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The cultivation of sweet bell pepper has long ceased to be the exclusive prerogative of the inhabitants of the southern regions. Many gardeners in the middle lane, as well as in regions with unstable weather conditions in summer, such as the Urals and Siberia, boldly take up planting sweet pepper bushes not only in greenhouses, but often in open ground, covering them from adverse conditions with a variety of protective non-woven materials. Especially favorable will be the forecasts for the harvest under such conditions in early ripe varieties and hybrids of pepper. And in this sense, the earlier the fruits ripen, the more promising this variety of pepper becomes for Siberia, where the summer months can be quite warm, but not very long.
In the last decade, a hybrid variety of pepper from Holland, Gypsy, has gained notable popularity. This hybrid has many attractive qualities, and, above all, super-early maturation. Although, according to gardeners, the Gypsy F1 pepper has some drawbacks, but, apparently, the number of its advantages clearly outweighs the scales, since the hybrid continues to be popular not only among professionals and farmers, but also among ordinary gardeners and summer residents.
Hybrid description
Gypsy F1 pepper, a detailed description of which you can find later in the article, was bred at the beginning of the 2007st century in the Netherlands. In XNUMX, it was officially listed in the State Register of Breeding Achievements of Our Country for cultivation in all regions of our country, both in open ground and under film or polycarbonate shelters. In Our Country, its seeds are distributed by Siemens (Monsanto) and can be found in the packages of some seed companies, such as Altai Seeds, Lita Chernozemye, Agros and others.
Pepper Gypsy belongs, one might say, to the ultra-early varieties of sweet pepper. According to the originator, the first fruits in the stage of technical maturity can be harvested as early as 85-90 days after germination. In the characteristics and descriptions of the hybrid variety of Gypsy pepper, one can also find such a figure – fruit ripening begins 65 days after planting seedlings of peppers in a permanent place. Usually, pepper seedlings are planted in a permanent place at least two months old. Therefore, there is a certain contradiction here, but what all gardeners agree on in their reviews is that the gypsy pepper really ripens one of the first, and in terms of early ripeness it has practically no equal.
Bushes are formed of medium height, semi-spreading with green leaves of medium size. One of the main disadvantages of this hybrid is the thinness of the stems, the small foliage of the bushes, the light green color of the leaves and, in general, the rather weak-looking plant habit. However, this usually does not affect the yield. Only Gypsy pepper bushes must be tied to supports, despite their small height. Otherwise, the stems may break under the weight of the fruit.
The yield of this hybrid is at an average level, which, however, is not surprising. Since most early varieties of vegetables usually do not have high yields. Their advantage lies elsewhere – their fruits ripen at a time when other vegetables are still moving from the flowering stage to fruit set. From one square meter of gypsy pepper plantings, an average of 3,8 to 4,2 kg of fruit is harvested. That is, about 10-12 peppers are formed on one bush.
The Gypsy hybrid is resistant to many of the troubles that plague pepper plants during their growth and development, including many fungal and viral diseases. The originator specifically notes the special resistance of Gypsy to the tobacco mosaic virus.
Description of pepper fruits
Gypsy pepper fruits exhibit the following characteristics:
- The growth form of peppers is drooping, but the shape of the fruits themselves can be attributed to the Hungarian type, that is, it is classical, conical.
- The skin is quite thin, but at the same time dense and glossy.
- The wall thickness of the fruits is on average small, about 5-6 mm, although according to some reviews it can reach up to 8 mm.
- The fruits themselves do not differ in particularly large sizes, they reach 13-15 cm in length, and the size of the widest part of the cone is 6 cm. The average weight of one peppercorn is 100-150 grams.
- The number of seed chambers is 2-3.
- Experts evaluate the taste of peppers as excellent. They are juicy, sweet, without the slightest hint of bitterness and very fragrant.
- The fruits in the initial stage of ripening are painted in a delicate light yellow shade, which resembles the color of ivory. The similarity is further enhanced by the wax coating that is on the outside of the fruit.
- In the process of ripening, the color of the peppers darkens and at the stage of biological maturity they become an even red color. Due to early ripeness, most of the fruits have time to fully color even on the bushes and do not require ripening even in the rather northern regions of the country.
- The use of gypsy peppers is universal. Due to their small size, it is convenient to preserve them whole, as well as to freeze them by inserting cut fruits into each other.
- They are very tasty fresh, as well as additives to various first and second courses. From dried fruits, you can cook paprika – a wonderful universal vitamin seasoning for the winter.
- Gypsy peppers keep well, because the rather dense skin protects them from drying out.
- They are also able to withstand transportation over long distances.
Peculiarities of growing
Gypsy pepper, which is characterized by early ripening, can be sown for seedlings at different times, depending on where you are going to grow it in the summer and when you can plant it in a permanent place. If you have a good greenhouse and you can plant seedlings there without fear of frost already at the end of April – in May, then you can sow the seeds at the usual time – at the end of February, beginning of March. In this case, starting from June, you will be able to collect the fruits of the Gypsy hybrid. By the way, fruiting in favorable conditions can last a very long time – for several months.
If you have the opportunity to grow pepper only in open ground conditions or live in such a climatic zone that peppers can even be planted in a greenhouse no earlier than June, then it makes sense to sow the seeds of this hybrid for seedlings no earlier than the end of March – the beginning of April.
According to gardeners, Gypsy peppers are especially bad at picking and transplanting. To avoid root disturbance whenever possible, it is best to sow the seeds of this hybrid in separate pots. A good option would be sowing in peat tablets, especially since its seeds are quite expensive.
Seedlings of Gypsy pepper, like adult plants, do not look very powerful. Even with balanced top dressing, you are unlikely to get stormy dark greens from it. But this is the hallmark of this hybrid and should not bother you.
Gypsy pepper is planted in a permanent place with a density of no more than 5-6 plants per square meter. It is advisable to immediately tie up the bushes so as not to disturb the plants during flowering and fruiting. Feeding and watering are standard and necessary procedures for caring for these plants. On hot days, pepper bushes should be slightly shaded from the scorching sun or planted in partial shade, as there are few leaves on the bushes and plants with fruits can get sunburned.
If all agrotechnical care work has been carried out correctly, then, as a rule, gypsy pepper does not need additional treatments against pests and diseases.
Testimonials from truck drivers
Gardeners generally speak well of the gypsy pepper, although there are many complaints about the appearance of the bushes.
Conclusion
Gypsy pepper is able to interest all those who are not allowed to grow full-fledged, thick-walled, but long-ripening varieties due to weather conditions. With it, you will always be with the harvest, and already at a time when the bulk of the peppers will still be preparing for fruiting.
