A catalog of the best pepper varieties for the Urals

Who said it's impossible to grow a bountiful and delicious harvest of sweet peppers in the Urals? It's quite simple—you just need to choose the right variety, taking into account the challenging climate of these latitudes.

Catalog

The Ural climate presents challenging conditions for growing southern crops. Short summers, low average temperatures, constant winds and sudden cold snaps, short daylight hours, frequent rainfall, and poor soil—all of this, to put it mildly, is unsuitable for plants accustomed to constant sun and warmth.

However, all these factors don't stop gardeners from introducing crops into their gardens that would seem completely unsuitable for such harsh conditions. Thanks to the painstaking work of plant breeders, today there is a fairly wide selection of sweet pepper varieties (and other vegetable crops) that will produce a consistently good harvest even in the northern part of the country.

Greenhouses and hotbeds are most often suitable for cultivation, as the conditions allow for the optimal microclimate. Furthermore, today you can purchase seeds of highly resistant varieties that can grow even in open ground conditions. Simply follow certain agricultural guidelines to ensure a decent harvest.

Which ones are suitable for the Ural climate:

1. Determinate. Low-growing plants are easier to care for. They also spend all their energy on setting numerous fruits rather than growing foliage.
2. Early maturing. Given the short summer, the fruits should have time to ripen.
3. Hardy. Peppers should tolerate cold, wind, and sudden temperature changes well. It's also best to choose varieties that are resistant to various diseases.

For the greenhouse

Bell peppers thrive in warm conditions. But when the weather doesn't provide the right conditions for growing this healthy vegetable, you can easily grow them in a greenhouse. Moreover, most varieties suitable for the local climate were developed for greenhouse conditions.

Growing peppers in a greenhouse allows you to significantly speed up their ripening, improve the quality of the fruit, and generally obtain a rich harvest.

In short summer conditions, such results cannot be achieved in an open garden bed.

However, not all varieties are suitable for greenhouse cultivation. It might seem like there's no difference between growing peppers outdoors and indoors. However, indoor conditions require specific agricultural practices, and some plants are less suited to them than others.

Advantages of growing in a greenhouse:

• seedlings can be planted much earlier, without waiting for warm weather to set in;
• In a greenhouse, a gardener can independently control the temperature and humidity level;
• Caring for peppers in a greenhouse is much easier;
• In a greenhouse, peppers are protected from many diseases and insects;
• By growing peppers in a greenhouse, residents of cold regions can count on a stable, good harvest of this southern crop.

Blondie F1

An early-ripening Dutch hybrid. The first fruits can be tasted 2.5-3 months after sowing the seeds for seedlings. A real find for short summers. The harvest has time to fully ripen before the onset of severe cold weather.

Plants of this variety are medium-sized, 60-80 centimeters tall, with very long, spreading branches. The leaves are slightly wrinkled, medium-sized, and densely strewn on the stems.

The peppers are large, perfectly cuboid, and divided into four sides. When growing, they are light green, but when fully ripe, their color takes on bright yellow and orange hues. The peppers are quite heavy, large, and thick-skinned, weighing up to 150-200 grams. The flesh is dense, juicy, and very sweet.

The Blondie F1 hybrid is prized for its high yield: 13-14 kilograms of select peppers are harvested per square meter. However, productivity in open beds is slightly weaker, yielding up to 8 kilograms of peppers per square meter.

It is most often used by farmers for sale. Blondie fruits have excellent marketability (99%) and remain fresh for a long time, even during long transportation.

As befits the vast majority of hybrids, Blondie F1 has a high level of protection against potato virus Y, tobacco mosaic virus, bacterial spot, cucumber mosaic virus, and such damage as sunburn.

Value:

• high yield;
• appearance of fruits;
• original color of peppers;
• high taste qualities;
• persistent resistance to diseases.

The plants thrive in a variety of conditions, although they perform best in greenhouse conditions. During flowering, a drop in temperature does not affect fruit set. It produces fruit well even in hot and dry climates and tolerates sudden temperature fluctuations.

Venti

One of the most productive varieties bred in Transnistria. These peppers can be grown both under plastic covers and in outdoor garden beds. However, in the Ural climate, the best yields are achieved when grown in greenhouses.

Venti is a very early variety. Its first fruits can be picked as early as 90 days after emergence. It is highly prized for its simultaneous ripening of the fruit, which is why Venti is often grown in large quantities for commercial production.

