Tomato seedlings in peat tablets and cups. Peat pots will help grow seedlings What are peat pots made of

17.06.2019

Peat pots for seedlings appeared on sale about two decades ago, but most gardeners began to actively use them relatively recently. Not all farmers have yet been able to appreciate this product. Moreover, the first negative experience of using cups of their peat for growing seedlings led some experimenters to abandon their use in the future. Moreover, the disappointment was so strong that unfortunate farmers and others began to dissuade from the idea to use these unusual molds for seedlings. Others, on the contrary, cannot get enough of peat cups and do not agree to exchange them for plastic ones. Which of them is right? Let's try to figure it out.

What is a peat pot?

On the shelves of flower and gardening shops you can find brown pots of a cubic, trapezoidal shape or in the form of cups, porous or denser. Square ones are often connected several in a row, cylindrical ones are nested one into the other. Having asked the seller what kind of containers they are and what they are for, the curious buyer will most likely hear in response that these are peat pots for growing and picking seedlings.

In fact, peat pots are only partially composed of peat, at best 70 percent, at worst half. The rest is impurities: humus, cellulose. This mixture is dried and pressed.

High-quality cups contain a lot of peat and little paper or wood pulp, they are looser, they pass air better, it is easier for roots to break through them, they dissolve faster in the ground (average for 32 days). Poor quality would be more correct to call cardboard: they are half composed of highly compressed paper. Their density is quite high, little oxygen enters the roots through them, and the roots themselves cannot break through their wall. They decompose slowly in the ground. Gardeners who have used such cheap cups often notice that what is planted in open ground the plant suddenly stops growing and dies, and then they find undecomposed pieces of cardboard in the soil.

The size of containers is different: from 5 to 10 centimeters in diameter or along any facet. The difference between the nearest sizes is 1 centimeter. The height of the pots depends on the width. The size of the cup is important, as it depends on the type of future seedlings. The thickness of the walls also matters.

What seedlings are suitable for?

The main value of a peat cup is that it decomposes in the soil, serving as a fertilizer at the same time. This product is indispensable for seedlings with fragile roots: cucumbers, eggplants. Removing seedlings from plastic containers can damage the roots. It is not necessary to remove it from peat pots: such cups are planted in the ground along with seedlings, because they do not interfere with the development of the root system, and later completely dissolve. The conclusion suggests itself: for seedlings of eggplant, cucumbers, peat cups are better suited than plastic ones.

Peat increases the acidity of the soil, so peat pots are suitable for plants that grow well in slightly acidic soil, it is acceptable to use them for plants that prefer an acid-neutral environment. These categories include tomatoes, peppers, White cabbage, zucchini, pumpkin, the same cucumbers and eggplants. Can be grown in peat pots and strawberry seedlings.

Peat pots are categorically not suitable for plants that love slightly alkaline, calcareous soils. These include color Chinese cabbage, lettuce, onion and garlic. Growing seedlings of these crops, it is better to opt for the usual plastic containers filled with soil suitable for them.

How to choose?

As already mentioned, peat cups differ in shape and size, as well as wall thickness. Form does not play any role other than aesthetic. It is worth paying attention only to the first two parameters.

For plants with a strong root system, you can take thick-walled pots: a pumpkin can easily break through a peat layer up to 2.5 millimeters thick. But for seedlings of cucumbers, eggplants, only thin-walled ones are suitable. These include products in which the wall thickness does not exceed 1.5 millimeters.

The size of the pot should depend on the type of seedlings.

For dill, parsley, cilantro and other herbs, 50 ml pots are suitable, their diameter is only 5 cm.
For some flowers such as asters, dahlias, pots with a capacity of 100 ml, 6 cm in diameter are needed.
Strawberries require pots with a volume of 200 ml, their diameter is 7 cm, they are also suitable for seedlings of cabbage, melon, watermelon.
For zucchini, cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes, you can take cups with a capacity of 250 to 400 milliliters, the size of which is 8 or 9 cm in diameter.
The largest pots (10 cm in diameter, 500 ml in volume) are needed for eggplant seedlings and some types of flower crops (fuchsias, cyclamen, gerberas, begonias, primroses).

