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Peppers love both light and heat, and “eat”. The culture is quite capricious, requiring a lot of attention, however, this circumstance does not stop our gardeners. For a long time and with great success, many have grown peppers on their plot.
It all starts with growing seedlings, since pepper is a crop with a long growing season. And in central Our Country and in the northern regions of Siberia there is not enough time to get a crop. With proper care: regular watering, loosening, weeding and top dressing, getting a decent harvest becomes guaranteed possible.
Experienced gardeners have long come to the conclusion that it is impossible to get the fruits of pepper without top dressing. Peppers love light loam and sandy loam. A feature of these soils is that they are poor in mineral elements. Therefore, in order for the plants to actively grow and fruit vigorously, they need additional top dressing. Each plant during the growing season takes up to 50 macro- and microelements from the soil.
In order for peppers to adequately develop and form fruits during the vegetative period, and not drag out a miserable existence, gardeners need to make additional nutrition in the form of root and foliar dressings.
Foliar top dressing
Foliar top dressing of pepper is one of the ways to apply fertilizer through spraying the ground part of the plants. That is, plants receive and assimilate trace elements through leaves and stems. Foliar fertilization can be considered as a one-time, temporary or special phenomenon. The event is held in the following cases:
- Too high or too low soil temperature, at which the absorption of nutrients by the roots is difficult;
- High moisture and soil density;
- With increased acidity, the roots cannot absorb the form of phosphorus, calcium, potassium that is inaccessible to them, and nitrogen nutrition is disturbed in soils with a high level of acidity;
- During the flowering period or during transplantation, when peppers especially need additional nutrition.
Foliar top dressing is often underestimated by gardeners. Or they are considered as a preventive measure during a period of stress: during transplantation, with a decrease in temperature, with the threat of diseases.
However, the use of foliar top dressing of pepper has undeniable advantages:
- The stem thickens in time and the deciduous mass grows;
- Peduncles and ovaries are abundantly formed;
- Fruits actively ripen with foliar spraying;
- Nutrients are quickly absorbed by the plant;
- Plants without damage tolerate transplantation and natural disasters;
- When using foliar top dressing fertilizers are saved, and their efficiency increases.
You can use the same concentration, but the effect will be much lower. But if you exceed the permissible concentration of the solution for foliar feeding, then you can cause leaf burns. This circumstance refers to the disadvantages of using the foliar method.
In large farms, agronomists calculate the necessary norms. Simple gardeners should read carefully the instructions that manufacturers attach to fertilizers for foliar spraying.
It should be borne in mind that the maximum benefit from foliar top dressing of pepper will be subject to the conditions for their application:
- Early hours or evening after 17 pm. At such a time, there are no direct sunlight, which gives the plants time to absorb foliar feeding;
- Peppers have open stomata on the leaves;
- The temperature for better absorption of fertilizers should be no more than + 22 degrees.
- Trace elements are well absorbed in cloudy weather. In the rain, foliar top dressing is washed off.
On the inside, the leaves have a porous structure, so they absorb all trace elements much better.
For foliar feeding of pepper, you will need: water, fertilizer, sprayer. If you are fertilizing seedlings, then a small spray bottle will suffice. If you have to process large areas of plantings of pepper with a foliar method, then you will need a capacious sprayer.
After adjusting for weather conditions, time of day, prepare a fertilizer solution based on the instructions. Pour the solution into a spray bottle and spray the plants, don’t forget the underside of the leaves. The liquid should cover the leaves in moderation, without draining.
Moreover, peppers react very quickly to foliar feeding. After one or two hours, the result will already be visible.
For foliar top dressing, the following fertilizers are used:
- Potassium sulfate (1% solution);
- Superphosphate (solution 2%). Since the fertilizer is poorly soluble in water, the solution must be infused for a day or dissolved with boiling water, then the time will be reduced to 10-15 minutes;
- Urea (solution 2%);
- Organic fertilizers: infusion of weeds or nettles. Plants are placed in a container of water and infused for at least a week. Then the liquid is filtered so as not to clog the sprayer, a solution is made (1:10) and the plants are sprayed.
