Pepper is a vegetable that belongs to the nightshade family, its bushes can reach a height of one and a half meters. Pepper tastes good and is widely used in cooking. This vegetable crop is rich in vitamin C.
Today we will tell you how to grow pepper in a greenhouse to get an early harvest of this wonderful vegetable.
Why precisely seedling method
Many experienced gardeners know what conditions bell peppers like. Seedlings, the cultivation of which is carried out in pots or glasses, will provide a rich harvest. While the use of boxes can lead to its reduction. This is because the root is damaged during transplantation, and recovery can take several weeks.
How to sow seeds
Before you grow pepper in a greenhouse, prepare the soil for seedlings. To do this, prepare a mixture containing peat, humus and turf or peat, turf and sand. Sow seeds not too deep (up to 1 cm), having previously treated them with a solution of potassium permanganate. The earth must be moist. Cover the pots and keep them warm. Temperature condition - not lower than 25 degrees. Sowing can begin in March.
How to care for seedlings
Speaking about how to grow pepper, one cannot help but raise the question "how to properly care for it." Proper seedling care is the key to a good harvest, it includes the following activities:
- top dressing with fertilizers containing potassium, calcium or nitrate;
- watering with small doses of warm water;
- maintaining air temperature;
- proper lighting.
Feeding is carried out a couple of times a week. This is an important process, since it is at this time that the plant is strengthened and hardened. The soil should not dry out. Watch for its moisture, but do not overdo it, since excessive wetting is harmful to the root system. Keep track of the air temperature, maintain it in the range from 20 to 28 degrees, depending on the time of day. Lighting is very important for pepper; lack of light affects seedlings badly. At least 12 hours a day, pepper seedlings should be in the light, so it is recommended to create artificial lighting, if natural is not enough.
How to grow pepper in a greenhouse
We came to the main point - transplanting seedlings into a greenhouse. Where to begin? Start by preparing the soil. It should be fertile, light, rich in humus. Add humus and compost, mineral fertilizers and dig the ground. Pepper grows especially well after cucumbers, zucchini, and beans. Then you can proceed to transplanting seedlings. To do this, make beds (1 m wide) and plant pepper in two rows, 30 cm apart. Do not plant densely. After transplanting, it is better to mulch the soil with peat so that the plants take root more quickly and are less sick.
Greenhouse Pepper Care
You planted your pepper in the greenhouse, now it remains to wait for the harvest. In order to get large and healthy fruits, you need to properly care for the plant:
- continue to observe the temperature regime of air and soil (18-22 degrees for soil and not lower than 25 degrees for air);
- provide plants with light;
- water regularly (preferably before lunch);
- loosen the soil;
- watch for air humidity; if it is lacking, flowers may fall off;
- feed with fertilizers with phosphorus and nitrogen, as well as trace elements (boron, zinc, manganese, iodine);
- fight pests using special drugs.
Now, knowing how to grow peppers in a greenhouse, you are sure to get an early rich harvest of this vegetable.