Venti has many advantages. One of them is its ability to form a huge number of ovaries throughout the growing season. All the resulting fruits are very smooth, cone-shaped, and red in color. The skin is smooth and very thin, and the interior is slightly loose and not very fleshy. Each pepper weighs 70-80 grams.

Venti bushes are very easy to care for given their size: they grow compactly to 50 centimeters tall, with medium foliage. Despite their modest size, Venti is still a highly productive sweet pepper variety. A single square bush can yield up to five kilograms of select peppers—pleasing to the eye and delicious.

Advantages:

• very tasty fruits;
• early ripening of the first peppers;
• resistance to most diseases;
• versatility of use;
• Peppers are very healthy due to their high vitamin C content.

The Venti pepper is an option for those who want to get a decent harvest of a tasty vegetable while expending a minimum of effort.

It's easy to grow and can thrive both in greenhouses and outdoors. Simply follow a watering schedule, reducing it only on wet days and during flowering.

It's best to plant peppers at a rate of 6-7 plants per square meter—this way, each plant will receive the optimal amount of sunlight, moisture, and fertilizer. Ultimately, the plants will reward you with a bountiful, high-quality harvest.

Eroshka

A very early sweet pepper variety from the Manul agricultural firm. It's popular due to its miniature plants, which have proven to be very productive and resilient.

The first fruits appear on the plants 75-80 days after sowing. By the 95th day, they reach technical maturity. At this point, they are ready to eat. The peppers reach full maturity after another 14-16 days.

The plants are medium-sized, reaching up to 60 centimeters in height. They grow compactly, with a rich, dark green crown that conceals young peppercorns.

The fruits themselves are tetrahedral, distinctly cuboid, weighing 180-200 grams. The skin is thin, shiny, and smooth. Its color changes from light green to orange-red as it ripens. Each plant produces up to 16 fairly large peppers at a time. The peppers form on the plants simultaneously and ripen in clusters. When the fruits are picked, new ovary formation begins.

A distinctive and predominantly positive feature is that the bushes don't need staking or shaping. On the contrary, the more branches the bushes have, the more fruit they will produce.

Eroshka is a high-yielding variety. Up to 7 fruits are harvested from one square meter.

Kilograms of peppers, despite the fact that the pepper bed is planted very densely—10-12 plants per square meter. This planting pattern doesn't interfere with the plants' healthy growth and production of high-quality, tasty fruit. Furthermore, Eroshka plants are rarely affected by viral and fungal diseases.

Pros:

• large-fruited;
• the peppers turn out very juicy and sweet;
• the first harvest can be collected already in June;
• the fruits can be eaten fresh or preserved;
• plants do not need to be tied up;
• no need to form bushes;
• cold-resistant;
• resistant to mosaic, blossom end rot and verticillium wilt.

Cardinal

A hybrid from the Dutch seed producer Enza Zaden. Characterized by the unique color of its large fruits: at technical maturity, they are lilac, and upon reaching biological maturity, they turn purple with a burgundy tint.

Cardinal peppers ripen fairly quickly. The first fruits reach the technical stage as early as the 100th day, and they require at least another two weeks to fully ripen. The peppers themselves are heavy and dense, weighing an average of 220-250 grams. They are cube-shaped, with a wall thickness of 8 millimeters.

The plants are medium-sized, reaching a height of one meter. The stems are strong, with small green leaves that are slightly rough to the touch. The recommended planting pattern is three plants per square meter.

Cardinal produces excellent yields when grown in a greenhouse. One square meter can yield approximately 14 kilograms of select material, which will store for a long time, retaining its excellent flavor and appearance.

Cardinal Value:

• the fruits are very large;
• the peppers have a very unusual color;
• very high yield rates;
• suitable for growing in greenhouses of the Urals;
• resistant to tobacco mosaic virus.

Korenovsky

The Korenovsky sweet pepper is a mid-season variety. The fruits reach technical maturity after four months of growth, and biological maturity takes 140 days. It is recommended to grow under plastic cover, but it also grows well in open ground.

Korenovsky pepper plants are semi-spreading, up to 60 centimeters tall, and have dense foliage. Their stems are very strong and branched, holding the fruit firmly in place. They bear fruit continuously throughout the summer, generously rewarding an excellent harvest.

The variety's fruits are large and massive, weighing up to 160 grams. The peel is no more than 5 millimeters thick, glossy, smooth, and a rich red color. The resulting peppers are shaped like truncated cones or prisms. The fruits form unevenly on the bush and grow droopingly. The plant's high productivity is its value: 4.5 kilograms of premium quality are produced per square meter.

