Caring for and growing peppers in a greenhouse: step-by-step instructions for beginning gardeners

Pepper (sweet and bitter) is distinguished by its whimsicality and heat-loving nature. The crop is not easy to grow in Russia, especially in regions with extreme weather conditions. Almost all varieties give maximum yields in our country only in protected soil.

Read on for the basic rules for caring for and growing peppers in a greenhouse.

The best varieties of peppers for greenhouses

Only cold-resistant varieties are suitable for cultivation in open ground in the central part of Russia. And here You can grow any variety of pepper in a greenhouse. Protected soil allows you to create optimal conditions even for the most demanding crops.

What varieties and hybrids most often grown in a greenhouse and greenhouse:

1. California miracle. The main feature is large fruit. The weight of individual specimens reaches 500 g. The wall thickness is 12 mm.
2. Black cardinal. It has an unusual dark purple fruit color. During the ripening period they acquire a red tint. The bush reaches 1 m in height.
3. Yova. It is characterized by high productivity (up to 15 kg per 1 sq. m). Thick-walled bell pepper.
4. Claudio. Mid-season. Dark red long fruits reach a weight of 250 g. They are immune to the main diseases of nightshades. The bush reaches a height of 1.3 m.
5. Atlant. The main feature is the short stature of the bush (up to 70 cm). Bell peppers have thick walls and a sweet taste.
6. Denis. Early.The main stem grows no higher than 60 cm in height. The weight of each fruit reaches 300 g.

The described varieties give the best yield indicators exactly in the greenhouse.

Features of growing peppers in a greenhouse

Agricultural technology of pepper in protected and open ground almost the same, but there are still several features of care in the greenhouse:

1. The greenhouse maintains an optimal level of humidity by regularly ventilating the room. Especially during the heat. It is necessary to create an ideal microclimate in the room.
2. Peppers in the greenhouse are pollinated artificially. To do this, bushes with inflorescences are shaken daily. This is done carefully so as not to damage the stems of the plants. An easier way is to install a fan in the greenhouse, which will promote both pollination and optimal air exchange.
3. In a greenhouse, the beds are watered much less frequently. Usually, in such conditions, only one watering per week is enough for pepper.
4. Peppers are easily pollinated. Therefore, hot and sweet peppers are not planted in the same greenhouse. It is not recommended to place plants of different varieties next to each other, especially if you plan to use their fruits to collect seeds for planting.

Advice! Plants that require different growing conditions cannot be planted in one greenhouse. For example, peppers and cucumbers.

Landing

Some farmers grow peppers in a greenhouse all year round. In this case, you will need a fully equipped room. If you plan to cultivate the plant only in the warm season, then lighter polycarbonate structures or greenhouses are also suitable.

Planting peppers in heated greenhouses is possible at any time of the year.. In simpler shelters, the crop is planted in May.

If the greenhouse is not heated, peppers are grown exclusively by seedlings.. Otherwise, it simply will not have time to produce a harvest before the cold snaps.

Seed preparation

Pepper seeds, especially hybrid ones, are sold by many manufacturers already in processed form.. They are pickled and coated with nutrients in the factory. Processing information is indicated on the packaging. These seeds are colored orange or green.

If the seeds have not been processed by the manufacturer or planting material collected from your own harvest is used, then it will have to be prepared at home.

Step-by-step seed treatment:

1. Calibration. The seeds are sorted, leaving specimens with uniform color without dark spots. They are soaked in salted water (1 tbsp. water and 1 tsp. salt). Only planting material that has sunk to the bottom is suitable for planting.
2. Disinfection. Planting material is soaked in one of the following: for 30 minutes in a light pink solution of potassium permanganate, for 15 minutes in hydrogen peroxide, for 12 hours in a soda solution (1 tsp per 1 cup of water) or for 12 hours in aloe juice .
3. Germination. The seeds are immersed for 12 hours in a growth stimulator (Epin, aloe juice, Zircon). Then they are wrapped in gauze and placed in a saucer with a sponge at the bottom. The seeds are watered with warm water, placed in a warm place and left until germination.
4. Hardening. Place the pepper sprouts in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

Seeds treated in this way will sprout faster. Plants grown from them will be highly resistant to diseases and adverse environmental factors.

Growing seedlings

Pepper seedlings are grown immediately in a heated greenhouse or pots. In the second case, the plants turn out to be stronger and squat, since it is easier to provide optimal conditions in a special room.

