How to properly grow bell peppers outdoors?

How to properly cultivate peppers in the open field and create care? Bell peppers are a southern culture and require warmth and humidity. In the middle lane, peppers are grown in open soil through seedlings and greenhouses. To grow the desired crop crop, you need special care.

Pepper grows well in the open field of the middle lane

Soil preparation

Growing pepper in the open field requires competent preparation of the land.

Outdoor sweet peppers grow better in places with a mild climate and in an area where there is more sun and less wind. To protect from the wind, they make a shield from plants or erect a wattle fence.

To grow peppers in an open area, it is important to understand after which crops it is more effective to grow peppers.

Planting peppers is best done in the place where cabbage, pumpkin, cucumbers, legumes, table roots grew. In places with a previous harvest of tomato, eggplant, potatoes, planting peppers for three years is not recommended, since diseases of these vegetables spread through the ground.

The soil allocated for the pepper should be fertile and retain moisture. They begin to prepare the ground in the fall. Harvesting in the fall, you need to carefully collect the remains of the previous crop and dig up the ground. They also fertilize the soil, enriching the following substances (per 1 square meter):

superphosphate in a volume of 30-50 g;
wood ash - 50-80 g;
humus - from 5 to 10 kg.

In places where fertilized with fresh manure, sweet peppers cannot be planted, since there is no need for organic fresh feeding. Excessive nitrogen in the soil causes the active growth of the vegetative parts of the pepper, and the ovary is so poorly preserved, which affects the yield.

In the fall, the place where they plan to place the pepper is dug deeply. In the spring, the soil is loosened and fed with fertilizers with phosphorus, potassium and nitrogen. The earth is slightly dug up and leveled before planting seedlings.

Pumpkin is a great precursor for pepper

How to properly plant seedlings?

Only when the frost is over is it recommended to plant peppers. This is in the second half of May. Planting is carried out according to the scheme 60-70 x 20-30 cm.

Before planting, it is important to water the seedlings well so that the pepper does not wilt. Withered pepper does not take root well, its growth is delayed, which leads to the dropping of the first buds. So the early harvest is lost.

If the weather is hot, it is best to plant in the evening. In gloomy weather, morning disembarkation is recommended.

Prepare the holes for planting and water. It is recommended to pour up to two liters of water (at least a liter) into each hole, which should be heated in the sun. The seedlings are planted deeper than they were planted in pots, like seedlings. On the stalk covered with earth, adventitious roots are formed that can feed the plant.

Pepper seedlings are planted in the holes, while ensuring sufficient watering

How to water bell peppers properly?

Sweet pepper seedlings require special care.

In order for the seedling to take root faster, it is necessary to water the root every 2-3 days. For one seedling, 1-2 liters of water are consumed. If the weather is hot, water it every day. Seven days later, the seedlings are checked and where the pepper has died, a new sprout is planted from the reserve. Reduce the amount of watering. This is called "thin" watering. It is important not to harm the plants with abundant watering. How to determine the water requirement of a vegetable? If the plant darkens, this is a sign that water is needed. Prolonged wilting of the plant should not be allowed. If the leaves are withered in the heat, this is not a reason for watering.

When the fruits ripen, watering is done once every 5-6 days. In the heat, watered in the morning or evening.

Watering young peppers should be regular

When to loosen the soil?

Sweet peppers grow comfortably in loosened ground. It should not be brought to the appearance of an earthen crust.

What is the use of loosening the soil?

Air flow to the root is improved.
The plant grows faster.
The functioning of microorganisms is stimulated.

By weeding the ground, weeds are being fought.

You should be aware of the slow growth of pepper in the first 10-14 days, because the rhizome is strengthened and the soil does not need to be loosened.

The first loosening of the earth is done after the first "thin" watering. The root system is in the upper ball of the earth, so the loosening will be shallow, at a level of 5-10 cm.

If the soil is heavy, the first time it is allowed to loosen the soil deeper, destroying the soil crust. This way the soil warms up and ventilates better.