A unique characteristic is its demanding soil conditions and fertilizing requirements. Without sufficient fertilizer, the bushes produce few buds. If basic cultivation practices are not followed, it is often affected by verticillium wilt.

It is preferable to sow seedlings in February so that by the end of May the seedlings reach maturity for transplanting into the garden bed.

Pros:

• high yield;
• the fruits grow large;
• resists various diseases;
• high quality fruits;
• good taste;
• The bushes grow compact and do not require garters.

Cons:

• poor seed germination;
• demanding of fertilizers.

Latino F1

Another hybrid, highly prized for its excellent fruit quality. Like most varieties suitable for growing in the Ural region, Latino ripens very early. The first fruits reach technical maturity by the 100th day. Even when unripe, they have an excellent flavor and aroma, making them suitable for adding to a variety of dishes.

Latino plants are medium-sized, reaching 90-100 centimeters in height. They grow compactly in the garden bed, without spreading out. However, they still require support and tying.

The Latino hybrid's fruits grow large and weighty. During the fruiting season, the bushes are densely covered with bright red, cubic fruits, often weighing over 180-200 grams. These peppers are characterized by a very thick rind (1 cm) and tender, juicy flesh.

Latino F1 is a highly productive hybrid. With minimal effort in cultivating a pepper bed, farmers can harvest 10-14 kilograms of select vegetables, often sold commercially.

Latino peppers are easy to care for. All they require is timely mineral and organic fertilizers, moderate watering, and soil cultivation. This hybrid is highly disease-resistant, but is often attacked by insect pests, particularly spider mites and aphids. Therefore, it's important to carefully monitor the plants and promptly treat them for pests that can ruin the future harvest.

Value:

• high yield;
• the fruits have an original shape;
• suitable for growing in any climatic zones of the country;
• protected from tobacco mosaic virus.

Maria

Many hybrids were created specifically for the challenging Ural climate. Maria F1 is considered one of the best hybridized varieties.

This variety of sweet pepper has a medium ripening period. If you sow seeds for seedlings in March and plant the plants in May, the fruits will be ripe enough to eat by early July. On average, it takes 103-105 days to reach technical maturity.

Plants of this hybrid grow up to 85 centimeters. They are compact, with short branches, so they don't require staking. The stems are not heavily foliated. The foliage is dark green, large, and tapering. The crown creates a lot of shade.

This hybrid is prized for its excellent fruit set. The fruits grow intermingled and are medium-sized. Mature fruits reach 8-9 centimeters in length and often weigh up to 100 grams. The peppers are flat-round or cuboid in shape, ribbed, and smooth. The skin is yellowish when ripe, turning dark red when fully ripe.

Maria produces excellent fruit when grown in greenhouse conditions. With sufficient soil moisture and fertilizer, the yield per square meter reaches 8 kilograms. In open ground, the yield is lower, at 4-5 kilograms.

Regardless of growing conditions, the resulting fruits are of high commercial quality. They have a uniform color, regular shape, a not-too-thick but crisp skin, a bright, fresh flavor, and a light peppery aroma.

Like most hybrids, Maria also has excellent immunity to typical pepper diseases.

Pros:

• gives a stable, rich harvest;
• Due to their shape, the fruits are suitable for stuffing;
• the first harvest can be collected already in June;
• disease-resistant hybrid;
• fruits are fleshy;
• Suitable for different growing conditions.

Fedilio F1

This ultra-early hybrid is ideal for growing in short summers. Its fruits ripen within 80-90 days of sowing.

Fedilio peppers are medium-sized, growing up to one meter tall, with abundant foliage. Among the many dark green leaves, large, sweet peppers burst with juice and flavor. The peppers are a pleasant silvery-white or light green, grow in a cube-shaped form, and weigh an average of 175 grams. The skin is smooth, with a medium thickness of 7-8 millimeters. The flavor is juicy and refreshing.

Fidelio is a hybrid that boasts high resistance to diseases and insect pests. The bushes grow vigorously, with dense branches and strong trunks. However, when grown in a greenhouse, support will still be required.

The hybrid also became popular due to its high plant productivity. When grown outdoors, yields reach 7-8 kilograms per square meter, while in a greenhouse, Fidelio produces up to 14 kilograms of select peppers.

