It would seem that garden work begins with the arrival of heat, that is, in April-May, but for many site owners, the season begins much earlier - in February. And it is not surprising that at this time seeding on seedlings starts. This applies not only to vegetable, but also ornamental crops, including pepper. Ogorodnikov is absolutely not afraid of the fact that the plant is considered demanding for care, many gardeners decide to breed it with their own hands, fearing instead of a sweet variety to find a bitter pepper on the site. So, we will tell you how to plant pepper on seedlings in February.
When to plant pepper in seedlings in February?
Such rather early terms of growing seedlings for the Bulgarian pepper are explained by the fact that heat-loving culture requires a lot of sunlight and heat. It is clear that in the changeable April of sun and heat is still not enough, so that in the climatic conditions of the middle belt to sow the seeds of pepper, bitter or sweet, into the open ground is a deliberately failed idea. But if you plant the seeds of pepper on seedlings in February, by May the young plants will reach the age of 90-100 days and even acquire flowers.
If we talk about a specific day of sowing, we recommend that you orient yourself on the appropriate day for the lunar calendar, as well as the characteristics of the planted variety (early, middle or late). The planting of early varieties is carried out towards the end of the month, late in the beginning.
Preparation of pepper seeds for planting in February
Many gardeners practice dry seed sowing without pre-treatment. There are also those who prefer to conduct seed preparation, arguing that manufacturers are increasingly over-drying their seeds, which will increase their shelf life. In the results, shoots can be expected for a long time.
First, the seeds of pepper are picked, removing the damaged or shriveled. After this, it is recommended to carry out treatment for fungi and infections. To do this, the inoculum is wrapped in a piece of cloth or gauze and placed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. As an antiseptic, you can use the fungicides you have in stock, for example, "Fitosporin-M" or "Fundazol" . The solution is prepared according to the attached instructions. Such shift processing should last no more than half an hour, after which they are thoroughly washed, and then wrapped in a damp cloth and placed in a warm place. Instead of the usual warm water, you can use biostimulators, for example, "Epin" or "Zircon". Usually, after one or two weeks, the seeds of pepper begin to peck.
Seeding of pepper seeds for seedlings in February - soil preparation
Of course, the simplest option is to buy ready-made soil for planting in the store. True, since the pepper prefers the soils light, dilute the soil mixture with a small amount of sand.
If you prefer to prepare the soil yourself, mix part of the washed sand with two parts of humus and two parts of peat.
Seeding of pepper seeds in February
Before planting hot or bell pepper for seedlings in February, the container (pot, box) is filled with prepared soil . The earth needs to be compacted a little. After that, the seeds
To accelerate germination, it is recommended to cover the container with glass, film or a plastic bag, and then install in a warm place. Suitable temperature regime for pepper seeds is + 24 + 25 degrees.
As soon as the seedlings are visible on the surface of the soil, the film is removed from the box, it is no longer needed.