We grow sweet peppers at home. Bell pepper

When growing peppers, you must follow a few rules:

• If the pepper flowers were not pollinated enough, then fruits of a non-standard shape may appear. To prevent this, apply artificial pollination: during hot and dry weather, shake the plants slightly;
• It is necessary to grow pepper in different parts of the garden: sweet separately from bitter, so that they do not pollinate;
• Weak soil moisture, high air temperature can affect the fall of buds and leaves;
• It is necessary to grow pepper in areas protected from the wind;
• If the site is poorly lit, then this can cause a lag in the growth and flowering of plants;
• Loosening the soil should not be done deep. Pepper must be spud;
• You can not add manure to the ground immediately before planting peppers, as the plants will not be able to form fruits due to the increase in leaf mass.

You can grow peppers different varieties. In terms of nutritional value, it overtook even tomatoes. The amount of nutrients depends on the choice of variety and climatic conditions of growth. Most of these substances contain red fruits.

How to grow pepper seedlings

To grow early pepper big harvest, it is important to correctly observe the timing of sowing seeds in the ground: from the first to the fifteenth of February, but not later. It can also be sown in mid-March, provided that the seedlings are artificially illuminated for a month. For illumination, 40 or 80 watt lamps located at a distance of 8 cm from the plants are suitable.

The nutrient mixture of your choice is poured into the box, leveled, compacted. At a distance of 5 cm, grooves are created, which are poured with warm water. Sow seeds in grooves at a distance of 2 cm. Sprinkle with the same soil mixture. The box should be installed in a warm place at a temperature of 24 to 26 degrees. After 2 days, the soil should be sprinkled with water for better seed germination. Seedlings appear by 5-6 days. As soon as you notice their appearance, then move the seedling box to the sunniest and brightest place. It is necessary to grow pepper in the next 6-7 days at a mode of 14-16 degrees. This is necessary to strengthen the rhizome. After the expiration of the specified period, the temperature should be raised to 23-25 ​​degrees, but gradually.

We keep the seedlings in a box until the first two true leaves appear. This will happen about a month after germination. Seedlings should be watered once a week. Do not flood the plants, otherwise they will get blackleg. Water for irrigation should be warm (25-28 ° C), settled. Top dressing before picking should be done only once with a solution of calcium nitrate.

When two true leaves appear, the plant is ready for picking and transplanting. Before this procedure, the plant should be watered 2-3 hours before. After completely filling the cups with the soil mixture, begin to transplant the pepper to the cotyledon leaves.

How to grow peppers at home

To grow pepper at home you need additional lighting from October to February. You can use fluorescent lamp small power. Once a month, plants should be fertilized with a spoon. wood ash. In summer, you can feed fertilizer for flowers. Pepper should be regularly watered with warm, settled water. Those who are going to grow peppers need to know that aphids can attack peppers at home. In such a situation, the plant should be taken to the bathroom and its leaves should be covered with a layer of foam, which after some time should be washed. The procedure is repeated in a week. After that, the pest will disappear for a long time.

Bell pepper

Bell pepper used in stuffed, pickled, salted, stewed, fried. It is simply necessary to grow pepper, because the composition of its fruits includes salts of sodium, potassium, calcium, aluminum, magnesium, sulfur, phosphorus, silicon. It is very rich in ascorbic acid, contains rutin, riboflavin, carotene, aneurin, nicotinic and folic acids. Pepper is used to stimulate appetite and improve digestion.

The most common annual sweet pepper. Between sowing and flowering, an interval of 70-100 days usually passes, and the physiological ripeness of the fruit occurs at 135-180 days. This is a fairly heat-demanding vegetable crop. At 13 degrees, the growth of the plant stops and, of course, it dies during frosts. Most of all, the temperature is from 18 to 25 degrees. If the air temperature rises above 35 degrees, then the buds and flowers of the pepper will fall off.

Sweet pepper has a fairly strong root system, which allows it to be a drought-resistant plant. But with regular watering, it increases its yield, which is important especially during the period of fruit formation. To grow pepper, you need to take care of the illumination of the future site.

Plant chilli pepper (lat. Capsicum annuum) refers to the species of herbaceous annuals of the genus Capsicum of the Solanaceae family, widely cultivated in agriculture. A pepper vegetable originally from Central America, it came to Europe in the 15th century and, despite the demanding care and increased thermophilicity, it quickly became the most popular garden plant. There are about 2,000 varieties of capsicum today, however most of of them belongs to the subspecies of sweet pepper, and others - to the subspecies of bitter pepper. In this article, we will tell you how to plant peppers, how to dive peppers, how to water peppers, how to fertilize peppers, how to grow pepper seedlings and when to plant sweet pepper seedlings. Hot pepper will be the topic of a separate article.

Planting and caring for peppers (in a nutshell)

• Landing: sowing seeds for seedlings - in February or March, planting seedlings of peppers in the garden - at the stage of formation of the first buds, at the end of May or at the beginning of June.
• Lighting: bright sunlight.
• The soil: light, neutral, well-drained and pre-fertilized.
• Predecessors: good - cucumbers, zucchini, carrots, green manure, pumpkins; bad - all nightshade crops, including peppers.
• Watering: before flowering - once a week, during the period of fruit formation - 2 times a week with a consumption of up to 6 liters of water per m².
• Top dressing: twice in the seedling period: two weeks after picking and at the stage of development of the second pair of leaves, then twice after planting the pepper in the ground. Both organic and mineral solutions are used as fertilizers.
• Reproduction: seed.
• Pests: spider mites, aphids, slugs, wireworms.
• Diseases: verticillium, bronze (or spotted wilt), phytoplasmosis (or stolbur), late blight, fusarium, blackleg, apical and gray rot.

Read more about growing peppers below.

Pepper vegetable - description

Sweet pepper, or bell pepper, is an annual vegetable plant, which in nature is a perennial shrub. Its leaves are simple, petiolate, collected in a rosette or single, the color of the leaves, depending on the variety and variety, can be different shades Green colour. Pepper flowers are axillary, large, bunched or solitary, with a white, purple or greenish corolla. The fruits are false hollow multi-seeded berries of yellow, red, brown or orange color various shapes, masses and sizes.

Growing peppers from seeds

Sowing pepper seeds

Sweet pepper in our latitudes is usually grown by seedling seed method. The timing of sowing seeds for seedlings depends on climatic conditions, however, in any case, sweet peppers are sown no later than the beginning of March.

Planting pepper seedlings begins with pre-sowing treatment seeds: first, they are dipped for five to six hours in water at a temperature of 50 ºC to swell, then, wrapped in a damp cloth, they wait 2-3 days at a temperature of about 20 ºC, when the seeds hatch, and only after that they are sown in the ground. Such preparation of seeds accelerates their germination, and seedlings can appear within 2-3 days after sowing.

The soil for seedlings of pepper is prepared as follows: 2 cups of garden humus are mixed with 1 cup of sand, one cup of garden soil, add a spoon or two of wood ash, stir well and sterilize this mixture in the oven or in the microwave, after which it is still hot, laid out in boxes, leveled , allow to cool to 40-45 ºC and lay out the seeds on it with an interval of 5 cm from each other with a depth of 1.5-2 cm. But it is better to spread the seeds in peat pots, since the pepper does not tolerate picking well. Crops must be watered, and then cover seedling containers with polyethylene or glass and place in a warm place - the temperature required for seed germination is 21-22 ºC.