Further, loosening is carried out after each rain or watering, when the earth has dried up, but there is still no crust.

Hilling is carried out during flowering.

Loosening the soil around the peppers should be done regularly.

Feeding

Pepper care will not bring the desired harvest if not fed.

Seedlings are well fertilized with nettle dressing. To do this, combine nettle with water, in a ratio of 1:10 and insist for two days. The last time the seedlings are fed 2 days before planting, increasing the dosage of fertilizers with potassium (7 g per 1 liter of liquid).

At least three dressings are done per season. The first time during the first plowing (after disembarkation in two weeks). Fertilize with slurry from manure, poultry droppings, mixing with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers or wood ash.

Manure is diluted with water in a ratio of 1: 4, bird droppings are diluted 1:10. It is good to alternate the chicken afterbirth with nitrophos (1 tablespoon per bucket of liquid).

It is effective to add 40-60 g of superphosphate and potassium chloride to a solution of organic fertilizer (manure, droppings) up to 20 g or wood ash in the amount of 150-200 g.

Mineral fertilizers are also used. To do this, add the following substances to 10 liters of water:

ammonium nitrate - 15-20 g;
superphosphate - 40-60 g;
potassium chloride - 15-20 g.

This dressing is used for 8-10 seedlings.

During the formation of fruits, the need for pepper nutrition increases. At this stage, the third feeding is carried out. And the second time they feed at the beginning of fruiting, with an increase in the dose of ammonium nitrate.

If the fruits of the culture ripen small, they are fed for the fourth time.

It is important to know that when caring for peppers, they use fertilizing without chlorine or with a very small percentage. Pepper does not tolerate chlorine. But there is a good substitute for potassium chloride - this is ash from wood.

Superphosphate is one of the main fertilizers for pepper

How to protect peppers from frost?

Having planted pepper, you need to know how to protect the culture from frost and damage. Caring for a crop at the time of frost, forcing ingenuity.

Tents are built from scrap materials (pieces of wood, cardboard, fabric, etc.). They are taken in the evening and removed in the morning. But when the cold snap lasts a long time, it is advisable to use a film.

Flowers and ovary fall off often. All because of the unfavorable temperature conditions for the vegetable (low or very high temperature). Growth stops at + 8-10 degrees.But if there is a heat of 30-35 degrees for several days, the buds also fall off.

The consequence of untimely watering is a lack of moisture. Dry soil also reduces crop growth.

Pepper cannot be shaded. In insufficient light, especially during a cold snap, flowers and ovary also fall off.

Bell pepper flowers may fall off due to lack of sunshine

Features of the care of bell pepper

There are some subtleties of caring for peppers, in order to better yield:

It is imperative to pinch the pepper - removing the side and bottom stepsons. But in hot and dry weather, pinching is not recommended. Leaves protect the soil from evaporation. Professionals suggest, to increase the yield, cut the central flower that has grown from the first branch.
During the growing season, long shoots are cut off a little so that there is no shading of other branches.
Remove plant branches below the main branch and internal branches. Pruning is carried out every 10 days.
Pollinating insects are useful for sweet peppers. They are attracted by spraying the plant, during the flowering period with a solution of sugar (100 g of sugar and 2 g of boric acid are diluted in 1 liter of hot water).
Applying mulching of pepper with rotted straw (up to 10 cm of a layer), the frequency of watering will decrease.
When leaving, it is important to tie up the crop immediately after hilling and mulching.

Mulching Pepper Helps Reduce Watering Frequency

Pest control

Pepper is sensitive to diseases, therefore it requires special care.

But most pepper suffers from pests (scoop, whitefly, aphid, Colorado potato beetle, bear, slugs).

So that the plant is not damaged, pollination is carried out with wood ash (three times per season). To fight aphids, you can use a solution of serum with water (0.5 liters of serum per bucket of liquid). And sprinkle the leaves with wood ash on top.

With all the tips in mind, you can grow a great sweet pepper crop.