When buying, you should carefully study the composition of the products and refuse to purchase those in which peat is less than 70 percent.

Advantages

Compared to plastic counterparts, peat cups have a number of advantages.

The main advantage of peat cups is their biodegradability and environmental friendliness. They dissolve in the soil, fertilizing it, without exerting a toxic effect on it and plants. So it is convenient and safe to plant seedlings with a fragile root system in open ground.

The second advantage is their safety for future seedlings. They are processed, they do not contain bacterial spores, pest larvae, and they cannot infect seedlings. Plastic cups from fermented milk products are not safe for her, since lactic acid bacteria can remain on their walls, due to which the plant can “get sick”.

Through the peat walls, the roots of the seedlings can “breathe”, which is why the plant becomes stronger and grows faster.

Decaying, peat pots fertilize the soil, nourishing the roots of the plant. This accelerates its growth, increases productivity.

With a reasonable approach, all these advantages can be used.

Flaws

During the use of peat pots, gardeners noted a number of significant shortcomings.

The loose layer absorbs water from the soil during irrigation, it quickly evaporates, so the soil dries out, and the roots suffer from hypothermia. As a result, seedlings not only grow poorly, but sometimes die.

Trying to prevent the soil from drying out, the gardener begins to intensively water the seedlings. The result is an excess of moisture, molding of the pot and the seedlings themselves.

The roots fail to break through the walls of the pot after it is planted in the ground; it does not dissolve in the soil, “capturing” the roots. As a result, the plant dies, sometimes without even bearing fruit.

The pots are disposable. On the other hand, they replace fertilizers, so it is difficult to call their acquisition a waste of money.

Most of these problems can be solved if you use peat containers correctly and taking into account the positive experience of gardeners who have found an “approach” to them.

How to use?

When purchasing peat pots, you should carefully study the tips on their correct use. Only then growing seedlings in them will not turn into flour.

First of all, it makes sense to soak the pot with fertilizers that are suitable for the particular type of plant whose seedlings will be grown in them. To do this, you need to make a solution, immerse the pot in it, remove it and dry it. This will make it a more useful fertilizer when it dissolves into the soil after the plant is planted outdoors.

After that, the pot should be treated with an antifungal drug. This will not harm the seedlings, but it will protect it from mold.

With the help of an awl in the bottom and walls, experienced gardeners recommend making small holes. In the future, this will help the roots break through.

Now it's time to fill the pot with soil. The soil must be clean, neutralized, suitable in composition. It is impossible to stuff it tightly into a pot, otherwise it will be difficult for the roots to germinate. There should be a little free space to the edge of the container, about a centimeter. The earth is moistened.

Having made a small depression in the soil, you need to plant one seed or one sprout in it when picking seedlings.

Further, gardening experts advise wrapping each pot in cellophane, leaving the bottom free. This will help the pot to keep its shape and not dry out, not overdry the soil.

The pots wrapped in polyethylene are placed in a plastic container with fairly high edges (almost flush with the cups). Watering is carried out through the pan: water is absorbed from it through the walls and bottom of the pots and moistens the ground.

Otherwise, growing seedlings is carried out in the same way as in plastic containers.

If it is not known why the seedlings are growing slowly, then you should carefully look to see if the instructions are violated. In most cases, the problem lies in the misuse peat pot or in improper care of seedlings.

In open ground, seedlings are planted directly in peat cups, immersing them in the ground so that the edges of the cups are deepened by one and a half to two centimeters. Care for sprouts is also carried out in exactly the same way as when planting a plant in the ground without a pot.

Peat pots have a number of advantages over plastic cups. However, if used incorrectly, they can turn from a gardener's assistant into seedling destroyers. If the rules for using peat containers are violated, the plant suffers either due to excessive moisture or due to dryness of the earth.

It is also of great importance right choice peat pots, which differ in size, wall thickness and, most importantly, composition. Quality pots are 70% peat. Cheap cardboard analogues are tightly pressed and do not dissolve in the ground, due to which a plant planted in them in open ground may die.

) for seedlings are very convenient to use. Many prefer peat pots over other seedling containers.

