The most common diseases of pepper seedlings - how to recognize and destroy the enemy of the crop. Why pepper leaves turn white There are white grains on the back of the pepper leaf

To prevent diseases of pepper seedlings from developing, it is necessary to monitor the seedlings and perform basic care steps: water, fertilize, slaughter, maintain the correct temperature, apply ash.

The main diseases of pepper seedlings

1. Black leg. The disease appears when temperature and water conditions are not observed, it is too warm and humid, or the temperature is too low. The root stalk is affected: it softens, becomes thinner and rots. The disease can affect pepper seedlings even if the planting is too dense. The struggle: adjust watering and temperature correctly, the soil needs to be dried, carefully loosened and sprinkled with wood ash.

2. Withering. The seedlings begin to shed their leaves, most often the causes are fungal diseases: sclerocinia, fusarium. Control: affected plants are destroyed and sprayed with a bacterial preparation.

3. Black bacterial spot. Stems and leaves are affected from the moment they emerge; small black spots first appear on the leaves and stems, which gradually increase in size. The disease leads to the death of the plant. Control: destruction of affected seedlings, soil disinfection, use of proven seeds for seedlings.

4. Late blight. A fungal disease that attacks the stems and leaves, producing brown spots with a pale green area around them. Excess humidity and cool temperatures lead to the development of the disease. Control: before sowing, the seeds need to be treated with a solution of potassium permanganate, the plants should be sprayed with various infusions (garlic, onion), the temperature should be adjusted, and the plants should be sprayed with Brodka liquid.

5. White rot. A fungal disease that develops in the root zone of a plant, covering it with fungal plaque and forming sclerotia inside the plant, due to which the plant does not receive enough nutrients. Control: maintaining temperature conditions, mulching the soil, removing affected areas of the plant, treating the plant with crushed chalk or coal, using warm water when watering, disinfecting the soil.

6. Gray rot. Appears when temperature conditions and high humidity are not observed. The above-ground parts of the plant are affected, and weeping brown spots with a grayish coating appear. Control: monitor the temperature, monitor the humidity, destroy the affected parts of the plant, ventilate, treat the plants with garlic infusion.

7. Viral diseases: streak, mosaic, which appear due to excessive humidity and poor lighting. Affected plants are destroyed, tools and soil are disinfected.

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Infectious diseases of pepper in a greenhouse - part two - fungal and mycoplasma diseases

Pepper diseases in a greenhouse can be caused not only by various bacteria and viruses, but also by a variety of fungal and mycoplasma pathogens.

Let us dwell in more detail on exactly what fungal and mycoplasma diseases affect pepper, as well as on how to prevent and treat such infections. You can also watch video materials on the problem of fungal diseases of pepper and the fight against them.

Fungal diseases

There are quite a few diseases of pepper caused by a variety of fungi; let’s look at the most common ones:

• blackleg;
• verticillium wilt;
• fusarium wilt;
• septoria or white spot;
• Alternaria or dry spotting;
• cladosporiosis or brown spot;
• gray rot;
• sclerotinia or white rot;
• late blight

Blackleg

One of the very first fungal diseases that a gardener has to deal with when growing seedlings is “blackleg”. It is this disease that can destroy most of the seedlings, especially under conditions of high relative humidity and insufficient lighting (see LED lamps - efficiency in action). The pathogenic fungus spreads through seeds, poorly disinfected soil and plant debris.

The main symptoms of this disease, as a result of the penetration of the pathogen, in seedlings are:

• darkening of the root collar;
• thinning and rotting of the stem in this area;
• wilting, followed by death of plants.

Blackleg can affect not only seedlings, but also adult plants growing in a greenhouse. Signs of infection by this disease in adult plants are somewhat different than in seedlings:

• the lower part of the stem, located at soil level, becomes dark brown;
• the stem tissues in this area become, as it were, “pressed in.”

The reason why pepper turns yellow in a greenhouse, in the case of the “black leg,” is a nutritional disorder, which primarily manifests itself on old leaves, which turn yellow and wither.

Verticillium wilt

This disease is very similar in some of its manifestations to plant damage by the cucumber mosaic virus. This is due to the fact that in both cases the vascular system of the plant is affected.

The main symptoms of verticillium in sweet peppers are as follows:

• even before flowering, plants affected by the fungus are noticeably stunted in growth;
• the leaves are significantly smaller than normal and have a dark green color;
• starting from the lower leaves, yellow spots appear, first small and then spreading over the entire leaf blade;
• the disease affects plants from the base and gradually moves to its top;
• when plants are infected in the early stages of development, an ovary does not form on them;
• a plant infected at later stages of growth forms an ovary, but the fruits produced are not large and wrinkled.

Characteristic signs of verticillium wilt are:

• dark green leaf color;
• absence of curvature of the central vein of the leaves;
• dark coloration of vascular tissue.

Particularly unpleasant

Fusarium wilt

This disease affects both pepper seedlings and adult plants planted in a greenhouse, and at very different stages of development. The most dangerous damage to plants by fusarium is during fruit set.

This disease manifests itself in a very similar way to verticillium: the leaves of plants, starting from the bottom, turn yellow and then fall off.

Unlike verticillium wilt, fusarium wilt leads to rotting of the root system, and ultimately to the death of the plant.

White spot (septoria)

Septoria usually affects the leaves, and in some cases, the stems and fruits of pepper. The activity of the pathogenic fungus that causes this disease increases when the relative air humidity is above 80% and the air temperature is +15+270C.

The development of the disease begins from below and first covers the old leaves, on which small grayish-white spots appear, surrounded by a darker rim. Gradually, the disease moves upward and affects the upper leaves. The spots become more and more numerous and gradually they merge into one large spot that covers the entire leaf blade, after which the leaves acquire a brownish-yellow color and dry out.

As soon as dirty white spots appear on the leaf blade, it is necessary to spray the plants with any copper-containing preparation. After about two weeks, the treatment must be repeated.

Important: the causative agent of white spot remains exclusively on plant debris. That is why it is so important to remove them all with your own hands and disinfect the soil.

Alternaria (dry spotting)

Alternaria most often affects the stems and leaves of peppers, and much less often the fruits.

The first signs of the disease appear on the lower leaves in the form of round spots of brown-brown color. Gradually, spots appear on the upper leaves, and also increase in size and merge. After which the leaves dry out.

When the stems are infected by the fungus, oval, brown or brownish spots with concentric rings appear on them. The stems are affected by dry rot or die.

Fruits are affected, for the most part, near the stalk, or in places of damage or cracking. Small, as if depressed, watery spots appear on them. There may be one single spot on the outer surface, but the entire interior of the fruit may be affected. If there is high air humidity in the greenhouse, the spots become covered with a dark velvety coating.

When the first signs of damage appear on the leaves, the plants need to be treated with a solution of Bordeaux mixture, diluting 100 g of the drug in a bucket of water, or with any copper-containing drug.

Most often, this infectious disease of peppers manifests itself in greenhouses where sudden temperature changes occur. The most favorable temperature for active reproduction +13+160С.

Cladosporiosis (brown spot)

Brown spot affects the leaves, petioles, stalks and ovary of pepper, which subsequently falls off.

Symptoms of this disease are:

• light green spots with a coating of fungus on the inside of the leaves of the lower tier;
• spots of the same or dark brown color on the outer surface of the leaf blade;
• rapid spread of damage from the leaves of the lower tier to the upper one;
• affected leaves wither and dry out.

The disease is transmitted through contaminated soil, infected tools and plant debris. Cladosporiosis is not transmitted through seeds.

At the first signs of the disease, it is necessary to spray the plants with copper oxychloride or any other copper-containing preparation.

Advice: if the disease affects the plants during fruiting, then it is better to use infusions from plant materials rather than chemicals. To do this, dilute 1 cup of finely chopped or grated garlic in 3 liters of water, then let it brew for 10 days. In the future, to treat the plants, dilute 1 glass of the resulting infusion in 10 liters of water and spray the affected bushes.

