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The Siberian climate is harsh and often changeable, which negatively affects the cultivation of heat-loving vegetables, such as sweet peppers. However, with the right choice of seed material, this vegetable of Mexican origin is able to take root, bringing good yields. Early-ripening peppers that can ripen in a short summer before the onset of cold weather are best suited for Siberia.
The best varieties of pepper for Siberia
The harsh continental climate of Siberia negatively affects heat-loving crops. This region needs varieties of peppers adapted to difficult growing conditions, which breeders have been working on for many years. Many hybrids and varieties of sweet pepper have been bred, which, subject to agricultural technology, bring fairly good yields. Usually these are cultures of the early and mid-early ripening period.
Sowing seeds begins in February. Pepper seedlings will be ready in 2 months. Plants are most often planted in greenhouses and after 95–120 days, depending on the variety, the first crop is harvested. Usually early cultures bring up to 4 kg of fruit from 1 m2 and a pulp thickness of about 6 mm. However, there are hybrids that produce fleshy peppers with a wall thickness of 10 mm.
The video shows a selection of pepper varieties for cold climates:
It is time to smoothly move on to a review of early peppers, but first I would like to consider two popular varieties that are considered the Siberian standard.
Gingerbread Man
The culture of Moldovan breeders has perfectly adapted to Siberian conditions. An early variety of pepper, it bears fruit well in open beds and under film cover. The plant is distinguished by a low-growing bush, easy to care for. Three – and four-chamber fruits have a delicate red pulp about 9 mm thick. The maximum weight of one pepper is 90 g. The vegetable is considered to be of universal use.
Poplar
The plant can be formed with two stems, resulting in a tall bush that requires a garter to the trellis. With conventional molding, a medium-sized bush grows, which is grown without tying it in a standard form. The first harvest can be taken after 110 days from the moment of seedling germination. Green peppers turn red as they ripen. The fruits are not fleshy with thin walls, weighing a maximum of 150 g. If measured on a large scale, then about 1 tons of crop can be harvested from 50 ha, which is 5 kg / 1 m2.
Overview of early varieties
Now let’s get down to a general review of early peppers. This does not mean that they are worse than those considered above, just that the first two cultures were singled out as the most famous.
Novosibirsk
An early ripe variety of peppers was bred for cultivation in the botanical garden of Siberia. Seeds sown in February give stronger seedlings after 2 months, which can be transplanted into a greenhouse. After 95 days, the first peppercorns ripen. As for productivity, from 1 m2 you can get about 4 kg of fruit. Bushes grow up to 1 m high, bringing peppers weighing up to 58 g with fragrant red pulp 6 mm thick.
Formerly a miracle
Culture refers to the early period of fruiting. Ripe fruits can be obtained after 90-105 days from the moment of seedling germination. The plant is endowed with immunity to viral diseases. The bush can grow up to 1,2 m high, which requires a garter of branches. Peppers turn red when ripe.
Montero
Another tall plant up to 1,2 m in height is suitable for growing in any type of greenhouse. The fruits are very large with a pulp thickness of 7 mm and weigh about 260 g. With good feeding, it was possible to grow giant peppers weighing 940 g. The value of the vegetable is its excellent taste. The variety is considered high-yielding, since from 1 m2 you can collect 7-6 kg of fruit.
Merchant
A very early ripening variety brings the first harvest after 80 days from the moment the first sprouts appear. Small-sized fruits weigh a maximum of 70 g. As they ripen, the 7 mm thick pulp becomes red with a high content of vitamin C. Average yield, from 1 m2 you can get up to 3 kg of vegetables.
Pioneer
The variety was bred back in 1987 by Ukrainian breeders. The culture has adapted to the Siberian climate and can be grown even in the Urals. The yield is very low, it is only 800 g per 1 m2, but the plant bears fruit without problems in open ground. On a bush up to 70 cm high, small cone-shaped peppercorns weighing 55 g grow. The flesh is red, 4 mm thick. The first harvest can be obtained after 116 days from the date of planting the seedlings.
Winnie the Pooh
The undersized plant has a maximum bush height of 30 cm. The first harvest can be obtained after 110 days from the moment the seedlings germinate. Cone-shaped small peppercorns ripen together, and on the bush they are grouped in a bouquet.
Firstborn of Siberia
The fact that this is an early Siberian variety is indicated by its very name. The first ripe fruits can be obtained after 100 days. West Siberian breeders endowed the plant with immunity to viral diseases. According to the characteristics, the culture is similar to the varieties of peppers “Novosibirsky”, “Sibiryak” and “Victoria”.
