Characteristics and description of low-growing pepper varieties

Rarely does a gardener, seeing colorful packets of seeds of various peppers in a store, resist the urge to buy another variety or hybrid.

Today, the choice is vast, but you need to know which pepper characteristics to look for so that your efforts are not wasted and you get an excellent harvest.

Among many people's favorites are low-growing peppers, which may not be as productive as their taller counterparts, but are more easy to care for. This is what we'll be talking about.

Description and characteristics of low-growing pepper varieties

Just like tomatoes, peppers are classified not only by ripening time, fruit shape, and color, but also by plant height. Determinate (low-growing) pepper varieties and hybrids are excellent options for those just learning the basics of gardening, as well as for summer residents in northern regions. However, these "little ones" are successfully and readily grown in all regions of Russia, yielding early harvests of delicious, juicy fruits.

Determinate peppers are characterized by their small stature, and at a certain stage of their development, they stop growing altogether. The bushes typically reach 40-60 cm in height, with a limited number of ovaries forming per plant. Many peppers in this group are standard, with a compact habit and few leaves.

Properties

Most determinate peppers are early-ripening varieties and hybrids (some even ultra-early), with fruits that vary widely in shape, size, and weight. This category includes peppers that can be harvested for the first time in 90-105 days (such as Red Square), as well as mid-season varieties and hybrids.

The shapes and sizes of sweet pepper fruits vary greatly, and in the determinate group of plants you can find "cubes", prisms, cones, "barrels", perfectly smooth or ribbed fruits.

At technical maturity, all peppers are green (the intensity of the color may vary), but at full maturity (biological maturity), you can see the full range of colors: red, scarlet, orange, yellow, cream, and even dark purple.

There are low-growing pepper varieties with thick-skinned fruits, which are ideal for making lecho and stuffing. Varieties with thin pericarps have been developed, which are commonly used fresh and for canning. Yields also vary, but it's important to remember that this figure largely depends on proper care.

Thanks to their early ripening time and short plant height, these peppers produce fruit quickly. On average, most varieties can begin to bear fruit within 100-110 days (at the technical maturity stage), requiring minimal care and fertilizing. This isn't possible with taller peppers, as they need to gain some height first, and the first fruit will be harvested later.

Of course, the taste of determinate pepper varieties and hybrids may be inferior to indeterminate varieties. However, many excellent pepper varieties and productive hybrids have been developed today, distinguished by their excellent taste. Secondly, it is recommended to plant different pepper varieties (low-growing and indeterminate) in the same garden (beds, greenhouse) to ensure a harvest throughout the season.

Advantages of dwarf varieties

Peppers are heat-loving and quite demanding, and although their cultivation techniques are not particularly complex, not everyone succeeds in achieving a good harvest in the harsh conditions of many Russian regions. Low-growing varieties are advantageous because they require minimal care and don't require shaping. For many gardeners, shaping the plants is a particular challenge, and when growing indeterminate varieties, it's essential to understand all this "science."

Determinate peppers are much easier to grow, as their low bushes have a non-branching stem at the base, making care much easier. Other advantages include:

•         compactness of plants;
•         the ability to plant a large number of bushes in one square meter;
•         cold resistance;
•         disease resistance.

The main distinguishing feature of these peppers is their small plant height, which makes them suitable for cultivation in open ground, various tunnels, and greenhouses. Today, breeding of determinate peppers is focused on producing large-fruited fruits and standard bushes. Breeders are also working to expand the range of colors and fruit types for these peppers, and, of course, to increase yields.

It's no longer surprising to see varieties and hybrids of dwarf peppers with large, thick-walled fruits and a large number of fruits per plant. Due to the plant's characteristics, these peppers cannot produce a harvest comparable to indeterminate varieties (the height of the plant makes a difference), as they produce fewer clusters and have a shorter fruiting period.

But these varieties allow you to harvest delicious fruit very early (which is important for Russian gardeners) even in the short summer. Many gardeners have very small plots, but they want to grow a lot. Compact determinate varieties of sweet peppers are an excellent choice here, especially since they can easily be covered directly in the garden bed (with arches covered with film or non-woven fabric).

Hybrids and varieties of low-growing sweet peppers

It's impossible to cover all the sweet pepper hybrids and determinate varieties in a single review, so we'll highlight the most popular ones. They have proven themselves in various regions and boast high yields and delicious fruit. Keep in mind that the characteristics of a particular variety or hybrid described in the descriptions will only manifest themselves with proper and proper care.