Gray rot

Peppers growing in film greenhouses where humidity and temperature conditions are not observed are most often affected. If the humidity in the greenhouse is above 80% and the temperature remains within +10+150С, then all above-ground parts of the plant become diseased. It appears in the form of wet brown spots covered with a rich gray coating.

Fungal spores persist on plant debris and can spread through soil and water.

White rot (sclerotinia)

This disease affects the plant in the root zone. On the affected area of ​​the stem, as you can see in the photo presented, a white “fluffy” coating appears, and inside there are hard, black formations.

Fruits affected by the fungus become watery and soft, and a white coating appears in some areas.

The causative agent of this disease of peppers in a greenhouse can be both on plant debris and in the soil itself.

To prevent the occurrence of this fungal disease, it is necessary to maintain an optimal level of humidity for pepper, both in the air and in the soil in the greenhouse, and promptly remove shoots, wilting leaves and diseased plants. If all these measures are not carried out, the price will be quite high - the loss of the entire harvest.

Tip: areas affected by white rot, as well as places where shoots and leaves are removed, can be powdered with crushed chalk or charcoal.

Late blight

The development of this disease, which affects all parts of the plant, is facilitated by:

• sudden temperature changes;
• long and stable cold snap;
• high humidity.

Late blight can occur at any time throughout the growing season, but most often it appears after peppers have flowered.

The most typical signs of this disease are:

• the appearance on the leaves of large watery brown spots surrounded by a light green halo;
• rotting of the root collar;
• rotting that spreads to the entire stem, forming depressed dark spots;
• drying of the stalk;
• dark, watery spots on the fruit.

How to prevent the occurrence of fungal diseases?

For all fungal diseases presented, the prevention instructions will be general:

• It is necessary to carefully collect and remove with your own hands all plant debris from greenhouses, followed by their destruction.
• Mandatory disinfection of both the greenhouse structures themselves and the soil in them.

Tip: to disinfect the soil in a greenhouse, you can use a warm solution of potassium permanganate (potassium permanganate), dissolving in about 10 liters of water 5 g drug.

• Compliance with the rules of crop rotation: plant peppers in places where nightshades (tomatoes, eggplants) grew only after two to three years.
• In the event that it is not possible to change the planting site, it is necessary to disinfect, and it is best to completely change the soil in the greenhouse.
• Try to use seeds of varieties resistant to fungal diseases, for example, “Kakadu”, “Pioneer”, “Horizon”.
• Carry out mandatory disinfection of seeds before planting. (See Planting seedlings in a greenhouse) It is most effective to combine thermal and chemical disinfection.

Tip: one of the most effective ways to disinfect seeds is thermal disinfection. A week before the seeds are planted for seedlings, they are soaked in 20 minutes in 0.2% solution zinc sulfate, the temperature of which should be about +500С. Then the seeds are cooled in water, the temperature of which should not exceed +200С and then dried.

• Discard weakened and developmentally delayed seedlings.
• Do not thicken the plantings when planting plants in greenhouses.
• Compliance with agricultural practices for growing peppers, especially humidity and temperature regimes, as well as ventilation.
• Treat plants with antifungal drugs before fruiting begins.
• Carry out periodic foliar spraying with copper-containing preparations.
• Cull and remove the affected parts of the plants, or the entire diseased bush.

Mycoplasma diseases

Mycoplasma diseases of pepper can affect all parts of the plant except the seeds. They are caused by tiny microorganisms - mycoplasmas, which are carried by various insects, for example, cicadas or aphids.

In the greenhouse, pepper is most often affected by a disease such as stolbur (phytoplasmosis).

Stolbur

This disease manifests itself on greenhouse peppers with the following symptoms:

• dwarfism;
• leaf change:

• the color changes to deep yellow or yellow-green;
• crushing the leaves of the upper tier with a change in the color of the lower side to violet-blue;
• the leaves of the lower tier are coarser, yellowish in color, and may curl;
• The veins on the leaves are sinuous.

• increased bushiness of the whole plant;
• the fruits are small and do not correspond to the variety;
• The seeds in the fruits are small, prone to germination inside the fruit.

The disease is transmitted by various insects, such as aphids, cicadas of various types and mites that live on various weeds.

Control and prevention measures

The main methods of combating stolbur in pepper are:

• growing varieties resistant to mycoplasma infections; (See also Growing Sweet Peppers)
• destruction of all weeds, both in the greenhouse and around it;
• preventive treatment of plants with insecticidal preparations - before planting in a greenhouse, and two weeks after planting in a permanent place;
• foliar feeding of plants with complex fertilizers and biostimulants to increase resistance to diseases;
• thorough cleaning and disinfection of greenhouses.

parnik-teplitsa.ru

Protecting pepper seedlings from pests

Juicy, hot, sweet and fragrant - all these characteristics relate to one unique vegetable - pepper, which will add a touch of piquancy to any dish. And how nice it is to eat a sweet slice of pepper in a salad or feel its spiciness in a Mexican soup. But it’s even nicer to get a good harvest from your own garden.

Pepper varieties

For the successful cultivation of pepper, the correct selection of the variety plays an important role, on which not only the yield itself depends, but also the ripening time, frost resistance, taste and susceptibility of the vegetable to diseases and pests. Knowledge and correct selection of varieties will simplify the growing process.

Pepper has more than two thousand varieties, which I would divide into several categories:

1. Sweet pepper varieties
2. Hot pepper varieties
3. Pepper hybrids
4. Pepper varieties for balconies and window sills

Sweet pepper varieties include: Ivanhoe, Agapovsky, Accord, Alyonushka, Atomor, Bagration, Belladonna, Snow White, Turquoise, Buratino, Vernost, Victoria, Denis, Dobryak, Eroshka, Yellow Bell, Zarya, Isabella, Prometheus, Florida and many others.

The top ten varieties of hot peppers are headed by: Adjika, Indian Summer, Hungarian Yellow, Magic Bouquet, Gorgon, For Mother-in-Law, Coral, Red Fatty, Fiery Maiden, Ogonyok.

Pepper hybrids are popular because they are resistant to diseases, pests and are not afraid of temperature changes. Common types are: Adler, Ararat, Erivan, Kazbek Terek.

Balcony and indoor varieties include Watercolor, Candy, Chanterelle, Treasure Island, Tomboy, Yarik. These types of peppers are stunted and the fruits are small. One advantage is that peppers can be grown in small containers in an apartment or on a balcony.

Pests of seedlings

Having planted the seeds, we eagerly await the emergence of a sprout. And then that day came: the stem broke through, turned green, and began to grow. From the pot we begin to plant the seedlings in the greenhouse or directly on the garden bed. It is from this moment that danger arises. Pests begin to attack the pepper:

1. Spider mite
2. Greenhouse whitefly
3. Wireworms
4. Medvedka
5. Slugs are naked

Aphid

Aphids are the most common pest; they attack shoots, leaves, inflorescences, cause curling and falling of greenery, and underdevelopment of the fruit. The optimal living conditions for aphids are a temperature of +22 - +25 degrees Celsius and air humidity in the range of 75 - 85%. This is the wet summer period. Over the entire fertile season of pepper, aphids can produce more than 20 generations, which will injure the plant until the entire crop is destroyed.

Spider mite

Greenhouse whitefly

The whitefly is the most dangerous pest of pepper seedlings, because due to its size of 1.5 mm and an inconspicuous pale body, it is completely invisible. The body of this insect is covered with a waxy coating and secretes honeydew, saturated with sugary substances. It is they who contaminate the surface of the leaves, draw out moisture from them, and as a result, the plant dries out.

Wireworms

The larva of the click beetle insect is called wireworm. Unlike the above pests, wireworms attack the root of the seedlings themselves. They live and reproduce in the soil at a depth of 10 - 15 cm for 5 years. By attacking the pepper, they slowly kill it. The infected plant begins to lag in growth and quickly dies.