The fruits form uniformly on the bushes and ripen simultaneously. The first harvest is usually in June. After the fruits are harvested, the bushes resume vegetation and form new ovaries.

Value:

• early ripening of fruits;
• the peppers have a nice color;
• the harvest is stored for a long time and does not spoil during transportation;
• good seed germination.

With proper care, Fidelio peppers reveal their full flavor. They enjoy plenty of water and light. They also thrive in constant warmth. Therefore, the best way to grow Fidelio is in a greenhouse.

In conditions of short summers and sharp temperature fluctuations, this hybrid will demonstrate the best yield and marketability of fruits.

However, it's important to remember that it's also necessary to fertilize, loosen the soil, and ventilate the greenhouse environment in a timely manner. If done correctly, Fidelio will reward you with a tasty, nutritious, and very abundant harvest.

Yarik

For those who lack the ability to grow vegetables in their garden but still crave the comfort of home-grown produce, breeders have developed a stunning ornamental variety that can easily be grown indoors.

These compact bushes, growing up to 60 centimeters tall, thrive in a pot on a balcony or windowsill. Dark green foliage adorns the stems, giving the plant a rich appearance. The bush grows semi-spreadingly, taking up little space.

The peppers on this low-growing plant look very impressive, as despite the plant's determinate nature, numerous peppers are produced. They all grow large, strong, and very beautiful. Each pepper weighs 80-100 grams and has a medium-thick, yellow skin. The flesh is meaty, moderately juicy, and delicious. The fruit is shaped like a smooth cone.

Yarik grows vigorously in low light and low humidity. However, for best results, the leaves should be misted with warm, settled water once a week. When grown indoors, these peppers are protected from various diseases and insect infestations. Therefore, when growing

With Yarik at home, you can forget about virtually all the ailments that plague this crop in the garden. The only thing that might happen is yellowing of the leaves due to a lack of nitrogen or other minerals. It's important to feed the plant regularly and keep it in a warm, well-lit area, as sweet peppers, primarily a southern crop, can become capricious if the minimum necessary conditions are not met.

Yarik peppers ripen very early, which is a delight for sweet pepper lovers. You can enjoy this delicious vegetable in just 85-90 days after sowing.

Potted varieties typically produce average yields. But when it comes to Yarik, everything is top-notch. This pepper produces very high yields. A single plant can yield up to 4 kilograms of hefty peppers, which are excellent for pickling, canning, and eating fresh.

Advantages:

• can be grown in pots;
• gives a rich harvest;
• ripens very early;
• the fruits are all large and tasty;
• is not sick with anything.

Peppers for open ground

For those who prefer to grow vegetables outdoors, there are a wide variety of options that can easily withstand the volatile weather in the Urals and ultimately produce an excellent harvest of delicious fruit.

For open ground, cold-resistant, high-yielding varieties that rarely get sick and ripen quickly are primarily suitable.

The firstborn of Siberia

These peppers are perfect for the Siberian and Ural climates. This Siberian firstling has a very short growing season. The first flush of fruit can be harvested as early as 100 days after sowing. Pepper seeds have excellent germination rates. The seedlings grow strong and vigorous, and tolerate transplanting well. Seedlings are planted in late May or June, and numerous fruits begin to appear in early August.

The plants are determinate, growing up to 45 centimeters tall with medium foliage. The clusters produce small pyramidal fruits, which are light yellow when technically ripe, and turn red when fully ripe. The skin of the peppers, which weigh 50-70 grams, is thick, often reaching 1 centimeter. The flavor is quite sweet and juicy.

The Siberian Firstborn tolerates temperature fluctuations, windy, and cloudy weather very well. It is sensitive to excess moisture, but is rarely affected by fungal and viral diseases. The plants are particularly resistant to blossom-end rot and tobacco mosaic virus.

Even when growing in sometimes very unfavorable conditions, the plants produce excellent fruit. The average yield per square meter is approximately 9-12 kilograms. All fruits have attractive appearance characteristics. One of the key features is the suitability of fully ripened fruits for long-term storage.

Siberian F1

Another representative of the group of cold-hardy and undemanding pepper varieties, intended for outdoor cultivation in temperate climates. Sibiryak F1 is a hybrid created by Russian breeders for cultivation in poor soils with short, cold summers. The fruit ripens in 115-118 days from sowing.

A hybrid with delicious and juicy red, prism-shaped fruits. They grow up to 12 centimeters long, weigh 140-150 grams, and have a thick rind 6-8 millimeters thick. The peppers grow on tall bushes (90-110 centimeters), covered in dense, dark green foliage.

