In total, there are more than 2,000 species of this culture in nature, and its homeland is Central America (Mexico).
This plant appeared in Europe in the 15th century, and it came to Russia through countries such as Spain, Turkey and Iran. Here, it perfectly stuck, despite the relatively capricious disposition and love of heat.
This plant is Bulgarian pepper, which has a huge variety of advantages. It has not only bright colors that give any dish a festive look, and not only wonderful taste properties. This plant is an invaluable storehouse of vitamins.
In the article you can learn about the features of growing bell pepper and caring for it.
Why is pepper called Bulgarian?
This is due to the history of the movement of plants on the planet. In fact, capsicum vegetable comes from America, but by its nature it is hot. In the natural environment, initially there was no sweet pepper. Only in 1928, thanks to the 10-year work of the Hungarian breeder (Ferenc Horvath), plants with not sharp fruits were isolated from the local population.
So there were the first varieties of delicious sweet pepper, which was liked by vegetable growers. Further, breeders of other countries began to engage in the cultivation of new varieties.
For Russians, the first acquaintance with this vegetable occurred in Bulgaria. Varieties of pepper, which appeared in the culture of Russia for the first time, were of Bulgarian origin. In addition, the breeders of this particular country made a huge contribution to the selection of this plant. Since then, gardeners in Russia began to grow bell peppers.
Sweet pepper is thermophilic, therefore it loves a lot of sun. In this regard, the largest vegetable producing countries are Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, Greece and Hungary.
Varieties
Before planting, you should decide on the choice of variety. It depends not only on taste preferences, but also on the future purpose of the fruit. For example, to consume fresh pepper, you should give preference to large-fruited, thick-walled and juicy varieties: Gladiator, California Miracle, Gift of Moldova and Winnie the Pooh. If the purpose of the pepper is conservation, then you should choose small-fruited varieties from the "Siberian" series: Victoria, Ermak, Merchant and others.
Many are engaged in the cultivation of bell pepper Ermak, which is one of the earliest varieties. Its fruits ripen amicably and early. Moreover, after the first harvest, it blooms again and gives a good second crop. Its fruits are quite large, weighing up to 250 g. The yield of this variety reaches 15 kg per square meter. meter.
Description
Outwardly, Bulgarian pepper is very beautiful and bright. A medium sized vegetable is placed on the palm of your hand. It is firm to the touch, and its texture is crispy and fleshy. The color of the fetus is mainly red, yellow, orange or green.
The green leaves of sweet pepper, which are tender and fragile, grow to a length of 10-15 cm, which depends on the variety and growing conditions. In greenhouse conditions they are longer. The fruit has the shape of a bud, inside of which a large number of seeds are located. Their shape is flat or slightly oblong, and the color is white, yellow or brown.
The features of growing bell pepper are presented in more detail below.
Growing conditions
To get a plentiful harvest, you should try hard. This southern vegetable loves warm, calm weather, and therefore in the Russian latitudes it is grown to a greater extent with the help of seedlings.
Bulgarian pepper is a short-day plant, which means that if daylight hours are less than 12 hours, then it begins to bear fruit earlier and gives higher and more stable yields.
Cultivation methods
Pepper is a southern plant, so trying to grow it with seeds is pointless. There are three methods of growing in total:
- in the garden, in warm climates;
- in a greenhouse where full maturation is guaranteed;
- in home.
Pepper planting
For the successful cultivation of bell pepper and a considerable harvest, you should adhere to some rules.
The following garden crops are the best predecessors of pepper for growing in soil: cucumbers, onions, pumpkin, zucchini, cabbage and carrots. Worst predecessors: tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, peppers and physalis.
Seedlings are planted in open ground at the end of May - in the middle of June. The distance between plants should be 40 cm. Peppers should be planted in an unheated greenhouse in early April, and in tunnel shelters in late May.
Light soils prepared in advance for a year are best suited for this crop. To do this, you need to add about 5 kg of organic matter per meter to the soil (under the predecessor), and in the fall add 50 grams of potash and phosphorus fertilizers, and dig deeply. In the spring, 40 grams of ammonium nitrate should be added to the topsoil, and 5 days before transplanting seedlings, you can do soil disinfection using the following solution - a tablespoon of copper sulfate per 10 liters of water.
Growing seedlings of bell pepper
The substrate for seedlings should be loose and light. It should consist of humus, sand and earth in a ratio of 2: 1: 1. In addition, for 1 kg of the prepared mixture, you need to add one tablespoon of ash.
