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Not all vegetable crops grown on our plots can be successfully used not only in cooking, but also in medicine and cosmetology. One of the rare number of such universal crops is red hot pepper. Its benefits were noticed back in the days of the Mayans and Aztecs. Growing red pepper plants is not difficult, and the benefits of its fiery fruits will be enormous.
Benefits of red hot pepper
Red hot pepper, otherwise called chili pepper, is a very amazing vegetable of the nightshade family. The beneficial substances it contains can have a positive effect on all organs and systems of the human body. It contains about 40 different vitamins, 20 minerals, more than 20 enzymes, as well as various oils and esters:
- vitamins A;
- B vitamins;
- vitamin C;
- iron;
- magnesium;
- calcium;
- phosphorus and others.
Red chili peppers are one of the few vegetables that contain capsaicin, a natural anti-cancer alkaloid. Its effectiveness against cancer cells has been proven in many medical trials. It is a substance obtained from fruits chili pepper, is included in many medicines.
Red pepper is one of the most common components of painkillers. In addition, it perfectly relieves pain symptoms even when eaten fresh. It is recommended to use it for pain in:
- musculoskeletal system;
- gastrointestinal system;
- organs of the chest.
It is effectively used for colds, bleeding, shock and fainting, as well as for general strengthening of the body.
Red pepper will also be useful for those who take care of their appearance. It will help not only cope with the problem of excess weight, but also normalize the condition of the skin and hair. It is from it that products are made to combat hair loss and enhance their growth.
When used externally, it is recommended to first check for an allergic reaction. This can be done by applying a small amount of pepper or a product containing it to the skin. If there is burning or redness of the skin, its use is contraindicated.
Scoville scale
It's impossible to look at red hot peppers without mentioning the Scoville scale. It was developed in America by chemist Wilbur Scoville to compare the degree of spiciness of hot pepper varieties. The units indicated in it indicate the capsaicin content of each variety. Accordingly, the more it is, the more units the variety receives and the sharper it tastes.
Scoville scale units are usually indicated on Western varieties. Russian manufacturers do not use this scale.
The image shows the Scoville scale. The units are indicated on the left, and the names of varieties on the right.
Characteristics of varieties
Hot pepper varieties there are more than 3000. Let's consider the most popular varieties for growing in our climate zone, depending on their ripening time.
Early varieties
The ripening period for the fruits of these varieties will not exceed 100 days.
Adjika
This variety is distinguished not only by its fruits, but also by its bushes. They can grow over a meter in height. In this case, the bushes of this plant will not need support. The spicy Adjika fruits are also distinguished by their size: they are quite large, weighing up to 90 grams. The shape of the fruit resembles an elongated cone of bright red color. Their rather pungent flesh is thick and dense in structure, with a pleasant peppery aroma.
Burning bouquet
The compact, powerful bush of the Burning Bouquet will not exceed 75 cm, so it will do just fine without a garter. Its cone-shaped fruits have semi-sharp flesh with a peppery aroma. Their weight does not exceed 25 grams with a length of up to 12 cm. Their color changes from dark green to dark red as they mature.
The burning bouquet is distinguished by its yield - up to 2 kg per square meter. In addition, he has good immunity to diseases.
Miracle of the Moscow Region
Tall, semi-spreading bushes of this variety have very little foliage and do not require artificial formation. They bear drooping, cone-shaped fruits. They have a flat and smooth surface. During the period of biological ripeness, their color changes from light yellow to red. The pepper variety Miracle of the Moscow Region is quite large - up to 25 cm in length and weighing up to 50 grams. Its diameter will be about 3 cm, while the wall thickness will be 1-2 mm. Due to its mildly spicy taste, it is perfect for preparing many dishes.
The yield of the variety will be about 4 kg per square meter.In this case, up to 20 fruits can be collected from each bush.
Medium varieties
The ripening period for the fruits of these varieties will not exceed 120 days.