Medvedka

Slugs are naked

For those who like to grow peppers in film greenhouses and greenhouses, you need to know about the naked slug - a pest of pepper seedlings that prefers too moist soil and feeding at night. Slugs eat mainly leaves, gnawing large holes and eating them completely. After eating the greenery, they destroy the flowers and young fruit.

Fighting methods

Knowledge of pest control methods for pepper seedlings will help avoid the death of the vegetable and preserve the harvest.

Methods for controlling aphids

The most effective way to combat aphids is to spray the plant with a decoction of wormwood, yarrow, or a solution of pesticides.

For wormwood decoction you will need:

1. 1 kg of crushed and dried wormwood.

The wormwood is boiled for 15 minutes. After cooling the broth, filter and add 10 liters of water. To make the decoction more sticky to the leaves, you can add a few grams of soap. Pepper leaves are sprayed with this solution, killing aphids.

Yarrow recipe:

1. 800 grams of dried plants
2. Boiled water

The crushed plant is poured with boiling water for 2 days, then filtered and 20 grams of soap are added for every 10 liters of liquid. This remedy is very effective, since the body of the aphid is covered with a burning soap solution, and the insect dies.

Methods for controlling spider mites

Also, in the fight against ticks, a biological method is used - phytosailus mites are bred. It kills the opponent without injuring the plant.

Methods for dealing with procrastination

Methods of dealing with mole crickets

Methods for dealing with naked slugs

Performing all these actions is the key to the health of pepper seedlings.

For proper care of pepper seedlings, some tips presented in this video will be useful. For example, you will learn how to plant peppers correctly and what soil should be prepared for planting.

In this video, the presenter will talk about the benefits of peppers, when and how to plant them, how often to water them so that the floor is juicy and crispy.

OgorodSadovod.com

Infectious and fungal diseases of pepper and their control.

Phytophthora on pepper: photo

Brown rot of pepper (Late blight). Peppers, like tomatoes, are susceptible to a disease called late blight. Late varieties are most susceptible to late blight. This is due to the fact that in the late months of summer weather conditions noticeably worsen, air humidity increases and the average daily temperature decreases. Ideal conditions for the development of late blight arise.

Symptoms and signs. Brown rot (Late blight) of pepper mainly affects the fruits and stems of the plant. Brown spots appear on the leaves, which are located along the edges. A kind of coating forms on the bottom of the leaf - spores of the pathogen fungus. Infected leaves dry out and fall off very quickly. On the stems you can observe peculiar elongated brown spots. There is no plaque on them. Rot appears on the fruits, which constantly develops, even during storage.

Most often, peppers become infected with late blight due to the disease being transferred from potatoes.

Fight against late blight. As a preventative measure, it is necessary to isolate pepper plantings from potato and tomato plantings. Potassium bait should not be neglected. Potassium significantly increases plant resistance to late blight. At the first manifestations of late blight, be sure to spray. Spraying is carried out using the same tactics as tomatoes.

White rot: Photos

White rot. White rot is also called sclerotinia. This disease usually develops in the lower part of the plant. The disease is quite common.

Symptoms and signs of the disease. The mycelium of the fungus begins to develop in the lower part of the stem. This is the first sign of white rot. The most interesting thing happens inside the stem. Black solid formations appear there. Then the fruits are affected. They become covered with a white coating, become watery and covered with plaque.

Fighting white rot. As a preventive measure, always maintain normal soil moisture and do not overwater the plants. Always remove dying leaves and shoots from suckers. If you find an area affected by white rot, then treat it with crushed coal or chalk.

Gray rot of pepper: Photo

Gray rot. Gray mold most often affects plants that grow in film greenhouses or greenhouses. It is there that, as a rule, the temperature and humidity regime is disturbed. A favorable environment for the development of gray rot is an air temperature of +10-15 degrees and an air humidity of 80%.

Symptoms and signs. Brown spots with a gray coating appear on the leaves and stems of the plant. Infection occurs from the lower part of the plant.

Fighting gray rot. Practically impossible. Remove affected parts of the plant. During planting, observe crop rotation.

Black bacterial spot of pepper: photo

Black bacterial spot. This disease affects the entire plant - stems, leaves, fruits.

Symptoms and signs. The damage starts from the leaves. Very small black spots with a yellow border appear. Then the stem is affected. Exactly the same spots appear on it, but slightly elongated in shape. Spots 5-10 millimeters in size also appear on the fruits, which subsequently form ulcers. The development of bacterial black spot is promoted by high temperature and humidity.

Fighting bacterial spot. Fighting bacterial spot usually does not help. It is very important to follow disease prevention measures. Select only healthy fruits to obtain seeds, always destroy plant debris, and disinfect the seeds before planting.

Pepper blossom end rot: photo

Apex rot. This disease is quite common. It attacks pepper fruits.

Symptoms and signs. Spots with a dark border appear on the fruits. Infected fruits rot very quickly.

Non-infectious diseases of pepper and their control.

Non-infectious pepper diseases are much safer than infectious ones. They are usually safer than infectious ones and do not infect other plants. They appear due to violations of growing conditions and lack of nutrients.

Nitrogen deficiency. Plants need nitrogen for full growth and development of green mass. If a plant lacks nitrogen, it begins to turn yellow and the leaves dry out. This leads to a significant reduction in the number of inflorescences and fruits. The fruits are set, but most of them begin to dry out. If you find such symptoms, immediately feed the plants with nitrogen fertilizers. But don't overdo it. Excess nitrogen may improve stem and leaf growth but will slow fruit growth. Plants also become less resistant to pests and infectious disease agents. It is important to find a middle ground here.

Potassium deficiency. Potassium is required by plants for fruit formation. The main signs of potassium deficiency are the appearance of yellow dry spots in the middle or along the edges of the lower leaves. The leaves first turn brown, then droop and dry out. If such signs are present, be sure to feed the pepper with potassium.

Phosphorus deficiency. Phosphorus serves plants for the formation of roots. The main sign of phosphorus deficiency is the color of the leaves in a light purple color. If you do not timely fertilize with phosphorus fertilizer, the stem will begin to deplete and dry out.

Boron deficiency. With a lack of boron, young leaves stop growing, become deformed and dry out. The same thing happens with inflorescences.

Pepper pests.

There are many different pepper pests that can destroy plants or significantly reduce yield.

Medvedka: photo

Medvedka. Let's start with such a pest as the mole cricket. The mole cricket is one of the insects that have pronounced digging abilities. Mole crickets are most common in damp areas - near water bodies. Insects overwinter in a pile of manure or compost, being in the larval and adult phases. From the very early spring, with the onset of warmth, it begins to damage and destroy pepper crops.

Fighting a mole cricket. As a preventive measure against mole crickets, in May and June, row spacing is periodically loosened to a depth of 15 centimeters to destroy eggs. Stores today sell a lot of products to combat mole crickets.

Aphids on peppers: Photo

Aphid. Aphids are a very dangerous pest for peppers. Aphids feed on the leaves, stems and flowers of peppers.

Fighting aphids. If you find aphids on your plants, you must immediately take control measures. Before and after flowering, peppers can be sprinkled with solutions of karbofos or keltan, at the rate of 1 tablespoon per 10 liters of water. This cannot be done during fruiting.

ferma-biz.ru

Pepper - features of care, planting and growing

There are more than 2,000 species of peppers in nature, and their homeland is Central America. In this article I will talk about sweet peppers, also called bell peppers. The “Mexican” came to Europe in the 15th century and, in a roundabout way, through Spain, Turkey, Iran, eventually entered our region. Here it has seriously taken root, despite its heat-loving nature and capricious disposition - after all, pepper has more than enough advantages! It is not only rich in bright colors that give the dish a festive look, it is not only tasty and juicy, but it is also an invaluable storehouse of vitamins. In this regard, a rare vegetable or fruit can be compared with it.