Growing seedlings of pepper

Growing seedlings of pepper is not much different from growing seedlings of any other vegetable. As soon as the first shoots appear, the temperature in the room is raised to 26-28 ºC during the day, and at night the seedlings need coolness - 10-15 ºC. Keep an eye on the soil moisture in containers with seedlings - it should be moderate, because in too wet soil, plants can get sick with a black leg. However, drying of the soil should not be allowed. Water the seedlings settled warm water– approximately 30 ºC, from cold water seedlings get sick, wither and die.

Seedling care involves the creation of high humidity in the room, so seedlings should be sprayed from time to time. In addition, regular ventilation of the room is necessary, but do not let the seedlings get into a draft. You may need to provide seedlings with additional lighting, as they need to be in the light from 7 am to 9 pm.

Pepper pick

In the development phase of the seedlings of the first pair of leaves, it dives. If you sowed the seeds in peat pots, then you don’t need to pick, but if your seedlings grow in boxes, when picking, the seedlings are placed from the boxes into 8x8 cm peat pots and buried in the ground along the cotyledon leaves.

The pickled peppers, after they take root in cups, begin to develop intensively, and shortly before the solemn moment of planting seedlings in open ground they begin to accustom them to the environment in which they will find themselves: seedlings are taken out daily to Fresh air at first, for a short time, but gradually, the time spent in new conditions is increased, preventing seedlings from falling into a draft or under "frost" below 13 ºC.

Before planting seedlings in open ground, pepper is fertilized, and at least twice: two weeks after picking or in the phase of formation of the first pair of leaves in the seedlings, and then after another two weeks, or when the seedlings develop the second pair of leaves. Top dressing is best applied in liquid form. The best fertilizers for seedlings - Agricola, Mortar, Krepysh, Fertika Lux.

Growing peppers on a windowsill

In order to grow sweet peppers at home, you will need self-pollinating seeds, a good substrate, a phytolamp and a place in the apartment where the sun shines at least 3-4 hours a day. Once your potted pepper is in flower, shake it at least once a day to ensure successful pollination. Large fruits take a lot of strength from the bush, so leave 5-6 ovaries for ripening, and remove the rest. Fruit-bearing crops quickly deplete the soil in which they grow, so it is necessary to feed a pepper bush once every 2-3 weeks, adding to upper layer soil a teaspoon of agrolife or watering the soil with a solution of one capful of the Growth preparation in two liters of water. Sweet pepper at home is a perennial plant, and it will not be superfluous to pour fresh vermicompost into the pot every two months, as long as the capacity allows, or transplant the bush into larger pots when the need arises. To prolong the life of the plant, it is advisable to carry out a small annual spring rejuvenating pruning of pepper, and then you are guaranteed a fruit harvest for several years.

Planting pepper in open ground

When to plant peppers in the ground

The grown, strengthened and hardened seedlings at the stage of formation of the first buds are planted in open ground when the air temperature reaches 15-17 ºС. Usually planting pepper in the ground occurs in late May - mid-June.

ground for pepper

Sweet pepper loves light, non-acidic soils, but you need to prepare a plot for pepper a year before planting. And it’s not at all necessary that nothing grows in this place for a year, it’s just that the soil is being prepared for crops preceding pepper, the best of which are cucumber, zucchini, carrots, onions, pumpkin or green manure. But after crops such as eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, physalis - in short, after nightshade, peppers are not grown. When preparing the soil for the spring planting of the predecessors, 5 kg of organic matter is added per 1 m² per year for digging, and in the fall, after harvesting, the site is dug up with the addition of 50 g of phosphorus and potash fertilizers. In the spring, in the year of planting pepper, 40 g of ammonium nitrate, and five days before the seedlings are planted in the ground, the area is shed with a disinfectant solution, adding a tablespoon of copper sulfate to a bucket of water.

How to plant peppers outdoors

Holes are made in the garden at a distance of 40-50 cm from each other, and the distance between the rows is about 60 cm. The depth of the hole should be such that the root neck of the seedling after planting is flush with the surface of the plot. Place one tablespoon each of a complete mineral fertilizer containing nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus into the holes, and thoroughly mix the pepper fertilizer into the soil at the bottom of the hole. If the seedlings grew in peat pots, then lower the seedling into the hole directly with it, and if you grew the seedlings in a common container, then carefully remove the pepper from it, trying not to destroy the earthen ball, and lower it into the hole. Fill the hole halfway with fertile soil, then water each plant generously, spending one bucket of water on three seedlings, and when the water is absorbed, fill the holes with earth to the top. It is advisable after planting to mulch the area with sweet pepper peat. If the temperature drops below 13 ºC at night, the planted seedlings will need shelter.

Growing peppers in a greenhouse

There are varieties of pepper for open ground, and there are those that can only be grown in greenhouses. Pepper varieties include Arnes, Accord, Alyonushka, Vesper, Bonus, Atlant, Pinocchio, orange wonder, Tenderness, Swallow, Night and others. First, the seeds are sown on seedlings, and when it grows and undergoes hardening procedures on a balcony or terrace, it is planted in greenhouse soil. We have just described the sowing of seeds and the stages of growing seedlings. Planting pepper in the greenhouse is carried out when the seedlings reach a height of 25 cm and an age of at least 55 days, it forms a thick green stem and 12-14 leaves each, in the axils of which buds are already formed. The soil in an unheated greenhouse should be warmed up to 15 ºC by the time the seedlings are placed in it, so transplanting is unlikely to take place before May 15.

The soil for pepper in the greenhouse before planting is fertilized with potash and phosphate fertilizers at the rate of 30 g of the first and 40 g of the second per m² and watered abundantly. The planting density of seedlings depends on the variety: between seedlings of vigorous varieties, it is necessary to leave 35 cm, between medium-sized seedlings, an interval of 25 cm is enough, and early-ripening, undersized varieties are planted at a distance of 15 cm from each other. The distance between the rows is from 35 to 60 cm. After planting the seedlings in the holes, the soil is compacted and mulched with peat.

Pepper Care

How to grow pepper

Growing pepper in open ground involves timely watering, weeding and loosening the site, garters and plant nutrition. Professionals recommend removing the central flower from the first branch on each bush - this should increase the yield of pepper. Also, to increase the yield, the bushes are formed into 2-3 stems, for which it is necessary to remove the resulting side shoots- stepsons. Do it in hot and necessarily humid weather. On one plant, you can leave no more than 20-25 fruits.

When planting seedlings of high varieties of pepper in the ground, drive in a peg immediately next to each seedling, to which, if necessary, you will tie a bush.

For successful pollination of pepper, it is necessary to attract pollinating insects to the site, for which the bushes are sprayed with boron-sugar syrup, dissolved in a liter hot water 2 g boric acid and 100 g of sugar. And refuse to treat the garden with pesticides from the moment the pepper blossoms, otherwise the insects that pollinate the pepper may die.

Watering pepper

After planting in open ground, the seedling looks somewhat lethargic, but this is quite natural, so it is very important not to overdo it with soil moisture at this time. Peppers should be watered once a week before flowering, and during the fruiting period, they will have to be watered twice a week at the rate of 6 liters of water per m². After watering, you need to very carefully loosen the soil between the rows, trying not to damage the surface root system of plants. Peppers are watered with warm settled water from a watering can by sprinkling. From a lack of moisture, pepper slows down growth and can shed flowers and ovaries. To keep the soil moist, experienced gardeners recommend mulching the pepper area with a ten-centimeter layer of rotted straw.

