Contents
Mildly spicy pepper is a favorite of many culinary specialists and lovers of savory dishes. It can be consumed fresh, marinated, smoked, added to any snacks. Dried mild peppers are quite rare. This variety is characterized by thick walls, which takes a long time to dry. And fresh thick-walled pepper is considered very tasty. All varieties of mild pepper are high-yielding, but demanding on heat, soil composition and lighting. The fruits ripen earlier than sharp counterparts.
Plants are grown in seedlings. This is due to the fact that at low temperatures, the seeds do not germinate, and the seedlings do not develop. Therefore, landing in the ground is carried out no earlier than 12-15 ºС above zero. In regions with a cool climate, the cultivation of mild varieties is available only in film greenhouses. Even hardened seedlings cannot withstand temperatures below the permissible level. The lack of heat during the growth period leads to massive dropping of flowers, which leads to crop loss. In fertile soil, with good lighting, watering and warmth, pepper gives a stable high yield. The pungency of pepper fruits is determined by the content of the alkaloid capsaicin. For a slightly spicy taste, from 0,01 to 0% of the content of this bitter substance is sufficient. The best varieties of mild peppers are highly valued for their spicy warm taste.
Peculiarities of growing
Peninsular varieties must be grown in seedlings. This is done so that the plant has time to give ripe fruits.
Mildly spicy peppers are demanding on heat and moisture, but not so much as to refuse to grow this wonderful vegetable. Mindfulness will need to be added at the end of summer. New buds appear on plants that need to be plucked. After all, the fruits that have begun to ripen will not have time to ripen, and the vital forces from the plant will pull. If in autumn there are a lot of unripe fruits left on the bushes, you can dig up the plant and transfer it to the house, cover it with earth and do not forget to water it. The leaves will all fall off, and the peppers will have time to ripen.
Experienced gardeners can easily distinguish between the flavors of semi-hot peppers. This vegetable is useful even for people with digestive problems. A little sharpness will not do harm, and its benefits can not be overestimated. The list of vitamins, warming and appetite-enhancing effect make this pepper very popular.
Top Grades
“Orozco”
A wonderful variety that attracts the attention of many gardeners. The plant is quite tall for a pepper – 90 cm and beautiful. The stems are purple-black, the leaves are purple. Pepper pods are directed upwards. During maturation, they change their color. Green at the beginning of the season, then yellow (orange) and red in the ripeness phase. The shape is small and sharp. Grown by seedlings. Seeds should be sown to a depth of 6 mm. Be sure to monitor the moisture content of the soil. Plants dive in the phase of two true leaves. The variety is demanding on the composition of fertilizers during flowering and fruiting. At this time, phosphorus-potassium should be added.
“Pasilla Bajio”
A variety with an amazing smoky taste. Mildly spicy, used for making mole sauces. Translated from Spanish, it sounds like “little raisins.” Pepper fruits got their name for their dark brown color and wrinkled surface after drying. The pods are narrow cylindrical, reach a length of 15-30 cm. During the growth period, they change color from dark green to brown. The taste of Pasilla Bajio pepper is very mild, not scalding, but warming. This rare variety is added to almost all Mediterranean dishes. Suitable for stuffing and grilling, especially when the pods are still green. Cultivation is no different from other varieties of mild peppers. To obtain a stable crop, the plant is cultivated in seedlings. On the Scoville scale 1000-2000 units.
“Hungarian yellow”
An early variety of mild pepper. Used in cooking and home cooking. The bush is closed, undersized with drooping narrow-cone-shaped fruits. In technical ripeness it has a yellowish tint, in biological – red. Fruits with a small weight – up to 60 g, the wall has a thickness of up to 4 mm. It grows well in greenhouses and film shelters, gives a high yield. From 1 sq. m of soil is collected up to 6,5 kg of peninsular pepper. Grow the plant in seedlings. Before sowing, it is advisable to treat the seeds with potassium permanganate, then rinse with clean water. Seedlings dive in the phase of two true leaves, planted 60 days after sowing. The landing pattern is classic – 30×30. It is better to water the plants in the evening and not with cold water. Requires additional nutrition throughout the growing season.
