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Mildly hot peppers are a favorite of many cooks and lovers of savory dishes. It can be eaten fresh, pickled, smoked, or added to any snack. Mildly hot peppers are dried quite rarely. This variety has thick walls, which requires a long time to dry. And fresh thick-walled pepper considered very tasty. All varieties of mildly hot peppers high-yielding, but demanding on heat, soil composition and lighting. The fruits ripen earlier than their pungent counterparts.
Plants are grown in seedlings. This is due to the fact that at low temperatures the seeds do not germinate and the seedlings do not develop. Therefore, planting in the ground is carried out no earlier than 12-15 ºС above zero. In regions with cool climates, cultivation of mildly pungent varieties is only possible in film greenhouses. Even hardened seedlings cannot withstand temperatures dropping below the permissible level. Heat deficiency during the growth period leads to massive flower drop, which leads to crop loss. In fertile soil, with good lighting, watering and warmth, pepper produces a consistently high yield. The pungency of pepper fruits is determined by the content of the alkaloid capsaicin. For a mildly pungent taste, 0.01 to 0.015% of this bitter substance is sufficient. The best varieties of pepper mildly spicy are highly valued for their spicy, warm taste.
Features of cultivation
Peninsular varieties must be grown in seedlings. This is done so that the plant has time to produce ripe fruits.
Mildly hot peppers are demanding of heat and moisture, but not so much as to give up growing this wonderful vegetable. Care will need to be added at the end of summer. New buds appear on the plants that need to be plucked. After all, the fruits that have set will not have time to ripen, and the life force will be drawn from the plant. If in the fall there are a lot of unripe fruits left on the bushes, you can dig up the plant and move it into the house, cover it with soil and do not forget to water it. The leaves will all fall off, but the peppers will have time to ripen.
Experienced gardeners can easily distinguish the flavors of semi-hot peppers. This vegetable is useful even for people with digestive problems. A little spiciness will not do any harm, and its benefits can hardly be overestimated. The list of vitamins, warming and appetite-enhancing effects make this pepper very popular.
The best varieties
"Orozco"
A wonderful variety that attracts the attention of many gardeners. The plant is quite tall for a pepper - 90 cm and beautiful. The stems are purple-black, the leaves are purple. The pepper pods are directed upwards. During the ripening period they change color. Green at the beginning of the season, then yellow (orange) and red at ripeness. The shape is small and sharp. Grown by seedlings. Seeds should be sown at a depth of 6 mm. Be sure to monitor the soil moisture. Plants dive in the phase of two true leaves. The variety is demanding on the composition of fertilizers during flowering and fruiting. At this time, phosphorus-potassium should be added.
"Pasilla Bagio"
A variety with an amazing smoky taste. Mildly spicy, used for making mole sauces.Translated from Spanish it sounds like “little raisin.” Pepper fruits got their name from their dark brown color and wrinkled surface after drying. The pods are narrow, cylindrical, reaching a length of 15-30 cm. During the growth period, they change color from dark green to brown. The taste of Pasilla Bajio pepper is very mild, not burning, but warming. This rare variety is added to almost all Mediterranean dishes. Suitable for stuffing and grilling, especially when the pods are still green. Growing is no different from other varieties of mildly hot peppers. To obtain a stable harvest, the plant is cultivated in seedlings. On the Scoville scale 1000-2000 units.
"Hungarian yellow"
An early variety of mildly hot pepper. Used in cooking and for homemade preparations. The bush is closed, low-growing with drooping, narrow-cone-shaped fruits. In technical ripeness it has a yellowish tint, in biological ripeness it is red. Fruits with a small mass - up to 60 g, the wall has a thickness of up to 4 mm. It grows well in greenhouses and film shelters and produces high yields. From 1 sq. m of soil is collected up to 6.5 kg semi-hot pepper. The plant is grown in seedlings. Before sowing, it is advisable to treat the seeds with potassium permanganate, then rinse with clean water. Seedlings emerge in the phase of two true leaves and are planted 60 days after sowing. The planting pattern is classic - 30x30. It is better to water the plants in the evening and not with cold water. Requires additional nutrition throughout the growing season.
