Content
Growing the popular bell pepper in unprotected soil under domestic climatic and weather conditions is not at all an easy task.
This is not surprising, since the vegetable crop originally grew in the hottest and most humid regions of Central and Latin America. However, despite this, the level of agricultural technology and breeding work has increased so much in recent years that it is quite possible to get a good harvest of bell pepper in unprotected soil conditions, even in the Russian middle zone. This is something that numerous amateur gardeners successfully do every year.
Tips for choosing a pepper variety
In the absence of sufficient experience, it is not easy to choose the right seeds for planting from the extremely wide assortment offered today in any specialized store. Therefore, you should be guided by some general rules:
Carefully study the description (always placed on the bag of seeds) of the variety and what is most important, for what conditions it is intended.
First of all, you should decide on the ripening period that a particular gardener needs based on how much time he has to grow peppers. According to ripening time, all varieties are divided into three groups:
- Early ripening (80-100 days). These varieties of peppers best suit the conditions of unprotected soil, when the period of stable warm and sunny days is relatively short.
- Mid-season (115-130 days). They can also be used for open ground, but will require a little more attention to obtain a decent harvest.
- Late ripening (up to 140 days). Use of such varieties sweet pepper for planting in open ground is quite problematic - they simply do not have time to show their best qualities and properties.
Secondly, special attention must be paid to the resistance of the selected pepper variety to diseases and pests that are most common in this particular region. Insufficient attention to this issue can lead to the fact that all the work on growing and caring for the vegetable will be in vain due to, as always, a plant disease that does not appear in time.
Thirdly, you should pay attention to the varieties of sweet peppers, zoned for the specific region where it is planned to be grown.
Fourthly, every gardener must decide for himself whether to focus on hybrids or varieties of vegetable crops. Each option has its undoubted pros and cons. The main advantage of the varieties is the ability to independently obtain seeds for future harvests, as well as their less demanding conditions and care with a more stable yield, although not such a high yield.The advantages of the hybrid are also noticeable - high yield and clearly defined taste. An additional advantage is that hybrid seeds do not require significant preparation for sowing, since most of the activities have already been completed in the seed farm.
Following these simple tips will allow the gardener to choose the most suitable variety or hydride of sweet pepper for his region.
Features of agricultural technology
Growing bell peppers in unprotected soil has some peculiarities.
Seeds can be planted both in special disposable cups (their volume is usually 250 ml) and in large containers (boxes, containers, etc.) The seed planting depth is usually 1.5-2 cm.
Caring for pepper seedlings intended for planting in open ground is, in principle, no different in agricultural technology from caring for ordinary seedlings: standard procedures for loosening, watering and hardening are carried out. If they are carried out correctly, by the end of May it will be time to plant the grown seedlings in open ground.
It is better to produce it on a warm sunny day. Bell pepper seedlings are usually planted in two rows, the usual width of the bed is about 1 meter. The distance between adjacent plants should be equal to or exceed 0.3 meters, between adjacent rows - approximately 0.5 meters.
The best varieties of pepper for open ground
A fairly large number of varieties and hybrids are universal, that is, they can be grown both in the protected conditions of greenhouses and film coverings, and in open ground. It’s just that in the second case, much more care for the plants is required.But some varieties are bred primarily for open ground. To complete the picture, it is necessary to study the properties of both.
Orange
Bulgarian variety pepper Orange is mid-season. It has a small bush, rarely reaching 45 cm in height. The fruits of the vegetable crop have a bright orange or red-orange color, an elongated round shape, and a smooth surface. Peppercorns are small, their weight is usually less than 40 grams.
A distinctive feature of the Orange variety is its special sweet taste and distinct aroma of the fruit. According to the method of consumption, it is universal, excellent for salads, and for canning or preparing lecho.
Through the efforts of breeders, the sweet pepper variety has been given properties that are conducive to cultivation in open ground in central Russia, namely: unpretentiousness to conditions and care, and the ability to withstand low temperatures. In addition, the variety is quite resistant to diseases.
California miracle
One of the most popular varieties of bell peppers for open ground among gardeners. The vegetable crop is a mid-season crop. The bush of the plant is quite compact and large - its height can reach 1 meter. In addition, this bush variety is characterized by powerful and elastic branches, so it does not need staking. The fruits of the California miracle are quite large, weighing up to 120-150 grams. Moreover, their structure is very fleshy and dense. Peppercorns have a bright red color, a regular cuboid shape and a slightly ribbed surface.
Variety California miracle It is universal both in the place of cultivation (both in unprotected and indoor soil) and in the method of consumption (salads, heat treatment during cooking, canning). The taste properties are pronounced and appreciated by numerous gardeners.
An additional advantage of the variety is its resistance to most diseases, in particular Verticillium wilt. This is also why the variety stands out for its high and very stable yield, with extreme unpretentiousness to growing conditions and care.
Gift from Moldova
No less popular and widespread than the previous one is the pepper variety. It, like the previous one, refers to mid-season varieties of vegetable crops. The bush of the plant is low, rarely exceeds 0.4 meters, with medium spreading. Peppercorns have a cone-shaped shape, a characteristic red color with a dark tint and are distinguished by a clearly defined fleshy structure of the fruit. They are relatively small in size, weighing in most cases 70-80 grams.