Pepper dressing

After top dressing in the seedling stage, pepper in the open ground is fertilized twice with a solution of chicken manure at a concentration of 1:10, and also applied foliar top dressing a solution of a tablespoon of nitrophoska in a bucket of water. Twisted pepper leaves with a dry border around the edges will tell you that there is not enough potassium in the soil, but do not use potassium chloride as a fertilizer - pepper does not tolerate chlorine. From a lack of nitrogen, the leaves acquire a dull, gray tint and gradually become smaller, and from an excess of this element, the plant sheds ovaries and flowers. When pepper lacks phosphorus, the underside sheet plate turns deep purple, the leaves rise up and cling to the trunk. From a lack of magnesium, sweet pepper leaves become marbled. Be attentive to the plant, and you will be able to help it in time by making the necessary feeding.

Pepper processing

The fight against diseases of peppers during the period of fruit ripening with pesticides is undesirable, since all beneficial features plants are leveled by nitrates absorbed after treatment and other harmful to humans chemicals. With proper care and adherence to agricultural technology, the type of problems with diseases or pests in pepper should not arise, but if they do appear, let's consider what measures will help get rid of them and at the same time keep the quality of the fruit at a high level.

Pests and diseases of pepper

Readers often ask questions about what pepper is sick with. Most often, sweet peppers are affected by diseases such as verticillosis (wilt), bronze (spotted wilt), phytoplasmosis, fusarium, late blight, vertex and gray rot, black leg.

Verticillosis – fungal disease, which exists in three forms: brown, green and dwarf, each of which manifests itself in its own way. Since the destruction of pathogens by pesticides on vegetable plants undesirable, only preventive measures remain: the destruction of all plant residues in the fall and the cultivation of varieties resistant to verticillium.

Phytoplasmosis, or stolbur, manifested by the fact that the roots of the plant begin to rot, dwarfism develops, the fruits grow small, thin-walled and tasteless, the leaves twist, harden and turn yellow, as a result, the pepper dries. Carry cicada disease. The fight against phytoplasmosis is carried out by treating Akara pepper at the time of planting and three weeks after it - spraying the vegetable at this stage of development will not cause harm. In addition, it is necessary to regularly loosen the soil in the area and remove weeds.

Fusarium- a fungal disease in which the pepper turns yellow: the leaves become poisonous yellow. Sick specimens are destroyed, the rest of the plants are diligently cared for: moderately watered in the morning, do not allow weeds to appear on the site. Keep in mind that next year it is better not to grow pepper on a site infected with Fusarium.

late blight- a common fungal disease that affects peppers and tomatoes. Symptoms of phytosporosis are the formation of hard spots on the fruits that capture the pulp. Destroy pathogens with drugs Oksikhom, Zaslon, Barrier, but only before the beginning of flowering pepper. By the way: hybrid varieties are much less susceptible to disease.

Blackleg affects the basal part of the stem of pepper seedlings as a result of too dense sowing and maintenance at high soil and air humidity. Over time, the stalk softens, and the seedling dies. To avoid disease of seedlings with a black leg, you should sow seeds spaciously, dive seedlings in time and monitor the level of humidity in the greenhouse. If you find diseased shoots, immediately remove them, dry and loosen the soil in which the seedlings grow, and sprinkle it with wood ash. At this stage of plant development, it is permissible to spray the seedlings with a Barrier solution in the ratio: 3 caps of the drug per 1 liter of water.

Blossom rot occurs on the plant, oddly enough, in the case of a lack of moisture and manifests itself as shiny or black deep spots on the fruits. Sometimes the cause of the disease can be an excess of nitrogen and calcium in the soil. Infected plants are burned, and the rest are sprayed with calcium nitrate.

Gray rot can affect every plant at any stage of development with putrefactive spots and gray mold. Usually rainy weather provokes its appearance. Affected fruits and parts of the plant must be removed, and the bushes in the area should be sprayed with fungicides if it is not too late.

Signs of bronze or spotted wilt, look like brown spots on leaves acquiring bronze or purple hue. These necrotic spots are located mainly along the main vein of the leaves. As a result of the development of the disease, the top of the plant dies, the fruits in the stalk area become covered with green, brown or pale yellow annular spots. To save the crop, ripe fruits are cut off, and the soil is no longer watered. The fungus is destroyed by Fundazol, however, before you treat the pepper with a fungicide, once again weigh all the pros and cons of such spraying.

Of the pests, aphids, spider mites, wireworms and slugs annoy the pepper. Nut shells, ground hot peppers or mustard powder can help you protect the plant from slugs. You can also place bowls of dark beer here and there, to which the clams will crawl from all over the site. And do not forget to loosen the soil between the rows to a depth of 4-5 cm in the heat.

Click beetle larvae, or wireworms, remaining in the soil for five years, they gnaw on the roots of plants. To get rid of wireworms, in the fall they dig up the ground on the site, and in the spring, before planting pepper, they arrange several baits on the site, burying pieces of sweet root crops in the ground and marking these places for themselves. Nutcracker larvae will surely crawl to these baits. Every two or three days, the baits are dug up, the larvae are collected and destroyed.

Spider mites they start on plants in dry land, they settle on the underside of the leaves and suck out the cell sap from them. If you do not know how to treat pepper from a tick without resorting to insecticides, we offer you a non-toxic recipe for human body solution: a tablespoon liquid soap or dishwashing detergents along with a glass of finely chopped onion or garlic, as well as chopped dandelion leaves are mixed in 10 liters of water, let it brew and pepper is sprayed with this composition at any stage of its development.

From aphids get rid of wood ash or tobacco dust infused in 10 liters of hot water in the amount of one glass. You can also, if necessary, use pepper treatment with a solution of rapidly decomposing insecticides such as Karbofos or Keltan at the rate of one tablespoon of the drug per 10 liters of water.

Collection and storage of pepper

Peppers have two types of ripeness - technical and biological (or physiological). At the stage of technical maturity, all peppers are usually green in color - from dark green to greenish-whitish. If the peppers on the bush are yellow, red, orange, purple or Brown, then we can say that they are already at the stage of biological maturity, which means that the fruits taken from the bush must be used immediately - canned or eaten, since such peppers are stored very short span time. The fruits collected in a state of technical maturity in suitable conditions can be stored up to two months. The time difference between technical and biological ripeness is 20-30 days. The readiness of pepper for harvesting is determined by the cod of the fruit during a light pressure on it. And one more landmark: peppers are harvested at about the same time as eggplants and tomatoes. Usually, the first fruits are harvested in early or mid-August, and peppers continue to be harvested until frost. That is, ripened fruits are removed selectively every 5-7 days. To better store the pepper, it is cut along with the stalk. During the growing season, three to five collections are carried out. Before the onset of frost, all fruits are removed from the bushes, and their further ripening takes place indoors, after sorting by size and degree of maturity.

Before laying for storage, the fruit stalk is cut off, leaving a segment of only 1-1.5 cm. Only healthy thick-walled fruits that do not have mechanical damage are suitable for storage. Thin-walled varieties are stored in the refrigerator. Varieties with juicy walls can be kept in plastic bags not less than 120 microns thick, it is desirable that they have a membrane with perforation on the side wall. Peppers keep better if each fruit is wrapped in paper. You can store peppers in baskets, shallow boxes with 1-2 rows or on shelves in the basement with a temperature of 8-10 ºC and an air humidity of 80-90%. Because peppers absorb odors quickly, make sure nothing in your basement is moldy or decaying. Pepper storage right conditions allows it to stay fresh for one and a half to two months. You can store sweet peppers for a month in the refrigerator at a temperature of 9-10 ºC. Many housewives prefer, after washing the fruits and removing the testicles, put the peppers one inside the other and store them in the freezer all winter so that they can cook their favorite dishes from it at any time or add a slice or two to borscht or salad.