The plants begin bearing fruit in August and continue to set fruit for another two months. Their distinctive feature is their prolonged and abundant fruiting, which continues even during periods of extreme cold, typical of the central part of the country.

Sibiryak F1 is one of the most common varieties for the northern climate, distinguished by its low maintenance requirements. It rarely suffers from diseases or insect infestations. Providing minimal conditions for normal bush growth—weeding, loosening the soil, watering, and fertilizing—promotes a bountiful harvest of large, sweet fruits.

Novosibirsk

The brainchild of breeders at the West Siberian Vegetable Experimental Station, Novosibirsky is recommended for growing in a variety of conditions but shows exceptional results in open ground.

Early maturing. The first fruits appear after three months of cultivation. They reach technical maturity by the 110th day.

Novosibirsk plants grow compactly, rarely reaching more than 55 centimeters in height. Due to their low growth, they are relatively easy to care for and can be covered with a temporary plastic sheet during cold weather.

The fruits are arranged randomly on the bush, mostly sticking upward, creating the impression of a floral bouquet. All peppers at the biological maturity stage are red, weighing up to 150 grams, and have a prismatic, ribbed shape. The fruits are aromatic, juicy, and thin-skinned. The peppers are excellent for all types of processing.

The yield is quite high – up to 10 kilograms from one meter of planting (with a planting pattern of 6 plants per square).

It is highly resistant to diseases and tolerates adverse environmental conditions well.

Sharp

Hot peppers, like sweet ones, can be grown in even the most challenging conditions. Many varieties of this spicy vegetable are grown both in open beds and greenhouses. The most adaptable peppers include the Gomera pepper and the Lightning pepper.

Pepper Homer F1

This hybrid can be grown in any conditions and produces a stable harvest. The Gomera pepper is an early-ripening variety. Its fruits ripen 100 days after sowing, and reach biological maturity by 120 days.

The plants have a tall structure, often reaching up to a meter in height. The bushes grow densely, with sparse foliage. The leaves are medium-sized and slightly wrinkled.

The fruits of this hybrid grow droopingly on the bush. They are cone-shaped. They are very long and narrow—a typical hot pepper shape. The skin is glossy and slightly wrinkled. The fruits are initially light green, later turning a rich red. The peppercorns themselves grow large, weighing up to 35 grams. The peppercorns contain 3-4 pods. The heat is moderate, and the aroma is not very pronounced.

For a hot pepper, Gomera has a high yield. One square meter yields a total of 3.5 kilograms of the fiery product.

Lightning F1

A wonderful variety of hot peppers. The "Lightning" series consists of three varieties, differing primarily in color: "Red Lightning," "Yellow Lightning," and "Black Lightning." It is recommended to grow these peppers in a greenhouse.

These hybrids have a mid-early ripening period—110-118 days after germination. The plants grow vigorously, spreading, and branched. Staking and support are required.

The fruits grow drooping on the bushes. The peppers are elongated cones. The skin is glossy and richly colored (black, yellow, or red). The flavor is mildly spicy. They are suitable for adding fresh sliced ​​peppers to dishes.

Hybrids of this variety are disease-resistant and weather-resistant. Even in the most adverse weather conditions, they produce fruit well and produce abundantly and for a long time. A single plant can yield up to 1 kilogram of this hot pepper.

Reviews

Maria

I once grew the "Black Lightning" pepper. I didn't like it. At first, everything went well. The seedlings sprouted quickly and started growing. The seedlings were also strong. I planted the plants in a greenhouse at the end of May. From then on, the plants continued to grow very sparsely. The lower foliage turned yellow. The fruit took a long time to set. In fact, the peppers themselves grew very small, dark burgundy. There was no piquancy in the taste—they were very hot, you couldn't eat them straight. I'd grown much better varieties before. For me, the Cayenne and Ogonyok ones performed best.

Alexander

We've been growing bell peppers in the Urals for many years. We constantly plant different varieties, experimenting, and choosing the best ones. The California Miracle is our favorite. I think it can be grown anywhere. It's an excellent, low-maintenance pepper. It's very productive, producing beautiful, large fruits. The only drawback is the skin isn't very thick, probably due to lack of sun. Overall, it's just what we need. Other varieties that stand out are Viking, Festival, and Mustang. I remember one year, a single plant yielded 3-4 kilograms of the finest peppers.