But to get a good harvest, you will have to try. This “southerner” loves warm weather, so in mid-latitudes it is grown mostly by seedlings and in greenhouses.

Pepper is a short-day plant, that is, if daylight lasts less than 12 hours, pepper begins to bear fruit earlier and, importantly, produces more stable and higher yields.

Growing pepper seedlings

If you do not have a greenhouse, then pepper seeds must be sown in February so that the plants are 90-100 days old before transplanting in May.

Pepper does not tolerate picking well, so try to immediately sow the seeds in individual peat pots with a diameter of about 8-10 cm. It makes no sense to use large pots due to the slow development of the pepper root system.

The substrate for growing pepper seedlings should be light and loose and consist of 2 parts humus mixed with 1 part sand and 1 part soil. For 1 kg of this mixture you need to add a tablespoon of ash.

Pepper seeds require pre-planting treatment - they must be kept until they swell, for five hours, in water at a temperature of about 50 °C. After this, they must be placed in a damp cloth for pecking for 2-3 days, the room temperature is about 20 ° C. By carrying out this simple pre-planting preparation of pepper seeds, you will get seedlings literally the next day after sowing.

The sown pepper seeds must be thoroughly watered and immediately after that covered with plastic wrap or glass. Before emergence, they can be in any warm (about 22°C) place, the lighting does not matter, it is possible in the dark.

After emergence, the optimal temperature for growing pepper seedlings is about 26-28 °C during the day, and about 10-15 °C at night. You should not pamper pepper seedlings with excessive watering, this can only harm it and cause blackleg disease. But try not to let the substrate dry out. The water for watering pepper seedlings should be warm - about 30 ° C; if it is too cold, the seedlings will become frail, get sick and may even die. Do not forget to monitor the air in the room in which the seedlings are grown; it should not be too dry. Spray the plants, and ventilate the room itself thoroughly, remembering to protect the plants from drafts.

Pepper seedlings require additional lighting, so during the month of February they need to be illuminated from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Before planting, seedlings need to be hardened, gradually accustomed to the rays of the sun, lower temperatures, wind and rain. To do this, the plant is taken out into the fresh air, gradually increasing the time it stays there. During hardening, monitor the weather conditions; pepper seedlings should not be allowed to be exposed to frost or low temperatures - for pepper this is below 13 °C.

Planting pepper

The best predecessors for peppers: onions, cucumbers, pumpkin, cabbage after green manure, zucchini and carrots. Bad predecessors for peppers: potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, physalis and eggplant.

Light soils are best for growing peppers. It is better to prepare the soil for peppers in advance - a year in advance, adding 5 kg of organic fertilizers per square meter to the predecessor of the pepper. meter, and in the fall 50 g of potash and phosphorus fertilizers for deep digging. In the spring, add 40 g of ammonium nitrate to the site - in the top layer of soil. Five days before transplanting pepper seedlings to a permanent place, start disinfecting the soil; this must be done using a solution - add a tablespoon of copper sulfate to a bucket of water.

Pepper seedlings are planted in open ground at the end of May - mid-June, according to a 40x40 cm pattern. Pepper seedlings are planted in a film unheated greenhouse at the beginning of April, and in tunnel shelters at the end of May.

Try to place the seedlings in the holes at the same depth at which the plants grew in the seedling box, without exposing the roots of the pepper and without digging in its root neck. Pepper does not like cold soil, and if you want to get a serious harvest, arrange high beds for it, which must be raised by 25-55 centimeters.

Remember, peppers are highly susceptible to cross-pollination, so if you plant several varieties of peppers on your plot, try to place them as far apart as possible and, if possible, separate them from each other by planting tall tomatoes, corn and sunflowers.

Growing pepper by planting seeds in open ground is not practical even in the southern regions. You will still have to sow late, when the soil warms up, the plant will develop more slowly, the first fruits will ripen later, and the fruiting period of the pepper will be significantly shorter.

Pepper care

Pepper care consists of timely watering, gartering, weeding and fertilizing. The first feeding of pepper seedlings must be carried out in the phase of 1-2 true leaves, for which 0.5 g of ammonium nitrate, 1 g of potassium fertilizer and 3 g of superphosphate are mixed in 1 liter of water. The second feeding is 2 weeks after the first; the dose of mineral fertilizers for it must be doubled.

It is effective to feed pepper seedlings with a special infusion of nettle, for the preparation of which you need to take 1 part of nettle and 10 parts of water - leave for 2 days. The last feeding should be done 2 days before you intend to plant the seedlings in a permanent place, while increasing the dose of potassium fertilizers to 7 g per 1 liter of water. During the season, you need to fertilize peppers about 3-4 times with chicken manure - 1:10, alternating such fertilizing with foliar fertilizing, for which you need to use mineral fertilizers, for example nitrophoska (a tablespoon per bucket of water).

With a lack of potassium, the pepper leaves curl and a drying border appears on them. But you need to be careful with potassium - pepper does not tolerate an abundance of potassium chloride. If a plant lacks nitrogen, its leaves become dull and, acquiring a grayish tint, gradually become smaller. When there is a lack of phosphorus, the underside of the pepper leaves turns deep purple, and the leaves themselves are pressed closer to the trunk of the plant and rise up. If there is a lack of magnesium, the leaves become marbled in color, and excess nitrogen in the soil leads to the dropping of the ovaries and flowers of the pepper.

In hot and humid weather, it is necessary to carry out pinching (removing side shoots), especially for the lower stepsons, and vice versa, if the weather is hot but dry, the plants do not pinion, since the leaf mass perfectly protects soil moisture from evaporation. Experienced vegetable growers advise removing the central flower on the plant, growing from the first branch, this will help increase the yield.

During the growing season, peppers need to be pruned several times, trying to shorten the longest shoots and ensure that there are no shaded branches. Be sure to remove all pepper shoots below the main fork of its stem, as well as branches inside the crown. Pruning must be done once every ten days and after harvesting the fruits. Simultaneously with pruning, soil cultivation is also carried out.

Try to attract pollinating insects to the garden; to do this, during flowering, spray the plants with a sugar solution: 100 g of sugar and 2 g of boric acid per liter of hot water. Feeding peppers with liquid organic fertilizers gives excellent results.

It is useful to mulch peppers with rotted straw - a layer of about 10 cm, thanks to which you can reduce the frequency of watering, reducing them to once every 9-10 days.

Timely care of pepper plants also includes staking the plants. It is necessary to make a garter after hilling and mulching.

Pests and diseases of pepper

The most common diseases of pepper: late blight, white rot, macrosporiosis, blossom end rot, septoria, blackleg. The most harmful to peppers are slugs, whiteflies, cutworms, aphids, Colorado potato beetles and mole crickets. To protect the pepper from damage by the mole cricket, an hour before planting its seedlings, the pre-made holes must be filled with water. After planting the pepper seedlings, spray the plantings again with a sprayer. Pepper plants need to be pollinated 3 times per season using wood ash - preferably with dew. This will also help protect them from pests.

If you notice aphids on pepper seedlings, treat the pepper with serum - one and a half liters per bucket of water. After this procedure, powder the plants with sifted wood ash.

Pepper varieties

Before planting peppers, you need to decide on the choice of variety, and here everything depends not only on your taste preferences, but also on the purpose of the future fruits. So, if you intend to consume peppers mainly fresh, it is better to give preference to thicker-walled and large-fruited varieties, such as California Miracle, Gladiator, Winnie the Pooh or Gift of Moldova. If the main purpose is preservation, then choose small-fruited varieties belonging to the “Siberian” series: Kupets, Ermak, Victoria, etc.

Ermak- one of the fastest ripening varieties of pepper, the fruits ripen early and smoothly. After the first harvest, the Ermak pepper variety blooms again and gives a good second harvest. Very large fruits, the weight of which reaches 250 g. The yield of the variety is 12-15 kg/sq.m. m.

