Varieties of bitter pepper for open ground

Hot pepper is grown in our country less often than sweet, but it is extremely useful. Today, on the shelves of stores you can find a large number of interesting varieties, which are difficult to understand. A gardener who first decided to grow one of the varieties of bitter piquant pepper in the open field will have a difficult time: the choice is large, all peppers are beautiful. Which one to choose? We will discuss this problem and tell you about the secrets of growing.

A few words about hot pepper

Pepper is a plant native to Central America, heat-loving and very tasty. It is divided into two subspecies:

• Bell pepper;
• hot pepper.

Bitter is distinguished from sweet by the presence of capsaicin, a bittering agent. Both types of pepper are rich in vitamins A, B and C. The fruits are very useful.

Sweet peppers will have notes of bitterness and vice versa.

On our shelves there are mainly varieties of sweet peppers, but hot spicy peppers are gaining popularity more and more. Based on the fact that the climate in most regions of Our Country is quite severe, the cultivation of pepper in the open field is not available to all summer residents. There are certain conditions and rules of cultivation, which should be followed.

Growing conditions

Currently, there are about 2000 varieties of hot pepper in the world. Some of them are extremely sharp, causing irritation on the skin even when touching the skin.

If we compare sweet and bitter varieties, then it is the latter that require more heat and sun. For the entire territory of the country, it is most expedient to grow this crop in seedlings due to the acute shortage of a long warm period necessary for ripening. That is why, first, seedlings of bitter pepper grow on window sills, and then they are planted in open ground.

You can grow some varieties in a seedless way, but only in the Crimea or the Krasnodar Territory. In general, the conditions for growing hot peppers are no different from those for sweet:

• loose light soils;
• quality watering;
• fertilizer application;
• warm climate conditions.

Is it difficult to grow hot peppers on your own? No, it’s easy. The summer resident will need to carefully read the information on the package with seeds and our practical advice.

Let’s talk directly about the seeds of bitter pepper. Arriving at the store, the gardener will need to make a choice in favor of one or more varieties. What to pay attention to?

• On the rate of maturation (correlate it with the duration of summer in your region);
• on the yield of the variety;
• resistance to viruses and diseases;
• for taste qualities.

These are the main parameters for choosing seeds.

The best varieties of hot pepper

We will present several varieties of spicy pepper, which can be chosen for self-cultivation in the open field. A comparison table will also be presented below, according to which it will be easy to compare one variety with another.

So, the most common and familiar varieties and hybrids:

• Aladdin;
• Sharp decorative;
• Ukrainian;
• Aleksinsky;
• Aurora 81;
• Indian spear;
• Red fat man;
• Astrakhan A-60;
• Astrakhan 147;
• Mother-in-law’s language;
• Elephant trunk;
• Indian elephant;
• Eagle claw;
• Vizier;
• Rowanberry;
• Homer;
• Falcon’s beak;
• scimitar;
• Shakira;
• Spanish;
• Zmey Gorynych;
• Miracle of the Moscow Region;
• Chinese fire;
• Superchili;
• Burning nose;
• Hungarian spicy.

Let’s study the comparative characteristics of the above varieties.

Comparison table

High yields, when at least 10 kilograms of pepper can be harvested from one square meter, are achieved due to large, heavy fruits. If the pepper is decorative, then such a yield cannot be achieved. A good overview of pepper varieties is presented in the video below. You can also get information on how to choose the right pepper for your beds.

Hot pepper can be canned, used as a seasoning or eaten fresh. Everyone has their own preferences in this regard. Outdoor hot pepper grows well on the sunny south side of the site, protected from wind and drafts.

The principle of selection of varieties

Seeds of varietal peppers bought in stores germinate perfectly, since agricultural firms carefully select, disinfect and harden them. Of course, negligence cannot be completely ruled out, because even with the low cost of seed bags, there are a large number of fakes on the market.

All hot peppers are divided into:

• decorative;
• standard.

Ornamental peppers are notable for their low bush growth, they can be grown directly on the windowsill.

Standard hot peppers are much larger than decorative ones, they are less whimsical and demanding.