Some folk craftsmen make such products on their own. The raw material is a mixture of equal parts of well-decomposed humus and peat. Liquid mullein is added to the mass (for viscosity and enrichment with nutrients), pressed using special molds, and dried. But most summer residents prefer to buy goods in stores.

Material

It would seem that peat pots are a simple commodity, but here, too, quality is of paramount importance. Initially, such containers were conceived as peat-humus and they left the conveyor just like that. In pursuit of simplification and reduction in the cost of production, they were replaced simply with peat. The advantages and disadvantages of such pots depend on the quality of the raw materials and their processing. Finally, analogues appeared from cheap cardboard (from recycled materials), which are still called " peat pots"; they require special handling.

Positive properties

Containers made of peat or cardboard:

Environmentally friendly,
not too expensive for the price,
light in weight,
opaque - it means that greenish algae do not grow on the walls from the inside,
disposable - therefore do not require washing, disinfection, subsequent storage,
when planting seedlings, an earthen clod with feeding roots is preserved.

High Quality Benefits

Not every gardener can offhand distinguish a good product from a paper and cardboard surrogate. As a rule, high-quality peat cups are slightly more expensive, smooth, have a thicker wall, a darkish color and a slightly porous structure. They have a lot of advantages.

1. Due to the porous structure of the material, the roots breathe and do not rot.

2. When watering, excess water flows freely, without stagnation.

3. Easy to water through the pan (water is absorbed from the bottom up).

4. Rot and mold do not form on the walls of the pots from the outside and from the inside.

5. After planting seedlings in the ground, its roots freely pass through the bottom and walls.

6. Tanks quickly decompose in the soil.

Features of second-rate pot products

Cups made of cardboard or poorly processed peat are also suitable for seedlings, you just need to take into account some of the nuances. Paper can quickly get wet and lose strength, distort its shape, and become moldy. Walls with a dense structure and smooth surface, poorly pass air and water, and decompose in the ground for a long time. Therefore, if there are doubts about the quality of the proposed peat pots, we take measures:

We don't buy large containers.
in the bottoms we make sure to make good holes for the outflow of excess moisture,
for filling we use only a very loose, easily permeable substrate,
when planting seedlings in the ground, cut off the bottom or tear the walls of the pot!!!

Most of the negative reviews after using peat pots are due precisely to the fact that the roots of planted plants cannot break out into the open for a long time, beyond the walls, and growth and development are retarded.

Variety of sizes and shapes

Seedling pots are produced both in the traditional round shape and square (which is convenient for a denser arrangement and a little space saving). The largest, as a rule, have a diameter and height of about 10 cm, and a volume of half a liter. The smallest - 5 cm, 50 ml. In this range, many containers of intermediate sizes are produced; you can choose the best option. Rectangular and square dishes are sometimes made connected in the form of cassettes (according to the principle of cells for transporting eggs). If necessary, they can be separated by cutting off with a sharp knife or scissors.

The purpose of peat pots for seedlings of any plants

In small and medium-sized cups, seedlings of annual flowers are prepared, which have medium-sized seeds, form a compact, fibrous root system, and slowly develop in the initial phase of growth. Ageratums, asters, bacopas, marigolds, verbenas, gatzanias, annual dahlias, fragrant tobacco, iberis, levkoi, lobelia, snapdragons, mesembryantumums, mimulus, nemesia, osteospermum, petunias and calibrachoa, purslane, salvia, drummond phlox, celosia, cineraria are sown , zinnias, eustoma, etc. They do the same with biennials and perennials - violas, carnations, geleniums, delphiniums, bells, daisies, shavings, primroses, daisies, evening primroses, etc.

Using pots of different sizes

Small

In a small amount of land, indoor balsams, begonias, gloxinias, pelargoniums, and cyclamens successfully pass the initial stage of development. In small containers, seedlings of strawberries are obtained from seeds - small-fruited, large-fruited, remontant. From vegetables in such a dish, seedlings of the root and petiole celery, fennel, basils, head salads.

Medium

Such dimensions are convenient for annuals with large seeds - for example, datur and nasturtium. A relatively large amount of seedling substrate is needed for amaranths, ornamental cabbages, cleomas, kosmey, kokhiya, scabioses. This also applies to loaches - dolichos (hyacinth beans), sweet pea, morning glory, kobei, thunbergia, annual hops, decorative pumpkin and beans. Peat pots for growing seedlings of vegetable cabbage, watermelons and melons, potatoes (from botanical seeds) should not be too large or very small. Containers for cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins, berry physalis are taken a little larger.