Eroshka

The variety with the playful name "Eroshka" will delight you with large, orange-red "water pods" of fruit. It grows very small, usually no more than 40 cm tall, with medium foliage.

It doesn't require shaping or pinching, but it does require staking during fruit ripening. This is a standard variety with a very compact habit.

With proper care, a single plant can produce up to 16 peppers. The peppers are ready to harvest after 95 days (technical maturity), and are fully ripe after approximately 135 days.

Eroshka produces better yields when planted densely, with up to 10-12 plants per square meter.

Many gardeners grow it in large greenhouses, planting it between tall peppers or tomatoes. However, this method requires special attention to fertilizing.

Eroshka's fruits are beautiful, averaging 150 grams in weight, with some specimens reaching 180 grams. The flavor is excellent. It's commonly used in salads.

Sveta

Pepper Sveta is a classic sweet pepper with long, cone-shaped fruits. They weigh no more than 80 grams, and their skin is thick and glossy. When fully ripe, the peppers turn a vibrant orange-yellow color.

The taste is very good, which is why many gardeners appreciate it.

This variety is a determinate pepper and grows to approximately 60 cm. The bush is compact and has few leaves.

This pepper variety is recommended for growing under plastic covers; it also produces very well in garden beds. It's suitable for regions with short summers, producing a quick and abundant harvest. A special feature of this variety is its high resistance to a number of viral diseases of peppers.

Fakir

Many gardeners have appreciated the low-growing Fakir pepper variety. This early variety produces its first small fruits 90-95 days after germination. Fakir peppers are modest in weight—approximately 65 grams—but they are tasty and juicy.

This variety is short, with bushes typically growing no more than half a meter tall and medium foliage. The fruits are drooping, narrow, and long cones. Peppers are yellow-green when technically ripe, and bright red when fully ripe. The pericarp is up to 4 mm. A distinctive feature of the Fakir variety is its shortened ripening period from technical to biological maturity. The peppers have excellent flavor.

Breeders have now developed Fakira varieties with fruit in other colors, including yellow and dark brown. It's used in all types of preserves and is also suitable for salads, all kinds of slicing, and side dishes.

Agapovsky

This pepper variety can be called a "veteran," as it was bred long ago and has remained popular throughout the years. It is prized for its high yield, ease of cultivation, and aromatic, delicious fruit.

Agapovsky has a low bush (up to 70 cm), making it suitable for growing in raised beds under arches. The plant is densely foliated, with large, rich green leaf blades.

Large, drooping "Prism" fruits, up to 120 grams, resemble bells. The peppers are red, with a very dense, glossy skin. The peppers are approximately 12-15 cm long, with a pericarp up to 7 mm. They are slightly ribbed, and the stem is slightly indented. The Agapovsky variety is distinguished by its excellent flavor and a very pleasant, strong aroma.

The variety is resistant to many pepper diseases and temperature fluctuations, and does not reduce yield in low light conditions. On average, up to 10 kg of fruit can be harvested from one square meter of planting.

Albatross

The Albatross F1 pepper hybrid, developed by Dutch breeders, boasts very good yields. This low-growing pepper (typically reaching 60 cm in height) will surprise you with its strong, stocky stems and abundant foliage. It produces excellent results in raised beds, tunnels, and greenhouses.

The fruits grow to a weight of up to 120 grams, are cone-shaped, and have walls up to 6-7 mm thick. The peppers' coloring is intriguing: initially whitish-yellow, it later develops a predominantly reddish hue.

These peppers are distinguished by their exceptional flavor, making them recommended for fresh consumption to preserve all their vitamins. The Albatross hybrid is prized for its shelf life and suitability for transportation.

Fox

The originator of the Fox pepper hybrid is the renowned agricultural firm Gavrish. This determinate pepper grows up to 60 cm tall, and the bush is compact. Fox peppers are also small in size and weight—bright orange "cones," weighing 25-40 grams. But these "tiny" ones have a very pleasant flavor with a piquant, somewhat unusual spicy aroma for this pepper variety. The pericarp of the fruit is up to 6 mm, with fleshy, juicy walls. The skin of the peppers is smooth and glossy.

The plant doesn't require bush training, which significantly simplifies care. Staking is necessary to support the fruit. A single plant of this variety can yield up to 1-1.2 kg of peppers.

The Chanterelle hybrid is resistant to various diseases, produces good fruit in open ground, and can be grown in dense plantings.

