Content
Sweet pepper Gift of Moldova is a vivid example of how long a plant variety can be popular if its quality meets demand in many respects. The variety began to spread in 1973, and many gardeners still prefer to grow Gift of Moldova. The unpretentiousness of the plant, the ideal shape of the fruit, and good productivity have made the pepper variety a favorite in summer cottages and garden plots.
Plant characteristics
The variety was bred at the Moldavian Research Institute, and in more than forty years it spread to Siberia and the Far East. According to reviews from vegetable growers, Podarok Moldova pepper is not inferior to many modern hybrids. From 1 sq. m with timely and regular care, you get 5-8 kilograms of juicy fruits. Photos of luxurious pepper bushes Gift of Moldova confirm reviews of the variety’s yield.
The plant is grown in open ground and in greenhouses. The bushes withstand temperature changes and humidity fluctuations. You just have to pay more attention to the plants during flowering so that ovaries form. Lovers of their own vitamin products plant the variety even on balconies in cut-off 5-liter containers, and receive fresh fruits as an exquisite delicacy.Bell peppers really activate the release of endorphins, just like chocolate. It simply needs to be included in the diet of a modern busy person.
The characteristics of a variety are determined by its ripening time. Pepper Gift of Moldova produces mid-early fruits, and their description from the beginning of the variety’s distribution has determined consumer demand for the form of these once exotic vegetables. The structure of the Gift of Moldova pepper berry is very convenient for stuffing. The average period of ripeness makes it possible to pick fruits even in the phase of technical maturity in mid-summer. Biological maturity occurs two weeks later, 125-135 days after planting the plants in a permanent place. The fruits of this variety are well stored in cool rooms and can withstand long-distance transportation.
Description of the variety
Semi-standard pepper bushes Gift of Moldova are compact, low, grow up to 0.35-0.5 m, not spreading, up to 30-38 cm in diameter. The root system is well developed, the stem is of medium thickness, elastic, and can withstand a large load of fruits. The internodes are short and many ovaries are formed. Bush of medium foliage. The leaves are small, bright green.
Hanging pods. Large, smooth, cone-shaped fruits 7-10 cm long, diameter near the stalk 4-5 cm. Weight from 50 to 100 g, average fruit weight is 70-80 g. At technical maturity, the fruits are light green in color, becoming bright when ripe -red. The skin is thin and dense. The pulp is juicy, 5-6 mm thick. The excellent taste of the fruit is a guarantee of the popularity of pepper. The pods are crispy, sweet, with a characteristic peppery taste. Suitable for fresh salads and various preparations.
Advantages and disadvantages
Judging by its longevity in gardens, the Gift of Moldova pepper has high merits, as evidenced by reviews and photos of the fruits of those vegetable growers who constantly grow it.
- Beautiful, convenient and even shape of the fruit;
- Mid-season;
- Stability of fruiting;
- Productivity;
- Unpretentiousness and endurance of the plant;
- Resistance to Fusarium wilt;
- Good keeping quality, transportability;
- High commercial quality.
The disadvantages include the fact that the fruits of the Podarok Moldova variety are quite thin-walled compared to current hybrids. This variety of pepper, like any other, belongs to plants that come from warm regions that require the gardener’s close attention.
Growing seedlings
Pepper Gift of Moldova must be grown by sowing seeds for seedlings. Before determining the planting date, gardeners calculate when and where the plants will be planted. February sowing is intended for greenhouses, and seeds for seedlings for planting peppers in the garden are sown in March. A month and a half is enough for seedlings to get stronger and begin the growing season in a permanent place. If the shoots have already sprouted at the beginning of March, the first fruits can be picked by the end of June.
Preparing soil and containers for seedlings
When starting sowing, one more fact is taken into account. Seedlings of the Gift of Moldova variety rise quickly and grow to the sides.Therefore, individual pots do not need to be placed close to each other so that the plants can develop freely. It is best to place pepper seeds one at a time in special seedling cassettes.
- The soil can be purchased at the store or prepared independently. It should be nutritious and loose;
- Sand, humus or peat are added to clay soils;
- If the soil is sandy, add more humus.
Sowing
Peppers of the Podarok Moldova variety are often grown from seeds collected with one’s own hands.
- Before sowing, they are disinfected for 20-30 minutes in a pink solution of potassium permanganate;
- To speed up the germination of seeds, they are soaked in clean water for 10-12 hours;
- The wet seeds are dried and sown immediately, embedded in the soil to a depth of 1.5-2 cm.
Seedling care
Strong sprouts should be kept in a room with an air temperature of 23-25 degrees.
- If the seeds were sown in a large container, they are transplanted into separate cups when 2-3 true leaves are created;
- Plants are watered moderately, without waterlogging, to avoid the seedling disease “black leg”;
- February sowings need to be supplemented with light: the plant needs at least 14 hours of bright light;
- The first feeding is carried out when true leaves appear. Dissolve 0.5 g of ammonium nitrate, 1 g of potassium sulfate, 3 g of superphosphate in 1 liter of water and water the plants - 100 ml each;
- After two weeks, feed with the same fertilizers, but double the dose.
When the pepper bush has formed 8-9 leaves, the seedlings begin to be hardened by taking them into the shade and then briefly placing them in sunlight.
Plants in the garden
A pepper bush that has grown to 18-20 cm needs to be transplanted to a permanent place. This is done in May or June, focusing on the weather conditions of the region.Pepper can only grow at above-zero temperatures. The slightest frost will destroy the plants.
- When planning to plant peppers, gardeners prepare the site in the fall. For 1 sq. m, add 5 kg of humus or compost, scatter fertilizers: 2 tablespoons of superphosphate, 3 tablespoons of wood ash;
- In the spring, loosening the soil, they scatter more fertilizers: one and a half tablespoons of phosphate and potassium, one tablespoon of nitrogen;
- In cold climates, peppers are planted on high ridges.
Pepper varieties Podarok Moldova are planted according to a pattern of 50 x 40-30 cm. The seedlings are buried in the soil to the level of the cotyledon leaves.
Watering
The pepper variety Gift of Moldova is moisture-loving, so it does well in greenhouses. It needs to be watered regularly. It is especially important to ensure that the soil does not dry out at the time when buds appear and then flowering begins. The subsequent period - the formation of ovaries and fruits - is also characterized by increased plant requirements for a sufficient amount of moisture in the soil. After watering in the evening, in the morning the soil is loosened to a shallow depth; in extreme heat, it can be mulched with grass or straw. In large areas, pepper seedlings are planted on black film or spunbond. Then there are no problems with weeds.
Feeding
Pepper plants need regular feeding, including the Podarok Moldova variety. Pepper, according to descriptions and reviews from gardeners, gives an excellent harvest after three feedings. Each vegetable grower chooses what is more suitable: special complex fertilizers for peppers or organic matter. Fresh manure is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10. Before fertilizing, the plants are watered.
The plants are fertilized for the first time 15 days after planting;
The second feeding is during budding;
The third time the fertilizer is applied when the ovaries are formed.
Features of care
Leaves should not be removed from plants; they are needed for development.
- Peppers produce many fruits if the first flower is removed;
- It is also necessary to pick the first pods in time. By collecting them green, the plant is given the opportunity to grow a lot of other fruits.
Pepper is disease resistant. Regular care rewards you with a high yield of tasty and healthy fruits.