Those fruits that are not suitable for storage can be processed. They make excellent marinades, fragrant winter salads, borscht dressing.

Types and varieties of pepper

We have already mentioned that vegetable peppers can be sweet and bitter. We promised to tell you in detail about bitter pepper in a separate article. Sweet pepper is divided into the following varieties:

• bell pepper;
• tomato vegetable pepper;
• cone-shaped vegetable pepper;
• cylindrical vegetable pepper;
• bell-shaped vegetable pepper.

Popular varieties include outdoor peppers, greenhouse peppers, and container varieties that grow and bear fruit on a balcony or windowsill. Varieties also differ in terms of ripening: early varieties reach maturity in 80-100 days, mid-ripening ones need a little more time to ripen - from 115 to 130 days, and late ones will need 140 or more days. To early peppers include varieties Health, Dobrynya Nikitich, Snow White, Swallow, as well as hybrids Atlantic, Orange Miracle, Montero, Cardinal, Denis. Of the mid-season varieties, Prometheus, Ilya Muromets, Korenovsky, Belozerka, Maxim and Vitamin hybrids are considered the best. Of the later varieties, the Golden Medal variety and the Nochka hybrid have proven themselves well. By the way, What is the difference between "variety" and "hybrid"? Hybrid seeds do not retain varietal characteristics, so it is pointless to collect seeds from hybrid varieties; you will have to buy the seed material of the hybrids you like every year. But hybrid varieties are characterized by high yields, large fruits with excellent taste, in addition, they are very resistant to disease.

Pepper varieties also differ in size and shape of the fruit, and this is very important, because for stuffing, for example, you need a thick-walled large-sized oval or spherical pepper, and for salads you can use other varieties with thinner walls and smaller sizes. In shape, sweet pepper fruits are elongated, cuboid, cone-shaped, oval, spherical and cylindrical. They can be both smooth and tuberculate.

And, of course, pepper varieties differ in the color of the fruit in the phase of biological ripening. Varieties such as Alyosha Popovich, Red Elephant, Swallow, Ilya Muromets, Winnie the Pooh and hybrids Dawn, Latino and Red Baron have red fruits. Yellow-fruited peppers are represented by varieties Katyusha, Yellow bouquet and hybrids Raisa, Isabella, Indalo. The Maxim hybrid has a purple color during technical maturation and dark red during biological. The hybrid Cardinal has fruits purple, in the Bonus variety, fruits from ivory to dark red, in the Apricot Favoritka variety and the Chanterelle hybrid, ripe fruits are bright orange.

We offer you several popular varieties of pepper, among which you will surely find those that you want to grow at home.

• fat baron – early ripe variety with sweet red cube-shaped fruits weighing up to 300 g. 8-9 fruits ripen on a spherical bush 50-60 cm high.
• red shovel- a bush up to 70 cm high, on which up to 15 red sweet fruits weighing up to 150 g and wall thickness up to 8 mm ripen.
• California miracle - A well-deserved mid-early variety that has been tested for decades, which needs about 75 days to ripen from the moment the seedlings are planted in the ground. The height of the bush is up to 80 cm, the fruits are red, thick-walled, weighing up to 250 g.
• yellow bell- one of the earliest disease-resistant varieties, which needs only 65-70 days to ripen. The height of the bushes is 70-80 cm, the fruits are golden yellow, cuboid, up to 12 cm high and in diameter, the wall thickness is 8-10 cm.
• Hybrid series Star of the East with thick-walled fruits weighing from 150 to 350 g, mostly early term ripening with fruits of white, white with red, golden and chocolate color.
• Tevere- mid-season thick-walled sweet hybrid with yellow fruits weighing up to 300 g.

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Growing sweet peppers in the photo

Of the variety of types of pepper in the culture, the most common pepper is annual, or capsicum. It is to this species that the so-called sweet (or Bulgarian) pepper, widely known and popular among amateur gardeners, belongs.

There are two groups of varieties of pepper - vegetable and spicy (hot). In the former, the fruits are used in an unripe form as a vegetable, in the latter they are very sharp and are used as a spice.

Pepper fruits are very different in shape - from round to elongated-cone-shaped with a two-, four-chamber middle. In technical ripeness (before the seeds ripen), the color of the fruit, depending on the variety, is dark green, green, light green, cream, yellow. When the seeds ripen, the fruit turns red, in some varieties - orange.

The birthplace of pepper is the tropics, so it is distinguished by increased requirements for heat, humidity, soil fertility; is, along with cucumbers and tomatoes, productive greenhouse culture.

In the southern regions it grows and gives a good harvest in open ground. In the central (middle) lane it is grown in glass greenhouses.

Pepper belongs to the nightshade family, like tomatoes and eggplant. Therefore, the cultivation of pepper and other solanaceous crops is largely the same. The best predecessor on the garden bed can be cabbage, beets, carrots, radishes, radishes, cucumbers, onions, garlic and green crops.

The fruits become edible 25-45 days after flowering, at which time they are green or white in color.

Ripe green fruits are considered ripe. It makes no sense to wait until they turn red - their taste will not improve from this.

Pepper - photophilous plant, grows poorly in the shade. Optimum temperature for development and fruiting +18...+25°С. At +15...+20°С plant growth slows down, and at +13°С it stops. Prolonged cooling negatively affects flowering and the formation of generative organs. Sharp diurnal temperature fluctuations cause a massive fall of flowers and ovaries.

The culture does not tolerate even short-term frosts. Plants die when the air temperature drops to -0.5°C. Therefore, it is necessary to create optimal conditions for growing peppers.

Sunny, warm days are necessary for peppers during the fruiting period. It does not tolerate high humidity either. At a temperature of +35 ° C, the buds and flowers fall off.

Pepper plants grow slowly at the beginning of the growing season, the root system grows longer than the leaf mass. Flower buds begin to form on the plant when the fourth leaf is unfolded. The ripening phase occurs 15-45 days after the appearance of the first bud.

According to the technology of growing pepper in the open field, the plants do not stepchild, only the first bud is removed. Fruits are formed in the places of branching of the stems, so well-developed plants with a large number branches tend to produce more fruit.

When caring for peppers in the open field, regular watering under the root is required. Optimal Humidity soil enhances fruit formation, promotes the release of quality products. With a lack of moisture, the fruits become smaller, deformed, they are often affected by vertex rot.

The correct technology for growing pepper does not allow mixed landings sweet and bitter species, since cross-pollination will occur, and in appearance, sweet forms will taste bitter.

The growing season of the culture is long (150-200 days). Therefore, even in the southern regions, the cultivation and care of pepper is done through seedlings. To grow seedlings for open ground start in the second half of February. Sow in boxes or bowls with drainage holes.

The sowing depth when planting pepper seeds for seedlings is 1.5-2 cm. Until the seeds germinate, the crops are kept at a temperature of +25...+28 °C. After the appearance of mass seedlings, the crops are transferred for a week to a cool room (+17 ... + 20 ° C) so that the seedlings do not stretch. In the future, seedlings grow at room temperature +20...+24°C.

Seedling bell pepper on the picture

Seedlings dive in about 20 days into pots 7 x 7 cm, one plant at a time. Weak seedlings are discarded. The pots are filled with nutrient soil. Mineral fertilizers are not added to the soil when growing seedlings. After planting seeds for seedlings for growing peppers with a small volume of pots, plants do not need fertilizers. In the garden bed they are brought into the hole.

When growing pepper seedlings from seeds, seedlings are looked after in much the same way as tomato seedlings. But given that peppers begin to be grown a month earlier, it is necessary to lengthen the daylight hours with the help of illumination up to 12-14 hours.

