Pepper seedlings are pulled out what to do. Pepper seedlings stretched out, what to do

Pepper begins to germinate in 14-21 days from the moment of sowing. It is during the period of active growth and development of plants that summer residents face various difficulties in growing these vegetables. Often, plant sprouts begin to become thin and strongly stretched.

This phenomenon is considered the most common problem arising from improper care and maintenance of this culture. What needs to be done to get a healthy and large harvest? What to do if the seedlings of peppers stretched out? You will learn the answers to these and other questions from this article.

Reasons for pulling pepper seedlings

People who do not know all the intricacies of growing peppers very often ask why seedlings are stretched? What to do if the pepper stretched out? Most often, the causes of the phenomenon of pulling up young shoots of plants are:

  1. Insufficient amount of solar energy. The main answer to the question - why did pepper seedlings stretch out so much? As a rule, planting seeds begins in the last days of February and ends in early March. However, during this time of year, sunny weather is rare. Therefore, for the normal development of plants, additional artificial lighting should be created using ordinary electric bulbs.
  2. Very frequent sowing and untimely thinning. This mistake is mainly found in those who are just starting to grow vegetables. The problem is that too many grains are sown in one pot or box. As a result, when the seedlings begin to grow, this is accompanied by a rapid stretching of the shoots, as if they were fighting among themselves. It becomes thin and long. In this situation, there is only one way out - to save the peppers, you need to thin out the seedlings so that the distance between the sprouts is at least three centimeters.
  3. Too frequent and abundant watering. Another important factor, due to which pepper seedlings are stretched. During times of solar power shortages, overwatering the soil can cause it to become thinner and longer. Therefore, before watering the seedlings a second time, it is advisable to wait at least three to four days.
  4. Non-observance of the correct temperature regime in the room. For fragile young seedlings, the temperature in the room is important. The most suitable for the normal growth of seedlings of any crop in the daytime is considered to be a temperature of about 24-25 degrees. At night, the temperature should be somewhat lower. But due attention to this factor is not always paid. While the heating season is not over yet, it is recommended to put seedling boxes in a less warm room closer to night (you can put it on the veranda). This will help her grow strong and healthy.
  5. Carrying out a late dive. During the appearance of a pair of first leaves on the sprouts, the active development and formation of the root system begins. Naturally, she begins to need more space. If you do not hold, being in a hopeless situation, they will begin to rapidly stretch to the top.

Fixing Growing Mistakes

What to do if the seedlings are still stretching? To prevent the rapid pulling of seedlings of peppers, it is necessary to adhere to some rules and recommendations even during sowing.

Priming

First of all, you must choose the most suitable soil. Therefore, before acquiring this or that finished land, you need to familiarize yourself well with its components.

Pepper seedlings really do not like the soil, which contains a variety of minerals, especially nitrogen. It is best to use universal soil for planting, which is designed for growing any vegetable.

Although many instructions advise to sow seeds at a distance of two centimeters, experienced gardeners recommend keeping a distance of at least three centimeters from each other. This must be done in order not to get stretched seedlings in the future.

Lighting

In addition, it is also not advisable to put seedlings in large quantities in one place. For the reason that, having entered the germination phase, the plants will begin to interfere with each other, in an attempt to reach for the sun. For those of them who do not have enough lighting, forced stretching will begin.

In order to provide pepper seedlings with the amount of solar energy necessary for normal development, place a mirror opposite the window sill or attach a large foil. They, in turn, will play the role of reflectors.

If the sun shines from only one direction, the sprouted peppers begin to turn the leaves in the direction where the energy source comes from. As a result, a thin and fragile stem bends and stretches. In order not to stretch the seedlings, it is necessary from time to time to turn the boxes with seedlings towards the sun.

picking

Carrying out timely picks in separate pots helps to suspend the growth of vegetables for a certain period. According to the instructions indicated on the seed packages, this event must be carried out after three to four weeks from the moment the sprouts appear.