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Pepper is a rather demanding crop, and you can only get a harvest with proper care. Experienced gardeners achieve excellent results without problems, but beginners often have difficulties in growing pepper. It often happens that strong healthy bushes give 2-3 fruits of not the best quality or the ovaries fall off for no apparent reason. But you really want to collect peppers in buckets, so that it is juicy, large, fragrant! In fact, it is not so difficult to achieve a good harvest, you just need to carefully study several important rules of agricultural technology of this wonderful culture.

Secrets of growing pepper

Variety selection

Bell pepper. Variety selection

When planning to grow peppers in the open field, first of all, you need to choose the right variety. The growing season for pepper is very long, and even in early varieties, the first fruits ripen 100 days after germination. Therefore, in order to have time to get a harvest, you need to pay attention only to early and mid-season varieties. In addition, you should take into account the climatic features of your region. For example, in the south of the country, peppers of different ripening periods are successfully grown, since the conditions there are the most favorable, and in the northern and eastern regions the best results are shown mainly by cold-resistant early maturing varieties.

Bulgarian pepper: variety selection

The shape and size of the fruit is also important. For stuffing and canning, it is worth choosing varieties with cone-shaped small fruits; for fresh consumption, large thick-walled cuboid fruits are more suitable.

Thick-walled sweet pepper

If you are going to grow peppers for sale, take a closer look at the Dutch breeding hybrids: they are cold-resistant, ripen early and amicably, less often they are affected by diseases.

It is difficult for a novice gardener to understand the abundance of varieties, so below are the most popular and reliable ones:

early cold-resistant varieties - Eroshka, Funtik, Yunga, Sorvanets, Cornet, Smile;
early varieties with high yields - Ivanhoe, Marinkin Yazychok, Bonus, Coupon;
Ivanhoe
mid-season varieties - Atlant, Bogatyr, Orange King, California miracle;
productive hybrids - Gemini F1, Claudio F1, Salamander F1;
Claudio F1
hot pepper varieties - Adjika, Hungarian yellow, Fiery bouquet, Ogonyok, Superchili.
Hot pepper - Hungarian yellow

Site preparation

You should choose and prepare a site for pepper in the fall. Well-prepared soil is a guarantee of normal growth and fruiting of plants for the next year. The ideal place is the beds on the south side of the house or outbuildings, which are in light shade in the afternoon. This arrangement provides protection from both wind and leaf burns in the July heat. Peppers should not be planted where tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants and other nightshade crops have grown in the previous three years. The best predecessors of pepper are considered to be legumes and pumpkin crops, cabbage, melons and green manures.

Preparing a bed for pepper

The soil for the pepper should be neutral or slightly acidic. In beds with acidic soil, plants take root for a long time after transplanting, develop poorly, almost do not bloom and do not bear fruit.

Advice! It is very easy to check the acidity at home: you need to take a little earth and moisten it with ordinary table vinegar. If no reaction follows, the soil is acidic and needs liming, but if bubbles appear on the surface, this indicates neutral acidity.

How to determine the acidity of the soil

Plants-indicators of soil pH

So, if the soil in the selected area is acidic, slaked lime (1 glass per square meter) or wood ash (1.5-3 kg) is added during digging. If the soil is neutral, you need to add rotted organic matter (from 5 to 10 kg per m2) and dig up the beds to a depth of 20-25 cm.

Growing seedlings

Sowing pepper seeds in open ground is impractical, the plants will not have time to start fruiting before the cold weather. That is why both sweet and hot peppers are grown through seedlings. Mid-season and mid-late varieties are sown around the beginning of February, early ones - at the beginning of March. Please note that overgrown seedlings adapt for a very long time in the open field, especially if already flowering plants are planted.

Step 1. The seeds are immersed in warm water for 5-6 hours to swell. Then they are laid out on a damp cloth, wrapped and left in a warm place for 2-3 days, until the sprouts hatch.

