What are the key points for sowing and raising seedlings of green bell peppers in summer?
The green bell pepper belongs to the plant kingdom, class Dicotyledoneae, subclass Asteridae, family Solanaceae. Together with the red chili pepper, it is collectively called pepper. The fruit is a berry. It has many aliases; big pepper, lantern pepper, and persimmon pepper are all names for it, and because it can bear sweet-tasting berries, it is also called sweet pepper and vegetable pepper. It is an annual or perennial herbaceous plant, characterized by relatively large fruit and a mild pungency or even no pungency at all, used as a vegetable rather than as a seasoning. Because it is bright emerald green, and newly bred varieties also come in red, yellow, purple and other colors, it can not only be served as a dish on its own but is also widely used as a garnish.
The green bell pepper has thick, crisp and tender flesh and is rich in vitamin C. The green fruit contains about 93.9% water and about 3.8% carbohydrates, and the red ripe fruit can contain up to 460 mg of vitamin C. It can be served cold, stir-fried, boiled, used as a filling, pickled, and processed into cans and candied fruit.
Temperature requirements for green bell peppers: the adaptable temperature range is 15-35 °C, the suitable temperature range is 25-28 °C, and the germination temperature is 28-30 °C.
Moisture requirements for green bell peppers: they like moisture and fear drought and waterlogging, requiring moist soil that is not waterlogged.
Light requirements for green bell peppers: they are not strict about light, requiring moderate light intensity; 10-12 hours of light per day is favorable for flowering and fruiting. The growth and development of green bell peppers require sufficient nutrients; for every 1000 kg of green bell peppers produced, 2 kg of nitrogen, 1 kg of phosphorus, and 1.45 kg of potassium are needed, along with an appropriate amount of calcium fertilizer. As for soil requirements, moist sandy loam that drains easily is best, and the soil pH should preferably be neutral, though slightly acidic is also acceptable.
Key points for sowing and raising seedlings of green bell peppers in summer
Before sowing, put the seeds in the sun to dry for 2-3 days, then soak them in warm water or a chemical solution for disinfection. For warm-water soaking, first moisten the seeds with clean water, then put them into 55 °C warm water and soak for 15 minutes; for chemical soaking, first soak the seeds in clean water for 2 hours, then soak them in 800 times diluted 75% chlorothalonil for 20 minutes, and rub them clean with clean water. After disinfection, germinate the seeds at 25-30 °C, and sow when 70% of the seeds have sprouted white.
The seedbed should be chosen on a sunny, wind-sheltered, fertile and loose plot where solanaceous vegetables have not been grown for 2-3 years. Before sowing, level and refine the soil, then disinfect the soil with carbendazim or dexon, and apply sufficient base fertilizer 10-15 days before sowing.
Sowing is generally done in early to mid-December, with 50 grams of seed per mu. Before sowing, water the seedbed thoroughly, evenly scatter the seeds on the seedbed and lightly press them with a flat board so that the seeds fully adhere to the soil, then sprinkle and water with 5% dilute fertilizer water, then cover the seedbed with 0.5-1 cm of nutrient soil, and immediately cover with film or build a small arched shed to keep warm and moist. When 30% of the seeds emerge, remove the flat-laid plastic film. After the seedlings emerge uniformly, thin them 1-2 times; after thinning and before transplanting the seedlings, apply one topdressing of 5% clear manure water each time, and during the small seedling stage let the seedlings get ventilation and light. Seedling-stage management is mainly to control leggy growth and avoid overly wet seedbed soil; generally, do not water if the nutrient soil has not turned white, and if watering, water thoroughly, generally watering in the sunny afternoon, and according to the growth of the seedlings, apply urea or compound fertilizer together with watering.
When the seedlings have 2-3 leaves, choose a sunny day at the end of a cold spell and the beginning of a warm one to transplant them with medicine and soil, watering while transplanting; 3-4 days before transplanting, harden the seedlings appropriately and strengthen ventilation, with a daytime temperature of 19-25 °C and a nighttime temperature of 13-15 °C. After transplanting, cover with a small arched shed and keep warm and moist for 4-5 days, maintaining the temperature inside the shed at about 28 °C. After transplanting, spray once with 800 times diluted 75% chlorothalonil or 800 times diluted 70% mancozeb to prevent disease. After the seedlings recover, the temperature inside the shed should not be higher than 25 °C; harden the seedlings about one week before field planting, with a nighttime temperature of 13-15 °C, control water, and gradually increase ventilation. At the field planting stage, the seedlings generally have 9-12 true leaves and have begun to branch, bearing several flower buds, with robust plants, thick flesh, dark green leaves, well-developed roots, no pests or diseases, and no tall leggy stems.