"Caloro"
One of the variants of the famous “Hot Banana” variety with smaller fruits. The length of the pods is 10 cm, diameter - 5 cm, the taste is mildly spicy, the pulp is very juicy. The walls of the fruit are thick, during ripening they change color from green to yellow, finally becoming bright red.The bushes reach a height of 90 cm and bear fruit continuously and abundantly. Plants are planted in the phase of two leaves, seedlings of 12 cm in size are planted. The variety is very good for fresh consumption. Pods that have not reached maturity are used for pickling. Scoville rating 1,000 - 5,000 SHU.
"TAM Mild Jalapeno"
A milder version of the popular Jalapeño variety. It is a variety improved in many important parameters, but retaining the taste of Jalapeño. High-yielding, juicy, with a soft edge. Up to 100 pods ripen on one bush. Hotness is assessed on the Scoville scale as no more than 1500 units. The pods are elongated and turn from green to red when ripe. The variety loves good light, but requires protection from the wind. Harvesting can begin 65-75 days after germination. Seeds are sown to a depth of 6 cm and maintain optimal soil moisture. The seedling planting scheme provides for a distance between bushes of 30 to 50 cm. The fruits can be collected both ripe and unripe.
"Thunder F1"
An early hybrid variety that is widely used fresh and for canning. Cultivation can be carried out in open ground and under cover. The bush is tall, the fruits are drooping, long, slightly wrinkled in the shape of a narrow cone. The weight of one pepper is 55 g, but can reach up to 100 g. considered a large-fruited variety. Wall thickness about 5 mm, pod diameter 4 cm, length up to 25 cm. Special advantages:
- tolerates low light well;
- excellent presentation due to the shape and color of the fruit;
- high transportability;
- excellent taste;
- resistance to diseases (bacterial spot, tobamovirus).
The planting density should not exceed three plants per 1 square meter. m in a greenhouse and 3-4 plants in open ground.
"Cohiba F1"
Mid-season hybrid variety of mildly hot pepper. Suitable for growing in greenhouses and open ground. Semi-spreading bush of medium height. Pepper fruits are drooping, smooth, narrowly conical, two-chambered. Each pod grows up to 17-22 cm, in diameter - up to 3.5 cm, wall thickness 2.5-3.5 mm, weight - about 50 g. The taste of pepper is semi-hot and can be eaten fresh. Unripe fruits are greenish-white in color and turn light red when ripe.
Seeds are sown for seedlings in February and planted in the cotyledon phase. At the end of May they are planted in the ground. The plant requires shaping. Before the first fork, remove all side shoots and leaves. Planting scheme for variety 30x40. The yield is good - 2 kg of fruits per 1 sq. m. Resistant to tobacco mosaic virus.
"Vortex"
Mid-early semi-hot pepper variety. The harvest can be harvested after 90-100 days. The bush is semi-spreading, low - up to 50 cm. The pods weigh 40 g, with a wall thickness of 4 mm, drooping, elongated cone-shaped. Advantages of the variety:
- resistant to diseases;
- tolerates a drop in temperature;
- bears fruit abundantly and for a long time.
It can be grown in open ground and under cover. Productivity reaches up to 7.5 kg per 1 sq.m of area.
"Charm"
An early variety for growing both in greenhouses and in open ground. The bush is semi-spreading, low-growing. The fruits are original prismatic, highly glossy, drooping. At first they are dark green, but when ripe they turn dark red. A variety with good yield. From one square meter you can collect up to 6.5 kg of semi-hot pepper pods weighing from 45 to 120 g. Valued for:
- large fruit;
- good harvest;
- refined taste.
The fruits are used in cooking and for preparations. They add a pleasant tint to sauces, seasonings, vegetable salads and dishes.
"Bouquet of the East F1"
Medium ripening hybrid. The fruits are ready for consumption 115–120 days after germination. The bush is medium, spreading. The fruits are large (up to 150 g) with a semi-sharp taste and are cone-shaped. The pods contain a high content of dry matter, ascorbic acid and sugars. Valued for:
- complex disease resistance;
- intensive fruit set;
- duration of fruiting.
Suitable for canning and cooking.
Conclusion
Mildly hot peppers, the varieties of which we have reviewed, will add warmth to your favorite dishes and a piquant aftertaste, helping to keep you warm during the cold season. There are no special requirements for cultivation, and many lovers prefer mildly spicy varieties instead of hot ones. They are useful for any age and have no strict contraindications. A slight hint of bitterness does not spoil the taste of the dishes, but, on the contrary, makes them richer. Therefore, mildly hot pepper varieties are an excellent choice for lovers of this culture.