Advice! In order not to harm the root system, I first water the soil so that it becomes soft, and then I stretch the plant.

If you sow seeds in purchased soil, you should pay attention to the fact that in this case, seedlings may appear a little earlier. Based on this, the correct transplanting time should be determined based on the formation of leaves. Peppers are considered ready for transplanting when one true leaf sprouts on them.

Experienced gardeners are engaged in growing peppers in a large container, and do not pick. And as soon as the plants become medium in size, they are planted in another larger container.

Fertilization and temperature

For the first time, top dressing of the crop can be done when a couple of first leaves are formed on the bushes. In this case, fertilizers containing superphosphate are used. The second time, the grown pepper is fed seven days after.

Then fertilizer is applied to the soil only after they have been transplanted into a greenhouse or open soil. Gardeners believe that you should not fertilize too often. And this is understandable, because because of frequent top dressing, nothing good will happen, you can only harm the plants.

If even after transplanting the seedlings, it still stretches up, this indicates that the conditions in which it is unfavorable.

In order not to stretch the seedlings, you can remove it to another place, keeping a small distance between the pots. In addition, it is desirable to temporarily reduce the amount of watering. Water once or twice a week.

The optimal temperature for this stage of vegetable growth is considered to be the range from sixteen to eighteen degrees Celsius.

So we figured out the question of what measures to take if the seedlings are stretched out. Now you know how to help stretched seedlings. Follow all the rules and advice and you won't have to deal with these kinds of problems.

Kira Stoletova

It often happens that due to improper care of seedlings, it is stretched, and the stems and leaves become small. Consider what to do if pepper seedlings have outgrown.

Why seedlings are stretched

The reasons why the sprouts have outgrown:

  1. If the seedlings have outgrown, one of the reasons for this may be insufficient lighting, lack of sunlight in the place where the seedlings germinate. Because seeds are planted at the end of February, then there are still few sunny days. In this case, it is necessary to equip the room with additional light sources. To do this, buy phytolamps, LED, fluorescent lamps.
  2. Too abundant and frequent watering. Pepper is a moisture-loving plant, but you should not water it very often. The optimal amount of watering is 2-3 times a week. Otherwise, the sprouts will become thin, long. Their immunity will decrease. They will easily succumb to the negative effects of pests.
  3. Untimely transplantation. As soon as 6-8 leaves are formed on the sprouts, they are transplanted into a greenhouse or open ground. If you do this later, the bush may not take root.
  4. Thick seeding. It is impossible to plant more than 4 seeds in one container. Because the root and leaf systems will intertwine, which will slow down the growth process. Another option is that the shoots will be strongly stretched immediately after germination in order to gain the right to exist. Therefore, it is important to observe the optimal distance between plantings - at least 3 cm between seeds.
  5. Wrong temperature setting. The normal daytime temperature in the room where the seedlings grow is 22-25 ° C. The temperature regime at night is 18-20 °C. If the sprouts are in an apartment or house, then at night they should be taken out to a cool place - a pantry, a cellar, a corridor.
  6. Poor soil. If there is a small amount of nutrients in the soil, the sprouts will become thin and long. Peppers need light soil with an acidity of 6-7.
  7. Late dive. When 2 leaves appear on the plant, it should be transplanted into larger containers. Because the root system during this period is actively formed and becomes larger, then it needs more space to grow. And when the sprouts cannot grow in width, they begin to stretch upwards.

What to do in such a case

You need to understand the cause of this problem. Further actions depend on this.

First, a pick is carried out. This must be done if the cause of overgrown sprouts is a dense planting. To do this, take small disposable cups or small pots. The main thing is that they are deep and high. Earth is poured onto 1/3 of the container, after which a sprout is placed inside. Then they continue to fill up the soil, gradually tamping it down. Leave about 1-2 cm from the edge.

Containers with sprouts must be placed in a box. It must be made of foam. The advantages of this material:

  • retains heat;
  • maintains an optimal level of humidity;
  • does not heat up;
  • lightweight and easy to transport.