The soil for seedlings should be nutritious, but light. To prepare it, garden soil, humus and sawdust or sand are mixed in equal proportions. If the acidity of the resulting mixture is increased, then ash is added to it. Superphosphate is added for enrichment.

The soil must be disinfected. It is poured with hot copper sulfate or a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate. If pepper is grown at home, then the soil is poured into pre-disinfected special boxes or peat pots.

Before sowing, water the soil with warm water.. Grooves 1-2 cm deep are made in it at a distance of 6 cm from each other. Seeds are sown at a distance of 1 cm from each other. They are covered with film and kept at a temperature of 26-30°C until germination. When the planting material germinates, the film is removed.

Seedlings are watered as the top layer of soil dries. Make sure that the water does not stagnate, otherwise the roots will begin to rot.

After 10 days, the weakest peppers are removed by breaking off their stems. After the appearance of two true leaves, the seedlings are thinned out again so that a distance of 5-6 cm remains free between the plants.

In winter, peppers will need additional lighting with fluorescent lamps. If seedlings are grown in the spring, then natural light is enough for them.

During the entire growing period, seedlings are fed twice.:

1. Two weeks after the appearance of two true leaves, the first fertilizing is applied. Use a composition prepared from 5 liters of water, 3 g of urea and 15 g of superphosphate.
2. The second time fertilizer is applied five days before picking. To prepare the nutritional composition, mix 5 liters of water, 25 g of superphosphate and 15 g of potassium sulfate.

Seedlings begin to be grown 2.5 months before picking plants to a permanent place.

Advice! If the plants are strong and stocky, have short internodes and bright green foliage, then it is not necessary to apply the final fertilizing.

Soil and greenhouse preparation

Before sowing seeds or planting seedlings in a greenhouse, it must be prepared. First of all, the room is cleaned of all plant residues and disinfected. Copper sulfate is used not only to water the soil itself, but also to wash the walls of the greenhouse.

Nightshades are not grown on the same soil for several years in a row. Greenhouses are either replaced annually, or the top layer of soil is simply removed every season, replacing it with a new one.

The soil must be enriched. For every 1 sq. m add 6 kg of rotted manure or humus. Also add 25 g of superphosphate and 15 g of urea.

Advice! Experienced vegetable growers sow their beds with rye for the winter. In the spring, the emerging plants are dug up, mixed with soil and watered with Baikal. Literally in a month, fertile soil is obtained in this place, allowing you to reduce the amount of necessary fertilizing.

Boarding procedure

The planting pattern for pepper depends on its variety.. For 1 sq. m, 3-4 bushes of tall plants and 4-5 bushes of low-growing specimens are planted.

A handful of ash and long-acting granular complex fertilizers are added to the holes. Some gardeners additionally pour in 1 liter of chicken manure diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10.

Before boarding The seedlings are watered and carefully removed from the ground with a small spatula or fork, being careful not to damage the roots.Then they are placed in the hole, forming roots towards the center, and covered with soil without deepening the root collar.

Landings watered warm water, spending at least 1 liter per plant. The next watering and fertilizing is possible no earlier than two weeks later.

Advice! Many farmers plant peppers in a greenhouse when the plants have two true leaves.

The timing of planting peppers in an unheated room depends on the climate of the region.:

• southern (Belgorod, Sochi, etc.) - April;
• central (Moscow region, Tver, etc.) - early May;
• cities with a cooler climate (Siberia, Ural) – second half of May.

Caring for peppers in a greenhouse

To get a good harvest, it is important to properly care for the plantings. Here basic rules for growing peppersA:

1. Peppers in the greenhouse are watered 1-2 times a week, using 3-4 liters of warm water for each plant. Before flowering, the plants are watered with rain, then the liquid is poured only at the root. Moisture on flowers will cause pollen to clump together. On the day of pinching and pinching, do not water the pepper.
2. After each watering, the soil is loosened and cleared of weeds. A layer of mulch on the beds (hay, straw, humus) will help make these procedures less frequent.
3. Tall plants need to be pinched. This is done when the main stem reaches its maximum support height.
4. Whether pepper needs shaping depends on its variety. Low-growing varieties usually do not take stepson. Tall specimens form one or two stems. Stepping is carried out early in the morning or late in the evening.
5. Experienced summer residents recommend tying up all high-yielding varieties. Even low-growing plants will break under the weight of the fruit if they are not tied up. The bushes are attached to the support with synthetic thread.
6. Fertilize peppers 3-4 times per season. It is recommended to alternate chicken manure diluted 1:10 and complex mineral fertilizers. Before applying fertilizing, the plants must be watered. Fertilizers are used for the first time two weeks after transplanting seedlings to a permanent place.
7. Greenhouses are regularly ventilated. This is especially important to do on hot days.
8. To help pepper pollination, the bushes are shaken regularly.

