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Homeland sweet pepper – tropical regions of America. It is not surprising that the vegetable, which is becoming more widespread and popular in Our Country, belongs to heat-loving crops. That is why it is extremely difficult to achieve full maturation of the plant in domestic conditions. Even the use of the most undemanding and cold-resistant varieties of pepper does not always allow you to get a good harvest. A logical and obvious way to solve the problem is to grow pepper in greenhouse film conditions.
Sweet pepper – a description of the vegetable and its benefits
The scientific description of the plant is quite simple – an annual vegetable crop that has many names, in particular, red pepper, vegetable pepper, paprika and others, with simple, single or rosette leaves of green or dark green colors, large flowers and fruits in the form of false hollow berries in bright colors (red, orange, yellow, brown and green).
What is so interesting, in addition to beautiful and bright, extremely attractive outwardly fruits, sweet pepper? The answer is simple – a whole set of extremely useful qualities:
- high in vitamins and many other useful substances. Among vegetables, sweet pepper is the absolute leader in terms of the amount of useful vitamin C it contains, yielding in this indicator among all plants only to blackcurrant and rose hips. In addition, it also contains a rare vitamin P, which has an extremely beneficial effect on the functioning of the heart and blood vessels of the human body. Some data from scientists show that regular consumption of pepper reduces the risk of stroke by almost half, or, more precisely, by 46%. We should not forget about the presence of B vitamins, as well as potassium, iron, iodine and silicon, which are also extremely beneficial to the body;
- capsoicin content. The substance deserves special mention for its original properties to increase appetite, start and activate the digestive process. Especially a lot of this substance in the distant relatives of red pepper – hot chili and black pepper. But even in the vegetable in question, the content of capsoicin is sufficient to recommend its use at the beginning of lunch or dinner;
- healing and healing effect. Recent studies by scientists have shown that the substances contained in bell peppers significantly reduce the risk of cancer. These properties are especially high in green pepper. In addition, pepper can be recommended as a prevention of various forms of neuralgia;
- taste qualities. In addition to the undoubted benefits that the use of pepper brings, one should not forget about the prosaic gastronomic pleasure of eating, delivered by a variety of dishes, which include the fruits of the plant.
The advantages of sweet pepper are not limited to the above list, but it is quite enough to understand the reasons for the popularity and the growing spread of vegetable crops.
Criteria for choosing a variety of sweet pepper
The thermophilicity characteristic of sweet pepper makes it especially attractive to grow it in greenhouses. The most suitable conditions for this are provided by polycarbonate structures, in addition to reliability and the ability to keep the temperature, they have another additional plus – the ability to scatter light, which has a beneficial effect on the ripening time of the culture.
Growing in greenhouses allows you to plant pepper and get a crop almost all year round. Based on this, the main criteria for choosing the varieties used are the following:
- ripening time of a hybrid or variety. It is important to consider for the correct planning of sowing dates, since some varieties, when grown in polycarbonate greenhouses, successfully bear fruit in December and even January;
- height and compactness of plant bushes. Not a particularly relevant criterion for large greenhouses, however, it must be taken into account for proper planting and placement of vegetables;
- level of need for light. It can differ quite a lot in different varieties, so you should pay attention to it, choosing depending on the conditions of a particular region;
- ability to resist disease. One of the most important properties of a variety or hybrid of pepper. The prevalence of certain diseases or pests also depends on the region of cultivation. This factor can seriously affect the yield of a vegetable, therefore it deserves special attention.
Common diseases and pests
Very often, gardeners, paying great attention to observing the temperature and humidity conditions for growing sweet peppers, pay somewhat less attention to disease prevention and pest control. This is an extremely wrong approach, as it can lead to the fact that all the work will be in vain.
The most common in domestic conditions are the following diseases and pests that are extremely dangerous for pepper:
- top rot. A very unpleasant disease, which is usually caused by a systematic violation of the required replenishment and humidity regimen. Accordingly, in order to avoid the appearance of blossom end rot, it is enough to fulfill the requirements for growing and caring for the crop;
- stolbur. An extremely unpleasant disease that causes a decrease in the size of the leaves, their coarsening, and falling off in the future, thickening of the stem, and subsequently uneven coloring of the fruit, as well as their loss of taste. The most important property of this disease is that it is almost impossible to cure. It is necessary to remove infected plants, preventing the further spread of stolbur;
- altarniosis. The disease is accompanied by the appearance of black mold spots that cover the leaves, and then the fruits, spoiling not only the appearance, but also the taste. Sick plants must be sprayed with a solution of a drug called Bordeaux liquid (100 g per bucket of plain water) or a solution of copper oxychloride (40 g per bucket of plain water);
- aphid. A well-known, but no less dangerous pest. Its large distribution has led to the development of clear measures to combat it. But before that, you need to find the pest. Signs of the appearance of aphids are manifested in the twisting and drying of the leaves, as well as the appearance of a shiny and sticky substance on them. In addition, the pest can be detected visually on the back of the leaves. There are many methods of dealing with aphids, and their choice is the prerogative of the gardener.
After determining the criteria that are important for choosing a variety or hybrid of sweet pepper, you need to go directly to their description.
Harvest varieties of pepper for growing in a greenhouse
A large number of varieties have been bred that are perfectly suitable for growing in protected ground and can provide excellent yields.