Large

Extremely good for producing powerful planting material tomatoes. Peppers, eggplant, vegetable physalis, edible nightshade require the same (or slightly smaller) volume. A large clod of earth is necessary for edible and decorative varieties sunflower and corn.

In peat pots, not only seeds are sown and seedlings dive, they are used for rooting and growing cuttings (for example, chrysanthemums, petunias, pelargoniums, roses, etc.), bulbous and rhizomatous crops, shrubs.

Operation of peat products

1. Peat pots must be placed on sturdy stands.

2. A small layer of sphagnum moss or coconut fiber can be placed on the bottom of the pallet (to prevent drying out or rotting).

3. seedling soil must be reliable, light and at the same time moisture-intensive - quickly (without stagnation) pass excess water, but dry slowly. Looseness is given by sand (without impurities of cement and dust), small additions of hydrogel or crushed coconut fiber retain moisture.

4. The containers are completely filled with a slightly moistened substrate; after watering, the soil settles a little (it is possible to pour it if the plants stretch out).

5. Dust-like and very small seeds are sown superficially, small ones are lightly sprinkled with light soil, medium and large ones are placed in holes and covered with soil.

6. Low lighting and dampness are contraindicated for peat containers with seedlings (mold and rot may develop). For prevention, the outer walls of the pots can be sprayed with fungicidal solutions (HOM, potassium permanganate, phytosporin).

7. Wet cups continuously evaporate moisture and cool the root system; it is harmful in sudden temperature changes or constant cold, so it is necessary to maintain moderate heat.

8. Sunshine and excessive heat require frequent watering. This can cause seedlings to stretch, as with a lack of light. (Special preparations are capable of slowing down the growth of the aerial part and strengthening the root system - regulators Athlete, Stopprost, etc.)

9. On the eve of the day of planting in a permanent place, excessive watering should be carried out to soften the peat (cardboard) well.

Glasses with seedlings are installed in soil pits of similar size without excessive deepening of the root system. Elongated specimens are placed under the surface of the ridge obliquely, at an angle. Good watering is required for close contact of the walls of the dishes with moist soil.

Peat cups are a very convenient disposable container for growing seedlings of vegetables and flowers at home. Firstly, by planting the plants immediately in separate containers, gardeners avoid picks that injure the roots. Secondly, the root system of seedlings remains intact when planted in open ground. Plants take root as quickly as possible in a new place and develop rapidly.

How to choose the right peat pot?

For the development of seedlings, it does not matter what the shape of the cups will be, but this can play a role in the compactness of their placement. Gardeners recommend giving preference to divided cups rather than whole cassettes. The size of the pot is selected according to the needs of the culture, as in all other cases.

Important advice: when purchasing a seedling cup, make sure that it is really peaty. Sometimes a cardboard cup is mistaken for peat, which has significant functional differences.
Do not confuse a peat seedling cup with a cardboard one.

Peat cups - how to use them?

There are no special differences in the use of peat containers for growing seedlings. Here's what needs to be done:

Prepare a nutrient substrate suitable for a particular crop, pour it into a peat pot, lightly tamp, moisten.
Dig a hole in each cup, submerge the seeds and sprinkle with earth.
Place all containers on a stand end-to-end.
When the roots of the seedlings begin to grow, the cups should be moved a short distance from each other so that the young sprouts receive more heat and light.
Make sure that the soil is always moist - watering can be done either through the top or from the bottom through the stand.
It is good to water the seedlings 24 hours before planting in the exhaust gas or greenhouse.
Place each cup in a dug hole, either level with the ground or 1-2 cm below.

In the purchased cups, small holes are made in advance with an awl on all sides. This is necessary in order to then make it easier for the roots to break through. Growing seedlings, it is better to wrap each cup plastic wrap. It is removed only immediately before planting the plant in a permanent place.