The variety is excellent for unprotected soil, but can also be planted in greenhouses. It is unpretentious to growing conditions and has a high degree of resistance to wilting. The popularity and wide distribution of the variety is due to its high and stable yield, which, combined with high adaptability to a wide variety of conditions, makes it extremely attractive to gardeners.
The taste of the crop is quite high; most experts recommend it primarily for canning.
Martin
Variety Swallow refers to a mid-season variety of vegetable crop. The height of its bush is approximately half a meter, and its shape is semi-spreading.Peppercorns have a characteristic light green color and a regular cone-shaped, slightly rounded shape. The fruits are relatively small in size, rarely reaching 90-100 grams, and have a dense and smooth skin.
The variety was bred specifically for open ground. It has sufficient resistance to various diseases, in addition, high yield and withstands transportation well. Also, the Lastochka variety is able to withstand the effects of cold temperatures and even autumn frosts. Most often used for canning.
Siberian prince
The Siberian Prince variety is one of the early ripening varieties. The vegetable bushes are relatively low, semi-spreading in shape. Peppercorns have a very rich and bright red color, a fleshy interior and a smooth, glossy skin. The sizes of peppercorns are usually small, rarely exceeding 100 grams. The shape of the fruit is a regular cone.
The sweet pepper variety was bred for open ground, but can also be planted in a greenhouse. The Siberian Prince has one peculiarity of agricultural technology - it is necessary to periodically trim its side shoots, otherwise the peppercorns will grow small. Seedlings of the variety do not need picking.
One of the main advantages of the variety is its excellent taste and unique aroma. According to the method of consumption, the variety is universal, because it can be used both in salad form and for various canning.
Ermak
This variety is early ripening (95 days). It was developed by the Pridnestrovian Research Institute of Agriculture and can be used in open and protected ground. The variety is zoned throughout Russia. The bush of the plant is low, rarely reaching 35-45 cm.Peppercorns have a pyramidal shape and are quite large, their weight reaches 85-95 grams with an average wall thickness of about 6 mm. At the stage of technical maturity, peppercorns have a clearly defined dark green color.
The variety is distinguished by its high taste properties and can be consumed in any form: in salads, after heat treatment and for canning.
The variety also has a high degree of resistance to many diseases, in particular verticillium and tobacco mosaic virus. In addition, it withstands unfavorable climatic conditions well.
Nikitich
The Dobrynya Nikitich variety is an early ripening variety. Technical maturity occurs 3.5-4 months after germination. The vegetable crop has a low-growing bush and a strong stem.
Peppercorns have the shape of a rectangle or trapezoid, a glossy surface without signs of ribs. The fruits are relatively large, often weighing more than 120 grams, while the thickness of the walls can vary greatly - from 0.4 to 0.8 cm. When the peppercorns reach technical ripeness, they acquire a yellow color, which turns into red as they ripen further. The Dobrynya Nikitich variety can produce a yield of up to 3.6-3.9 kg/sq. m.
Belladonna F1
Hybrid of Bulgarian Belladonna pepper is early ripening. The bush of the plant has a compact shape. The hybrid can be successfully grown both in unprotected and indoor greenhouses.
Peppercorns at the stage of technical maturity have a rare milky-white color, which turns into bright orange as they ripen. The fruits are quite large, with a wall thickness of 6-7 mm and have a regular and attractive cubic shape measuring approximately 10*11 cm.
An earlier date for the appearance of the first peppercorns is achieved by not picking the seedlings. The hybrid is quite popular among gardeners, which is explained by the combination of relatively high yield and excellent taste of the fruit.
Isabella F1
Hybrid Isabella is a mid-season hybrid, which allows you to start harvesting fruits after 120 days. The bush of the plant is quite tall and closed. Peppercorns have a prism-shaped, slightly elongated shape and a bright red color at the stage of technical maturity. They are quite large, often reaching a mass of 160 grams or more, while having a wall thickness of up to 8.5 mm and a fleshy structure.
The hybrid is unpretentious in care; for its successful cultivation, routine activities are quite sufficient. According to the method of use - universal, suitable for salads, heat treatment and canning.
The variety has a fairly high yield - up to 6-8 kg/sq. m, which is achieved by simultaneous ripening of 20 peppercorns on the bush.
Cheerfulness
The Vigor variety is a mid-early plant. The first fruits reach the stage of technical maturity at 95-105 days. The vegetable bush is quite tall, has a closed structure, and has glossy, elongated, ovate leaves.
The fruit is quite small in size, shaped like a regular cone with a slightly ribbed surface. Peppercorns at the stage of technical maturity are light green in color, then upon reaching biological maturity they turn red.
The weight of the fruit rarely exceeds 80 grams, the thickness of the walls of the peppercorns is 5-6 mm.
Bell pepper variety is distinguished by a combination of two main advantages:
- high yield, reaching 9.9 kg/sq. m.;
- excellent taste properties of the fruit.
In addition to the above, the variety has a high degree of resistance to diseases and pests found in domestic conditions.
Conclusion
Improvements in agricultural techniques and breeding work have made it possible for gardeners to obtain decent yields when growing sweet peppers, even in difficult open ground conditions. The main thing for this is the correct choice of variety and compliance with its care requirements.
