Pricking peppers sounds complicated. But this only means giving the seedlings more space, air and light. Everything you need for pricking or separating and how to do it - step by step.
When can you prick peppers?
You grew peppers yourself a few weeks ago? Now the seedlings crowd each other and quickly shoot up. When they have developed the first pair of leaves, it is the right time to prick out. This gives the plants more distance. They can spread their stems and leaves better. You need this for pricking:
- Plant pots or plant bowls
- pricking earth
- spoon
Prick the peppers correctly - that's how it works
Fill plant pots with sifted pricking soil. Prick (pierce) a small planting hole in the middle with your finger or spoon. Add some algae substrate for better root formation. Carefully dig out the seedling with a spoon or tweezers and stick it in the pricking soil. Fill in the pricking soil and press down lightly. Carefully lift the plantlets out of their germination substrate with wooden tweezers and stick them into the pricking soil. Press carefully. Give in some pricking soil - spray or water - done. Place the transplanted plants in the greenhouse or on the windowsill.
It has proven useful to water the plants before pricking them out. They can then be more easily removed from the ground. Experiments have shown that transplanted plants usually develop better.
After transplanting, the plantlets grow more vigorously. Nevertheless, they first have to get used to the new location in the new pot. They form more roots that branch out more. The more roots, the more water and nutrients the small plants can absorb. As soon as the outside temperature is around 15° degrees, place the plants outside during the day. So they slowly get used to the more intensive UV radiation and the outdoor climate.
tips and tricks
After pricking out, protect the seedlings from the sun and draughts. This is how they survive the transplant shock.