Another way to help save plants that have outgrown is Athlete. It temporarily stops the growth of vegetable crops.

The drug is sold in ampoules of 1.5 ml. The liquid must be diluted in 1-2 liters of water. You can apply the product in 2 ways - under the root or on the whole plant. It is recommended to initially water the soil near the root. If after 3 days there is no change, spray the entire plant with drip irrigation. In both cases, the concentration of the solution does not change.

The consumption rate is 1 liter of Athlete per 1 m2 of land. For pepper, it is recommended to feed 3 times with a break of a week. 5 days after the last watering, the sprouts should immediately be transplanted into a greenhouse or open ground.

Other Methods

If, after picking and applying the Athlete, there were no positive changes, you can try the following:

  1. Move pots with sprouts to another place. It should be dark, with a temperature of 10-15 °C.
  2. Stop feeding. Usually they are needed to stimulate growth. Therefore, until the transplantation of pepper sprouts into open ground, you should forget about top dressing.
  3. Stop watering. Especially if the drug Athlete is used.
  4. Transplant plants into peat pots. The containers are pre-soaked in a solution with mineral fertilizers. Then they are dried and filled with earth.
  5. Pinch seedlings. In the process, the top is cut off, which is located between 4 and 6 internodes. You can also remove the 2 bottom leaves. This will help slow down the growth of the plant for a few days.

How to prevent pepper overgrowth

Initially, it is important to choose the right variety of pepper. Take into account the climatic features and weather conditions in the region. Pay attention to the temperature regime in the room where the plant will germinate. It is necessary to carefully read the conditions for planting a particular variety of pepper. Find out when to plant seeds, when to transplant into the ground and how much time should elapse between these 2 procedures.

Priming

It is also important to purchase good, high-quality soil. Pepper loves soft soil for vegetable crops. If it is not possible to purchase this and there is only very acidic soil, liming is carried out. Remember, peppers do not grow well in soil saturated with nitrogen.

Landing pattern

Seeds are planted at a distance of at least 3 cm from each other, and preferably 5 cm. If the seedlings grow at home on the windowsill, then the number of sprouts should not exceed 20 pieces. This will prevent forced overgrowth due to lack of light.

Light

In order for the pepper to receive the necessary amount of light, you can periodically rearrange the sprouts from one window sill to another. Otherwise, they will not only outgrow, but also arch ugly.

  1. Carry out picking in a timely manner. Pepper should be dived 20-25 days after the appearance of the first shoots. The main sign of the readiness of the plant for this procedure is the presence of 1-2 true leaves.
  2. After the appearance of 2 leaves, phosphate top dressing is carried out. The second time fertilizer is applied a week later. This time they make potassium-phosphate bait. It is better to underfeed bushes than to overfeed.
  3. Hardening is carried out before planting in the ground. Then the sprouts will definitely not outgrow. To do this, the seedlings are taken out into the street, where the air temperature is 16-18 ° C, for 3-4 hours.
  4. Watering is carried out 2 times a week. Use warm, settled water with a temperature of up to 32 ° C. Containers for germination of bushes should be with holes through which excess moisture will exit.

Pepper seedlings stretched out, what to do and how to help In such a situation, we will examine in detail in this article.

Often seedlings of peppers planted in February-March quickly grow and stretch. This indicates a lack of light. There are also other reasons that must be immediately eliminated in order to get a good harvest in the future.

Reasons for pulling seedlings, what to do and how to help

Sprouts are stretched and thinned for such reasons.

Not enough sunlight

Pepper seeds are most often sown for seedlings in February-March. At this time, daylight hours do not last long. As a result, seedlings lack sunlight and stretch even in the cotyledon leaf phase.

Important! Pepper seedlings need 18 hours of light per day to thrive.

What to do:

You can make up for the lack of light by creating a reflective foil screen. In the evening and at night provide supplementary lighting with fluorescent or LED lamps. You can also use phytolamps with reflectors.

