Content
Bell pepper is a southern crop whose homeland is considered to be Central America. It is clear that the climate in Russia is radically different. For a long time it was believed that sweet peppers were completely unsuitable for growing in the northern country. However, science does not stand still; every year new varieties and hybrids appear, characterized by increased resistance not only to low temperatures, but also to diseases.
If earlier gardeners and summer residents could grow bell peppers for themselves only in a greenhouse or under cover, today there are a lot of varieties intended even for the northern regions and Ural. A brief overview of pepper varieties resistant to low temperatures will be presented in this article. And also some rules for growing this capricious crop.
How to choose a variety that is resistant to cold and disease
Pepper is a very delicate plant that requires constant care. It needs to be watered regularly and abundantly, the soil must be fluffed up, and fertilized with mineral fertilizers. Today there are hybrids that are less picky.They are perfect for summer residents who visit their plots only on weekends.
Hybrids are created by crossing several varieties, with the latter plants (“descendants”) possessing the best qualities of their “ancestors.” These are the most resistant peppers: they are not afraid of either cold or disease.
"Actor"
One of the tallest varieties is “Litsedey”. The bushes of this plant reach 150 cm in height, never being lower than a meter. Plant such tall peppers It’s better to put them in a greenhouse so that they are not damaged by wind or heavy rain. The plant is tied up several times a season.
The fruits themselves are also very large - the average weight of one reaches 300 grams. The peel has a bright red hue, the shape of the fruit is elongated, cone-shaped. You can recognize the variety by its rounded tip.
The pepper pulp is very juicy, the walls are thick. You can cook any dishes from these peppers, as well as eat them raw and preserve them.
The variety is not afraid of diseases and low temperatures. With proper care, up to 14 mature, large fruits are harvested from one bush of this variety.
"Bagration"
This plant is also quite tall - the bushes reach 100 cm. The variety can be safely planted in open ground - it is hardened and resistant to diseases such as verticillium and tobacco mosaic.
The shape of mature peppers is cuboid. Color - yellow interspersed with red and green shades. The peel is fleshy, smooth, with clear edges. This variety is valued primarily for its excellent taste - peppers can be put in salads, various dishes and sauces, and preserved for the winter.
One fruit weighs about 200 grams, and about 14 of these vegetables can be harvested from each bush per season.
"Nafanya"
The bush of this plant is low - the height does not exceed 0.7 meters.The variety is excellent for growing in central Russia and the Urals. Pepper is resistant to unexpected, short-term cold snaps and some dangerous diseases.
Ripe vegetables are dark red, sometimes purple. The shape of the fruit is cone-shaped, with a strongly pointed tip. The weight of each does not exceed 180 grams.
Peppers are distinguished by high taste characteristics and a long fruiting period. During the season, many ovaries appear on the bushes; with good care, up to 15 fruits can be removed from each plant.
"Tomboy"
The bushes of this variety are very compact - up to 70 cm in height, which is excellent for growing peppers in open ground. Ripe fruits can be any shade of yellow, from reddish to orange-orange.
The peppers are cone-shaped, with a rounded tip. The weight of one fruit is only 130 grams, but up to 25 fruits ripen on each bush.
The variety is a high-yielding variety; the fruits have a sweet taste and increased juiciness.
How to grow pepper seedlings
In hot countries, pepper is grown for several seasons in a row, because it is a perennial crop. But in the temperate climate of Russia, peppers have to be planted every year.
If pepper is sown with seeds, it simply will not have time to ripen before the cold weather begins. The growing season of this plant ranges from 95 to 140 days. To speed up the ripening process, peppers are planted in seedlings.
Seedlings are prepared in winter - in early to mid-February. According to the rules, pepper seedlings must be planted in this way:
- Prepare the soil and seeds.
- Sow pepper seeds in wide and shallow wooden boxes and water.
- Cover the box with film and place in a warm place.
- When the first shoots appear, remove the film.Constantly maintain a high temperature of 25-27 degrees.
- When the plant already has two leaves, it needs to be picked and planted separately.
- Plant peppers one plant at a time in disposable or organic cups.
- Two weeks before planting seedlings in the ground, it is necessary to lower the air temperature by several degrees, thereby hardening the pepper.
- Bushes with 7-8 good leaves are planted in a greenhouse or in the ground.
Varieties intended for Siberia
The sharply continental climate of Siberia and the northern regions of the country is responsible for very short summers with unstable temperatures. Sharp cold snaps are possible here, so it is better to grow heat-loving bell peppers in greenhouses or at least under temporary shelters.
Previously, it was believed that only pepper varieties with small fruits, thin walls and dryish pulp were suitable for Siberia. Such peppers tolerate cold better, but do not “shine” in taste - their aroma is weakly expressed, they have a bitter aftertaste. Such vegetables are only suitable for canning or stuffing, but are not suitable for salads or fresh consumption.
Today you can enjoy the taste of bell pepper, its juiciness, and get all the vitamins and microelements contained in it, even in the north. Breeders have developed a lot of cold-resistant varieties and hybrids that can be planted in open ground.
"Kolobok"
The bushes of this variety are very small, their height reaches only 60 cm. The crop is an early ripening one - the first vegetables can be eaten already on the 110th day after planting the seeds.
The fruits are bright red and have a cubic shape. Inside, the fruit is divided into four chambers, its walls are very thick and fleshy - up to 8 mm.
The vegetable is considered one of the most delicious; it has unusually juicy and aromatic pulp. Peppers grow small - their weight rarely exceeds 90 grams.
The variety can be grown both in open ground and in a greenhouse. It is perfect for canning and fresh consumption, preparing salads and a wide variety of dishes.