Watch the video "Planting Pepper Seeds" to better understand how this agricultural technique is performed:

How to grow a good crop of peppers outdoors

• Do not use seeds purchased from a random source for sowing. Receipt basis quality seedlings, and consequently, a good harvest - these are high-quality seeds. Purchase seeds in specialized stores. The seed packet should be clearly labeled with the variety, number of seeds and expiration date.
• Do not sow seeds in a dense, heavy potting mix of unknown origin. Best Blend - garden soil plus special soil for seedlings, bought at the store. Remember to water the soil in the boxes first before sowing the seeds, otherwise the seeds with water will be pulled deep into the soil and the germination period will be extended.
• Do not thicken seed crops; always sow the norm, otherwise the plants will stretch out, be weak, and may be affected by the "black leg".
• Do not place containers with seeds on the radiator - the soil dries up instantly and the hatched seeds die. Crops are placed only next to the battery and must be covered with a film.
• Do not use pots or other containers without drainage holes for sowing. Stagnation of water leads to the death of seeds, as well as seedlings in the initial stage of seedlings.
• Do not be late with picking seedlings. For most vegetable crops this must be done after the appearance of one or two true leaves. After picking, the plants are watered and shaded for 1-2 days.
• Don't forget to harden off seedlings before planting. permanent place. 7-10 days before planting, containers with seedlings are taken out for 2-3 hours on loggias, verandas, windows in the room are opened. The time the seedlings are in the open air is gradually increased. Seedlings are planted in the evening or on cloudy days.

The video "Growing pepper seedlings" shows how to properly plant seeds and care for seedlings:

Planting seedlings of sweet pepper in open ground

Pepper seedlings are planted in open ground at the age of 55-60 days. By the time of planting, it should be strong, have a height of 16-20 cm, 8-10 developed leaves, buds and form a well-developed root.

Seedlings are planted in double rows (ribbons) with distances between the tapes of 60 cm, between rows of 30 cm and between plants of 20 cm. Wide aisles are made for passage during harvesting and caring for plants, and in narrow ones, furrows are made for irrigation.

Low-growing varieties of this crop can be planted thicker, tall ones - give more distance. The main thing is that adult plants should close in crowns.

When planting in open ground, pepper seedlings are not buried, since additional roots are not formed above the root neck on the stem, like in eggplant. Buried plants grow poorly and do not give a good harvest. For the same reason, growing peppers never spud.

Proper care of sweet peppers in the open field: watering and fertilizing

When caring for peppers, top dressing and regular watering are necessary.

Watering. From an early age and throughout the growing season, pepper needs frequent watering and obligatory loosening of the soil after each watering or rain.

Excess moisture, as well as its lack, are contraindicated in pepper. Excessive watering reduces air access to the roots, the leaves turn pale green and the plants wither.

Insufficient watering of sweet pepper inhibits the growth of plants, leads to the dropping of flowers, ovaries and the formation of small fruits. The frequency of watering depends on weather conditions and phases of plant development, but generally at least 1-2 times a week.

Proper watering of pepper is carried out only with warm water. From wells and wells, water for irrigation should be preheated in the sun in containers for 2-3 days.

Fertilizer and top dressing. Peppers need fertile soils. It successfully grows on light loamy and chernozem, well-supplied nutrients, including nitrogen. Solonetzic and heavy loamy soils are not suitable for pepper.

Peppers, like tomatoes, need phosphorus. He needs both organic fertilizers and mineral fertilizers. To feed peppers in the open field, when planting seedlings, a tablespoon of superphosphate mixed with humus or simply with earth is added to each well.

During the period of budding, flowering and fruiting, fertilizing is given every two weeks with complex water-soluble fertilizers (Sudarushka, Agrolux, Aquarin, Mortar or Zdraven, etc.). They are alternated with organic fertilizers.

In the second half of summer and autumn, sweet peppers are fed by Kaliyfos.

Harvesting is carried out selectively when the fruits reach consumer (technical) maturity (green). Collection - weekly, preventing the formation of seeds in them, as this will slow down the emergence of new ovaries. Remove the fruits carefully with both hands, so as not to break off the plant shoots along with the pepper.

The video "Growing Peppers" demonstrates how to properly water the crop:

In this section of the article, you will learn about pests and diseases of pepper, as well as measures to combat them in the garden.

Stolbur (small-leaved) pepper leaves in the photo

Stolbur (small-leaved) - viral disease manifested by chlorotic coloration of leaves, internodes are shortened. Then the leaves wither, hang down and fall off. Stolbur is not tolerated either with the juice of a diseased plant or with seeds. The main carrier of the disease is the cicada.

Planting high-quality seedlings in the ground, systematic watering followed by soil loosening, weed control are the basis for the prevention of this disease.

Top rot of peppers in the photo

Blossom rot- a disease of a physiological nature. It manifests itself at high temperatures and low relative humidity.

Regular even watering. Root and foliar top dressing with calcium nitrate, as well as superphosphate during the period of intensive fruit growth, allows you to get a full harvest.

Black bacterial spot of pepper. Not only fruits are affected, but also leaves and stems. On the leaves, the spots are small, at first watery, and then blackening, the tissue around the spots turns yellow. The disease is carried with seeds and plant debris. Preventive spraying with the copper-containing preparation "Abiga-Peak", starting from seedlings, allows you to get healthy pepper fruits.

During the harvest period, to contain the spread of the disease, use the biological preparation "Gamair", which has a therapeutic effect.

Fusarium wilt. Symptoms first appear as slight yellowing of the leaves and wilting. top leaves. As wilting progresses, the leaves may turn dull green to brown and remain on the plant. When the stem or roots are cut, reddish-brown stripes are visible in the conductive tissues. Sick plants must be removed.

Look at the selection of photos "Diseases of pepper and measures to combat them":

spider mite on the pepper in the photo
Spider mite in the photo

Spider mite. AT steppe zone Pepper plants are often infested with spider mites. When a pest appears, treat the plants with Iskra-M or Fufanon. If the harvest is on the way, use Tuoeum Jet, colloidal sulfur or Bitoxibacillin.

Aphids on pepper (photo)
Aphids in the photo

Aphid. This pest can also create problems when growing crops. To fight, use Iskra Zolotaya or Konfidor, Komandor with a waiting period of at least 20 days. During the harvest period - "Fitoverm", "Iskra Bio", "Akarin" (waiting period 2-3 days).

Here you can see photos of diseases and pests that threaten the crop:

Spider mite on sweet pepper leaves (photo)
Aphids on sweet pepper leaves (photo)

The best varieties of sweet pepper for open ground: photo and description

Traditional varieties of sweet pepper combine excellent fruit set, large fruit and excellent taste. They differ in ripening time, fruit color, their weight is up to 200 g, with a fleshy, juicy wall. Characterized by a friendly return of the harvest.

These varieties include:

Pepper seeds "Gift of Moldova" in the photo
Pepper "Gift of Moldova" in the photo

"Gift of Moldova",

Pepper seeds "Swallow" in the photo
Pepper "Swallow" in the photo

"Martin",

Pepper seeds "Belozerka" in the photo
Pepper "Belozerka" in the photo

Belozerka,

Pepper seeds "Winnie the Pooh" in the photo
Pepper "Winnie the Pooh" in the photo

"Winnie the Pooh",

Pepper seeds "Venti" in the photo
Pepper "Venti" in the photo

"Venti"

Pepper seeds "Caramel" in the photo
Pepper "Caramel" in the photo

"Caramel",

Pepper seeds "Golden Jubilee" in the photo
Pepper "Golden Jubilee" in the photo

"Golden Jubilee"

Pepper seeds "Yaroslav" in the photo
Pepper "Yaroslav" in the photo

"Yaroslav",

Pepper seeds "Alyosha Popovich" in the photo
Pepper "Alyosha Popovich" in the photo

"Alesha Popovich".