Seed soaking

Presowing seed treatment

Step 2. Mix 1 part of garden soil, 1 part of sand and 2 parts of rotted organic matter, heated in a microwave or conventional oven for disinfection. Then add a tablespoon of wood ash to 1 kg of the mixture and mix thoroughly.

Step 3. Take peat pots or disposable cups with a capacity of 0.5 liters for sowing and fill them with prepared soil. You can sow seeds in a common container, but as the seedlings grow, it will become cramped, and the pepper does not like picking.

Peat cups with soil

Step 4. The seeds that have hatched are laid out one by one in each pot, lightly sprinkled with earth, moistened through a spray bottle. Then the containers are covered with glass or foil and placed in a warm place. The temperature must be kept within 22-24 degrees.

Seedling care

Sprouts appear already 2-3 days after sowing. At this time, they need to provide at least 12 hours of lighting, so prepare phytolamps in advance. The film is removed from the pots so that the high humidity does not destroy the tender sprouts. Pepper seedlings are watered very sparingly, only when the substrate begins to dry out. Water is used only warm and separated, from cold water the development of seedlings slows down.

If the air in the room is too dry, the seedlings should be sprayed in the morning (also with warm water). When airing the room, be sure to cover the seedlings from drafts, avoid sudden changes in temperature. A week after germination, it is recommended to lower the night temperature to 15 ° C. The grown and matured seedlings should be hardened little by little. On warm days, when the temperature outside the window rises to 13 ° C, the pepper should be exposed to the open air, providing protection from the wind. For the first time, half an hour is enough, then the time spent in the air is increased daily. On cold days, seedlings are not tolerated, since plants can be damaged already at 10 ° C.

Growing pepper seedlings in peat pots

Pepper seedlings in cups

Landing in the ground

Before planting seedlings, the beds are weeded, loosened and leveled. The holes are made at a distance of 30 cm in a row, 60-70 cm are left between the rows. Peppers need to be planted in the evening or in cloudy weather, since the heat of the day is additional stress for the plant. About 5-6 hours before transplanting, the seedlings are watered abundantly so that the root system can more easily adapt to new conditions. Water for irrigation is also prepared in advance: it is collected in buckets or a large container and placed in the sun for heating.

Step 1. 2-3 liters of water are poured into each well and allowed to soak a little.

Step 2. Seedlings are carefully removed from the containers so that the earthen lump does not disintegrate. If peat pots were used, the peppers are planted with them.

The hole for planting pepper should be so deep that when planting, the root collar is at the level of the soil surface

Water and top up the soil abundantly

Step 3. Plants are lowered into the hole a little deeper than they grew in cups, sprinkled with earth on all sides, compacted with hands.

Advice! Peppers are easily pollinated, so if you plan on harvesting seeds, plant different varieties as far apart as possible. Additionally, you can intersperse them with tall crops, for example, corn, sunflower, Jerusalem artichoke and others. Hot and sweet peppers must also be planted at the maximum distance, otherwise all fruits will have a pungent taste.

Outdoor Pepper Care

Bell pepper seedlings a few days after planting

Watering and feeding

2 days after planting, the pepper is watered and the ground is sprinkled with fine straw, dry grass or sawdust. In the future, you need to water the plants once a week until the ovaries are formed, after which the watering is increased - 1 time per 5 days. In order not to water so often, you can increase the mulch layer to 10 cm.

Mulch the plantings with peat

The plantings are fed three times:

for the first time, fertilizer is applied 10 days after planting. For this, bird droppings are used, diluted in a ratio of 1:10, with the addition of 200 g of ash and 40 g of superphosphate per 10 l of solution. The specified volume is enough for about 10 bushes;
the second time the pepper is fed at the beginning of fruiting with a mullein solution in a ratio of 1: 5 or diluted bird droppings (1:10);
the third time fertilization is applied during the mass formation of fruits, when the plants are most in need of replenishment of nutrients.