An interesting trick: before filling the pot with a substrate, impregnate it with a solution of mineral fertilizer. What will it give? First, nutrition for the plant. Secondly, accelerated decay in the earth. Also, the glass is often treated with an anti-mold agent. It is better to fill it with soil not to the very top, but 1.5 cm below. So after moving to a permanent place, this space can be filled with soil from the beds so that the plant quickly gets used to the new conditions.

How many seeds do experienced gardeners put in each peat container? If there is no complete confidence in the seeds, then two or three, and if there is a guarantee that they will all sprout, then one. From several seedlings in a glass, the strongest is chosen for further growth. The rest pull out.

After moving the seedlings to a permanent place, there is no need to somehow try to dig up and remove the remnants of the cup. It dissolves on its own under the influence of water. You should not purchase peat pots for seedlings if you plan to use them on next year. To do this, it is better to purchase a cheaper plastic container. In the case of purchasing a cassette, which is several connected containers, they must be cut before landing.

And one more important advice, which is given to inexperienced gardeners in the use of peat cups by those who have been dealing with them for a long time - one should not take lightly the quality of the container. Poor peat pots do not decompose well in the ground after planting and may contain harmful impurities. Trust only trusted manufacturers. An experiment in this case can cost you dearly.

You have not yet seen in practice how convenient it is to use peat cups for seedlings? You now know how to use this latest development in the field of agronomy. What prevents you from personally verifying its merits and practical benefits?

Watch a video about sowing pepper seeds in peat cups

What is a peat pot?

In fact, peat pots are only partially composed of peat, at best 70 percent, at worst half. The rest is impurities: humus, cellulose. This mixture is dried and pressed.

High-quality cups contain a lot of peat and little paper or wood pulp, they are looser, they pass air better, it is easier for roots to break through them, they dissolve faster in the ground (average for 32 days). Poor quality would be more correct to call cardboard: they are half composed of highly compressed paper. Their density is quite high, little oxygen enters the roots through them, and the roots themselves cannot break through their wall. They decompose slowly in the ground. Gardeners who use such cheap cups often notice that a plant planted in open ground suddenly stops growing and dies, and then they find undecomposed pieces of cardboard in the soil.

What seedlings are suitable for?

Peat increases the acidity of the soil, so peat pots are suitable for plants that grow well in slightly acidic soil, it is acceptable to use them for plants that prefer an acid-neutral environment. These categories include tomatoes, peppers, white cabbage, zucchini, pumpkin, the same cucumbers and eggplants. Can be grown in peat pots and strawberry seedlings.

Peat pots are categorically not suitable for plants that love slightly alkaline, calcareous soils. These include cauliflower, Beijing cabbage, lettuce, onion and garlic. When growing seedlings of these crops, it is better to opt for the usual plastic containers filled with soil suitable for them.

How to choose?

As already mentioned, peat cups differ in shape and size, as well as wall thickness. Form does not play any role other than aesthetic. It is worth paying attention only to the first two parameters.

The size of the pot should depend on the type of seedlings.

For dill, parsley, cilantro and other herbs, 50 ml pots are suitable, their diameter is only 5 cm.
For some flowers, such as dahlias, pots with a capacity of 100 ml, 6 cm in diameter are needed.
Strawberries require pots with a volume of 200 ml, their diameter is 7 cm, they are also suitable for seedlings of cabbage, melon, watermelon.
For zucchini, cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes, you can take cups with a capacity of 250 to 400 milliliters, the size of which is 8 or 9 cm in diameter.
The largest pots (10 cm in diameter, 500 ml in volume) are also needed for some types of flower crops (fuchsias, cyclamen, gerberas, begonias,).

When buying, you should carefully study the composition of the products and refuse to purchase those in which peat is less than 70 percent.

Advantages

Compared to plastic counterparts, peat cups have a number of advantages.

The main advantage of peat cups is their biodegradability and environmental friendliness. They dissolve in the soil, fertilizing it, without exerting a toxic effect on it and plants. So it is convenient and safe to plant seedlings with a fragile root system in open ground.
The second advantage is their safety for future seedlings. They are processed, they do not contain bacterial spores, pest larvae, and they cannot infect seedlings. Plastic cups from fermented milk products are not safe for her, since lactic acid bacteria can remain on their walls, due to which the plant can “get sick”.
Through the peat walls, the roots of the seedlings can “breathe”, which is why the plant becomes stronger and grows faster.
Decaying, peat pots fertilize the soil, nourishing the roots of the plant. This accelerates its growth, increases productivity.