Details about additional illumination of seedlings are described in the article: .

over watering

With a lack of light and waterlogging of the soil, the seedlings are drawn out even faster.

What to do:

Gardeners try to water seedlings more often because of the dry air in the room caused by heating devices. However, this should not be done.

Increased air temperature

In the room where seedlings are grown, the optimum air temperature is 22-25 degrees. This is enough to stimulate seed germination. After the seeds germinate and sprouts appear, the daytime temperature in the room should be + 18-20 ° C, and at night - + 16 ° C. This will reduce the risk of pulling seedlings.

What to do:

If the room is too hot, at night it is better to take out containers with seedlings into the corridor or ventilate the room well.

Advice! You can stop the excessive growth of seedlings with the help of a temperature difference - at night it should be lower than during the day by 2-4 degrees.

thickened seeding

This is one of the main reasons for stretching sprouts. Such plants lack light and nutrients in the soil.

What to do:

Sowing seeds is carried out according to the scheme - 5-7 cm between seedlings. If the plantings still turned out to be thickened, it is necessary to thin them out.

Nutrient deficiency

Seedlings of peppers can be stretched with a lack of nutrients in the soil.

What to do:

Apply complex fertilizers, biococktails, a solution of mullein or bird droppings. The sprouts will receive all the necessary substances and become strong. Find out in detail how to feed the seedlings of peppers in the article on our website ......

late dive

When forming 2 true leaves on seedlings, it is necessary to carry out a pick. If this procedure is not carried out in time, the roots of the seedlings will become cramped, they will not develop fully and will begin to stretch.

What to do:

Transplanting seedlings into separate pots should be carried out immediately when 2 true leaves are formed. Thus, the plants will begin to develop the root system in a spacious pot and stop their growth of the above-ground part.

Important! It is necessary to correct the situation immediately, as soon as young sprouts begin to develop incorrectly. Elongated and weak seedlings do not take root well in the ground and give a poor harvest.

Watch the video! What to do if pepper seedlings stretched out

Rehabilitation measures

They must be taken as early as possible in order to correct the situation in time. First you need to determine the causes of improper development of sprouts. This can be done by the appearance of the seedlings.

Slim and pulled up

Seedlings that are stretched and thinned have little space in the seedling box. Such sprouts must be urgently thinned out, removing the smallest and weakest sprouts.

Important! The strongest individuals are drawn out, so they must be left.

After this procedure, the seedlings will stop stretching and put all their strength into the development of the root system.

If the plants already have 2 true leaves, then it is better to dive into separate pots. Then the remaining seedlings will begin to develop correctly in a freer space, and the dived ones will stop growing.

After transplanting, the plants are fertilized with superphosphate, which stimulates the development of the root system. A week later, a second top dressing is carried out. After that, the seedlings are no longer fertilized.

Details on how to feed the seedlings of peppers in our article here ....

Advice! You can regulate the growth of seedlings with the help of the drug "Athlete". However, its validity is short, so the regulator is used 3-4 times with an interval of 7 days. When 3-4 leaves appear, one ampoule of 1.5 ml of the drug is diluted in 1 liter of water. Carry out spraying of the above-ground part.

Stretched out and falling

If, when pulled out, the seedlings become thin, weak and begin to fall, they lack lighting, and you also need to check the air temperature in the room. How to deal with these problems has been described above.

Seedlings may fall as a result of waterlogging or drying. First you need to establish a watering regime.

Important! If this does not help, most likely a fungus has appeared in the root system or rotting has begun.

The sprouts are dug up and the roots are examined. Sick seedlings are removed, and healthy ones are transplanted into a new substrate, watered with a solution of potassium permanganate or fungicides for prevention. It is recommended to sprinkle wood ash on top.

Prevention

  • It is necessary to choose a suitable variety of pepper, depending on the climatic conditions of the region, and sow the seeds within the time indicated on the package, do not rush.

Important! If seedlings are sown too early, the seedlings will have to be planted later due to the weather. Then the seedlings will definitely outgrow and stretch.