Early ripe hybrids of sweet pepper.

Pepper seeds "Latino" F1 in the photo
Pepper "Latino" F1 in the photo

Latino F1- from shoots to technical ripeness of fruits 97-110 days. Plants up to 100 cm high. The fruits of this variety of pepper for open ground are cube-shaped, 3-4-chambered. In technical ripeness it is dark green, in biological ripeness it is bright red.

Pepper seeds "Peresvet" F1 in the photo
Pepper "Peresvet" F1 in the photo

"Peresvet" F1- from seedlings to technical ripeness 92-105 days, to biological - 120-135. The plant is medium-sized, 50-60 cm high, compact, standard.

Pepper seeds "Sonata" F1 in the photo
Pepper "Sonata" F1 in the photo

"Sonata" F1- from germination to technical maturity 95-100 days. The plant is up to 100 cm high. The fruit is cuboid, 3-4-celled, glossy, dark green in technical ripeness, bright red in biological, weighing 180-200 g.

Pepper seeds "Orange miracle" F1 in the photo
Pepper "Orange miracle" F1 in the photo

"Orange Miracle" F1. Hybrid for open and protected ground (100-110 days) Plants 90-110 cm high. Fruits are large, cube-shaped, bright orange.

Seeds of pepper "Jubilee Semko" F1 in the photo
Pepper "Anniversary Semko" F1 in the photo

"Jubilee Semko" F1- hybrid for open and protected ground (90-100 days). The plant is standard, medium-sized, 50-60 cm high, compact, slightly sprawling and slightly leafy. The fruits are light green in technical ripeness and red in biological.

Pepper seeds "Montero" F1 in the photo
Pepper "Montero" F1 in the photo

"Montero" F1- 90-108 days pass from germination to technical ripeness of fruits. The fruits are long, prism-shaped, green in technical ripeness, bright red in biological ripeness.

Pepper seeds "Snowfall" F1 in the photo
Pepper "Snowfall" F1 in the photo

"Snowfall" F1- cone-shaped fruits, up to 15 cm long, creamy white at the technical stage, red at the biological stage.

High yields give and hybrids

Pepper seeds "Grenada" in the photo
Pepper "Grenada" in the photo

"Grenada",

Pepper seeds "Seville" in the photo
Pepper "Seville" in the photo

"Seville"

Pepper seeds "Casablanca" in the photo
Pepper "Casablanca" in the photo

Seeds of pepper "United" in the photo
Pepper "United" in the photo

"Single" with large cube-shaped fruits.

Seeds of a mixture of pepper hybrids "Siesta" in the photo
Peppers hybrids "Siesta" in the photo

Among the best varieties of pepper, a special mixture of Siesta hybrids is distinguished.

Hybrids of sweet pepper of the original color:

Pepper seeds "Cardinal" F1 in the photo
Pepper "Cardinal" F1 in the photo

"Cardinal" F1 with large purple-colored cube-shaped fruits.

Pepper seeds "Aries" F1 in the photo
Pepper "Aries" F1 in the photo

Aries F1- with large dark red fruits weighing up to 300 g, prism-shaped.

Pepper seeds "Fidelio" F1 in the photo
Pepper "Fidelio" F1 in the photo

Fidelio F1- with silvery-white fruits.

Large-fruited sweet pepper hybrids include:

Pepper seeds "Russian size" F1 in the photo
Pepper "Russian size" F1 in the photo

"Russian size" F1. Without much additional effort, giants grow over 20 cm long.

Pepper seeds "Yellow bull-NK" F1 in the photo
Pepper "Yellow Bull-NK" F1 in the photo

"Yellow Bull-NK" F1- fruits of an elongated shape, large, up to 200 g, 9x20 cm in size, consist of 3-4 lobes, green, yellow when ripe.

Pepper seeds "Red bull-NK" F1 in the photo
Pepper "Red Bull-NK" F1 in the photo

"Red Bull-NK" F1- fruits are large, weighing up to 200 g, elongated shape 8 x 20 cm, consist of 3-4 lobes, light green, red when ripe.

Sweet pepper "Black bull-NK" F1 in the photo
Pepper "Black bull-NK" F1 in the photo

"Black Bull-NK" F1- Differs in defiant brilliant black color. Fruits weighing up to 400 g.

Pepper seeds "Indalo" F1 in the photo
Pepper "Indalo" F1 in the photo

Indalo F1- mid-season hybrid. From shoots to technical ripeness of fruits 110-120 days. Plants 110-120 cm high. This is one of the best varieties of sweet pepper with large cube-shaped fruits, beautiful bright yellow color, weighing 280-300 g. Wall thickness up to 10 mm.

Pepper seeds "Flamenco" F1 in the photo
Pepper "Flamenco" F1 in the photo

Flamenco F1- early maturing, high-yielding. The variety has cuboid thick-walled fruits measuring 10 x 14 cm, consisting of 3-4 lobes. The fruits are light green in color, when ripe, it acquires an intensely bright red color. The grade is suitable for various types of the closed and open ground.

The following hybrids deserve attention: Minotaur F1, Sevilla F1, Athena F1, Flamenco F1.

Look at the best varieties of pepper in the photo below:

Pepper variety "Seville" F1
Pepper variety "Flamenco" F1

Uses of sweet pepper

According to the content of vitamin C, sweet pepper ranks first among vegetable crops. Its fruits in technical ripeness contain 100-150 mg% of vitamin C per 100 g of fresh weight, and in biological - 250-480 mg%. Vitamin P (rutin) is of particular value to pepper; in fruits it is 70-380 mg% per 100 g of wet weight. Contains sweet pepper and vitamin A - 0.5-16 mg%. It contains from 2 to 6% sugars and starch, about 1.5% proteins, fat, fiber, ash compounds.

Sweet pepper contains valuable carotene for the body (red pepper is especially rich in it), vitamins B1, B2, E, PP, as well as minerals, among which there are sodium and potassium. It is also rich in glucose, fructose, useful organic acids and mineral salts.

The use of all varieties of sweet pepper for food is permissible at the onset of technical ripeness. These are already fully formed fruits of at least 6-8 cm, with thick fleshy walls, light green or green in color and with a characteristic peppery aroma.

Red, yellow, orange, rose yellow, black, lilac or green peppers are beautiful in all forms. Fresh fruits decorate dishes with bright multi-colored colors, taste and aroma. You can also use pepper leaves in the preparation of soups, green cabbage soup, borscht. They contain vitamin C.

Sweet peppers are eaten raw, fried, baked, stuffed, pickled, pickled and even dried. Ripe fruits can be crushed and dried. Dry fruits of this culture and powder from them are a vitamin product used as a seasoning for second courses and for making sauces.

Sweet peppers can also be stored in fresh. To do this, the fruits are cut carefully together with the stalk. Each fruit is wrapped in paper, placed in a cardboard box in 1-2 layers, placed on a shelf in a dry cellar. Fruits harvested at the stage of technical ripeness gradually ripen, and their content of vitamin C increases.

One of the most common crops that almost every summer resident grows is sweet pepper. And there are several reasons for universal love:

1. First of all, this delicious and healthy vegetable universal. It can be cut into salads fresh, or even cooked solo as a separate dish.
2. Secondly, peppers are easy and simple to grow if you know a few basic principles on how to do it right.