Advice! Some vegetable growers use the stepsons of pepper for plant propagation.

Features of pepper care by month

Peppers are grown in a greenhouse all year round. In August, July, May, June and September, the rules for caring for plants remain the same.

During the colder months, plant care techniques will vary.. Here are the main nuances:

1. In winter, the greenhouse is heated to maintain a comfortable room temperature.
2. To reduce the risk of disease development, ensure proper air exchange in the greenhouse. The windows cannot be opened in winter, so it is important to take care of a good ventilation system.
3. It is recommended to reduce the number of waterings in winter. Plants are watered only once a week.

Diseases and pests

In a greenhouse, it is easier for diseases to spread between plants.. Here it is especially important to follow the rules of prevention, which include correct crop rotation, disinfection of tools and premises, proper watering and regular inspection of the bushes.

The most common diseases of pepper in a greenhouse:

1. Pepper seedlings are damaged by blackleg. The stem begins to rot and darken at the base. Affected plants cannot be saved; they are removed. Healthy seedlings and beds are then treated with copper sulfate.
2. Gray rot. Soft dark spots appear on the fruit. Affected fruits are removed.If symptoms of the disease appear on the stems, then such areas are coated with Rovral.
3. White rot. The stems and leaves of plants become covered with soft spots with a white coating. To cope with the problem, plantings are treated with copper sulfate.
4. Verticillium and fusarium wilt. Leaves and stems of plants turn yellow, curl and wither. There is no cure. The main prevention is disinfection of seeds and compliance with crop rotation.
5. Late blight. All parts of the plant are covered with brown or dark brown spots. As a preventive measure, peppers are sprayed with Bordeaux mixture. There is no cure.
6. White spot. Plants become covered with dry white spots with a dark border, on which black spores later form. This leads to wilting and death of the pepper. In the early stages of planting, they are saved by spraying the beds with Fitosporin.
7. Bacterial cancer. Brown spots form on plants, which gradually merge with each other, become crusty and lead to the death of the plants. There is no cure. Diseased plants are removed, and healthy ones are sprayed with copper sulfate.

Not only diseases threaten pepper. The danger is also pests. In greenhouses, beds are most often attacked by whiteflies, thrips and aphid. To prevent the appearance of insects, the windows are covered with special nets. If pests have already affected the bushes, the plants are sprayed with a solution of laundry soap or a decoction of wormwood.

Harvest and storage

The harvest of pepper depends on the time of its planting and the timing of ripening. It begins to be collected in July and ends in October.

Experienced vegetable growers recommend picking peppers as soon as they reach their maximum size.Such specimens will ripen at home, but will not interfere with the development of other fruits.

Store the crop in a cool, dry place. It is important to regularly sort through the fruits, removing any damaged ones.

The nuances of growing sweet and bitter peppers in a greenhouse

The rules for caring for sweet and bitter peppers are the same. Both varieties require regular watering, fertilizing and protection from disease.

Most varieties of hot pepper do not require pinching. In addition, due to its pungent taste, this variety is less susceptible to pest damage.

Important! Bell peppers and hot peppers are not planted in the same greenhouse. Otherwise, cross-pollination will occur and the sweet fruits will acquire a bitter taste.

Growing peppers in a greenhouse as a business

Growing peppers in a greenhouse is becoming a profitable business for many gardeners. Eat a few secrets that will allow you to get maximum yield and reduce costs:

1. Harvesting at the stage of technical ripeness, when the fruits have reached their maximum size, but have not acquired a uniform color. This will increase the yield of the bushes and allow the product to be stored longer.
2. Using varieties rather than hybrids. In this case, the seeds from the harvested crop will be suitable for sowing, and the vegetable grower will not have to spend money on new planting material every year.
3. Use of varieties with disease resistance. This minimizes crop losses due to diseases and reduces chemical costs.

Conclusion

Greenhouse structures make it possible to grow peppers in any region of our country. If you provide heating and properly equip the room, the harvest will be available all year round.

When cultivating peppers in a greenhouse, it is important to follow all the rules of agricultural technology and regularly inspect the bushes for diseases. After all, infections spread faster indoors than in the fresh air.