Gladiator- a mid-late Dutch variety with large, bright yellow fruits, tasty, with thick flesh. The thickness of the fruit walls reaches 13 mm, the weight of individual specimens reaches 380-400 g, and the yield is 10-12 kg/sq. m.

Medal- an early ripening variety characterized by extended fruiting. It constantly blooms and forms new ovaries. The fruits of the Medal variety are quite large - up to 150 g, in biological ripeness they are bright red in color, with a wall thickness of about 8-13 mm. The yield of the variety reaches 16 kg/sq.m. m.

Yova- one of the fastest ripening Russian varieties, from the emergence of seedlings to the moment of technical ripeness, about 95-100 days pass. Very productive, juicy and thick-walled. The yield is up to 14 kg per m2, and the weight of some of its fruits exceeds 250 g. It is unpretentious and gives excellent yields even on heavy soils.

California miracle- mid-early variety, fruit weight up to 400 g, and wall thickness up to 12 mm.

Black cardinal- belongs to the late Italian varieties, has unusually beautiful black-purple fruits (in technical ripeness) turning into red (in biological ripeness). From 1 sq. m up to 10 kg of harvest.

Victoria- a mid-early variety, the fruits are relatively small in weight - up to 110 g, cone-shaped, slightly ribbed, about 7-13 cm long, wall thickness 7-8 mm. Productivity 9-10 kg/sq. m.

Marina, Nekrasovskoe

Tanya, thank you for the detailed story about this wonderful culture! But I don’t agree that pepper doesn’t tolerate pickling well, even though they write about it everywhere! My plant survival rate after picking is 100%, no problems. By the way, I bury them, contrary to all recommendations; if the seedlings have stretched out a little - up to the very cotyledon leaves. Excellent, strong plants are obtained and bear fruit in the conditions of the Middle Zone in open ground. And as for the planting scheme, experience (not only mine, but also that of my gardening friends) suggests that peppers prefer dense planting; they bear fruit better in crowded conditions. Well, not literally, of course - they still need room for development. But 40 cm is a lot!

And of the varieties, I have two favorites: Black Horse and Marconi. I also plant others, but I just love these ones for their unusualness.

The black horse gives a good harvest, begins to bear fruit early and looks original on the bush. And Marconi has very long, thin-walled fruits. For some reason I really like their taste, although there is not much pulp there.

Lyudmila Shuban, Karaganda

She was looking for a Black Horse and a Black Cardinal from us! Have not found yet! But I took Big Papa and another black and purple variety, I don’t remember the name! Maybe they’ll bring more black ones, I’m waiting!

Tatiana

Thank you Marina for sharing your secrets.)) This year I’ll try to compact some of the plantings a little and compare the results - maybe they will bear fruit even better for me, although everything is fine as it is))

And as for the survival rate after picking, it’s true that my peppers don’t take root well - at first they wither, then they barely move away, but steadily, they get sick for two weeks and, as a result, lag behind in development ((But peppers planted immediately in peat cups feel great immediately after transplants begin to bear fruit earlier and produce more stable yields.))

Your peppers are very beautiful Marina. :) I also plant a black horse, I also respect it for its early fruiting and originality - it’s too beautiful. But I have never planted Marconi - I have to try it.) My favorite variety of pepper is probably Gladiator - it simply amazes with its fruits, they are not only much larger than other varieties, but also very, very tasty.)))

Marina, Nekrasovskoe

Tanya, it is quite possible that with picking it’s all about the age of the seedlings, although this is also not a fact: usually I pick in the cotyledon phase, but it happened later. This year my friend picked peppers with the first pair of true leaves; I saw these peppers: they didn’t even notice the transplant)) In fact, sometimes it’s difficult to even understand why the same action brings different results, you just have to state the fact :)

And for some reason I haven’t been able to find Marconi seeds on sale for two years now ((I should try sowing Gladiator, I liked it)) Tanya, is it growing in your greenhouse? Usually, in our climate, large-fruited and thick-walled peppers simply do not ripen without shelter. How do you grow them?

Marina, hello, did I understand correctly that you pick peppers very small - in the cotyledon leaf phase? At what age from germination? Why do you think this is correct? I am gaining experience - I grew all the seedlings except pepper, this year I took the risk of sowing pepper. I soaked it in epin and it sprouted a week ago. I’m studying when it’s best to dive him! And is it necessary to fertilize? What and when? THANK YOU!

Marina, Nekrasovskoe

Marina, I am convinced that in this matter it is very important to conduct your own experiments and determine what you personally consider correct and convenient for yourself. Here, when we begin to discuss how best to grow something, we often find that opinions differ - but at the same time, everyone has a harvest, and everyone is happy)))

I try to pick pepper very small for two reasons: firstly, according to my observations, it tolerates the procedure easier (I practically never have seedlings that fall out after picking), and secondly, I initially sow thickly in a box - when the seedlings grow up , they feel cramped.

I can’t guess any specific age. And it doesn’t happen from year to year, and the seeds don’t always germinate evenly... This year, for example, out of 5 sown varieties, one has already sprouted, and the rest are still showing no signs of life. But I don’t rule out that in the end I will still dive them at the same time - it’s just more convenient.

Fertilize - I don’t fertilize the seedlings at all. In the purchased soil, it has enough nutrition before planting in the ground, from my point of view. True, in the last 3-4 years I have been using Gumi concentrate, which is added to the water for watering or spraying plants. But this is still not so much food for seedlings, but a kind of “vitamins” - to increase stress resistance and strengthen the plants. Something like this))

Marina Sadovnikova, St. Petersburg

Marina, thanks for the answer! Yesterday I successfully picked the pepper, partly with cotyledon leaves, partly with small real leaves, it’s standing well, I think everything went well. I have, in fact, the same story with pepper - a couple of varieties sprouted immediately and amicably, a couple sprouted for a long time and in single reeds, and the rest still show no signs of life... Yesterday, for the sake of experiment, I sowed a couple more varieties of pepper instead of the ones that had not sprouted, it’s a bit late, of course, all hope is that the varieties are early ripening…. Yes, I fertilize all the seedlings (already grown) with humates, and the day before planting them in the greenhouse I water them with epin. Good luck!

Marina, Nekrasovskoe

Marina, it's not too late! I usually sow at the end of March - and with a harvest. Well, maybe they will ripen later - so it’s not critical... This year I just somehow missed spring, so I hurried with the sowing)) But I, too, have not yet sown all the varieties that were planned - the early ripening ones are still in line. This also happened empirically: when I planted large seedlings, they were sicker more and longer, as a result, the gain in time was minimal, and there was a lot of hassle with the seedlings while the day was still short. As a result, I began to sow later - small seedlings adapt more easily, some varieties move into the greenhouse completely painlessly. So it’s even better that you’ll get seedlings of different ages - try, compare, draw conclusions as to which you like best.

Sweet bell pepper is considered by agronomists and breeders to be a fairly strong and hardy plant with good immunity. But if the soil is poorly fertilized, the seedlings are not grown well enough, and the preconditions for diseases are created. Let us consider only those that give a characteristic symptom.

Why did white spots appear on pepper leaves?

Photoburns

White areas on the leaves appear if you violate the watering rules. If you do this at the height of the day, then it is not surprising that droplets of water, like small lenses, focus the sun's rays, greatly enhancing their effect and causing a burn. Or you didn’t guess the location of the bed and the plants grow in bright light - then the result is the same. The place where the seedlings are burned first turns pale, then turns white and later becomes gray. The way out of this situation is quite simple: sow or plant seedlings near a grape arch or tree, or, as a last resort, build a canopy that will protect the plants and allow you to reap a good harvest.

White rot

This dangerous disease appears in very dense plantings, high humidity, incorrect dosages when applying nitro fertilizers, and acidic soil. The leaves and stems of peppers initially become covered with white spots, gradually wither and dry out. As with any fungal infections, white rot is combated by spraying with copper-containing preparations, for example, a very weak, pale blue solution of copper sulfate. At the same time, agrotechnical errors are corrected - the seedlings are thinned out, the watering regime is observed, the pH balance of the soil is adjusted (liming is done before planting, preferably in the fall) and, of course, nitrogen supplements are not abused.

