When is the best time for pepper seedlings
This article guide: The best time for pepper seedlings and the knowledge of pepper seedling technology and management in the field of green plants and flowers, followed by the detailed answers from the editor.
Standardizing pepper seedling technology is particularly crucial, as cultivating healthy and strong seedlings is the prerequisite for increasing pepper yield and output value.
1 Seed Treatment
1.1 Sunning Seeds
Spread the pepper seeds in the sun for 2 to 3 hours. Sunning can effectively kill some of the bacteria on the seeds.
1.2 Soaking Seeds
Seed soaking generally includes warm water soaking and bacterial solution soaking. Warm water soaking can kill bacteria on the surface of seeds, while bacterial solution soaking can kill bacteria inside the seeds. The specific operation is to soak the seeds in 55°C warm water (all seeds should be soaked), stir continuously with a stick, and then rinse and dry with clean water after the water temperature drops; then soak in a 50% carbendazim solution diluted 300 times for 10 to 15 minutes to kill internal bacteria; then soak in 3% sodium phosphite for 20 minutes, which can kill pathogenic bacteria such as gray mold, anthracnose, early blight, and wilt on the seeds and viruses carried on the surface of pepper seeds; finally, soak in water at room temperature for 8 to 10 hours before germination and sowing.
2 Germination Promotion
Germination promotion is a key measure to ensure rapid seedling emergence and uniform seedling stage after pepper sowing. After soaking for 8 to 10 hours, filter and dry, wrap in a damp towel, place in an incubator at about 30°C, and maintain a certain humidity for germination. Generally, turn over once every 6 hours and rinse with clean water every 24 hours. It should be noted that when the pepper seeds start to show white, stop rinsing to avoid seedling damage, and when 2/3 of the seeds have germinated, they can be sown.
3 Seedbed Preparation
The seedbed for pepper seedlings should be selected on a plot with a sunny, windward direction, good water retention, and loose and fertile soil. It is advisable to avoid planting solanaceous crops in the previous crop. 15 days before sowing, the bed soil should be deeply turned over, and an appropriate amount of farm manure and calcium magnesium phosphate fertilizer can be applied to improve soil fertility. The soil should be disinfected and weeds controlled using a 50% carbendazim solution diluted 800 times, Demosan 800 times, and acetamide.
4 Sowing
After the seedbed is leveled, water thoroughly the day before sowing. Before sowing, rake the ridge surface flat and loose, then spread the seeds at a certain distance on the ridge surface; when sowing, you can also mix the seeds with fine soil or fine sand to separate the seeds and distribute them more evenly on the ridge surface. After sowing, cover a layer of disinfected organic matter, sprinkle water with a watering can, and cover with ground film to increase ground temperature and humidity.
Then use bamboo sticks to make a semi-circular frame, with the highest point of the shed to the ridge surface distance of 0.5 to 0.6 meters, cover it with a 2-meter wide film, and cover the edges with soil to keep warm.
5 Seedling Management
5.1 Temperature and Humidity Management
Within 7 days after sowing, the humidity in the shed should be maintained to promote root growth, while keeping the temperature in the shed at 20-30°C. When seedlings appear, the film should be uncovered in time. After the seedlings have adapted, the temperature can be slightly lowered to maintain 20-25°C, and the film should be opened during the day to maintain ventilation and avoid high temperature and humidity. 10-15 days before the pepper is transplanted, the film should be uncovered for seedling hardening.
5.2 Water and Fertilizer Management
When the pepper begins to grow heart leaves, water can be added appropriately according to the dryness and humidity of the soil to maintain soil moisture, following the principle of "moist when dry". In the later growth stage of the seedlings, a small amount of urea solution can be sprayed as top dressing to ensure the growth of new shoots and promote bud differentiation.
6 Common Problems and Countermeasures in the Seedling Stage
6.1 Low Seedling Uniformity or Few Seedlings
In daily production, it is often encountered that seedlings are not uniform or grow slowly. The reasons are poor seed quality, too thin or thick covering soil, low temperature, and high humidity.
Prevention methods: When selecting seeds, choose seeds with good luster and soak them in water to remove defective seeds; during germination, the temperature should be maintained at 25-30°C to ensure uniform germination; when sowing, cover the soil evenly, generally 0.5-1.0 cm thick; after seedlings emerge, uncover the shed in time to keep the temperature around 25°C to avoid scorching due to high temperature.
6.2 Pepper Seedling Elongation
High temperature, high humidity, insufficient light, and dense sowing can easily cause seedling elongation. Elongated seedlings are characterized by thin stems, light green leaves, and underdeveloped roots.
Control methods: When sowing, control the sowing density to avoid dense sowing that causes elongation; control the temperature of the seedbed, increase light, and strengthen ventilation; before transplanting, uncover the shed to increase light and reduce humidity in the shed; when seedlings show signs of elongation, spray 200 mg/kg of Chlormequat at dawn and dusk, and note that water should not be applied to the seedbed 1-2 days after spraying.
6.3 Diseases in Pepper Seedling Stage
Main diseases in the pepper seedling stage include damping-off, root rot, gray mold, etc.
Control methods: Disinfect seeds and bed soil, strengthen temperature and ventilation management during the seedling stage, remove diseased plants in time and bury them deep outside the garden; spray drugs promptly, such as 70% mancozeb wettable powder, 70% methyl thiophanate wettable powder, and 80% dimethomorph water-dispersible granules for prevention, spraying once a week.
The above is a comprehensive explanation of when to grow pepper seedlings, pepper seedling technology, and management, hoping to help you.