Four Simple Ways to Protect Pepper Seedlings from Freezing in Winter Greenhouses

Greenhouse peppers

    During the seedling-raising period of winter greenhouse peppers, cold waves often strike suddenly, causing temperatures to drop sharply and making the seedlings susceptible to freeze damage. The severity of freeze damage to the seedlings is also related to how quickly the temperature rises after the cold spell. Therefore, the following anti-freezing measures should be taken:

    1. Using artificial temperature-controlled seedling-raising methods, such as electric heating beds and factory-based seedling production, is the fundamental measure to solve the problem of seedlings suffering from freezing.

    2. During periods of rain and snow and low temperatures, make full use of breaks when the weather clears to remove the straw mats so that the pepper seedlings can receive sunlight. When it suddenly clears up after the rain and snow stop, cover the seedbed with a few straw mats around noon to prevent the seedlings from losing water and wilting. If the seedbed soil is too moist, the seedlings are more susceptible to freeze damage, so watering of the seedbed should be controlled before the cold wave arrives, and a layer of dry plant ash can be spread on seedbeds where the soil is too wet.

    3. Increase the application of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, and use cold-resistance agents during the seedling stage. Spraying the seedlings with a 0.5%-1% brown sugar or glucose solution can enhance their cold resistance. At the 3-4 leaf stage, spray twice (7 days apart) with a 0.5% calcium chloride solution to enhance cold resistance.

    4. During the cold wave, cover the seedbed tightly. When carrying out short periods of ventilation, prevent cold wind from blowing directly into the bed and damaging the seedlings. Add straw curtains at night. Rice straw and dead leaves can be scattered over the seedlings and then removed after the cold wave passes. On snowy days, after the snow stops, promptly clear the snow out of the pepper seedling-raising site.