The famous hybrid of sweet bell pepper Claudio for more than 20 years. This time is enough for many vegetable plants to be safely forgotten, but the spectacular large-fruited Claudio pepper, on the contrary, is becoming more and more popular. No wonder.
Cuboid, sweet, thick-walled, reaching a very impressive size, this vegetable is not inferior in popularity to the latest varieties and hybrids. We learn more about the features of this culture, its preferences, advantages, disadvantages and prospects.
Claudio pepper: description
The famous Dutch selection hybrid is universal and capable of productive development both in open ranges and in greenhouse conditions. Southerner by origin and preferences, Claudio pepper is included in the Russian state register of promising vegetable crops in the North Caucasus region and is grown in the south on an industrial scale. But the gardeners of the Urals and Siberia are familiar with this crop firsthand and have long been taking impressive pepper crops in greenhouses and greenhouses, despite the inappropriate climatic conditions of temperate latitudes for a thermophilic plant.
Positioned by manufacturers as early, Claudio hybrid is such when cultivated in the warm southern regions, however, in the temperate zones of our country, its vegetation period is delayed for quite natural reasons, and the variety is considered by mid-age growers. However, this fact does not affect the popularity of culture.
Claudio F1 pepper forms a powerful mid-sized semi-spreading bush reaching a height of 0.7 to 1.2 m. The leaves are emerald green, bright and large. Despite the fairly strong trunk, the plant needs a garter, because under the weight of the poured fruit it can tilt or even fall.
Fruit
Claudio's hybrid form captivated the hearts of gardeners with magnificent delicious and beautiful fruits - drooping, properly cuboid-elongated, formed by four chambers. When fully ripened, the color of the fruit is rich red, close to deep burgundy, at the stage of technical ripeness - emerald, in the process of ripening - dark green. Ripening fruits are characterized by uneven coloring - on the red surface there are dark, almost black irregularly shaped strips that subsequently disappear.
The average weight of the fruit is 150-175 g, often they reach 200-250 g, less often it is possible to obtain maximum fruits weighing up to 300-350 g, although, as a rule, one-dimensionality is characteristic of the hybrid.
The claimed pepper wall thickness is impressive - 6-8 mm, but, according to vegetable growers, it can reach 10-14 mm. The skin is glossy, dense and strong enough, but completely devoid of stiffness. Claudio F1 pepper is fleshy, juicy, sweet with a slightly noticeable spicy bitterness, delicious, with an excellent aroma of true bell pepper.
Cultural virtues
Typical qualities that distinguish Claudio pepper (reviews of vegetable growers confirm) from other varieties and hybrids are:
- Quite high (and predictable!) Productivity - depending on the cultivation area, from 300 to 450 centners are harvested from 1 hectare.
- The output of high-quality commercial products is 95-97%.
- Heat resistance.
- Stress tolerance culture.
- Confronting traditional nightshade diseases - mottling of peppers, potato virus, tobacco mosaic.
- The marketability of the hybrid, manifested in an almost perfect fetal shape.
- A good ratio of the taste of the fetus with productivity and shape.
- Unpretentiousness in care is the indifference of the culture to an increased density of plantings, regular feeding and watering.
Grade Features
On one bush, up to 5-10 fruits are tied at the same time. At the end of flowering, after a while, the 2nd wave sets in, less generous - 2-5 pieces. The disadvantages of the hybrid include a low rate of transition from technical to biological ripeness, i.e., complete staining of the fetus - bright red that characterizes Claudio F1 pepper. Reviews of vegetable growers who are experienced in cultivation, unanimously argue that the removal of unnecessary small ovary, which does not have time to ripen, but pulls the plant’s strength to itself, will help speed up the staining. In addition, you should regularly pick off stepsons, dried leaves, and pinch the tops of shoots by the end of July.
Growing
Claudio pepper, like many other nightshade crops, is grown in seedlings in various containers, containers or pots.
Pepper seeds, previously rejected and pickled by any of the biostimulants, are planted in seedlings with light loose fertile soil in February or March (depending on the region). After seed germination and emergence of seedlings, it is necessary to organize additional illumination with any lamps up to 12 hours a day. Seedlings need additional lighting for 3-3.5 weeks, then when the daylight hours increase, the containers are exposed in a warm, bright place.
In the stage of 2-3 real leaves, seedlings dive in separate pots. Plant them in a permanent place when warming the soil to 13-15 ° C. Landing pattern - 40 * 40 cm, per 1 square. meters 3-4 bushes are placed.
Landing care
Despite the enviable unpretentiousness of this culture, high yields can be achieved only by correctly implementing the basic rules of agricultural technology, such as:
- Providing support, tying and mandatory removal of stepsons and leaves of the lower tiers.
- The formation of a bush in 2-3 stems: the first flower-crown that appears is cut off, and after the appearance of a fork, a couple of the strongest shoots are selected, removing the rest.
- The optimum temperature for high-quality growth of the culture is 22-25 ° C, with the onset of the fruit staining stage, 25-27 ° C.
- Timely watering with warm water, loosening the soil under the bushes.
Top dressing
Intensive development of the culture involves regular fertilizer application. Claudio - sweet pepper, and its taste substantially depends on the frequency and quality of top dressing.
Fertilizers standard for culture are usually used: a week after planting young bushes, nitrogen fertilizers are applied, during flowering, setting and flattening - potassium, phosphorus, as well as calcium, manganese, zinc, iron compounds. With the onset of the period of fruit mass gain (in June-July), Claudio pepper is twice fed to the root with potassium and nitrogen preparations, and the foliage and ovaries are sprayed with solutions of trace elements - magnesium and calcium. In household plots, complex micro- and macro-fertilizers are often used, for example, Plantafol, Nutrivant, Kristallon, etc.
Pepper Claudio F1: reviews
Analyzing the reviews left on the network by farmers and summer residents, the following can be noted:
- Excellent seed quality, high seed germination.
- Remarkable crop productivity - more than 2.5 kg of peppers from one bush.
- Claudio - sweet pepper, has excellent taste properties of fruits, which are characterized by fleshy walls, a rough skin, fragrant flesh, juicy, without pronounced bitterness and a pleasant traditional aroma of classic Bulgarian sweet pepper.
- A simple and proven technology for growing this hybrid.
- Predictable, very high crop yields.
- Excellent presentation.
Despite the emergence of new varieties of pepper, the army of connoisseurs of this famous hybrid is increasing every year. Unpretentious and responding to the care with bright healthy and tasty fruits, Claudio for many has become the most acceptable and convenient vegetable to grow.