"Firstborn of Siberia"
A mid-early variety that allows you to get the first fruits already on the 112th day after planting the seeds in the soil. The culture was bred at the Siberian Experimental Station, so it is excellent for the local climate.
Pepper bushes are very compact - their height ranges from 40-45 cm. The fruits themselves are also small - the weight of each varies from 50 to 55 grams.
The shape of the fruits is pyramidal; they may have a yellowish or reddish tint. The wall thickness of the pepper is approximately 9 mm, which, given its compact size, makes the vegetable very meaty and juicy.
The taste of the fruit is excellent - sweetish, with a characteristic aroma. From each meter of garden plot you can collect up to 4 kg of excellent harvest.
"Novosibirsk"
The same research institute also selected a variety of Bulgarian pepper "Novosibirsk". Unlike “Firstborn of Siberia”, this crop is better grown in greenhouses or hotbeds. The bushes grow up to 100 cm in height and need staking.
The peppers are small - weighing up to 60 grams, their walls are up to 6 mm thick. The fruits taste very sweet and juicy.
The variety must be planted as seedlings. It is sown in mid-February, and two months later the seedlings are transferred to greenhouse soil. 35-40 days after this you can count on the first harvest.
"Siberian"
One of the most adapted varieties of bell pepper for the climatic conditions of Siberia is “Sibiryak”. Its bushes are low - up to 60 cm, the fruits are small.
The weight of one vegetable is 110-150 grams. The skin of peppers is red and glossy. The shape resembles a cube.
Even with poor care and poor climatic conditions, “Sibiryak” will survive and give a stable yield of around 6-7 kg per square meter.
The first fruits appear on the 115-120th day after sowing the seeds, which makes it possible to classify the variety as mid-season. Vegetables tolerate transportation well and are suitable for long-term storage.
Pepper for the Urals
The climate of the Urals is not as harsh as in the far north of the country, but it is also not considered favorable for growing heat-loving crops. Special varieties of bell peppers are grown here both in open ground and in heated or unheated greenhouses.
The best time for planting seedlings in the soil is considered to be the end of May - the beginning of June. Varieties are chosen early, capable of producing a harvest in a short period of time - three months. So, even in short and cool summer conditions with unstable temperature and humidity, you can get fairly high yields of tasty and healthy vegetables.
"Montero"
The early ripening variety can be grown in both heated and unheated greenhouses. The bushes are quite tall - up to 120 cm, they need to be tied up in several places.
The fruits grow large, their weight can vary depending on the conditions and nutritional value of the soil - from 260 to 900 grams.The wall thickness is about 9 mm; the taste of this pepper is very juicy and sweet.
With good care, you can get up to 16 kg of vegetables from each meter of soil, which allows you to classify the variety as high-yielding.
"Pioneer"
A variety bred specifically for cultivation on the Ural lands - “Pioneer”. The crop produces low but stable yields - only up to 1 kg per meter of land. But this variety can be grown in open ground without shelter or heating.
The bushes are small - up to 70 cm in height. The fruits are also small - up to 55 grams. The peel is painted bright red, the walls are thick - up to 5 mm. The shape of the fruit is a pointed cone.
On the 116th day you can get the first vegetables even in the open ground of the Ural climate.
"Bogatyr"
One of the most popular varieties in cold regions is Bogatyr pepper. The plant is a mid-season plant; the first vegetables appear on the 120th day after planting the seeds for seedlings.
Even with insufficient lighting and constant temperature changes, ripe fruits reach 18 cm in length and 200 grams in weight. The pepper is very juicy and sweet. It is better to use it for canning; it perfectly retains its taste and nutritional properties.
"Red Bull" and "Yellow Bull"
These “twin brothers” also belong to mid-early varieties - the first harvest can be harvested on the 120th day after planting.
The bushes must be tied up, as heavy fruits can break off the branches. After all, the mass of one pepper variety "Yellow Ox" often reaches 300 grams, and its “brother” can weigh up to 450 grams.
The length of the fruit is 20 cm, the peel is thin and the pulp is juicy. The taste is quite high.
"Winnie the Pooh"
A variety similar to decorative. The bushes are small and compact, their height reaches only 30 cm. The fruits themselves are also very small, but sweet.They grow in clusters, which looks very attractive.
You can not only enjoy this plant, but also use it to decorate your garden plot or flower bed. Small red cones will ripen quite quickly - on the 115th day after planting the seeds.
These scarlet “bouquets” can also be eaten - peppers are great for making sauces, canning and eating fresh.
How to choose a cold-resistant variety
To choose a good variety of bell pepper, you need to analyze the conditions in which it will be grown.. General recommendations for gardeners from the northern and central regions of the country look like this:
- You need to choose early-ripening (at least mid-ripening) varieties of bell pepper. Only such crops will have time to ripen in short summer conditions, because their growing season is 95-120 days. Considering that the seedlings must remain warm for 2 months, and only then planted in the ground, the first vegetables can be obtained by mid-July.
- The soil for peppers needs nutritious, loose soil. Choose an area with good lighting and protection from strong winds.
- Tall varieties must be tied up; the fruits on them are usually large, they can break the fragile branches of the plant. Crops with a height of more than 90 cm should only be planted in a greenhouse to protect them from gusts of wind.
- In Russia, peppers are planted only as seedlings. This applies to both the northern regions and the south of the country.
- In a bad climate, you need to have a small greenhouse, a tunnel, and covering material on your site to protect the plants during sudden temperature changes.
- You need to water the peppers regularly, being careful not to wet the foliage. It is better to do this in the morning so that by the cool night the earth will dry out.
By following all the rules, you can grow a good harvest of bell pepper even in the cold climate of Siberia and the Urals.