  • Choose a suitable soil - soft, loose, loose, fertile, with a small amount of nitrogen.

Important! Peppers should not be grown in acidic soil. Liming will help reduce acidity.

  • When sowing in one box, the distance between the seeds is 3-5 cm.
  • After the appearance of sprouts, it is necessary to install additional lighting and turn it on in the morning and evening for 2-3 hours every day.
  • Carry out a timely pick (20-25 days after seed germination).

Rules for caring for seedlings so that they do not stretch

In order for seedlings to grow strong and healthy, they need to provide suitable growing conditions and proper care.

Priming

They take acid-neutral soil, rich in nutrients and well breathable. You can cook it yourself:

  • 5 parts of peat;
  • 10 parts of humus;
  • 3 parts sand;
  • 2 parts of deciduous land;
  • 1 part ash.

Add to the substrate:

  • 1 st. a spoonful of potassium sulfate;
  • 1 st. a spoonful of potassium sulfate superphosphate;
  • 1 teaspoon of urea.

Sowing

Temperature

Depends on lighting and time of day:

  • At night they withstand + 16–18 ° C.
  • During the day in cloudy weather - + 20–22 ° C.
  • During the day in sunny weather - + 24–27 ° C.

Lighting

Pots with seedlings must be constantly turned over with the other side to the light, so that the seedlings receive light evenly from all sides. But direct sunlight is not desirable. From them, crops must be shaded with a cloth.

Watering

Watering should be moderate, 1 time in 5-7 days. It is carried out with warm settled water under the root, without getting on the leaves and stems.

Important! When watering in the pan, you must ensure that moisture does not stagnate in it.

top dressing

Fertilizer is applied at least twice. The third time can be fertilized 7 days before transplanting into the ground. Mineral dressings are applied in the form of a solution to moist soil. It is best to use biodegradation: "Ideal", "Planta" and others.

Watch the video! Pepper seedlings - growing problems and how to fix them

What to do so that seedlings of peppers do not stretch?

The leaves of pepper seedlings begin to touch each other as they grow. At this very moment, the competitive struggle for living space and light begins. This is a completely natural reaction of each seedling, which tends to go through all the phases of growth, and ultimately produce fruits.

To complete its life cycle, pepper seedlings are ready to reach for the light, photosynthesis directly depends on it. It is for this reason that the stem practically does not thicken, it begins to turn yellow ahead of time, shedding old lower leaves, and so on.


This kind of depressing picture can often be observed in a large number of amateur vegetable growers who grow seedlings on their own. What to do so that seedlings of peppers do not stretch? There is always a way out of this situation. It will be necessary to create optimal conditions for growing a certain kind of plant in our case, pepper seedlings.

At the beginning seedling development it must be converted to round-the-clock lighting. This allows you to significantly accelerate the development and growth of plants.
The air temperature within 3 days after the shoots appear should be reduced to 17-18 C during the day, and at night - up to 14-15 C, this is done so that the seedlings become stocky. At very high temperatures, root growth slows down, and plants begin to stretch strongly.

Then the air temperature must be raised again, during the day in sunny weather it should be from 24 to 26 C, and in cloudy weather from 18 to 20 C, at night from 15-16 C.

Pepper seedlings are very sensitive to lack of heat - if it is below 12 C at night, low temperatures can cause leaves to fall, which leads to the death of plants. Also, this can be facilitated by the cooling of the soil from cold window sills. Pepper seedlings categorically do not tolerate cold air from the window.

After the emergence of seedlings, the seedlings should not be watered for the first 2-3 days, but if the earth is dry, then it can be moistened with a sprayer. You can start watering the seedlings with warm (30 C) water after the cotyledon leaves unfold. It is not recommended to allow wilting of plants and excess moisture, as plants can get sick with a blackleg. Good ventilation is also important.