Donetsk early
A low-growing plant brings the first crops 120 days after the germination of the sprouts. Cone-shaped peppercorns have a rounded top. The plant withstands sudden changes in the weather, without fear of fungal diseases. According to the characteristics of the fruit, the variety is similar to “Topolin” and “Kolobok”.
Dandy
The variety is a novelty bred by West Siberian breeders. Medium height shrub produces bright yellow barrel-shaped fruits. Large peppers weigh about 200 g, while the thickness of their pulp is 7 mm. The vegetable has an excellent presentation.
Triton
The culture is able to bring an early harvest after 85–90 days from the moment the seedlings germinate. Low-growing bushes 45 cm high are very productive. From 1 m2 you can get about 10 kg of vegetables, and each bush forms up to 50 ovaries for the entire time of fruiting. The mass of peppercorns is about 150 g, while the thickness of their walls is 5 mm. As it ripens, the color of the flesh changes from green to red.
Rules for choosing pepper varieties
The short duration of warm days in Siberia greatly limits the choice of suitable sweet pepper varieties. When choosing seeds, you need to pay attention to the precocity of the vegetable. Late ripening culture will not have time to mature even in a greenhouse.
When choosing seeds between varietal peppers and hybrids, you need to know that each of the crops requires different care. For example, farming hybrids is a little more complicated. Here you will need to observe the exact temperature regime, plus feed in a timely manner. However, the yield and quality of the fruits of hybrids is in the first place. Under all conditions, peppercorns weighing more than 400 g can be grown.
When growing peppers professionally, attention should be paid to imported hybrids. They bear large fruits with thick walls. Also, varieties must be selected according to the shape and color of the fruit.
Overview of hybrids
So, we have examined some varieties, it is time to pay attention to several hybrids popular in Siberia.
White Lady F1
A compact shrub of small size produces strong, large cube-shaped fruits. When ripe, the color of the pepper pulp changes from white to orange.
Claudio F1
After a maximum of 80 days, the hybrid will give a mature crop of peppers. Red cube-shaped fruits weigh about 250 g, have a dense juicy pulp. The hybrid is resistant to weather changes and many diseases.
Gemini F1
The culture of the Dutch selection has adapted well to the Siberian climate. Ripe fruits can be obtained very early in about 72 days from the moment the seedlings were planted. Cuboid yellow peppers weigh about 400 g. The culture easily tolerates various stresses, and the fruits themselves are not afraid of burns from direct sunlight.
Montero F1
A fairly popular hybrid is used by vegetable growers for greenhouse crops. Red-colored peppers weigh a maximum of 260 g. The first fruits ripen 90 days after planting.
A little about sowing seeds and caring for seedlings of early varieties
Sowing seeds for seedlings in Siberia begins by the end of February and the beginning of March. To select high-quality grains, they are immersed for 10 minutes in a container with salt water and all pop-up pacifiers are thrown away. The good seeds remaining at the bottom are washed with clean water, disinfected with a solution of manganese, and then, spread out on gauze, they are periodically moistened with warm water with the addition of a growth stimulator.
Hatched seeds are planted 3 pieces in cups. It is better to buy the soil from the store, but you can make the mixture yourself by typing earth from the garden. For disinfection, a glass of wood ash is added to a bucket of soil.
Each seed is buried by 2-3 cm and all the glasses are covered with a transparent film, after setting them in a warm place. Watering is carried out periodically as the soil dries, preferably by spraying. After the appearance of 3-5 leaves, seedlings can be planted in the garden.
For better survival of seedlings, it should be planted in warm soil with a temperature of at least 20оC. Usually a distance of 80 cm is maintained between the bushes, and 60 cm between the beds.
The video provides recommendations for choosing pepper varieties for planting:
Common mistakes when growing seedlings
Inexperienced vegetable growers often make the simplest mistakes when growing seedlings, which result in a poor harvest or the death of the plant itself. Failure to comply with the temperature regime and growing seedlings in limited light will lead to the fact that the plants will begin to stretch. Planting on shady beds threatens to drop flowers, which will affect the amount of the crop or it will not exist at all.
If a healthy-looking seedling with two full-fledged leaves suddenly stops growing, it urgently needs to be fed. To do this, you will need to buy a complex fertilizer in a specialized store and pour the sprouts with a solution prepared according to the instructions. For best seedling germination, the soil should always be slightly moist and warm. When all the seeds have sprouted, the ambient temperature is lowered to 18 for a couple of days.оC. This measure is necessary for hardening the sprouts.
The video will talk about common mistakes in growing peppers:
Having chosen the varieties of early peppers you like, and observing the agricultural technology of growing crops, in the Siberian lands you will definitely be able to grow a good crop of a heat-loving vegetable.