Varieties of imported selection

They are only gaining popularity with us, many gardeners order seeds via the Internet. The most popular varieties:

• Jalapeno;
• Tabasco;
• Habanero;
• Carolina the Ripper;
• Hungarian.

These varieties are further subdivided into several types. They differ in color, sharpness of taste, plant height. When choosing a variety, they always pay attention to the degree of bitterness, because someone likes hotter peppers, while someone prefers only a spicy taste. Mistresses give preference to fragrant varieties (we specially marked them in the table), because it is very pleasant when hot pepper also has a bright aroma.

Variety “Habanero” is a wrinkled pepper popular in Mexico. It is quite sharp, can grow in open ground. From germination to technical ripeness, 120 days pass. Very demanding on lighting, soil pH should be 6,5 units.

Jalapeno pepper” quite sharp and popular all over the world. It has a thick wall and beautiful bright fruits. Pepper is demanding on heat and light. It is early, 95-100 days pass from germination to technical ripeness. It is recommended to grow it in open ground only in the south of the country. This is due to the fact that the plant does not tolerate temperatures below +18 degrees.

“Tabasco” variety pepper well known to us by the sauce of the same name. He comes from Mexico, where he is very much loved. The fruits are very pungent, but at the same time fragrant, spicy. Ripening reaches 131 days, pepper is very unpretentious and suitable for open ground. The temperature must not be allowed to drop below +15, otherwise you will not see the ovaries.

The famous variety “Hungarian” we have already described above. In fact, this variety is very widely represented in the world. As a rule, all types of it are early with a ripening period of up to 100 days and the possibility of growing in open ground. Loves the world. Above, in the table, we described yellow Hungarian pepper, the photo below shows black.

The Carolina Reaper hot pepper is one of the most famous peppers in the world. It is known not only for its appearance, but also for the fact that it is included in the Guinness book as the sharpest on the planet. It is bred in the USA and it is impossible to taste it fresh. Most often it is used to create hot sauces. Ripens up to 145 days. Extremely photophilous.

The most bitter varieties

For those who care about the bitterness of the fruit, which residents of countries such as Thailand, Mexico, Korea cannot do without, you should pay attention to the video below:

Bitterness is assessed on a special Scoville scale. On the shelves of our stores you can sometimes find these varieties. Sometimes they are ordered through online stores or brought from travel. The variety “Carolina Reaper” is described above, which is considered one of the most bitter.

Of the varieties of hot peppers presented by us for open ground of domestic selection, the sharpest are “Chinese Fire”, “Snake Gorynych”, “Falcon’s Beak” and “Indian Spear”. Let’s talk in more detail about how to grow spicy peppers in the open field.

Growing hot peppers outdoors

Let’s touch on growing using a seedling method that is suitable for any region. You also need to plant seeds wisely. You can not sow them:

• at new moon;
• at full moon.

This is important as seedlings will be sluggish and yields will plummet. Seedlings should be planted either in separate cups or in peat tablets. Make sure the soil is suitable for the pepper crop. It should have an acidity of no higher than 7,0, and also be light. The same rule applies to peat tablets.

Seedlings grow for a long time, it is additionally highlighted. Peppers need light 12 hours a day. For some of our districts, this is a lot. Experienced summer residents use special lamps for lighting. The air temperature should be above +22 degrees, but below +30. The optimum temperature is 27 degrees above zero. Under such conditions, hot pepper will grow faster.

All the information given on the seed package corresponds to the conditions in which this plant is to be grown.

Seedlings are planted in open ground at the moment when they are strong enough. It should have about 6 true leaves. Soil requirements are the same:

• looseness;
• ease;
• fertility.

The seedling site should be sunny. It cannot be buried in the ground, on the contrary, the beds are made high, organic matter is introduced in a week, which will give the root system additional heat. Watering is carried out with warm water, when it gets cold, it is necessary to cover the peppers. In principle, the process of growing peppers is very similar to growing tomatoes. Additional fertilizers are applied. After planting bitter pepper in open ground, this process is carried out three times. You can use:

• organic fertilizers (only not clean fresh manure);
• phosphate fertilizers;
• potash fertilizers;
• mineral dressings based on sodium (except chloride).

The plant responds very positively to such comprehensive care from the gardener. If everything is done correctly, hot peppers in the open field will give a big harvest.