Apricot Favorite
Variety Apricot favorite refers to early ripe crops (100-105 days). Suitable for outdoor cultivation, but the highest yields can be achieved when planted in a greenhouse. The height of the bush, as a rule, does not exceed 0,5 meters. The fruits of the variety have the shape of a cone, are colored light green during the period of technical ripeness, during biological maturation they acquire an orange or apricot color.
The fruits are quite large, their weight often reaches 150 grams, and the wall thickness is 7 mm. The yield of the variety is ensured by the ripening of 15-20 fruits on each bush at the same time. Experts note the high resistance of the variety to most common diseases.
Agapovsky
The sweet pepper variety Agapovsky, bred by domestic breeders at the end of the last century (more precisely, in 1995), belongs to early ripe crops that bear the first fruits in 99-110 days. The bush of the plant has a compact shape, medium height, with a large number of large dark green leaves. Peppercorns of the variety are in the form of a smooth prism, rather large, with a characteristic mild ribbing. Fruits reach a mass of 120 grams with a wall thickness of up to 7 mm. The crop yield is quite high – 9,5 -10,3 kg / kV. m.
An additional advantage of the variety is a high degree of resistance to many diseases and pests, in particular, tobacco mosaic virus, blossom end rot. The Agapovsky variety is valued not only for a fairly high yield, but also for the excellent taste of the fruit.
Cockatoo F1
Hybrid Kakadu F1 refers to medium-ripe, begins to bear fruit approximately 130-135 days after the appearance of the first shoots. The bushes of the plant are very tall (up to 1,5 meters high), have a sprawling structure and a large number of leaves. The hybrid is bred specifically for growing in greenhouses, suitable for all types of conditions – film, glazed or polycarbonate. The fruits of the hybrid have a somewhat elongated shape in the form of an elongated cylinder. Their length often reaches 30 cm with a typical wall thickness of 6-8 mm. Due to their size, hybrid peppercorns often weigh 0,5 kg.
The hybrid allows you to achieve a yield of up to 3 kg from one bush. In addition, experts highly appreciate the taste of the hybrid, which is perfect for salads, pickling or other types of preservation.
Two varieties of the Kakadu F1 hybrid have been bred. Above we talked about the most common, bright red. Because of him, he most likely got the name, as it is very similar to the beak of the famous parrot. But there is a second variety – with yellow fruits. It is somewhat smaller in size (300-400 g), has a length of no more than 15 cm, and is not inferior in taste to the more well-known variety.
Latino F1
Hybrid Latino F1 refers to early ripening plants, which can be harvested in 100-110 days. The main distinguishing feature of the variety is its high yield. With proper care, it can easily reach 16 kg / sq. m, and often exceeds this worthy figure. The fruits of the hybrid have an original cuboid shape of about 12 * 12 cm in size, a significant wall thickness (up to 1 cm) and a distinct bright red color. The hybrid was bred specifically for growing in protected ground conditions, however, in the southern regions of the country it is often planted in open ground, although its yield is significantly reduced.
Another important advantage of the Latino F1 hybrid is its high resistance to some common diseases, in particular, the tobacco mosaic virus. However, it should be carefully protected from aphids and spider mites.
Big Papa
The variety belongs to early ripening, which means the harvesting of the first crop 100-110 days after the first shoots. The bush of the plant has an average height and sprawling. Peppercorns are cone-shaped, rather small, have a mass of up to 100 g and a wall thickness of up to 8 mm.
The main advantage of the Big Papa variety is a high and stable yield, achieved, among other things, by good resistance to diseases and pests. In addition, gardeners who grow the variety appreciated its excellent taste properties. The fruits of the variety are very juicy, with a pronounced sweet aroma. They can be used in salads, in canning or freezing, as well as in a wide variety of culinary treatments, perfectly demonstrating their qualities.
Isabella F1
Hybrid Isabella F1 refers to mid-season, the first fruits gain technical ripeness after 120 days. The bush of the plant is tall, closed. The fruits of the hybrid are quite large in size, rarely exceeding a mass of 160 grams, with a wall thickness of 8-10 mm. They have a prismatic shape and a characteristic bright red color.
According to the method of consumption, the hybrid belongs to the universal, since its fruits can be eaten both fresh and processed. They are also great for canning. The variety has a good yield, reaching 10 kg / sq. m. At the same time, the Isabella F1 hybrid is extremely undemanding to care and growing conditions, which makes the variety even more attractive.
Dennis F1
Hybrid Denis F1 belongs to the ultra-early, allowing you to start harvesting after 85-90 days. Pepper bears fruit with fairly large fruits, its mass reaches 400 g with a wall thickness of up to 9 mm. They measure approximately 18*10 cm and are cuboid in shape. The bush of the hybrid plant is low, rarely its height exceeds 0,6-0,7 m.
The hybrid is intended for cultivation both in an open ground, and in the closed ground where gives the highest yields. It is resistant to tobacco mosaic virus. Most suitable for fresh consumption.
Rhapsody F1
Hybrid Rhapsody F1 refers to early ripening, starting to bear fruit in 100-110 days. The bush of the plant is relatively low – 65-75 cm. The fruits of the hybrid are cone-shaped, reaching a length of 16 cm. As they ripen, the peppercorns change color from light green to yellow.
The main advantage of the hybrid is high productivity and crop stability, achieved by unpretentious care and resistance to diseases and pests.
Conclusion
A wide variety of varieties and hybrids of sweet pepper, presented on the domestic market, allows any gardener to easily choose the variety that best suits his specific requirements. The result will be a bountiful harvest of healthy and tasty vegetables.