Sweet Pepper Care

By the appearance of the pepper, it is easy to determine which substances it lacks. If the leaves dry out along the edge and then curl, this indicates a lack of potassium. Lack of nitrogen is expressed by the dullness of the leaves, the presence of a grayish tint. In addition, the leaves become small. But with an excess of nitrogen, ovaries and flowers begin to fall off. A deep purple color on the back of the leaves indicates a lack of phosphorus, a marble pattern occurs when there is a lack of magnesium. The use of mineral fertilizers helps to replenish all this, but do not forget to accurately observe the dosage, otherwise all the surplus will end up in the fruits.

If the autumn is warm, with the help of another top dressing, you can prolong the fruiting of early varieties.To do this, 50 g of superphosphate, 15 g of ammonium nitrate and potassium chloride are diluted in 10 liters of water.

Loosening

Loosen the ground around the peppers with a hoe to prevent weeds from growing

The soil between the rows must be regularly loosened to a depth of 10 cm. The formation of a soil crust slows down the development of pepper, causes oxygen starvation of the root system. It is best to loosen in the morning after watering while the ground is still moist enough. If mulch was not used, loosening is carried out under the bushes themselves, but very carefully, since the roots are located very close to the surface. During the period of budding and flowering, it is advisable to spud each plant to a height of 10-12 cm.

Bush formation

To get large ripe fruits, excess shoots (stepchildren) should be removed from the plant. All shoots located below the first branch are removed completely, since they only draw out the juices from the plant and interfere with fruiting. In addition, the crown should be thinned so that each branch receives enough air and light. Too dense bushes form few ovaries, the fruits grow on them small and thin-walled.

Pepper picking

Sweet pepper bush formation

On average, pruning is carried out every two weeks, but if the summer is rainy, stepchildren will have to be removed more often - about once every 10 days. It is advisable to combine pruning with loosening the soil in order to disturb the plant less.

The shoots of the pepper are quite fragile, and any careless movement can damage the stems. To avoid this, it is recommended to tie tall varieties to supports.

Pepper garter

Diseases and pests

This culture is susceptible to late blight, white and apical rot, tobacco mosaic and some other diseases. The best way to deal with them is through prevention and proper care. Compliance with the planting scheme, timely thinning and pruning, proper watering, removal of diseased plants from the garden will help you keep plantings healthy and get a full harvest.

Dusting the bushes with wood ash is effective against pests. This should be done at least 5 times per season, preferably in the morning, while the leaves are wet. For spider mites and aphids, spraying pepper with garlic infusion also helps. Slugs that do not mind eating fresh leaves are collected using traps or scared away with salt, lime, mustard, pepper powder, scattered between the rows.

Video - Pepper: growing and care in the open field

Video - Planting pepper seedlings

Video - Formation of a pepper bush

Conditions for growing sweet peppers

Growing sweet pepper in the photo

Of all 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 pepper varieties - vegetable and spicy (hot). In the former, the fruits are used unripe as a vegetable, in the latter they are very spicy and used as a spice.

Pepper fruits are very different in shape - from rounded to elongated-cone-shaped with a two-, four-chambered 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 homeland of pepper is the tropics, so it is distinguished by increased requirements for heat, moisture, soil fertility; is, along with cucumbers and tomatoes, a fruitful greenhouse crop.

In the southern regions it grows and gives a good harvest outdoors. In the central (middle) lane, it is grown in glazed greenhouses.

Pepper belongs to the nightshade family, like tomatoes and eggplants. Therefore, the agricultural technology for growing peppers and other nightshade crops is largely the same.The best predecessor in a 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 doesn't make sense to wait for them to turn red - they won't taste better.

Pepper is a light-loving plant; it grows poorly in the shade. The optimum temperature for development and fruiting is + 18 ... + 25 ° С. At + 15 ... + 20 ° C, plant growth slows down, and at + 13 ° C, it stops. Prolonged cold snap negatively affects flowering and the formation of generative organs. Sharp daily temperature drops cause massive dropping of flowers and ovaries.

The culture cannot stand 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 pepper.