Astrakhansky 147
This high-yielding variety is perfect for growing in open ground. The height of its compact semi-standard bushes will not exceed 70 cm. The Astrakhan 147 variety is characterized by smooth, cone-shaped fruits with a length of up to 9 cm and a weight of up to 10 grams. During the period of technical maturity, they are colored dark green, and during the period of biological maturity, red. They have rough and pungent flesh.
A distinctive feature of this variety is its resistance to many diseases, as well as the plasticity of its fruits. The yield of Astrakhan 147 will not exceed 3 kg per square meter.
Ram's horn
Standard bushes of this variety will not exceed 1.5 meters in height. They bear elongated fruits with a length of up to 20 cm and a weight of up to 40 grams. Their diameter will be 3 cm, and the wall thickness will be 2 mm. The degree of maturity of the fruits of the Ram's Horn variety is determined by their color. Green unripe peppers are adjacent to mature red ones. The pulp of the ripe fruit has medium pungency. It is perfect for canning and drying.
cayenne bitter
It is suitable for both greenhouses and open ground. Perennial bushes of hot pepper Cayenne bitter grow above 1 meter. After flowering, they are sprinkled with green, oblong-shaped fruits. Their length will be about 10 cm. During the process of ripening, the color of the peppers changes to yellow and then to red. Due to the high content of capsaicin, its pulp is quite spicy. It can be used both fresh and dried.
Late varieties
The ripening period for the fruits of these varieties will not exceed 150 days.
Tabasco
Bushes up to 1.5 meters high are distinguished by their resistance to many diseases. During the fruiting period, they are literally strewn with fruits. Tabasco peppers are small in size: only 5 cm in length and 6 mm in diameter. Its color changes depending on the degree of ripeness from green to yellow and bright red. The taste of red pepper of this variety is not very hot. It has a spicy aroma and a smoky taste. It is from this variety that the famous Tabasco sauce is made.
Vizier
After flowering ends, its powerful, semi-spreading bushes are dotted with small fruits weighing up to 20 grams. A distinctive feature of this variety is the turban-shaped shape of the peppers. As they ripen, the green fruits of the Vizier variety acquire a red color. Their mildly spicy flesh is perfect for cooking.
The yield of the variety will be up to 4 kg per square meter.
Margelansky 330
This variety is considered one of the best varieties for growing in our latitudes. Its semi-standard, slightly spreading bushes grow up to 60 cm in height. Red ripe fruits are up to 14 cm long and weigh 10 grams. They have an elongated cone shape and sharp flesh.
The variety has high yield and excellent disease resistance.
Recommendations for cultivation
Red hot pepper is one of the few crops that can be successfully grown at home. Varieties with compact bushes are best suited for this.
The video will tell you more about growing hot peppers at home:
It is grown at the dacha, just like its fellow bell pepper. First you need to prepare the seedlings.It is best to start preparing it in February. The deadline for planting seeds for seedlings is mid-March.
When sowing seeds for seedlings, it is worth considering that this crop, like all representatives of the nightshade family, does not tolerate transplantation very well. Therefore, it is better to plant seeds in separate containers of 2-3 pieces. After germination, weak shoots are removed.
Ready seedlings should be planted in open ground or a greenhouse no earlier than 2 months after emergence. Planting in a permanent place should be done according to the pattern recommended by the seed manufacturer - in most cases it is 25x25 cm. If young seedlings are planted in open ground, then at first they should be covered with film at night.
Caring for red pepper plants includes:
- Regular watering with warm water. At the same time, it is very important to prevent the soil from drying out too much, as well as from waterlogging. The ideal would be to use drip irrigation;
- Fertilize no more than 1-2 times a month with any universal fertilizer.
The timing of harvesting hot red pepper depends on its variety. But as a rule, it is not produced before the end of July.
Since red pepper is a biennial crop, it is not necessary to pull out the plants after harvesting. They can be carefully trimmed, dug up and taken to a cool place, such as a basement, for the winter. In February - March, such “blanks” are grown as seedlings, followed by planting in May in a permanent place.
You can learn about the intricacies of growing red hot peppers in open ground from the video:
