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Bulgarian pepper belongs to the heat-loving crops of the nightshade family. Its fruit is considered a false berry, hollow and containing many seeds. Bulgarian or, as it is also called, sweet pepper came to Our Country from Latin America. There, this crop is considered perennial, but in the local climate, where summers are short and cool, peppers grow only one season.
For summer residents and gardeners on the eve of the new season, the issue of choosing pepper varieties for planting is relevant. What varieties of peppers to choose, how to properly grow this vegetable – all this can be found in this article.
What is the difference between varieties
All varieties of bell pepper are self-pollinating. In order for the ovaries to appear, insects or human help are not needed – the flowers are pollinated without outside help.
Bulgarian pepper differs in several ways., such as:
- The shape and size of fruits – there are round vegetables, oblong, very large and small.
- The shade of the vegetable – there are fruits of green, red, white, purple, yellow colors.
- Ripening dates – early ripening, medium and late ripening fruits.
- Varieties and hybrids.
- The growing season is the time it takes for seeds to grow into mature vegetables.
When choosing varieties of peppers for the site, it is necessary to take into account all these qualities – this is the only way the crop will please the owner.
How pepper is grown
Regardless of the variety, the method of growing these vegetables is practically the same. Bulgarian pepper, first of all, loves heat. In the southern regions, these vegetables can be grown directly on the beds, but for the North of the country it is better to choose cold-resistant hybrid varieties or plant plants in a greenhouse.
In the climate of Our Country, sweet peppers need to be planted in seedlings. The vegetation period of this plant is quite long – about 100 days. In order to somehow shorten this time, seedlings begin to prepare in early February.
The selected variety of pepper must be prepared for planting, for this:
- In the fall, a suitable site is chosen – a sunny, wind-protected place. The soil should be loose and fertile, with a neutral level of acidity.
- The soil is fertilized with mullein or bird droppings, you can buy ready-made ammonia fertilizer. Scatter fertilizers in the fall before digging up the site. But you can do this in the spring, a couple of weeks before planting seedlings.
- Pepper seeds are planted according to the 6×6 cm pattern in a common box. Keep under the film until the first sprouts appear. The air temperature for the normal development of seedlings should be in the range of 24-27 degrees.
- When the first leaves appear, the seedlings dive into disposable cups, each of which is planted with one plant.
- You can plant seedlings with 7-8 true leaves in the ground. The air temperature should be at the level of 20 degrees.
- A distance of 30-40 cm is left between rows, the same gaps are left between seedlings in one row.
Peppers need regular and plentiful watering., if the plants do not have enough moisture, they will remain low, and the fruits will be dwarfed and underdeveloped.
Bulgarian pepper bears fruit for a long time – more and more inflorescences appear on the bushes. In early August, the tops of the bushes need to be pinched, and all the flowers cut off. Of these, a normal vegetable will no longer have time to ripen, but late ovaries can harm growing peppers.
Plucked bell pepper is slightly greenish, it gains maturity during storage. With this approach, you can significantly increase the yield.
The best varieties of bell pepper
If you read the reviews of gardeners and summer residents from different regions of the country, you can understand that each of them has his own favorite variety. Moreover, every year new varieties appear, and 2022 will not be an exception.
The choice of variety should be based not only on the preferences of the owner, but also on the characteristics of the site. Peppers need a suitable soil composition, regular watering and careful care – this vegetable does not grow on its own, it must be well taken care of.
The next step in choosing a pepper variety is the method of growing it: in open ground or in a greenhouse. For open ground, especially in the northern regions, only early varieties of bell peppers are suitable. Medium and late-ripening peppers simply do not have time to ripen in a short summer period.
For the south and center of the country, varieties with any ripening speed are suitable, but for the North it is better to choose early-ripening peppers.
“Big Mama”
Bulgarian pepper “Big Mama” is valued for its taste – its pulp is very fragrant and juicy. Fruits can be used for salads, any other dishes and canning.
Bushes grow high – up to 100 cm, and sprawling. There are many ovaries on the branches with large fruits, weighing up to 200 grams. The wall thickness of the fruit is about 13 cm, it is a fleshy variety.
Ripe fruits are painted in a rich orange color. The first vegetables can be enjoyed on the 120th day after planting seeds for seedlings. You can grow a vegetable both in open ground and in a greenhouse.
“Bogatyr”
One of the mid-season varieties is Bogatyr. The first fruits appear on the bushes on the 120th day after sowing the seeds. The bushes are quite sprawling and tall – up to 0,6 meters in height.
Young fruits are painted green, have a slightly bumpy surface and a prismatic shape. By the time of the onset of technical maturity, the peel changes color to bright red. The wall thickness of the fetus is 5,5 mm.
Bulgarian pepper “Bogatyr” has excellent taste, it is used for cooking cold and hot dishes, as well as for canning.
You can grow this variety both in the greenhouse and in the garden. From one square meter of soil, you can get up to 7 kg of large fruits, weighing about 180 grams. The culture is resistant to most diseases typical of peppers.
“Swallow”
Mid-early variety “Swallow” bears fruit on the 110th day after planting in the ground. Pepper is suitable for growing in any way: in a greenhouse, greenhouse or garden.
In order to harvest a bountiful harvest, it is necessary to break off the upper shoots to the first branch. This form ensures the appearance of many ovaries on the side branches. The height of the bushes reaches 0,6 meters.
The fruits are smooth, have a conical shape and a salad shade. You can pick vegetables when their peel becomes scarlet, and the wall thickness reaches 5 mm. The mass of a mature fruit of this variety will be 90 grams.