White spot (septoria)

This formidable fungus begins to appear on the lower parts of plants. The first leaves that appear are mainly affected, after which the infection spreads upward. The spots are gray-white, with dark edging. When light areas become covered with black dots (fungal spores), this indicates the height of the disease. It can destroy more than half of your crop, if not all of it. Treatment of septoria will be treatment with special antifungal substances, for example, Trichodermin or Fitosporin. In severe cases, the plants are pulled out and burned, and as a preventive measure, mandatory pre-sowing treatment of the seeds is carried out with a very weak solution of potassium permanganate.

Downy mildew (peronospora)

This disease manifests itself in the form of light spots on the leaves of pepper, which then change color to yellow and even brown. The affected areas merge, moss appears on the back of the leaves, which soon dry out and fall off. This fungal infection slows down the growth of seedlings, like any fungus - dew is provoked by increased dampness and hot weather. The disease is treated by spraying with special insecticides, ventilating greenhouses, breaking through young plants, and observing the watering regime.

Brown spot

Cladosporiosis also appears as whitish spots closer to the soil on the lower leaves or on their reverse side. Gradually, the affected parts turn brown, the fungus rises and the pepper dies. When symptoms appear, we begin treatment with copper-containing solutions and additional garlic infusion. Add a glass of crushed heads to a bucket of water, leave for 3-4 hours and spray the shoots of sweet pepper.

Temperature fluctuations during the day

If you plant seeds or seedlings in the ground too early, keep in mind that there is a danger of frost. In the morning, you may find that the leaves of the sweet pepper are covered with white spots. In this case, the damaged parts of the plant are torn off and sprayed with solutions of iodine and potassium permanganate every couple of weeks, making weak solutions.

As you can see, there are a lot of reasons for the appearance of white spots on sweet pepper plants - from banal frosts and sunburn to a whole series of fungal diseases that are very difficult and take a long time to treat. You should always pay attention to the accompanying signs, because this is the only way you can properly treat this phenomenon.

There are many problems when growing peppers, if you grow them for the first time or rarely. Peppers are relatives of tomatoes, but they require more care. They need more heat and light, they cannot tolerate temperature changes, dampness and dryness, and suffer greatly from damage to the roots. In addition to care errors, there are also diseases and pests that transfer to seedlings from poor-quality soil.

Optimal conditions for pepper seedlings

All the plants that we grow on windowsills and in gardens once came to us from the wild. To know exactly what conditions are needed for a certain culture, it is enough to simply find out where it comes from. The homeland of capsicums and even those called bell peppers is tropical America. The tropics are characterized by: relatively dry weather, moderate cloudiness, and easterly winds. Average daily temperature in summer: +20 ⁰C... +27 ⁰C, in winter +10... +15 ⁰C. This means that we create exactly these conditions for pepper seedlings. We don’t dry out the soil or water it; sometimes we spray the pepper leaves, maybe in the morning, simulating dew, especially during the heating season and hot days. Location - on eastern, south-eastern windows. In warm weather, especially a week before planting in the ground, open the window or vent more often and ventilate.

The most common pests and diseases - table

The future of peppers, their health and productivity depend 50% on the quality of the soil and seed preparation. The remaining 50% of success is proper care.

Problems that arise during cultivation - table

Symptoms	Possible reasons
the lower leaves turn yellow starting from the veins	not enough power	little light
leaves curl, turn yellow and fall off	fusarium wilt	potassium deficiency	spider mite
near the ground the stem turns black, becomes thinner, the seedlings fall to the ground and die	blackleg
leaves droop, wither, dry out without turning yellow	lack of moisture, infrequent watering
dark green weeping spots with a gray or white coating appear on the leaves and stems	excessive watering, water stagnates, roots and ground parts rot	gray rot	white rot
areas of the leaves become white, later in this place they turn brown, dry out, and crumble	sunburn, seedlings touch glass with leaves or stand under the scorching sun
the seedlings stretched out and lay down	little light	blackleg
peppers don't grow	not enough power	soil is too dense	incorrect picking
seedlings die for no apparent reason	peppers are watered with cold water, a sharp change in temperature on the soil	overwatering or drying out the soil	Roots damaged during picking or loosening
the soil is covered with a white or yellow coating	white mold	salt crust	the pot is too large, natural evaporation prevails over the absorption of moisture by the roots
small black spots (1–2 mm) appear on the stems, petioles and leaves, the tissue around them turns yellow	black bacterial spot	bacteria-infested soil	seeds are not treated
large brown spots appear on the lower leaves, later the same symptoms appear on all leaves	dry spotting or alternaria	contaminated land	seeds are not treated
small through yellow dots appear on the leaves, cobwebs and microscopic brown insects appear on the reverse side	spider mite	pest infested land
leaves are deformed, do not grow, hang when the soil is wet, there are transparent, green or black bugs on the back of the leaf	aphids	pest infested land
if you move the peppers, white midges fly up, there are very small green larvae on the back of the leaf	whitefly	pest infested land
peppers look sluggish with regular watering, grow poorly, leaves become deformed	earth mite	excess soil moisture

Diseases of pepper seedlings and their control

Blackleg

Blackleg most often affects seedlings at the stage of the first true leaf. The stem near the soil becomes transparent, darkens and dries out. The plant falls to the ground and dies. All this indicates that the soil is contaminated and has not been treated before sowing. The blackleg mushroom can live in any soil, but it does not develop in all conditions. Even if the soil is not warmed up or not shed with fungicides, the disease will bypass those seedlings that:

• grows on loose, moderately moist soil;
• ventilated;
• not thickened and evenly illuminated by the sun;
• watered only with water at room temperature, there is no temperature difference on the soil.

Video: Black leg peppers

1. Before sowing, spray the soil with Bordeaux mixture (100 g per 10 liters of water), pour in a solution of potassium permanganate (3 g per 10 liters of water), pour boiling water over it, hold in a water bath for 10–15 minutes or heat in the microwave for 10 minutes until steaming.
2. Before sowing, treat the seeds with one of the following preparations: Fitosporin (4 drops of paste concentrate per 200 ml of water), Epin (1-2 drops per 100 ml), etc.
3. Do not flood the seedlings, ventilate them, turn them on the window with different sides to the sun.
4. Remove dead and infected peppers, immediately replant the remaining ones in another soil, and add Fitosporin to the water during the first watering.

White rot

The disease often accompanies blackleg. A white fluffy coating appears on the stem, which spreads up the plant. The peppers are dying. The fungus loves dampness and low temperatures: +12... +15°C. Also, its development is favored by sharp temperature changes combined with high humidity.

Prevention and methods of control:

1. Disinfect the soil before sowing and picking.
2. Water the seedlings with water only at room temperature.
3. Do not expose outdoors in cloudy, damp or cold weather.
4. For prevention, apply foliar feeding: 1 g of zinc sulfate, 2 g of copper sulfate and 10 g of urea per 10 liters of water.
5. Remove the affected seedlings along with the top layer of soil (2–3 cm).

Gray rot

The disease manifests itself in spots on leaves and stems, which can be dark green or brown, often weeping and always with a gray or pinkish fluffy coating. The main reason is that the soil is too damp, moisture stagnates, the roots do not breathe and rot, followed by the above-ground part.

Prevention and treatment:

1. Drainage is required.
2. Water the peppers only when the top layer of soil dries.
3. Loosen the soil, but very carefully so as not to damage the roots.
4. Transplant the diseased plant into another soil.
5. Spray with copper-containing preparations: copper sulfate (2 g per 10 l of water), HOM (40 g per 10 l of water), Bordeaux mixture (100 g per 10 l of water), repeat every 10 days.