The most crucial moment during the cultivation of pepper seedlings occurs at the stage of growth before picking. The lighting of plants must be especially carefully monitored. If, with a lack of light, the tomatoes begin to stretch, then the pepper chooses a “sit-in”. Plants simply freeze, while they may not grow for weeks and the roots begin to rot, which can be facilitated by the low temperature of the window sills.

Containers with seedlings should often be turned to the window with the back side so that the seedlings do not stretch in one direction. In poor lighting, seedlings should be additionally illuminated with fluorescent lamps. This is done with the appearance of the first shoots, from early morning in February at 10-12 am and in March at 8-10 am. In case of insufficient lighting, keep in mind that the buds of the first brush may not be laid.

The seedling period for gardeners is always pleasant chores: it is necessary to prepare the seeds for sowing, prepare the soil, containers for seedlings, lighting lamps, and combine all this into one “composition”. Weeks pass in anticipation of obtaining high-quality seedlings, but, unfortunately, the end result is far from always what the gardener would like to see: it happens that the seedlings stretch quite strongly. Why does this happen, how to avoid stretching the seedlings and what to do if it has already stretched out? We will try to answer these questions in as much detail as possible.

Pulling out seedlings of tomatoes. © dianazh

Reasons for pulling seedlings

There are several main reasons - non-compliance with the timing of sowing seeds, lack of lighting, too high a temperature combined with dry air, thickened crops, improper feeding and untimely, abundant watering.

1. Incorrect sowing dates

First you need to strictly follow the optimal timing of sowing seeds and not rush to sow them too early, because, firstly, you can grow seedlings, and it will still be cold outside the window, and you will not be able to plant it on the site - it will simply die from the cold; secondly, you should not rush to sow seeds if you do not have supplementary lighting lamps.

2. Lack of light

The lack of light is almost the main reason why the seedlings are stretched: the plants are drawn to the light source, as a result of which the stalk becomes long, thin and fragile. Given this, lighting lamps must be installed and turned on both in the morning and in the evening, and in cloudy weather even during the day.

3. High temperature

Another reason is the high temperature, you should clearly know that at high temperatures the aerial part develops intensively, and the root system grows weaker, the plants stretch. A high temperature (at the level of 23-24 degrees Celsius) in the room can be maintained only until the seedlings appear on the soil surface, and immediately after that the temperature must be lowered to 14-16 degrees to allow the seedlings to develop fully and form both the aerial part and the root system. After 8-10 days, the temperature can be raised again, to an average of 19-21 degrees above zero. If you want seedlings to develop at an ideal temperature for it, then simulate external conditions (that is, at night, try to make the temperature be 4-6 degrees lower than daytime).

4. Overwatering

Excessive watering is a good reason for pulling seedlings. Plants are especially strongly stretched at a combination of high temperature and excessive humidity. It must be remembered that 5-6 days after the emergence of seedlings on the surface of the soil, seedlings can not be watered at all, then watering should be carried out once every 5-6 days, trying to soak the soil well. If you see that the earth ball dries out faster, then watering can be carried out more often, and vice versa, if after five days the soil has not begun to dry out and is moist to the touch, then watering can be delayed.

5. Thickened crops

Too frequent crops - there is a banal competition between plants: they all strive to overtake each other, and therefore stretch. If the seedlings have already appeared, they are thick, but still small, although it is already noticeable that the stems are longer than expected, then it is necessary to pick the seedlings, preferably in separate cups.

If you did not correctly calculate the number of seeds and the seedlings began to stretch later, when they acquire real leaves, then you can carefully remove one or two lower leaves - this often helps. The fact is that the removal of leaves is a shock state for the plant, it must stop growing in height and start growing, as they say, in breadth, as a rule, while the root system develops more actively, and the stalk becomes thicker. After 6-8 days, the seedlings can again begin to stretch, then it is permissible to repeat the procedure and remove another leaf.

6. Wrong feeding

It must be clearly understood that at the initial stage of their growth and development, seedlings no longer need nitrogen fertilizers, but phosphorus and potash fertilizers. Fertilizers containing only nitrogen should be applied after 10-12 days.

What to do if the seedlings have already stretched out?

