Pepper seedlings have outgrown
It often happens that due to improper care of the seedlings, it stretches, and the stems and leaves become small. Consider what to do if pepper seedlings have outgrown.
Why seedlings are pulled
The reasons due to which the sprouts have outgrown:
- If the seedlings have outgrown, one of the reasons for this may be insufficient lighting, lack of sunlight in the place where the seedlings germinate. Because the seeds are planted at the end of February, then there are still few sunny days. In this case, it is necessary to equip the room with additional light sources. To do this, buy phytolamps, LED, fluorescent lamps.
- Too abundant and frequent watering. Pepper is a moisture-loving plant, but it is often not worth watering it. The optimal amount of watering is 2-3 times a week. Otherwise, the sprouts will become thin, long. Their immunity will decrease. They will easily succumb to the negative effects of pests.
- Untimely transplantation. As soon as 6-8 leaves are formed on the shoots, they are transplanted into a greenhouse or open ground. If you do this later, the bush may not take root.
- Dense sowing. You cannot plant more than 4 seeds in one container. Because the root and leaf systems will intertwine, which will slow down the growth process. Another option is that the shoots will be strongly stretched immediately after germination in order to obtain the right to exist. Therefore, it is important to maintain the optimal distance between plantings - at least 3 cm between seeds.
- Incorrect temperature conditions. The normal daytime temperature in the room where the seedlings grow is 22-25 ° C. The temperature regime at night is 18-20 ° C. If the sprouts are in an apartment or house, then at night they should be taken out to a cool place - a pantry, a cellar, a corridor.
- Poor soil. If there is a small amount of nutrients in the soil, the shoots will become thin and long. Peppers need light soil with an acidity of 6-7.
- Late pick. When 2 leaves appear on the plant, it should be transplanted into large containers. Because the root system during this period is actively formed and becomes larger, then it needs more space for growth. And when the sprouts cannot grow in width, they begin to stretch upward.
What to do in this case
Understand the cause of the problem. Further actions depend on this.
First, a pick is carried out. This must be done if the cause of overgrown sprouts was a dense planting. To do this, take small disposable cups or small pots. The main thing is that they are deep and high. Earth is poured onto 1/3 of the container, after which a sprout is placed inside. Then they continue to fill up the soil, gradually tamping it. About 1-2 cm is left from the edge.
Containers with sprouts must be placed in a box. It should be made of polystyrene foam. The advantages of this material:
- keeps warm;
- maintains an optimal level of humidity;
- does not heat up;
- lightweight and easy to carry.
Another way that will help save overgrown plants is the Athlete remedy. It temporarily stops the growth of vegetable crops.
The drug is sold in 1.5 ml ampoules. The liquid must be diluted with 1-2 liters of water. You can apply the product in 2 ways - at the root or on the whole plant. It is recommended to initially water the soil near the root. If there are no changes after 3 days, sprinkle the entire plant with drip irrigation. In both cases, the concentration of the solution does not change.
The consumption rate is 1 liter of the Athlete per 1 m2 of land. For pepper, it is recommended to feed 3 times with a break a week. 5 days after the last watering, the sprouts must immediately be transplanted into a greenhouse or open ground.
Other methods
If, after the pick and the Athlete's contribution, there are no positive changes, you can try the following:
- Move the sprout pots to a different location. It should be dark, with a temperature of 10-15 ° C.
- Stop feeding. They are usually needed to stimulate growth. Therefore, henceforth, before transplanting pepper sprouts into open ground, you should forget about dressing.
- Stop watering. Especially if the drug Athlete is used.
- Transplant the plants into peat pots. The containers are pre-soaked in a solution with mineral fertilizers. Then they are dried and filled with earth.
- Pinch seedlings. In the process, the tip is cut, which is located between 4 and 6 internodes. You can also remove the 2 bottom leaves. This will help slow the growth of the plant for a few days.
How to prevent pepper overgrowth
Initially, it is important to choose the right type of pepper. They take into account climatic features and weather conditions in the region. Pay attention to the temperature regime in the room where the plant will germinate. It is necessary to carefully read the conditions for planting a particular variety of pepper. Find out when to plant seeds, when to transplant into the ground and how long should elapse between these 2 procedures.
Priming
It is also important to get good quality soil. Pepper loves soft soil for vegetable crops. If it is not possible to acquire this and there is only a very acidic soil, liming is carried out. Remember, peppers do not grow well in nitrogen-rich soil.
Landing scheme
The seeds are planted at a distance of at least 3 cm from each other, or better - 5 cm. If the seedlings grow at home on the windowsill, then the number of sprouts should not exceed 20 pieces. This will prevent a forced outgrowth due to lack of light.
Shine
In order for the pepper to receive the required amount of light, you can periodically rearrange the sprouts from one windowsill to another. Otherwise, they will not only outgrow, but also bend ugly.
Other recommendations
- Make a pick in a timely manner. Peppers need to dive 20-25 days after the first shoots appear. The main sign of a plant's readiness for this procedure is the presence of 1-2 true leaves.
- After the appearance of 2 leaves, phosphate dressings are carried out. Fertilizers are applied for the second time a week later. This time they do potassium phosphate supplementation. It is better to underfeed the bushes than overfeed.
- Before planting in the ground, hardening is carried out. Then the sprouts will definitely not outgrow. To do this, the seedlings are taken outside, where the air temperature is 16-18 ° C, for 3-4 hours.
- Watering is carried out 2 times a week. Use warm, settled water with a temperature of up to 32 ° C. Containers for germination of bushes should be with holes through which excess moisture will come out.
Transplant seedlings on time. The main feature is the presence of 6-8 true leaves and a developed root system. The disembarkation is done according to the scheme 20 * 20 cm.
Conclusion
It happens that the seedlings are overgrown and strongly elongated, the sprouts have become thin and long. In this case, the plant can be saved in 3 ways - watering with Athlete's solution, transplanting bushes into peat pots, and picking.To prevent such a situation, you should choose the right variety of pepper according to climatic characteristics, select the appropriate soil and adhere to the basic rules for planting this vegetable crop.