers. Some argue that it is better to harden only seedlings. Others say that hardening needed for seeds. Each vegetable grower is right in his own way, but if it still comes to hardening, then the grains of tomatoes and peppers are put in the refrigerator for a day.
• After hardening, proceed to the last method of preparation – germination. Seeds of tomatoes or peppers are laid out between two layers of wet gauze, and placed on a plate in heat until pecking. Gauze is periodically moistened with water from a sprayer, but not much, so that there is no large accumulation of liquid.

After 5 days, the appearance of the first embryos can be observed. It is impossible to tighten further, the seeds must be sown in the ground.

Soil for seedlings of peppers and tomatoes

The soil for seedlings of tomato and sweet pepper has been prepared since autumn. The earth is usually collected from the garden or taken from soddy soil, where only grass used to grow. It is stored in bags in the cold, but under cover so that it is dry. The winter cold kills some of the harmful microorganisms in the ground. Before planting, the soil is warmed up, after which it is mixed in equal proportions with peat and humus. For 3 buckets of the mixture, add 1 cup of wood ash, plus 2 tbsp. l. complex fertilizer. If the soil turned out to be clayey, sawdust is added.

Video about preparing the soil for seedlings:

Sowing seeds of tomato and pepper

Housewives sow seedlings of tomatoes and peppers in any container. These can be plastic cups, cut juice or milk bags, boxes, flower pots, etc. But any container must be disinfected before sowing. The easiest way to do this is with a cool solution of potassium permanganate. A cotton swab is moistened in a solution and the inner walls of the landing containers are treated.

When everything is ready, the containers are filled with soil, where grooves 1,5 cm deep are made on the surface with a finger. A distance of about 5 cm is maintained between the grooves. All depressions are lightly watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, after which they start sowing. Grains of tomato or pepper are laid out along the grooves in 2-3 cm increments. From above, the seeds are covered with loose soil, and slightly moistened with warm water from a sprayer.

When all the seeds for seedlings are sown, the containers are covered with glass or plastic wrap. All cups are placed on a pallet or in any box. So it will be more convenient to transfer the seedlings. It is important to provide peppers and tomatoes at room temperature. Under the film should always be kept from +24^оC to + 26^оC, otherwise the seedlings will be delayed. Under these conditions, the tomato will germinate in 3-5 days. Peppers will appear later in about 7-12 days.

Lighting seedlings of peppers and tomatoes

After the germination of peppers and tomatoes, sazu sprouts must be provided with good lighting. At the same time, the film is removed from the containers, but the temperature is not lowered for several days until the seedlings adapt. Further cultivation of plants occurs at a temperature of 16–18^оC. From those containers where tomato seeds did not germinate after a maximum of 10 days, and pepper grains – after 13 days, there is nothing to expect. The soil is simply thrown away or allowed under other crops. February and March seedlings will not have enough daylight hours. Plants are provided with artificial lighting from LED or fluorescent lamps. Traditional light sources emit a lot of heat, which can burn the tender leaves of seedlings. It is better not to use them, or hang them at a distance of at least 60 cm from the plants.

After the appearance of the first sprouts, the light over the containers with seedlings is not turned off for three days. Further, with the help of artificial lighting, the daylight hours are extended to 18 hours for plants. Pepper seedlings respond well to phytolamp light. It can be turned on for 4 hours in the morning and in the evening with the onset of dusk.

Features of caring for seedlings of sweet pepper

Sweet pepper is thermophilic and loves comfortable growing conditions. It would be useful to stick ordinary thermometers into the ground. Pepper growth is not only affected by outside temperature. It is optimal if this indicator inside the soil is in the range from +24^оC to + 28^оC. Cold soil will slow down the development of the root system of pepper, and, consequently, the aerial part of the plant.

Top dressing with “Humate” and coconut substrate

Seedlings of sweet pepper develop intensively from top dressing with the preparation “Gumat”. To prepare a root nutrient solution, 10 ml of the substance is diluted in 500 liters of water. It is convenient to make a watering can from a plastic bottle by drilling a small hole in the center of the cork. A solution of “Humate” is poured into a bottle and placed on a battery. So, the liquid will always be warm, and if necessary, it can be immediately poured under the root of the peppers.

The grown seedlings of peppers are additionally fed with “Humate” by spraying. The solution is prepared from 10 liters of water, plus 300 ml of the substance. It would be nice to add a decoction of young nettle to the finished solution.

It is advisable to feed the grown seedlings of peppers with a coconut substrate. The briquette bought in the store is kneaded, add 1 tbsp. l. finely ground eggshell, plus 1 tsp. wood ash. All this is mixed, poured into a container, and then poured with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. The mixture is considered ready when it absorbs all the liquid and swells. Now it remains to spread the substrate on top of the pepper seedling soil. The loose structure of the coconut flakes will retain heat and moisture in the soil, as well as facilitate oxygen access to the root system.