In order for the culture to feel comfortable, you need to look a little into history. This will help you find out what conditions are necessary for good fruiting, both in the open field and in the greenhouse.

homeland of sweet pepper South America. So, this plant is best suited for approximately the same climate: warm and not arid.

If the greenhouse is still cool, it is worth installing a heater. And remove excess moisture by ventilation.

Open ground pleases the plant with warmth, but for good growth necessary . These are the basic rules. But there are subtleties of pepper care that every summer resident should know.

How to grow a good crop of pepper in the open field?

A good pepper harvest is no accident. Effort applied with knowledge is needed. So, for example, the rate of fruit ripening and the features of caring for it will depend on the choice of variety. The time of sowing seeds and the time of planting will depend on the variety. young plant into the ground.

Let's divide the whole process of growing pepper into several stages:

1. Soil and seed preparation.
2. Growing pepper seedlings from seed.
3. Plant care.
4. Diseases and pests.

First stage

It all starts with seed preparation. What is included? There are several seed processing technologies.

• One of them is to soak the seeds in hot water for 4-6 hours (water temperature from 40 degrees and above). After that, the seeds are placed in a damp cloth in a heated room for 2 days.
• Another way is to treat the seeds in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for 15-20 minutes. Then they must be washed and placed in a solution for 12 hours. After that, the seeds are washed and placed for a couple of days in a damp cloth.
• Land preparation. If for sowing seeds sold already ready soil. Then for planting seedlings after picking and for growing peppers in open ground, care must be taken that the earth is loose and light, good. To do this, humus and sand are added to the soil, in a ratio of 2 to 1. You can add.
• Soil preparation includes site selection. It should be a bright place, protected from drafts. It is advisable to fertilize the ground (40-50 g), rotted (about 10 kg) and wood ash (up to 100 g) since autumn. These figures are per 1m² of soil.

Second phase

Considering that pepper seeds germinate for a long time, within two weeks, they should be planted in containers in advance in order to grow them first.

The approximate time when it is better to do this is the end of January, the beginning of February, depending on the variety and where the young plants will be planted: in open or closed ground.

Sowing seeds:

• the soil is pre-treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate;
• the box should be at the bottom with holes;
• distance between seeds 2 cm;
• after landing, cover the box with foil or glass, put it in a dark, warm place;
• a box is put into the light with the appearance of the first shoots;
• water only when the soil dries out;
• water with slightly warm water;
• dive with the appearance of two true leaves.

You can sow pepper seeds in separate pots, then you don’t have to replant it, which the plant will really like.

Third stage

It takes about 100 days, and the seedlings are ready for relocation to a permanent place of residence. The middle or end of May is great for this. The soil then warms up well, and the plant is less sick. If the climate is not quite suitable for heat-loving peppers, this problem is easily solved by building a plant.

The seedlings themselves, and the beds prepared by that time for pepper, should be watered abundantly. The water must be warm! The distance between bushes and beds should not be less than 40-60 cm.

What is required to properly care for plants? There is a simple rule of four "P":

1. Top dressing.
2. Watering.
3. Weeding.
4. Garter.

1. Top dressing. During the growth and development of the plant (vegetation period), pepper must be fed 3-4 times. You can do this both with specially prepared commercially available products, and prepare the fertilizer yourself.
   • The first time seedlings are fed 10-14 days after planting in open ground. For 10-12 liters of water, 1 liter of manure is taken.
   • The second top dressing before the flowering period. Potassium humate is diluted with 10 liters of water, 2 tablespoons are added. double superphosphate (it can be pre-crushed).
   • The third time pepper is fed with wood ash or superphosphate (possible in combination). A glass of ash (or 2 tablespoons of superphosphate) is poured with water and infused in the sun for 2 days. This top dressing is carried out two weeks after the last fertilization of the plants.
     Nettle is an excellent universal fertilizer. Cut the nettle, put it in a bucket and pour warm water at the rate of 1 to 10. Leave for 2 or 3 days. Fertilizer is ready.
2. Watering. This plant loves moisture, but not waterlogging. Therefore, it is worth watering the pepper only if the soil is dry. The water must be warm!
3. Weeding. Light, fluffy soil is a prerequisite for good pepper growth. To do this, the earth must be regularly fluffed.
4. Garter. Not only high grades peppers need support, but also those that delight gardeners with a good harvest. To do this, in order not to injure the roots of the plant later, even when planting seedlings, a support is buried next to the bush.

Pepper Care When Trouble Arises

Diseases and pests that cause harm to pepper:

• late blight;
• blackleg;
• white rot;
• black bacterial spot;
• whitefly;
• bear;
• slugs
• Colorado beetle.

If the "black leg" is easily prevented by using good land, avoiding waterlogging it, and watering it only with warm water, then from a disease such as late blight, the most current method there will be prevention. For this, it was necessary to treat the seeds before planting. And with the advent of night coolness and rain, plants should be covered at night. Sprinkling with infusion of onion peel is also useful.

From insects such as the Colorado potato beetle and the bear, experienced gardeners use special preparations and herbal infusions: tansy, garlic, yarrow, wormwood.

Pollination with wood ash will help protect the plant from pests. Aphids can be defeated with whey mixed with water (1.5 liters per bucket of water).

Many summer residents prefer to grow heat-loving peppers in a greenhouse. But here there are some points that you need to know, and be prepared for them. For example:

• In order for the cultivation of pepper in a greenhouse to bring only positive results, you need to carefully consider the choice of variety. Not every variety of pepper can do pollination without insects. But even in this case, you can try artificial pollination, using an ordinary soft brush.
• Usually the soil in greenhouses is depleted from more frequent use. So, you need to take care of its fertilizer or replacement of the top layer (20-25 cm) of soil.
• Pesticides and fertilizers are best to use those that are suitable for greenhouses. Most often, on their packaging there is a special mark.
• To combat pests that find conditions convenient for themselves in the greenhouse, it is necessary to spray the pepper with Fitosporin once a month.
• If pepper is planted in a greenhouse in spring or autumn, then it is best to preheat the air in it.
• Be sure to ventilate the greenhouse to avoid too high temperatures and high (almost 100 percent) humidity. If it is not possible to regularly ventilate the greenhouse, artificial ventilation can be equipped in it.

By learning how to properly grow peppers in a greenhouse, and taking the necessary actions, you can ensure that the plants are healthy and the yields are high.

Seedlings for greenhouses and for open ground are grown according to the same principles. The main things for this are three points: with plants you need to keep warm; make sure that the earth does not dry out, and is not too moist; the soil should be lush and light. Looseness of the soil is given by sand, humus, undecomposed organic matter.

Seedlings can be transplanted into the greenhouse earlier than into open ground. At the same time, experienced summer residents advise doing this carefully so that the roots of the young bush are completely immersed in the planting hole, without bending or twisting.

There are few rules for growing peppers in open ground, they are all easy to implement. If you follow them, you can get an excellent harvest.

Here are some helpful tips for productive cultivation of pepper in open ground:

• To attract insects during the flowering of the plant, it can be sprayed with sweetened water.
• Pepper pollinates easily. Therefore, you should not plant different varieties of it close to each other.
• The site, which is planned to be given under the pepper, is carefully selected. In order to avoid plant diseases and for a good harvest, in no case should representatives of table root crops, pumpkin and legumes be the precursors of pepper.
• Be sure to harden the plant for their best acclimatization. To do this, 10 days before planting in open ground, it is necessary to take the seedlings to fresh air. Starting from 10-15 minutes, you need to gradually increase the residence time of the plants.
• If frost strikes unexpectedly, pepper plants can be saved. To do this, you need to water the soil well. Or insulate the plants with film, paper, lutrasil. You can put plastic bottles with a cut off bottom on the bushes.

