Cultivating sweet peppers in a greenhouse and in an open garden, not every gardener can boast a rich harvest. Often the culture slows down its development - the bushes have a healthy appearance and do not fade, but at the same time grow poorly or even stop growing. The causes of this problem, as well as what to do to obtain strong fruitful plants, read the article.

Did you know? Bell pepper, in fact, does not come from Bulgaria. His homeland is America.

Why do peppers grow poorly?

The reasons for the failures in the cultivation of salad pepper are many, among the main ones:

• bad seeds, which in the future manifests itself in the form of weak stems;
• seeds did not pass preparation - preliminary germination was not carried out;
• Incorrect dive and transplant times
• too deep in the ground, damage to the roots during transplantation;
• soil problems (infertile composition or inappropriate structure, cold soil in the greenhouse);
• systematic violation of the temperature regime, exposure to low temperatures or extreme heat, temperature changes during the day and night;
• dry air in the greenhouse, poor ventilation or the presence of through winds;
• untimely irrigation, use of low-quality water;
• short daylight hours, poor lighting;
• inefficient top dressing, overfeeding of bushes or, conversely, the introduction of an insufficient amount of useful elements;
• ignoring the pinching and pruning of pepper varieties that need it.

Improper seedling cultivation

Poor development of pepper bushes in height is possible while ignoring the correct agricultural cultivation technique. If at least one care point is violated, the bush ceases to grow. Non-compliance may be as follows.

Landing time

Incorrect planting dates are the most common cause of stunting in young plants. If the seedlings were laid in a permanent place out of time (too early), the culture will not bloom, and as a result, the ovary will not form. At best, you will get a late harvest.

Incorrectly selected fertilizers

The absence of an ovary is often the result of illiterate feeding. Pepper is sensitive to chemical compounds. First of all, this applies to excessive amounts of nitrogen. At the same time, a deficiency of potash and phosphorus fertilizers, on the contrary, contributes to the poor development of the plant.

It will also be useful for you to find out what to do if the leaves fall, twist and turn yellow in the peppers.

Inappropriate soil composition

The reason for the slow development or a complete stop of growth can lie in dense and sparse soil. The most dangerous are compounds that are oversaturated with synthetic top dressing.

The degree of productivity and the growth rate of seedlings depends on the place on the summer cottage, where it is transplanted. Adverse is land with a low black soil content or a large amount of sand.

Violation of growing conditions

Unacceptable for seedlings of pepper is insufficient illumination (growing in the shade) and inappropriate temperature (coolness and heat above + 30 ° C).

Important omissions in the cultivation of this crop include ignorance of the characteristics of the varieties. Some varieties are not suitable for cultivation in a particular climate. So, varieties that feel good in the southern areas grow poorly and bear fruit in the north. Because of the short and not very warm summer, they try to grow cold-resistant varieties there.

Did you know? Chocolate and bell pepper have similar characteristics: both of them increase the content of endorphin (the hormone of happiness) in the blood. Given the calorie content of chocolate, to become “happy” at the expense of pepper is more profitable for a figure.

Diseases and pests

High air humidity causes fruit damage with gray or white rot, as well as alternariosis. The pathogen enters the plant through damaged tissue. When cultivating pepper for several years at the same place, be prepared for the emergence of soil diseases: late blight, fusariosis and verticillosis.

The listed diseases deplete the vitality of pepper, leaves and stems fade, and vegetation is inhibited. After some time, the bush may die. In addition, diseases deplete the soil.

No less dangerous for vegetation are harmful insects - often pepper plantings are damaged by aphids, whiteflies, scoops, thrips, Colorado potato beetles and bears.

What should be done?

If pepper grows too slowly, analyze the causes of the trouble. As a result of the exclusion of provoking factors, the problem will be solved by itself.

In the open ground

Pepper is a thermophilic plant, grows poorly in open ground. If it grows on an open bed, then the plantings must be protected from the cold and direct sunlight - set above the shoots of the arc with any covering material.

Take your time planting seedlings on a permanent site. Let the plants grow stronger and the earth warm up. The soil temperature at the landing depth should not be lower than +10 ... + 12 ° С. The most favorable time is from the end of May to the beginning of June.

Choose soft, loose and nutritious soil for planting, on which other solanaceous trees have not previously grown.

It is important to exclude damage to the root system, so transplant peppers to the site by transshipment, trying to save a lump of land. Place the root neck close to the surface of the soil. The bed should be at a height.

In the care of peppers in an open area, organic fertilizers (compost, humus) are welcome. Add organic matter in small portions.

Important! Never use fresh manure. He is able to burn pepper bushes.

Chemistry in the garden should not be abused. Nitrogen is required in the active vegetation phase. Feeding with the content of phosphorus and potassium can be applied throughout the entire life of the culture: these substances positively affect the development of rhizomes and accelerate the growth of fruits.

In the greenhouse

In the middle lane, it is desirable to grow a culture in a greenhouse. The greenhouse must be created in such a way that it is possible to ventilate it. In extreme heat, open the doors of the greenhouse. Ensure sufficient temperature (+23 ... + 25 ° С). Protect bushes from direct rays of the sun and drafts.

Follow the main rule of watering - do not overfill, but do not overdry the soil.

Fertilize in two stages: from the moment the second leaf is formed and before planting in the summer cottage.

Before planting, the seedlings should be hardened - put the delicate bushes in the fresh air.

Preventive measures

Preventive measures will help to avoid problems with productivity and growth rate of pepper:

1. Alternate top dressing with organics and minerals.
2. Increase the amount of fertilizer applied.
3. Do not give the plant excess nitrogenous compounds, as this will lead to an increase in large green mass to the detriment of fruiting.
4. Any top dressing should be carried out only on moist soil, therefore, two days before this planting, you need to properly shed it.
5. Water for irrigation of open beds should be at room temperature. Watering in the morning is especially useful. Pour water under the root, trying not to touch the shoots and foliage.
6. After top dressing, the soil around each bush shallowly shred if it is not mulched.
7. Sometimes stimulants are used for a comfortable existence of pepper. To get the fruits tied better, add 2 g of superphosphate to each dressing.
8. For good pollination of plants, run beneficial insects in the greenhouse. Lure them with sweet solutions.
9. Remove fruits with mechanical damage from the garden to prevent massive infection with fungal diseases.
10. Regularly treat the bed with drugs from harmful insects. For treatment, use insecticidal spraying of the aerial parts of the bushes.

Growing peppers is a force even for beginner gardeners, it is only necessary to comply with the technique developed by professionals.

Important! The seeds of this garden crop initially sprout slowly, so it is important that the seed is of good quality. When purchasing seeds, check germination. If the material seems weak, despite all efforts, pepper probably will not grow.

And then the question does not arise, why the culture does not sprout or grow poorly, and you will be able to grow healthy, strong and stably bearing fruit bushes.