Foliar top dressing of pepper is very effective, but has not found wide application among ordinary gardeners due to the fact that it must be carried out quite often, every 1-2 weeks, the process is laborious and time consuming, requires the purchase of special expensive equipment in the form of a sprayer, as well as knowledge on the calculation of fertilizers.
External manifestations from a lack of batteries
Which fertilizer to choose for foliar feeding of pepper will help visual observation of the plants. The lack of any useful element in the diet is reflected in the appearance of sweet pepper:
- Lack of nitrogen most often found on sandy loams and loams, which are so fond of peppers. External signs indicating a lack of nitrogen: peppers have a thin stem, few shoots and poor foliage of a light green color. Very few inflorescences are formed. Symptoms of nitrogen deficiency appear at any stage of plant development, but they are especially noticeable at the initial stage of growth. The problem is solved by adding organics, urea, ammonium sulfate, ammonium or sodium nitrate and others;
- Phosphorus stimulates fruit production. The lack of phosphorus leads to a decrease in yield, as few flowers and ovaries are formed. The external manifestations of the lack of an element include the presence of bluish and purple hues in the color of the leaves. Plants lag behind in development, have an unhealthy appearance. The leaves dry up and die, while having a dark color. The lack of phosphorus is eliminated by foliar application of superphosphate and potassium phosphate, or a solution of bird droppings;
- With iron deficiency pepper leaves are affected by a disease such as chlorosis, when the leaf plate turns yellow, and the veins remain green. Increased soil acidity can lead to chlorosis. Foliar top dressing of pepper with iron-containing preparations (Ferrovit, Micro-Fe) very quickly eliminates the problem. Folk way: stick a few nails into the soil;
- With a lack of magnesium chlorosis also develops, the leaf plate becomes reddish. Or the leaves, starting from the edge, dry up and wrap. Treatment: feeding pepper with magnesium sulfate or ash. You can make both foliar and root methods;
- Lack of copper leads to stunting of pepper, the upper bud dies off, white spots appear on the leaves. The introduction of copper sulfate or superphosphate with copper will bring the plants back to life;
- Boron protects plants from viruses and fungal infections. With a lack of boron, flowers and ovaries fall, the leaves lighten and curl. Foliar top dressing of pepper with a solution of boric acid acts prophylactically, enhances the plant’s defenses;
- Lack of potassium you can see if the leaves of the plant begin to dry out from the edge, the buds and ovaries fall off. Lateral shoots develop poorly or grow crooked. The introduction of ash, potassium sulfate, potassium magnesia will compensate for the lack of potassium;
- Calcium promotes the absorption of other elements: nitrogen, phosphorus, magnesium. Outwardly, the lack of calcium is manifested in the fact that the pepper leaves become smaller, twisted, twisted, brown spots appear on them. Chalk, dolomite flour, hydrated lime are all fertilizers that increase the calcium content in the soil.
The most common problems in the care of peppers in the form of a lack of nutrients should be addressed in a complex and from the very beginning of plant growth.
Root top dressing of pepper
Conventional root dressings of bell peppers are better mastered by our gardeners and are widely used in practice. Top dressing of pepper begins at the seedling stage. At first, the seedlings have enough microelements that are in the soil. To get healthy, strong seedlings, you should feed it for the first time one and a half to two weeks after the shoots appear. Complex fertilizers or compound fertilizers are suitable for seedlings:
- Potassium or sodium humate. Follow the instructions;
- Urea (for 1 liter of water – half a teaspoon);
- Potassium nitrate (one and a half tablespoons per 10 liters of water);
- “Kemira-Lux” according to the instructions;
- Potassium sulphate, ammonium nitrate, superphosphate (respectively 3, 2 and 3 teaspoons per 10 liters of water);
- Potassium nitrate and superphosphate (respectively 25 and 5 grams per 1 liter of water);
- “Crystal” – 2 g per 1 liter of water.
Repeat after 1,5 weeks. You can also use potassium monophosphate (1 teaspoon per liter of water).
