When to plant peppers in open ground: secrets of a rich harvest

Pepper is a rather whimsical crop. Healthy and strong seedlings will be the key to a bountiful harvest, but it is important not to miss the deadline for planting them in open beds.

Pepper grows best on light, non-acidic soils, but you need to prepare the site in advance. OBOZ.UA tells you about the rules of growing pepper.

When to plant peppers in the ground

After the seedlings have grown and strengthened, and the stage of formation of the first buds has begun, pepper can be planted in the garden. This is a rather thermophilic crop, so the air temperature should be at +15-17°C. Planting usually takes place at the end of May.

Where to plant peppers

You need to remember the rules of crop rotation. It's best to plant peppers in the garden where cucumbers, zucchini, onions, carrots, pumpkins, or green manure grew last year.

But after potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers, there are few nutrients left in the soil, so it's best not to plant pepper seedlings in these beds.

You can pre-fertilize the beds by applying 5 kg of organic matter per 1 square meter during spring planting, and in the fall, after harvesting, add 50 g of phosphorus and potassium fertilizers per unit area. Experts recommend adding 40 g of ammonium nitrate to the topsoil per square meter.

How to plant peppers

1. You need to make holes at a distance of 40-50 cm from each other, while keeping a distance of about 60 cm between the rows. The root neck of the seedling should be flush with the surface of the plot.
2. Next, spread one tablespoon of complete mineral fertilizer into each hole. The composition should include nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. After mixing the fertilizer thoroughly with the soil, you can start planting.
3. After removing the pepper from the seedling container, lower it into the hole. Do this carefully so as not to destroy the earthen lump. If you grew the seedlings in peat pots, lower the seedling into the hole with it.
4. After filling the hole with soil, water each plant abundantly. Peat mulching will also be useful. If the temperature still drops below +13°C at night, the seedlings will need shelter.

Do not forget about timely watering, weeding and loosening the area, tying up and feeding the plants.

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