Dry spot or Alternaria blight

The disease is common in all areas where tomatoes are grown. Bib affects all nightshades, including peppers. If you took the soil for seedlings from your garden, then you shouldn’t be surprised at the symptoms of Alternaria blight on the leaves of peppers. The spots are brown, dry; the development of the disease is promoted by heat and drops of water on the leaves.

Video: Brown spot (Alternaria blight) on tomatoes

Prevention and treatment;

• Do not take soil for peppers from the area where tomatoes grew.
• In any case, disinfect the soil before sowing the seeds.
• Treat the seeds in a solution of phytosporin, potassium permanganate, etc.
• Water the peppers at the root.
• At the first signs, spray with the drug: Ridomil Gold (2.5 g per 1 liter of water), Quadris (15 ml per 10 liters of water) or copper containing: copper sulfate, HOM, Bordeaux mixture, repeat after 10 days.

Fusarium wilt

This disease affects already grown seedlings, in which the first buds appear. The lower leaves turn yellow, curl and fall off. Gradually the entire plant dies. The fungus settles on weakened plants, in dense plantings, loves dry soil and high temperatures (+28 ⁰C).

Video: Fusarium wilt, how to fight

Prevention and treatment:

1. Grow pepper varieties resistant to Fusarium blight.
2. Use only special primer. Fusarium develops on acidic soils.
3. Disinfect the soil and treat the seeds.
4. Water the seedlings and feed them in a timely manner.
5. Do not use fertilizers containing chlorine.
6. Do not thicken the plantings, ventilate them.
7. Spray every 10 days with Trichodermin (100 ml per 10 liters of water).

Black bacterial spot

The disease enters seedlings through mechanical damage (broken, scratched) from contaminated soil. Bacteria can also live on the surface of seeds. Favorable conditions for development: high temperature (up to +30 ⁰C) and moisture on the leaves.

Prevention and treatment:

1. Disinfect soil and seeds before sowing.
2. Do not water on the leaves.
3. Spray the entire above-ground part with one of the preparations: Fitolavin (2 ml per 1 liter of water), Planriz (1 ml per 1 liter of water), Fitosporin, HOM.

Pests and what to do with them

All pests are brought into the house along with the soil. They can transfer to seedlings from already infected indoor flowers. We can recommend keeping seedlings and flowers on different windows. However, there is a big advantage from such a neighborhood. Firstly, a special plant microclimate is created, and secondly, the aroma of many indoor flowers repels pests. For example, if there are geraniums next to the peppers, then there will never be aphids and whiteflies. Any other fragrant flower works in the same way: lavender, jasmine, lemon, etc.

If pests are found on one plant, you should not take it to another window in isolation; you need to treat all the flowers and all the seedlings that are in this room.

Aphids

Small black or green insects stick not only to the leaves, but also to young stems, shoots, flower buds, that is, everything that seems juicy and tasty to them.

Video: Fighting aphids on peppers using a shower

How to fight?

1. If there are still few aphids, wash them off by hand with soapy water; you can use a soft brush or sponge for this. Most of the sucking individuals will be destroyed in this way, and it will immediately become easier for the peppers to grow. The soap must be washed off the leaves the next day; it clogs the pores and prevents the plants from breathing normally. Carry out water procedures on a sunny day, after covering the soil with film.
2. After the soap bath, some of the pests and eggs will remain so that they do not multiply and spread again. Spray with chemicals: Intavir (1 tablet per bucket of water), karbofos (60 g per 10 liters of water), Fitoverm (1 ampoule per 1 liter of water), Decis (2 ml per 10 l), etc.
3. Repeat the treatment every 7–10 days, changing medications. It is during this period that a new generation of aphids can be born and grow.

Whiteflies

Small flies no larger than 3 mm are very similar to aphids: they are also omnivorous, settling their green larvae on the back side of the leaf. They are distinguished by white wings. If you approach the peppers and move their leaves, the flies will fly up in a flock. The pest can emerge from the soil or fly into a window.

Ways to fight:

1. Place yellow cardboard or paper coated with glue or something sticky on the window next to the peppers. These insects fly towards the yellow color.
2. Sprinkle the soil in the pots with tobacco dust.
3. Wash off the larvae with soapy water and treat with preparations against sucking pests: Iskra, Decis, Ftoverm, Aktelik (2 ml per 2 liters of water), Aktara (8 g per 10 liters), etc.
4. Repeat the treatment every 7–10 days.
5. There is advice from gardeners to use a mosquito fumigator against whiteflies. Place it closer to the peppers.

Video: Fighting whiteflies with biological products

Spider mite

These pests also settle on the underside of the leaf and feed on the juices of the seedlings. Shapeless large spots of different shades appear on the leaves: from yellow to dark brown. On the reverse side, using a magnifying glass, you can see transparent, green and brown mites. The color depends on the age of the individual. Contrary to the stereotype and name, there may not be cobwebs in the ticks’ habitat. Therefore, when making a diagnosis, you should not consider its presence as the main criterion.

The methods of control are similar to the previous ones: wash off with soapy water and treat with the same preparations. There are recommendations to spray with medical alcohol or vodka. To begin with, it is better to try this original remedy on one leaf or plant.

Soil or root mite

There are many types of soil mites, and they come in different colors: from transparent to red. They live in any soil, improve the soil balance by eating organic matter, rotten roots, and leaves. But in conditions of high humidity, ticks actively reproduce, there are many of them, there is not enough food, as well as space. The mites come to the surface of the soil and begin to feed on the juices of the seedlings. At the same time, the pest not only takes away the strength of the peppers, but also introduces a putrefactive infection into the wounds. Small punctures appear on the leaves, brown scars appear on the reverse side, and the seedlings may become infected with rot.

Video: Seedlings have pests (soil mites), treatment with phytoverm

Prevention and control measures:

• Do not overwater the pepper seedlings; let the soil dry out a little.
• Sprinkle the soil with tobacco dust mixed with ash.
• Spray with anti-tick preparations: Aktelik, Fitoverm, Aktara.

Care errors, how to eliminate their consequences - table

Problem	Causes	How to save seedlings
Seedlings die without signs of diseases and pests	Roots are damaged when loosening or picking	Peppers are difficult to tolerate root injuries. It is better to grow this crop without picking or to pick at the stage of one true leaf, when the roots are still small and undeveloped. Peppers are transplanted only by transshipment, together with a lump of earth. You also need to carefully loosen the soil, only the top few millimeters and preferably around the perimeter of the pot, away from the root collar. If the roots are damaged, the peppers die or do not grow for a long time. After picking, keep the peppers in the shade for 2–3 days; during the rooting period, do not allow the soil to dry out.
Seedlings don't grow	The soil is too dense, air does not reach the roots	Carefully loosen the top layer of soil. Add river sand or peat and mix with the top layer of soil. For picking, take another soil mixture, special for nightshades.
	Not enough power	Once every 10 days, feed with Fertika Lux (10 g per 10 liters of water) or other complex fertilizers for peppers or universal ones for seedlings
	The peppers were deeply buried during picking. The root collar should not be buried. Peppers are transplanted to the same depth at which they grew before.	No need to dig up or replant. Peppers don't like their roots being disturbed. The seedlings will not die, but the harvest will be delayed.
The seedlings stretched out	Not enough light	If the seeds were sown before the end of February, then there is still little light on the window; lighting is needed. It is also necessary to backlight on cloudy days. The length of the day for seedlings is at least 10–12 hours. Elongated seedlings do not need to be sprinkled, buried, or laid horizontally and buried to the very top. This will only slow down development even more; peppers do not form roots from the stem, and the root collar must breathe. Transfer the seedlings to a bright window or provide lighting, preferably lowering the temperature a couple of degrees.
The lower leaves turn yellow at the very veins, there are no pests	Lack of nutrition, infertile soil	Gardeners speak very highly of the “Living Earth” soil; it contains all the necessary nutrients. Peppers grow strong and very actively. There is no need to specially replant, feed the seedlings with complex fertilizers: Fertika Lux, Emerald (1 capful per 2 liters of water), Ferovit (1.5 ml per 2 liters of water), infusion of onion peels (the color of strong tea), etc. Give fertilizing every 10 days, it is advisable to alternate, that is, give different ones. The seedlings will recover over time.
White mold on the soil	White mold fungi can be found in any apartment; they love damp and acidic soil	Mold spoils the appearance of the pot, but does not harm the seedlings themselves. Loosen the top layer, sprinkle with ash or crushed coal.
The soil has a white or yellow salt crust	Unlike mold, this plaque has a crystalline structure and crumbles in your hands.	Salt crust is an alarming signal. Peppers are not properly cared for. Water only with clean, settled water, use filters. Feed strictly according to the instructions on the packages; it is better to underfeed than to overfeed. Mulch the seedlings with a small layer of sand and loosen them along with it.