Over time, each summer resident gains his own experience. This helps him expend less energy to get good results.

Growing pepper in a greenhouse in the country - video

In nature, there are more than 2,000 species of peppers, and their homeland is Central America. In this article I will talk about sweet pepper, which is also called Bulgarian. The "Mexican" came to Europe in the 15th century and in a roundabout way, through Spain, Turkey, Iran, eventually penetrated into our region. Here he seriously took root, despite the thermophilicity and capricious disposition - after all, pepper has more than enough virtues! It is not only rich in bright colors that give the dish a festive look, is not only tasty and juicy, but is also an invaluable storehouse of vitamins. For this part, a rare or will be compared with it.

But to get a good harvest, you have to try. This "southerner" loves warm weather, so in the middle latitudes it is grown mostly in seedlings and in greenhouses.

For cultivation pepper Light soils are best suited. It is better to prepare the soil for pepper in advance - a year in advance, adding 5 kg under the predecessor of pepper organic fertilizers per sq. meter, and in the fall, 50 g of potash and phosphate fertilizers for deep digging. In the spring, on the site - in the top layer of soil, we add 40 g of ammonium nitrate. Five days before transplanting pepper seedlings to a permanent place, decontaminate the soil, this must be done with a solution - add a tablespoon of copper sulfate to a bucket of water.

Pepper seedlings are planted in open ground at the end of May - mid-June, according to the 40x40 cm scheme. Pepper seedlings are planted in an unheated film greenhouse in early April, and in tunnel shelters - at the end of May.

Try to place in seedlings in the holes at the same depth at which the plants grew in the seedling box, without exposing the roots of the pepper and without dropping its basal neck. Peppers do not like cold ground, and if you want a serious harvest, arrange for him high beds, which must be raised by 25-55 centimeters.

Remember, pepper is highly susceptible to cross-pollination, so if you plant several varieties of pepper on your site, try to place them as far apart as possible from each other and, if possible, separate them from each other using plantings of tall tomatoes, and.

Grow planting seeds in open ground is impractical even in the southern regions. It will still be necessary to sow late, when the soil warms up, the plant will develop more slowly, the first fruits will ripen later, and the fruiting period of the pepper will be significantly shorter.

Pepper Care

Pepper care consists of timely watering, garters, weeding and top dressing. The first feeding of pepper seedlings must be carried out in the phase of 1-2 true leaves, for which 0.5 g of ammonium nitrate, 1 g of potassium fertilizers and 3 g of superphosphate are mixed in 1 liter of water. The second top dressing 2 weeks after the first, the dose of mineral fertilizers for it must be doubled.

Feeding pepper seedlings with a special infusion of nettle is effective, for the preparation of which it is necessary to take 1 part of nettle and 10 parts of water - we insist 2 days. The last top dressing should be carried out 2 days before you intend to plant seedlings in a permanent place, while increasing the dose of potash fertilizers to 7 g per 1 liter of water. For the season you need to make about 3-4 dressings of pepper chicken manure- 1:10, alternating such dressings with foliar ones, for which you need to use mineral fertilizers, for example, nitrophoska (a tablespoon in a bucket of water).

With a lack of potassium, pepper leaves curl and a drying border appears on them. But with potassium, you need to be careful - pepper does not tolerate an abundance of potassium chloride. If the plant lacks nitrogen, its leaves become dull and, acquiring a grayish tint, gradually become smaller. When there is a lack of phosphorus, the underside of the pepper leaves turns deep purple, and the leaves themselves are pressed closer to the stem of the plant and rise up. If there is a lack of magnesium, the leaves become marbled, and an excess of nitrogen in the soil leads to the dropping of ovaries and pepper flowers.

In hot and humid weather, it is imperative to carry out pinching (removal of lateral shoots), especially for the lower stepchildren, and vice versa, if the weather is hot but dry, the plants do not pinch, since the leaf mass perfectly protects soil moisture from evaporation. Experienced growers are advised to remove the central flower on the one growing from the first branch, this will help increase the yield.

During the growing season, peppers must be cut several times, trying to shorten the longest shoots and ensure the absence of shaded branches. Be sure to remove all shoots of pepper below the main fork of its stem, as well as branches inside the crown. Pruning must be done every ten days and after harvesting. Simultaneously with pruning, soil cultivation is also carried out.

Try to attract pollinating insects to the garden, for this, during flowering, spray the plants with a sugar solution: 100 g of sugar and 2 g of boric acid per liter of hot water. Excellent result give pepper top dressing with liquid organic fertilizers.

It is useful to mulch pepper with rotted straw - a layer of about 10 cm, so you can reduce the frequency of watering, reducing them to once every 9-10 days.

Timely care of pepper plants also consists in gartering plants. It is necessary to make a garter after hilling and mulching.

Pests and diseases of pepper

The most common pepper diseases are: late blight, white rot, macrosporiosis, blossom end rot, septoria, blackleg. More than others, peppers are harmed by slugs, whitefly, scoop, aphids, Colorado potato beetle and mole cricket. To protect pepper from damage by a bear, an hour before planting its seedlings, pre-made holes must be filled with water. Having planted seedlings of pepper, again spray plantings with a sprayer. During the season, 3 times pepper plants must be pollinated with wood ash - better by dew. This will also help protect them from pests.

If you notice aphids on pepper seedlings, treat the pepper with whey - one and a half liters per bucket of water. After this procedure, powder the plants with sifted wood ash.

Pepper varieties

Before planting pepper, you need to decide on the choice of variety, and here it all depends not only on your taste preferences but also from the appointment of future fruits. So, if you intend to use peppers mainly fresh, it is better to give preference to thicker and large-fruited varieties, such as California Miracle, Gladiator, Winnie the Pooh, or Moldova's Gift. If the main purpose is conservation, then choose small-fruited varieties belonging to the "Siberian" series: Kupets, Ermak, Victoria, etc.

Ermak- one of the most precocious varieties of pepper, the fruits ripen early and amicably. After the first harvest, Ermak peppers bloom again and give a good second harvest. Highly large fruits, the mass of which reaches 250 g. The yield of the variety is 12-15 kg / sq. m.

Gladiator- mid-late dutch variety with large bright yellow fruits, tasty, with thick pulp. The thickness of the walls of the fruit reaches 13 mm, the weight of individual specimens reaches 380-400 g, and the yield is 10-12 kg / sq. m.

Medal- an early ripe variety, characterized by stretched fruiting. It constantly blooms and forms new ovaries. The fruits of the Medal variety are quite large - up to 150 g, in biological ripeness they are bright red in color, with a wall thickness of about 8-13 mm. The yield of the variety reaches 16 kg / sq. m.

Yova- one of the fastest growing Russian varieties, starting from the emergence of seedlings and until the moment of technical ripeness, about 95-100 days pass. Very productive, juicy and thick-walled. The yield is up to 14 kg per m2, and the mass of some of its fruits exceeds 250 g. It is unpretentious and gives excellent harvests even on heavy soils.

California miracle- mid-early variety, fruit weight up to 400 g, and wall thickness up to 12 mm.

black cardinal- refers to late Italian varieties, has unusually beautiful black-violet fruits (in technical ripeness) turning into red (in biological ripeness). From 1 sq. m up to 10 kg of crop.

Victoria- medium-early variety, fruits are relatively small in weight - up to 110 g, cone-shaped, slightly ribbed, about 7-13 cm long, wall thickness 7-8 mm. Productivity is 9-10 kg/sq.m. m.