It is quite acceptable to plant overgrown seedlings in the ground, but only after making the holes deeper and placing the seedlings in them at an acute angle (40-45 degrees), directing the roots to the south and covering the plant with moist soil to the leaf blades. This method of planting will allow the plants to form an additional root system on the stalk immersed in the soil, then the stalk will straighten and the plant will get stronger.

If the seedlings have stretched out, and it’s still cool outside the window and you still can’t plant plants in the ground, then you need to reduce watering to a minimum and lower the temperature by 5-7 degrees. These actions will slow down the development of seedlings, the stalk will slightly wilt, become more pliable and can be very carefully bent into a ring and sprinkled with soil. It is also permissible to add soil to the container with seedlings, if the walls of the container allow it (up to the first leaves). This will also contribute to the formation of an additional root system on the stalk, and the seedlings will be stocky and strong by the time they land on the beds.

In addition to the well-known agricultural practices that we have described, you can also use the achievements of modern industry, for example, treat seedlings with a growth regulator, such as Athlete. This regulator stimulates the growth and development of the root system, makes the stalk stocky, preventing it from stretching. Plants can be sprayed with growth regulators, and watering under the root is also allowed at the first sign of seedling extension.

Features of care for elongated seedlings of individual crops

These were general techniques to restore the normal appearance of seedlings, however, a number of crops have their own characteristics, which you should also be aware of.

tomato seedling

Tomatoes are very good at forming additional roots that develop on a stem buried in the soil, so this seedling can even be cut into pieces and rooted in moist soil or a glass of water. Usually, the top of the head with a part of the stem 4-5 cm long is cut off from the elongated tomato seedlings and the part of the remaining stem is separated from the root system. Both parts are rooted in water or soil - as a result, normal plants are obtained.

seedlings of peppers

Pepper seedlings, unfortunately, cannot form an additional root system on the stalk; therefore, the method of planting elongated seedlings obliquely or trying to root the top of the head will not work. So that after planting the elongated seedlings of pepper, it gets stronger in a new place and begins to develop in width, it is necessary to pinch the top of the stem.

eggplant seedling

Elongated seedlings can be planted or dived into the soil when planting or picking, which will allow the seedlings to hold firmly in the ground, and possibly form a new root system and develop normally in the future.

Cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkin, melon, watermelons

The stalk of these crops is flexible, when pulling out seedlings, when planting it in the ground, you can easily roll it into a ring, press this ring to the ground and fill it with moist and nutritious soil.

cabbage seedling

When pulling out seedlings of cabbage, it is necessary to pinch the tip of the root (approximately 0.5 cm) and then plant the seedlings in the ground, deepening the plant to the cotyledon leaves. After 8-10 days, the seedlings must be fed with potassium sulfate (8-10 g per square meter) or wood ash (150 g per square meter).


Pulling seedlings. © Kim

flower crops

Stretched seedlings petunias And carnations you can safely deepen to the cotyledon leaves and pinch their tops. With a very strong stretching of petunia seedlings, you can do the same with tomatoes - cut off the tops and root them in water or soil.

At the stretched seedling violas, lobelia, snapdragon you can pinch the tops and shorten the root system by ten percent, after which the plants can be planted in a permanent place.

Seedling stock roses and seedlings marigolds it often stretches out even for no apparent reason, you can plant such seedlings without any action with it, as a rule, seedlings continue to fully develop in a new place.

So, so that the seedlings do not stretch, you need to follow simple rules: use full-fledged seed material for sowing, preferably disinfected; apply loose, nutritious and disinfected soil; observe the optimal distance already when planting seeds and, of course, do this in the future - when picking seedlings; do not rush to sow, place containers with seedlings on the southern windowsill and use lighting lamps for seedlings; maintain optimal temperature and soil moisture; apply fertilizer in a timely and correct manner.

If you know other reasons why seedlings are stretched, and ways to eliminate this phenomenon, then write about it in the comments, it will be useful for everyone to learn something new.