Many problems with pepper seedlings can be avoided if you initially take healthy soil and treat the seeds. It is also worth carefully studying pepper varieties and choosing disease-resistant ones. Much depends on the care, but it is not difficult to care for peppers: keep the soil moderately moist and loose, provide good lighting, feed occasionally and do not disturb the roots unnecessarily.

Pepper diseases can cause significant damage to the crop. Let's consider the characteristic signs of pepper diseases in order to learn to recognize the onset of the disease in time and minimize the possible risks of reducing the yield of this crop.

Phytoplasmosis (stobur) of pepper

The disease is caused by microorganisms - mycoplasmas and begins to manifest itself, as a rule, from the tops of the shoots. The leaves at the edges bend upward and curl, then dry out. Gradually, the disease spreads to the entire plant, the bush turns yellow, the fruits grow small, irregularly shaped, and begin to turn red ahead of schedule. If pepper is damaged at an early stage of growth, the plant subsequently acquires a dwarf form. Stolbur is not transmitted with planting material (seeds), but is carried by insect pests (aphids, thrips, mites). Peppers do not have varieties resistant to stolbur.

Prevention and treatment of phytoplasmosis:

• Growing hybrids from seeds resistant to phytoplasmosis.
• Control of insects that carry disease.
• Diseased plants must be destroyed.
• After harvesting, disinfect the internal parts of greenhouses and garden tools.
• Removing plant debris after harvest.
• Removing weeds on the site.

Late blight

Late blight (late blight) is a disease caused by the fungus Phytophthora infestans and can cause significant damage to the pepper crop. With late blight, brown spots appear on the leaves of peppers, which spread throughout the plant. With the subsequent development of the disease, damage to the fruit occurs, with the formation of dark, wet spots.

Prevention measures are associated with the selection of varieties resistant to this disease, compliance with and implementation of disinfection measures.

Blackleg

Blackleg is a fungal disease caused by pathogens of various species, develops at the initial stage of growth and mostly affects seedlings and seedlings of peppers, although adult plants in greenhouses can also get sick.

Infection and spread of the disease occurs through seeds, soil or crop residues. Too dense planting of seedlings and poor aeration in greenhouses contribute to the development of the disease.

A characteristic sign of the disease is darkening of the lower part of the stem, which then rots and dries out, leading to the death of the entire plant.

Prevention and treatment of Blackleg:

• It is necessary to inspect the seedlings daily in order to detect the disease in a timely manner.
• At the very beginning of the disease, seedlings are watered with a weak solution of potassium permanganate. If the plantings are dense, the seedlings must be thinned out.
• The soil used for planting should be spilled with a weak solution of potassium permanganate immediately before planting the seeds or disinfected at high temperatures (steamed in the oven, spilled with boiling water, spilled with phytosporin).
• Monitor the moisture of the top layer of soil - constant dampness contributes to the development of the disease. Therefore, it is better to water the pepper seedlings more abundantly, but less often.
• Avoid high humidity in the room with seedlings. This requires periodic ventilation, protecting the peppers from drafts.

Fusarium

Fusarium wilt of peppers or Fusarium wilt is caused by a fungus of the genus Fusarium. It affects the vessels in the plant stem, causing them to become blocked. As a result, the nutrition of the entire plant is disrupted and it is poisoned with toxins. The leaves begin to curl and turn yellow with normal watering of the plants; resistant varieties have time to begin to bear fruit. In varieties susceptible to fusarium, as a rule, the first signs appear with the beginning of bud formation; after 10-20 days (depending on the variety), the plant dies.

Fusarium has no cure. Diseased plants are destroyed.

Prevention of fusarium:

• Plant varieties resistant to this disease.
• Before planting, the seeds are treated at the rate of 100 milligrams of the drug per 10 grams of seeds.
• Remove organic debris after harvest.
• Topsin-M 0.2% and Fundazol help curb the development of fusarium, although they do not guarantee a complete cure.

Pepper Verticillium or Wilt

The disease is caused by bacteria. The development of the disease is initially asymptomatic; the leaves gradually begin to turn pale, as with a serious lack of nitrogen. Then the leaves become corrugated, the formation of fruits sharply decreases, the peppercorns themselves are small, deformed, and there are practically no seeds in them. In varieties of peppers resistant to wilting, the disease proceeds slowly, in many imported varieties it is fleeting; at the beginning of mass flowering, peppers begin to wilt sharply, and in 3-10 days the bushes dry out completely, without having time to set fruit.

Pepper verticillosis cannot be treated. Diseased plants should be burned. As a preventative measure: observe crop rotation (all nightshades are susceptible to wilt), and after wilt is detected, thoroughly disinfect the soil in the greenhouse.

Spotted wilt (bronzing)

Bronzing of peppers is caused by the Tomato spotted wilt virus, spread by thrips.

A characteristic sign of spotted wilt of pepper is the coloring of young leaves in a bronze or gray-violet color. With further progression of the disease, brown spots appear on the leaves and young stems, sometimes in the form of stripes. These spots begin to form at the base of the leaf and then spread along the leaf. Spots appear on the fruits in the form of rings of green, brown or yellow. The fruits are covered with light yellow, green and brown ring-shaped spots. Brown stripes form at the base of the fruit.

Before diagnosing the bronze color of peppers, it is worth excluding sunburn on the leaves of the seedlings (out of habit, the leaves can take on a bronze tint).

Prevention and treatment of bronzing of peppers:

• Disinfect seeds
• Carry out preventive treatment of plants and greenhouses against thrips disease carriers and leafhopper aphids.
• Do not plant pepper seedlings near flower beds (this is a sure source of thrips, especially double ones - peonies, asters).
• While weeding.
• Trim and burn affected branches. Garden tools are disinfected in a 1% solution of potassium permanganate
• Foundationazole is used for treatment, but first you need to remove the fruits that are sufficiently ripe.

Cladosporiosis (leaf mold, brown spot)

Cladosporiosis is caused by the fungus Fulvia fulva. Most often, plants in a greenhouse get sick in conditions of high air humidity. The fungus is carried by spores that land on the ground, clothing, garden tools, and greenhouse walls.

A characteristic symptom is the appearance on the leaves of brown spots on the outside of the leaf and a gray velvety coating on the inside. Subsequent spread of the disease leads to the death of leaves and death of the plant.

Prevention and treatment of cladosporiosis:

• Treatment of soil, equipment and greenhouses in the fall with a solution of copper sulfate, which is prepared at the rate of 1 glass per 10 liters of water.
• Treatment of greenhouses in the spring by burning.
• Compliance - you cannot plant peppers in the same place every year.
• Use for growing varieties resistant to cladosporiosis.
• If a disease occurs, it is necessary to reduce watering and reduce air humidity in the greenhouse.
• If a disease occurs, treat the plants with fungicides: Barrier, Barrier.

Black bacterial spot

A disease of bacterial nature. It is characterized by the appearance of small olive-colored spots on the leaves. Subsequently, the spots turn black, affecting all parts of the plant.