With proper care and formation of the bush, the yield of the variety is quite high, the fruits have good taste.
Atlant
One of the early varieties that ripen on the 110th day is Atlant. The bushes of this plant are small, but sprawling, the leaves are also small. But the fruits grow large – weighing up to 170 grams.
The maturity of vegetables can be determined by the bright green color of the peel. Picked vegetables are stored for a long time and tolerate transportation well; in the process of ripening, the peppers turn red.
Inside the fruit is divided into three chambers with seeds, the pulp is quite juicy – the wall thickness is 6 mm. With proper care from a square meter of land planted with this variety, you can get up to 5 kg of vegetables.
“Belozerka”
Bulgarian pepper “Belozerka” is considered one of the most common in the garden plots of Our Country. This is due to the high yield – with proper care, up to 8 kg of excellent vegetables can be removed from a meter of soil.
The fruits ripen on the 112th day after sowing the seeds, which makes it possible to classify “Belozerka” as an early variety. Their shape is cone-shaped, with a pointed tip. The peel is slightly ribbed, may have several shades – from beige to red.
The wall thickness of the fruit reaches 7,5 mm, and the weight of one vegetable is 130 grams. The fruits ripen together, differ in excellent taste. Peppers of this variety can be eaten raw, canned, and pickled.
Compact bushes are resistant to most nightshade crop diseases. Pepper can be grown in open ground, the yield of the variety reaches 8 km². Vegetables are well stored and transported.
“Big Papa”
Super early sweet hybrid “Big Papa” gives the first fruits already on the 92nd day after planting the seeds in the soil. The culture can be grown both in open ground and under temporary shelter. Bushes grow small, have many leaves and flowers.
Peppers can be plucked from the bushes when their hue turns purple. During storage, the fruits ripen, they acquire a dark brown color. The shape of the fruit is cone-shaped, the mass reaches 150 grams, and the wall thickness is 8 mm.
Therefore, Big Papa peppers are very juicy and appetizing. They yield up to 9 kg and tolerate transportation well.
“California Miracle”
Another early ripe variety – “California Miracle” gives the first fruits on the 120th day after planting the seeds. Bushes grow quite high, reach 100 cm. They can be grown both under film and in open ground.
The fruits are cube-shaped, ribbed walls with 8 millimeters of pulp. You can pick the fruits when their shade becomes bright green, after ripening, the color changes to red.
The yield of the variety is 3 kg per meter of land. Vegetables are suitable for fresh consumption and canning.
“Orange Miracle”
A very productive and early ripe variety – “Orange Miracle”. Peppers ripen on the 110th day after planting. It is better to grow them in the southern regions of Our Country, or use temporary shelters, greenhouses.
The fruits are distinguished by a bright orange peel, their shape is cubic. The mass of one pepper can reach 250 grams. Vegetables are not only large, but also very juicy, because their wall thickness is 10 mm.
Bushes grow tall, reaching 1 meter. The plant is resistant to tobacco mosaic virus and several other diseases. Peppers can be eaten raw or used for storage, canning.
With proper care, up to 14 kg of vegetables can be removed from one meter of the garden.
“Gogoshary”
One of the most popular varieties, belongs to the middle-ripening – the first fruits can be harvested on the 120th day after planting. The bushes grow small and low – up to 50 cm. The peppers themselves are also small – up to 10 cm in diameter, have a round shape and green color. When ripe, the skin of peppers turns bright red.
The mass of one fruit is 50-80 grams, the pulp is quite juicy, the wall thickness is 5 mm.
You can grow Bulgarian pepper varieties “Gogoshary” both in the shelter and in the garden. The plant is resistant to diseases, has a good yield – up to 5 kg of vegetables come out of each meter of land.
“Gladiator”
The variety is best grown in areas protected from the wind – it has sprawling bushes reaching a height of 80 cm. The plant is resistant to diseases characteristic of peppers, gives high yields – up to 5 kg.
It is better to grow a variety of pepper in open ground, but it is also possible under temporary shelters.
Peppers grow quite large, their weight is about 250 grams. The skin color is yellow, the shape is prismatic, the surface is glossy.
The wall thickness of the fruits is 6 mm – the peppers are very juicy and have a sweetish aftertaste, a special aroma. The fruits contain a lot of vitamin C and other beneficial trace elements, so they are best eaten raw. But you can also preserve, and salt, and stew.
The first vegetables will appear in the garden no earlier than the 110th day after sowing the seeds. Ripe peppers tolerate transportation well and can be stored for a long time.
“Gift of Moldova”
One of the most favorite varieties of bell pepper, most often used by domestic gardeners and gardeners.
This pepper is loved for its excellent taste and high yield. The culture is suitable for growing in a greenhouse and in open ground. Able to adapt to the climatic conditions of the region, but best of all bears fruit in the south.
The first fruits appear only on the 130th day after planting, but they ripen together. This allows the variety to be used for industrial cultivation, when vegetables are harvested not by hand, but by special equipment.
Pepper bushes are low – only 45 cm, quite sprawling. The peppers themselves are small – weighing up to 90 grams, but have thick flesh and a pleasant taste.
You can grow “Gift of Moldova” not only in the fields, but also in greenhouses and garden beds.
What species and varieties to plant in the spring of 2022
Using the example of the above varieties of peppers with a photo and description, it is shown how these crops differ, what advantages they have. Knowing the strengths and weaknesses, it is easy to choose the most suitable pepper varieties for a particular case.
It is important to remember that a vegetable should not only be beautiful and fruitful, but also tasty.. It contains a lot of vitamins and trace elements necessary for the body, pepper should be eaten both raw and cooked.