With a reasonable approach, all these advantages can be used.

Flaws

During the use of peat pots, gardeners noted a number of significant shortcomings.

The loose layer absorbs water from the soil during irrigation, it quickly evaporates, so the soil dries out, and the roots suffer from hypothermia. As a result, seedlings not only grow poorly, but sometimes die.
Trying to prevent the soil from drying out, the gardener begins to intensively water the seedlings. The result is an excess of moisture, molding of the pot and the seedlings themselves.
The roots fail to break through the walls of the pot after it is planted in the ground; it does not dissolve in the soil, “capturing” the roots. As a result, the plant dies, sometimes without even bearing fruit.
The pots are disposable. On the other hand, they replace fertilizers, so it is difficult to call their acquisition a waste of money.

Most of these problems can be solved if you use peat containers correctly and taking into account the positive experience of gardeners who have found an “approach” to them.

How to use?

When purchasing peat pots, you should carefully study the tips for their proper use. Only then growing seedlings in them will not turn into flour.

First of all, it makes sense to soak the pot with fertilizers that are suitable for the particular type of plant whose seedlings will be grown in them. To do this, you need to make a solution, immerse the pot in it, remove it and dry it. This will make it a more useful fertilizer when it dissolves into the soil after the plant is planted outdoors.
After that, the pot should be treated with an antifungal drug. This will not harm the seedlings, but it will protect it from mold.
With the help of an awl in the bottom and walls, experienced gardeners recommend making small holes. In the future, this will help the roots break through.
Now it's time to fill the pot with soil. The soil must be clean, neutralized, suitable in composition. It is impossible to stuff it tightly into a pot, otherwise it will be difficult for the roots to germinate. There should be a little free space to the edge of the container, about a centimeter. The earth is moistened.
Having made a small depression in the soil, you need to plant one seed or one sprout in it when picking seedlings.
Further, gardening experts advise wrapping each pot in cellophane, leaving the bottom free. This will help the pot to keep its shape and not dry out, not overdry the soil.
The pots wrapped in polyethylene are placed in a plastic container with fairly high edges (almost flush with the cups). Watering is carried out through the pan: water is absorbed from it through the walls and bottom of the pots and moistens the ground.

Otherwise, growing seedlings is carried out in the same way as in plastic containers.

If it is not known why the seedlings are growing slowly, then you should carefully look to see if the instructions are violated. In most cases, the problem lies in the improper use of a peat pot or improper care of seedlings.

In open ground, seedlings are planted directly in peat cups, immersing them in the ground so that the edges of the cups are deepened by one and a half to two centimeters. Care for sprouts is also carried out in exactly the same way as when planting a plant in the ground without a pot.

Peat pots have a number of advantages over plastic cups. However, if used incorrectly, they can turn from a gardener's assistant into seedling destroyers. If the rules for using peat containers are violated, the plant suffers either due to excessive moisture or due to dryness of the earth.

Of great importance is the correct choice of peat pots, which differ in size, wall thickness and, most importantly, composition. Quality pots are 70% peat. Cheap cardboard analogues are tightly pressed and do not dissolve in the ground, due to which a plant planted in them in open ground may die.

Forming compact, not too tall bushes (from 40 to 70 cm). Such peppers can be both small-fruited and large-fruited. Varieties with small thick-walled fruits look especially decorative.

At the stage of physiological ripeness they become bright red, pale yellow, orange, pink or brown-brown in color. For growing pepper seedlings in peat pots, miniature forms are perfect, forming bushes 10-30 cm high.

Pepper seedlings can be sown in containers, but individual peat pots are much more convenient. Grown plants or in a greenhouse directly in a peat container. The roots are not injured, the displaced plant does not linger in growth and forms ovaries faster.

Among the additional advantages of pots:

availability;
breathability to ensure normal development plants;
variety of sizes.

Sowing time for seedlings depends on the variety. Early-ripening peppers are planted in the ground at the age of 65 days, late-ripening ones grow up to 75 days.