Formation of a bush by pinching

Forming a bush of sweet pepper must begin with seedlings. The plant is pinched above the fifth or sixth leaf. This action is aimed at the growth of lateral branches. It is on them that future fruits will be tied.

Picking pepper seedlings

Sweet pepper seedlings do not like early picks. This procedure is preferably carried out after the appearance of four full-fledged leaves. The process of picking peppers is identical, as for tomatoes. With a small spatula or spoon, the plant is hooked along with the soil, after which it is placed in a glass, previously filled with earth by a third. Empty gaps are covered with loose soil, but not above the level of a coma with a growing pepper seedling.

The transplanted plant is watered with warm water, but only along the edges of the cup. Loose soil will compact, securely holding the pepper in an upright position. The top of the soil in the cup is again covered with coconut substrate. Further development of seedlings is subject to the same conditions of care: watering, lighting, maintaining air and soil temperature.

Hardening and planting seedlings of pepper in the ground

Before planting in the ground, seedlings of peppers are subjected to hardening. Do this gradually so as not to harm the plants. For the first time, sweet pepper seedlings are taken out to a cool room after prolonged ventilation. After a couple of procedures, the plants are put on a glazed balcony or on a cold veranda. Even hardening with snow is allowed. Seedlings on this day, instead of watering, melting snow is laid out on the ground. Immediately a few days before planting in the ground, peppers are taken out into the street, accustoming the plants to fresh air and sunlight.

In most regions, seedlings of peppers are planted in greenhouse soil from the first days of May. In open beds, this process begins around May 15. It is important that the night air temperature by this moment does not fall below +15^оC, otherwise pepper seedlings will slow down their growth.

Video about growing seedlings of peppers:

Features of caring for seedlings of tomatoes

Tomato seedlings begin to germinate in 5-7 days. During this period, the sprouts are watered for the first time from a spray bottle. There are many ways to grow tomato seedlings, but the most effective is considered to be using cassettes. The grown tomato sprouts are taken out of the box and the woven roots are gently kneaded to separate the plants one by one. Next, the tomatoes are sorted into two piles. Large plants will go for transplanting in separate cups, and small sprouts will continue to develop in cassettes.

Small tomato seedlings are placed diagonally in cassettes. At the same time, the stem of the plants is bent, and the roots are covered with loose soil. A layer of coconut substrate is poured on top and moderate watering is done. The benefit of growing seedlings in this way is the simultaneous development of up to 60 tomatoes. The cassette is placed on a special tray, where a pillow of humus 5 cm thick has already been prepared in advance. The seedlings quickly take root, and the root system begins to develop intensively first.

Large seedlings from the second sorted pile are seated in separate cups. Each plant is covered with prepared soil, after which it is watered along the edges of the container. As with pepper, the soil around the tomato seedling will compact. From above, the soil is covered with a coconut substrate 1 cm thick.

Top dressing of tomato seedlings

Experienced gardeners determine the amount of tomato top dressing by the appearance of the plants. Someone adheres to the standards, traditionally fertilizing 3 times before picking. Let’s look at one of the feeding methods:

• After the appearance of three full-fledged leaves on the tomato, the first top dressing is applied. It consists of nitrogen-containing preparations, for example, Agricola No. 3.
• 12 days after picking, tomato seedlings are poured with nitroammophos. The solution is prepared from 10 liters of water with the addition of 1 tbsp. l. fertilizers.
• The third time, tomato seedlings are poured with a similar solution of nitroammophoska exactly 2 weeks after the second feeding.
• The solution for the fourth feeding is prepared from 5 liters of water, ½ tbsp. l. superphosphate, plus 1 tbsp. l wood ash. Seedlings are watered at the age of two months.

Don’t overdo it with fertilizer application. In addition to benefits, they can harm plants.

Planting tomatoes in the ground

Before planting, tomatoes undergo a hardening procedure similar to seedlings of peppers. The disembarkation time depends on the weather conditions of the region. Usually, tomatoes are transplanted into the greenhouse from April, and into the garden from May 10.

At the time of planting, the age of tomato seedlings is 2–2,5 months. Younger plants should not be planted. It is optimal if the night temperatures at this time are already at least +15^оC. For reliability, seedlings are covered with a film or agrofibre at night.

Video about tomato seedlings:

Conclusion

Grown strong seedlings of peppers and tomatoes are guaranteed to thank the vegetable grower with a generous harvest. Even despite the cold summer, healthy and hardened plants will take root better than tender crops that have not gone through the full stage of preparation.