Sunny, warm days are necessary for pepper during the fruiting period. He also does not tolerate high humidity. At a temperature of +35 ° C, 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 unfolds. The ripening phase begins 15-45 days after the appearance of the first bud.

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

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

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

Next, you will learn how to grow a good crop of peppers using the seedling method.

Agrotechnics growing pepper: planting seeds for seedlings

The growing season for the culture is long (150-200 days). Therefore, even in the southern regions, the cultivation and care of peppers is carried out through seedlings. Growing seedlings for open ground begins in the second half of February. Sow in boxes or bowls with drainage holes.

The seeding 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 emergence of mass shoots for a week, the crops are transferred to a cool room (+ 17 ... + 20 ° С) so that the seedlings do not stretch out. In the future, the seedlings grow at room temperature + 20 ... + 24 ° С.

Bell pepper seedlings in the photo

Seedlings dive after about 20 days into 7 x 7 cm pots, one plant at a time. Weak seedlings are discarded. The pots are filled with nutritious 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 fertilizer. On the garden bed, they are brought into the hole.

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

Watch the Planting Pepper Seeds video for a better understanding of this farming technique:

How to grow a good crop of peppers outdoors

Here are some tips on how to grow peppers outdoors and get a good harvest:

Do not use seeds purchased from a random source for sowing. The basis for obtaining high-quality seedlings, and therefore a good harvest, is high-quality seeds.Purchase seeds from specialized stores. The seed bag must clearly indicate the variety, the number of seeds and the expiration date.
Do not sow seeds in a dense, heavy potting mix of unknown origin. The best mixture is garden soil plus store-bought seedling soil. Do not forget to water the soil in boxes first before sowing seeds, otherwise the seeds with water will be pulled deep into the soil and the germination period will be extended.
Do not thicken the crops of seeds; always sow the rate, otherwise the plants will stretch out, be weak, and may be affected by the "black leg".
Do not put containers with seeds on the radiator - the soil instantly dries up and the seeds that have hatched die. Crops are placed only next to the battery and must be covered with foil.
Do not use bowls or other containers without drainage holes for seeding. Stagnant water leads to the death of seeds, as well as seedlings in the initial stage of germination.
Do not be late with picking seedlings. For most vegetable crops, this should be done after one or two true leaves appear. After picking, the plants are watered and shaded for 1-2 days.
Remember to harden the seedlings before planting them in their permanent place. 7-10 days before planting plants, containers with seedlings are taken out for 2-3 hours on loggias, verandas, windows in the room are opened. The time spent for seedlings in the open air is gradually increased. Seedlings are planted in the evening or in cloudy weather.

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

Planting sweet pepper seedlings in open ground

Planting pepper seedlings in open ground is carried out 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 a distance of 60 cm between ribbons, 30 cm between rows and 20 cm between plants.Wide aisles are made for passage during harvesting and plant care, and in narrow ones, grooves for irrigation are made.

Low-growing varieties of this culture can be planted thicker, tall ones - more distance. The main thing is that adult plants should be closed with crowns.

When planting in open ground, pepper seedlings are not buried, since no additional roots are formed above the root collar on the stem, as in eggplant. Buried plants grow poorly and do not give a good harvest. For the same reason, growing peppers never huddle.

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

When caring for peppers, you need top dressing and regular watering.

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

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

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

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

Fertilizing and feeding. Pepper needs fertile soil. It grows successfully on light loamy and black soil, well supplied with nutrients, including nitrogen. Solonetzic and heavy loamy soils are not suitable for pepper.

Peppers, like tomatoes, need phosphorus. He needs both organic and mineral fertilizers. For feeding peppers in the open field when planting seedlings, a tablespoon of superphosphate is added to each hole in a mixture with humus or just with earth.

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

In the second half of summer and autumn, sweet pepper is fed by "Kaliyphos".

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 appearance of new ovaries. Remove the fruits carefully with both hands so as not to break off the plant shoots with the pepper.