For seedlings of pepper, it is best to carry out foliar feeding. Microfertilizers: “Orton Micro-Fe”, “Ideal”, “Aquadon-micro” are produced in a convenient liquid form and contain most of the necessary trace elements. Foliar spraying increases the resistance of plants to various diseases, especially the blackleg, which pepper seedlings are susceptible to when plantings are thickened before picking.
When the plants grow to 20 cm, they will have 8 true leaves and buds, they will be ready to be transplanted into the ground. The first two weeks of fertilizer for pepper is not recommended. But as soon as the peppers bloom, the next top dressing is mandatory, since it is at the flowering stage that the future crop is laid.
The most successful option for feeding at the flowering stage is slurry or infusion of bird droppings (1:10). Leave organic for at least a week.
If it is impossible to add organic matter, fertilize with superphosphate (40 g), ammonium nitrate (40 g) and potassium sulfate (20 g). A mixture of fertilizers should be dissolved in 10 liters of water. For one plant, use 2 liters of the resulting solution.
Peppers also respond positively to fertilizing with “herbal tea”. Weeds are crushed (5 kg), placed in a barrel with 100 liters of water. Fermented for at least a week. Experienced gardeners add 200 g of ash and a bucket of manure to the infusion.
After 2 weeks, when the time comes for the formation of ovaries, spend another top dressing. Alternate fertilizing with organic and mineral fertilizers. Potassium is required for fruit set. Add 10 tsp to a bucket of water (1 l). potassium sulfate, superphosphate and urea, 20 g each. Pour each pepper bush (1-2 l) with a solution.
Folk remedies
Some top dressing recipes are commonly called folk, they have been tested by more than one generation of gardeners and give good results. The preparation of such fertilizers does not take much time.
Yeast nutrition
Yeast for baking is a well-known product that consists of microscopic fungi. They contain the most useful amino acids, trace elements, organic iron. Fertilizers from yeast stimulate the formation of the root system. Plants become more hardy, seedlings tolerate picking and transplanting well. It takes less time to adapt. Yeast has proven itself well for foliar feeding of tomatoes and bell peppers. Preparing top dressing is not difficult:
- You can make a concentrated solution, which should then be diluted. At the same time, 200 g of live yeast are added to 1 liter of water, and then diluted in a bucket of water;
- If using dry yeast (10 g), add 2 tbsp. l. granulated sugar per 10 liters of water. It takes 1-2 hours for the yeast to activate. Before use, dilute the solution in a ratio of 1:5;
- In “herbal tea” (an infusion of herbs for feeding), add 0,5 kg of yeast, leave for a day.
During the vegetative season, 2 top dressings are enough. Yeast fertilizers are a kind of growth stimulator for peppers and tomatoes.
Banana skin fertilizer
Fertilizers for tomatoes and peppers can be prepared from banana skins. A volume of water of 5 liters will require 6-7 pieces. Insist 3 days. An infusion of banana skins enriches plants with potassium.
Boric acid solution
Foliar fertilizer for bell peppers by spraying with a weak solution of boric acid (2 g per 10 liters of water). The method promotes the formation of fruits.
Ash use
Ash infusion is used for fertilizer. To do this, place half a st. l. ash. The mixture should be infused for a day. The resulting solution is suitable for foliar spraying of peppers after filtering.
Eggshell infusion
Take the shell of 5 eggs and pour a liter of water. The mixture should stand for about 3 days. The appearance of turbidity and an unpleasant odor indicates the readiness of the solution.
Onion peel fertilizer
Place a couple of handfuls of onion peels in a liter container with water. The infusion is prepared within 5 days. After straining, you can fertilize the peppers. The infusion is also suitable for spraying plants for the prevention of diseases and the appearance of pests.
Conclusion
Growing peppers is within the power of a novice gardener. One has only to observe the correct agricultural practices, including regular fertilizing with mineral and organic fertilizers. To use foliar top dressing of pepper or the well-known root, everyone determines for himself. Do not use fertilizers uncontrollably. Observe the dosage and the scheme of their introduction. Only the right fertilizing norms will allow you to grow healthy, strong plants that will bear fruit stably.