It is important to ensure the correct temperature regime and organize plentiful, but not excessive watering.

In what pots to plant pepper seedlings? For fit average pot size. They are filled with a light soil mixture from equal parts garden soil and old compost. For greater nutritional value, superphosphate and wood ash can be added to the substrate. The soil is thoroughly mixed and lightly crushed.

To speed up germination pots can be covered with glass or a damp cloth. After emergence of plants watered with warm settled water 1 time in 5 days. It is important not to flood young seedlings, the pots should keep their shape without getting wet.

The ideal temperature for germination is 26-28 degrees, after the appearance of sprouts, the temperature is reduced by 4-5 degrees. For successful development, young peppers are exposed to bright light; in the cold season, plants are recommended with electric lamps.

Transplanting pepper seedlings into pots, when to do it? After 2.5-3 months, young peppers are ready for transplanting.. They can be moved to a greenhouse, open ground or transplanted into a roomy flowerpot for home growing.

Pots for home and garden: what to choose?

A variety of flowerpots and pots are a great option for placing peppers. Plants can be put on a loggia or veranda, or even taken out into the garden.

With regular feeding and careful watering, adult fruit-bearing peppers will feel quite comfortable.

The most economical option plastic pots. They are inexpensive, easy to clean, there are products on sale. different colors and volumes. For one compact bush, a volume of 5 liters is sufficient. In larger flowerpots, you can plant 2 or even 3 plants.

Small decorative peppers can be planted in small containers up to 3 liters. The shape of the pots can be any: cylindrical, round or square. Some gardeners use as containers suitable dishes, for example, basins, deep pots or buckets.

When choosing a container, it is important to remember: the smaller the pot, the faster the soil dries out. Plants in small pots will need to be watered more frequently. For home cultivation, it is worth choosing containers with a hole and a deep tray for draining water. This will help to avoid stagnation of moisture in the soil, which peppers do not like very much.

Growing Rules

How to plant pepper seedlings in peat pots? Before transplant new pots are thoroughly washed and soaked in a solution of potassium permanganate. Pots that have already been in use can not be washed, it is enough to free them from the old soil and fill them with fresh soil based on humus. A layer of drainage can be laid out at the bottom of the containers: pebbles or expanded clay. In very large flowerpots, only half of the soil can be changed.

fill the pots purchased soil not worth it. It consists almost entirely of peat, which is poor in nutrients and does not retain water. If necessary, the finished substrate can be mixed with turf and garden soil. Add a little superphosphate or ash to the soil. Some gardeners also add crushed charcoal.

A hole is dug in the soil, corresponding to the size of a peat pot. The plant moves into it and sprinkles with earth.

The edges of the peat container should not rise above the soil surface. After transplanting, peppers are watered warm water . In the early days, transplanted plants are best shaded from too bright sun.

A big advantage of pots is mobility. They can be rearranged anywhere on the balcony, veranda or garden. On particularly hot days, peppers are shifted to partial shade, but plants should spend most of the day in the sun. Peppers very photophilous, with a lack of ultraviolet light, they become smaller, and the fruits do not set.

It is best to put the pots on the south, southeast or southwest side.

It is important to monitor the temperature. On warm days, you need to open windows or expose plants to the air. With the onset of frost, peppers are brought into an apartment or on glazed veranda. Cold snap below 15 degrees peppers do not like, the optimum temperature for them is 20-25 degrees during the day and 18-20 at night.

Peppers love moisture and need abundant watering with soft settled water room temperature. It is not recommended to water the bushes under the root, the best way- irrigation of the earth in a pot from a fine-meshed watering can. Mulching with humus, sawdust or walnut husks will help keep moisture in the soil.

It is worth taking care of fertilizers. The soil in the pot is quickly depleted, For normal fruiting, more nutritious soil is required.. Twice a month, the plants are watered with an aqueous solution of complex fertilizers. Peppers love nitrogen-containing complexes, but they should not be abused so as not to slow down flowering.

Grown bushes need support. It is better to place a peg for tying in a container when transplanting young plant. Later sticking the support into the ground can injure the roots.

Peppers in pots placed in the apartment or on the balcony, may suffer from:. The reason is too dry air, crowding of plants, insufficient watering.