How to properly water pepper seedlings after transplanting

Proper seedling care is the key to strong, healthy plants that will produce abundant fruit. Many people think watering peppers is a big deal. Over- or under-watering can be detrimental to peppers.

General rules for watering seedlings

For many years, farmers have been observing peppers to develop general watering guidelines. Water dissolves numerous nutrients and delivers them to the plant's cells and tissues. Therefore, it's important to understand how much water peppers need to thrive.

The right level of humidity

Each plant has its own unique microclimate. Peppers are heat-loving plants. Let's consider their required humidity level.

1. After transplanting, during the growing season, peppers prefer high humidity. It should be around 60-65%. Don't forget to maintain the air temperature at 25 degrees Celsius. Only when these two factors work together will they positively influence the seedlings' development. Separately, they will harm the plants.
2. Soil moisture during seedling development should be between 75-80%. Water the soil with warm water (20-30 degrees Celsius).

To monitor air humidity, you'll need to purchase an inexpensive humidity thermometer. A standard, inexpensive thermometer will suffice for a home greenhouse, but larger growers use specialized sensors that accurately determine the correct humidity level.

Frequency and benefits of watering

The frequency of watering for peppers after picking is 2-3 times a week.

1. Monitor the soil and water the plants as it dries out.
2. Don't overwater the peppers. Water shouldn't stand in the pots after watering, so pay attention to this.
3. If you use liquid fertilizer, you don’t need to water the peppers additionally.

After transplanting, the peppers are somewhat weakened. Watering them can be more than just a moisture-saturation process; it can also be a nutrient-intensive process.

1. The first feeding can be done a few days after transplanting the peppers into individual pots. To prepare the solution, you will need: 0.5 teaspoon of urea, 2.5 ml of potassium humate, and 2 liters of water. Water sparingly.
2. The second feeding is done 14-15 days after the first. It is done with a solution containing ammonium nitrate (2 g), superphosphate (9 g), and potassium (3 g). This amount of fertilizer requires 2 liters of water.

The benefits of feeding during this period are:

• increasing pepper resistance to diseases;
• formation of a strong root system;
• development of green mass.

Types of water and their impact on seedlings

1. Rainwater used to be considered the best water for seedlings. It's soft and contains a high percentage of dissolved oxygen. However, with the current climate being so poor, watering seedlings with rainwater can be detrimental.
2. River and lake water are questionable for watering seedlings. Today, rivers are contaminated with a variety of chemicals and wastes that will certainly not have a positive effect on plants.
3. Tap water contains many cleaning additives that can negatively affect the plant, so it needs to be settled.
4. Well and borehole water is the most suitable option for watering seedlings. However, it's important to keep in mind that sources with high concentrations of mineral salts are not suitable for watering seedlings.

You can purify water to remove impurities, but this is expensive. Therefore, use settled tap water or well water.

Reviews:

Alexandra Artemovna:

I didn't water the peppers often after transplanting. I watered the seedlings about twice a week when the soil began to dry out. I transplanted them into peat pots, which I then planted with the peppers. I watered the soil with settled tap water, warming it before watering.

Nikolai Fedorovich:

I live in a village with no running water, so I watered my pepper seedlings from a well. I transplanted them when the plants sprouted a couple of leaves. I watered them twice with water and fertilizer. In the planted trays, the peppers looked impressive. In the open ground, they took root quickly, and the root system was strong.