If there is no greenhouse, then the seeds should be sown in February so that the age of seedlings at the time of transplantation into the ground in May is about 100 days. Pepper does not tolerate picking very easily; therefore, it is advisable to sow the seeds immediately in individual pots (peat moss) with a diameter of about 8-10 cm. Large pots should not be used due to the rather slow growth of its root system.
Growing Bulgarian pepper from seeds requires considerable effort, but this is not difficult to do. Seeds must be processed before planting - kept in water (+ 50 Celsius) until swelling (about 5 hours). Then place in a damp cloth for gluing for 2-3 days at a room temperature of +20 ° C. You can sow seeds without such events, but after this simple preparation of seeds, you can get seedlings the very next day.
Sown seeds must be watered and covered with either glass or plastic wrap. So they can be in a warm place until shoots appear, while lighting is not so important. The optimum temperature for seedlings is about +26 ... 28 ° C in the daytime, +10 ... 15 ° C in the night. Subsequent cultivation of bell pepper in the open ground can fully justify itself, subject to all the rules for caring for it.
Top dressing
Throughout the season, you need to spend about 4 dressings with chicken droppings, diluting it with water in a ratio of 1:10. They should be alternated with foliar fertilizer - spraying with a nitrophos (10 l 1 tbsp.spoon).
What can the lack of fertilizers cause?
A lack of potassium can lead to curling of leaves and the appearance of a border. However, it should be remembered that pepper does not respond well to excess potassium chloride.
A lack of nitrogen leads to shredding of the leaves and their acquisition of a dull grayish tint. With an excess of nitrogen, ovaries and flowers fall.
Lack of phosphorus - staining the underside of the leaves in a deep purple color, while they are pressed against the stem and rise up.
Magnesium deficiency - leaves become marble.
Growing bell pepper in a greenhouse
Greenhouse soil before planting seedlings of pepper should be carefully dug, saturating it in this way with oxygen. It is best planted in places of previous growth of cabbage and cucumbers.
The composition of the soil should contain the following mineral substances (per 1 sq. M):
- potassium sulfate - 40-45 g;
- double superphosphate - up to 20 g;
- ammonium nitrate - up to 30 g;
- humus - 4-6 kg;
- ash - 50-80 g.
It is important to note that bell pepper is difficult to tolerate excessive density. Depending on the variety (plant height), the required next number of plants per 1 square. meter:
- tall - 2-3 pcs.;
- medium-sized - 4-6 pcs.;
- undersized - 6-8 pcs.
Next, proper care is needed. Growing bell peppers in a greenhouse is also easy.
As the plants grow, caring for them has some features. The planted plant to a depth of 4 cm. The best time for this is evening hours - this is the time of the decline in the biological activity of plants. The root system of seedlings should be pre-moistened. In the hole, you need to add 50 g of potassium fertilizer and pour warm water. Only after water has been absorbed should seedlings be buried in it along with an earthen lump. Filling of the landing sites with organic matter or peat protects the earth from crusting. During the ripening period, such an operation should be performed continuously.
For pepper, air temperature over + 32 ° is fatal. Therefore, it is imperative to ventilate the greenhouse.
Pests and diseases of pepper
Damage to pepper can be caused by aphids, slugs, whiteflies, scoops, teddy bears and Colorado beetles. In order to avoid problems with them, it is necessary to pollinate pepper 3 times per season with wood ash.
The most common diseases are late blight, macrosporiosis, septoria, vertex rot and white, black leg.
To combat the bear, it is advisable to fill the holes before planting seedlings in the ground with onion water (500 g of onion husk per 10 liters of water), infused for 3 days. Processing from the aphids helps the following solution: whey (1.5 l), 10 l of water. Then the plant is sprinkled with ash.
Harvesting bell pepper
Growing seedlings of bell pepper and caring for it in the process of growth according to the rules will justify all the costs and efforts. Harvest will be excellent.
Peppers ripen from the beginning of August until the very first frosts. This is the harvest time. There are so many vitamins in mature fruits of pepper that many other vegetables cannot compare with it.
About the benefits of pepper
Specialists recommended the use of pepper in food for people suffering from depression, and having a tendency to poor mood and apathy. This is due to the ability of a vegetable to produce endorphins in the body - “hormones of happiness”.
Pepper is also useful during pregnancy, with some diseases of the liver and heart, with a decrease in muscle tone and with vitamin deficiency.
In conclusion, some tips
It is advisable to subject seedlings to hardening, and 7 days before planting it on the bed, it should be treated with potassium salt.
It is necessary to regularly check the bushes for dried and diseased leaves, which should be removed immediately.
You should not plant hot varieties next to sweet pepper, otherwise all the fruits of the bell pepper will become bitter.