“Heat”
A variant of the famous ‘Hot Banana’ with smaller fruits. The length of the pods is 10 cm, the diameter is 5 cm, the taste is mildly spicy, the flesh is very juicy. The walls of the fruits are thick, during the ripening period they change color from green to yellow, becoming bright red at the end. Bushes reach a height of 90 cm, continuously and abundantly bear fruit. Plants dive in the phase of two leaves, seedlings 12 cm in size are planted. The variety is very good for fresh consumption. Pods that have not reached maturity are used for salting. According to the Scoville scale, the rating is 1.000 – 5.000 SHU.
«TAM Mild Jalapeno»
A milder version of the popular Jalapeno variety. It is a variety improved in many important parameters, but retaining the taste of Jalapeno. High-yielding, juicy, with a soft point. Up to 100 pods ripen on one bush. Hotness is estimated on the Scoville scale no more than 1500 units. The pods are elongated, turning from green to red when ripe. The variety loves good light, but requires protection from the wind. Harvesting can begin 65-75 days after germination. Seeds are sown to a depth of 6 cm and maintain optimal soil moisture. The seedling planting scheme provides for a distance between bushes from 30 to 50 cm. Fruits can be collected both ripe and unripe.
Thunder F1
An early hybrid variety that is widely used fresh and for canning. Cultivation can be carried out in open ground and under cover. The bush is tall, the fruits are drooping, long, slightly wrinkled in the shape of a narrow cone. The mass of one pepper is 55 g, but can reach up to 100 g. considered a large-fruited variety. Wall thickness about 5 mm, pod diameter 4 cm, length up to 25 cm. Special advantages:
- tolerates low light well;
- excellent presentation due to the shape and color of the fruit;
- high transportability;
- excellent taste qualities;
- resistance to diseases (bacterial spotting, tobamovirus).
Planting density should not exceed three plants per square meter. m in the greenhouse and 1-3 plants in the open field.
“Kohiba F1”
Mid-season hybrid variety of mildly hot pepper. Suitable for growing in greenhouses and outdoors. Semi-spreading bush of medium height. Pepper fruits are drooping, smooth, narrow-conical, two-chambered. Each pod grows up to 17-22 cm, in diameter – up to 3,5 cm, wall thickness 2,5-3,5 mm, weight – about 50 g. The taste of pepper is semi-sharp, can be consumed fresh. Unripe fruits are greenish-white in color, becoming light red when ripe.
Seedlings are sown for seedlings in February, dive in the cotyledon phase. At the end of May, they are planted in the ground. The plant needs shaping. Before the first fork, all side shoots and leaves are removed. Planting scheme for grade 30×40. The yield is good – 2 kg of fruit per 1 sq. m. Resistant to tobacco mosaic virus.
“Vortex”
Mid-early peninsular variety of pepper. Harvest can be removed after 90-100 days. The bush is semi-spreading, low – up to 50 cm. Pods weighing 40 g, with a wall thickness of 4 mm, drooping, elongated cone-shaped. Grade Benefits:
- disease resistant;
- endures a drop in temperature;
- bears fruit abundantly and for a long time.
Can be grown outdoors and under cover. Productivity reaches up to 7,5 kg per 1 sq.m of area.
“Charm”
An early variety for growing both in greenhouses and in the open field. The bush is semi-spreading, undersized. The fruits are original prism-shaped, highly glossy, drooping. At first, they are painted in a dark green color, when ripe they become dark red. Variety with good yield. From one square meter, you can collect up to 6,5 kg of pods of semi-hot pepper weighing from 45 to 120 g. Valued for:
- large-fruited;
- good harvest;
- refined taste.
The fruits are used in cooking and for harvesting. They give a pleasant shade to sauces, seasonings, vegetable salads and dishes.
“Bouquet of the East F1”
Hybrid of average term of maturing. The fruits are ready for consumption 115-120 days after germination. The bush is medium, sprawling. The fruits are large (up to 150 g) with a semi-sharp taste and in the shape of a cone. The pods have a high content of solids, ascorbic acid and sugars. Valued for:
- complex disease resistance;
- intensive fruit set;
- fruiting duration.
Suitable for canning and cooking.
Conclusion
Mildly spicy pepper, the varieties of which we examined, will add warmth to your favorite dishes and a spicy aftertaste, help you warm up in the cold season. It does not impose special requirements for cultivation, and many lovers prefer exactly mild varieties instead of burning ones. They are useful for any age and have no strict contraindications. A weak shade of bitterness does not spoil the taste of dishes, but, on the contrary, makes them more saturated. Therefore, mildly spicy varieties of pepper are an excellent choice for lovers of this culture.