The video "Growing Pepper" demonstrates how to properly water and fertilize a crop:

Pests and diseases of pepper: photos and control measures

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

Stolbur (small-leaved) pepper leaves in the photo

Stolbur (small-leaved) - a viral disease is manifested by chlorotic leaf color, internodes are shortened. The leaves then wither, droop and fall off. Stolbur is not tolerated either with the juice of a diseased plant or with seeds. The leafhopper is the main vector of the disease.

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

Top rot of peppers in the photo

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

Regular even watering. Root and foliar 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 in the photo

Black bacterial speck 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 transmitted with seeds and plant debris. Preventive spraying with a copper-containing preparation "Abiga-Peak", starting from seedlings, allows you to get healthy fruits of pepper.

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

Fusarium wilting of peppers in the photo

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

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

Spider mite. In the steppe zone, pepper plants are often colonized by spider mites. When a pest appears, treat the plants with Iskra-M or Fufanon. If the crop is on its way, use Tuoeum Jet, colloidal sulfur or Bitoxibacillin.

Aphid. This pest can also create problems when growing a crop. To fight, use the "Iskra Zolotaya" or "Confidor", "Commander" 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 of photos that threaten the crop:

Below you can read the description of the varieties of peppers suitable for growing in the open field, and see their photos.

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

Traditional sweet peppers combine excellent fruit set, large fruit size and excellent taste. They differ in ripening period, fruit color, their weight up to 200 g, with a fleshy, juicy wall. They are characterized by a friendly return of the harvest.

These varieties include:

"Gift of Moldova",

"Martin",

"Belozerka",

"Winnie the Pooh",

"Venti",

"Caramel",

"Golden Jubilee"

"Yaroslav",

"Alesha Popovich".

Early ripe sweet pepper hybrids.

Latino F1 - from germination 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 cuboid, 3-4-chambered. In technical ripeness it is dark green, in biological it is bright red.

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

"Sonata" F1 - from germination to technical ripeness 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 ripeness, weighing 180-200 g.

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

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

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

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

High yields also give hybrids

"Grenada",

Sevilla,

"United" with large cuboid fruits.

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

Original color sweet pepper hybrids:

"Cardinal" F1 with large purple cuboid fruits.

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

Fidelio F1 - with silvery white fruits.

Large-fruited sweet pepper hybrids include:

"Russian size" F1... Giants over 20 cm long grow without much additional effort.

"Yellow Bull-NK" F1 - fruits are elongated, large, up to 200 g, 9 × 20 cm in size, consist of 3-4 lobes, green, when ripe they are yellow.

"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, when ripe they are red.

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

Indalo F1 - mid-early hybrid. From germination 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 cuboid fruits, beautiful bright yellow color, weighing 280-300 g. Wall thickness up to 10 mm.

Flamenco F1 - early maturing, high-yielding. The variety has cuboid, thick-walled fruits measuring 10 x 14 cm, consisting of 3-4 lobes. Fruits are light green in color; when ripe, they acquire an intensely bright red color. The variety is suitable for various types of indoor and outdoor ground.

Such hybrids also deserve attention: Minotaur F1, Sevilla F1, Athena F1, Flamenco F1.

Check out the best varieties of pepper in the photos below:

Using sweet peppers

The authority of pepper as a food and medicinal plant is high. Its beneficial effect on the human body is explained by the richness of its vitamin composition.

In terms of vitamin C content, 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 ripeness - 250-480 mg%. Vitamin P (rutin) gives a special value to pepper, its fruits are 70-380 mg% per 100 g of raw weight. Contains sweet peppers 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 carotene, valuable 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 peppers in 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 color and with a characteristic peppery aroma.

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

Bell peppers are eaten raw, fried, baked, stuffed, pickled, pickled and even dried. Ripe fruits can be chopped and dried. The dried fruits of this culture and the powder from them are a vitamin product used as a seasoning for main dishes and for making sauces.

Bell peppers can also be kept 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. The fruits harvested at the stage of technical ripeness gradually ripen, and their vitamin C content increases.

Date of publication:Growing