Boneta

Another determinate pepper, the Bonet, is renowned for its excellent flavor. Its fruits are creamy in color when ripened, and red-orange when ripened.

The bush is low, about half a meter tall, with few leaves. It grows well in greenhouses and on raised beds under arches. The Boneta variety tolerates some shade and is resistant to temperature fluctuations.

The peppers are prismatic, fleshy, and large, weighing up to 300-400 grams. The Boneta variety is a thick-walled pepper, with a pericarp up to 7 mm. The fruits are suitable for stuffing, making lecho, and various first and second courses. Boneta peppers are also delicious fresh.

This is one of the earliest varieties to ripen, taking approximately 90 days from germination to harvest. Up to 3.1-3.3 kg of peppers can be harvested per square meter (subject to proper agricultural practices).

Timoshka

You can harvest Timoshka peppers in just 100 days, so if you're looking for early varieties, we recommend checking out this pepper.

The bush, up to 70-80 cm tall, produces large fruits, weighing up to 150 grams. Timoshka's "cones" are juicy, have thick walls (6-8 mm), and have an excellent flavor. The skin of the drooping fruits is dense, with a strong shine, and is dark red in color (at biological maturity). The fruits typically contain two locules, with few seeds.

This variety is grown by many gardeners in the Urals and Siberia, as Timoshka is renowned for its generous harvest and excellent flavor. Yields are also quite good, with up to 4-4.5 kg of peppers harvested per square meter.

Gemini

The Dutch determinate pepper Gemini is an F1 hybrid, so it's impossible to grow your own seeds. Many gardeners love it, so if you want to grow Gemini every season, you'll need to purchase seeds in advance.

This hybrid is productive and easy to grow, yet produces delicious, juicy fruits. The plant grows low, up to 60 cm, with medium foliage and dark green, wrinkled leaf blades. The cube-shaped fruits are a rich dark green at technical maturity, turning bright yellow at biological maturity. Peppers weigh approximately 200 grams, but greenhouses can grow them up to 300 grams.

The stalk is slightly indented, the skin is thick and glossy. Gemini peppers are even and very beautiful. They are used for lecho, stuffing, salads, and various culinary dishes.

It's recommended to plant no more than 3-4 plants per square meter due to the hybrid's demand for good nutrition. The harvest is uniform, with the first fruits ready to be picked in 90-100 days. Up to 10 fruits can be produced simultaneously on a single plant. In regions with high-risk farming, it's recommended to grow the Gemini hybrid indoors.

Ilya Muromets

The Ilya Muromets pepper is a true stalwart and a true hero, a variety that lives up to its name. This mid-season pepper takes about 125 days to harvest.

It is grown in greenhouses, hotbeds, under awnings in raised beds, and directly outdoors. The bush is low and standard. Its peppers are shaped like small prisms, each weighing up to 180-200 grams. Indoors, with proper cultivation, the fruits can grow up to 300 grams. The peppers have smooth, glossy skin, and the pericarp is up to 5 mm. The flesh is very juicy and tasty, but the aroma is faint.

This variety is highly productive and relatively easy to grow, but with proper care and proper management, yields increase. On average, up to 5 kg of fruit can be harvested per square meter.

Feature of the variety: resistance to diseases, especially the resistance of the Ilya Muromets pepper to verticillium wilt.

Reviews

Elena, Vologda Oblast

I really wanted to try growing yellow peppers. Someone recommended Gemini. I've been growing them for three years now and I couldn't be happier! They're great in every way: tasty, juicy, and aromatic. They're also delicious marinated and in lecho. We don't particularly like stuffed peppers in our family, but we love lecho, so I only use Gemini for that.

https://youtu.be/cNZRj_1mhs4

Elina, Saint Petersburg

I bought some "Fox" pepper seeds; I liked the photo on the packet. The plant grew small and was planted in my greenhouse in May. The first fruits appeared at the end of July, and they quickly began to turn from green to orange. The plant bore about 10 juicy, spicy fruits.

This variety isn't suitable for large-scale preservation, but I've used it in salads and canned with other varieties. It has proven to be a good storage variety; it stays fresh for a very long time in the refrigerator's bottom drawer.

 

Katerina, Yekaterinburg

I chose the Fakir pepper because of its early ripening season. The seeds were from Poisk, but after three months (as the manufacturer promised), the fruit was still unharvestable. Perhaps it's due to our climate, but other varieties have yielded a more generous harvest for me.

This variety's taste is simply magnificent! And the fruits are beautiful—long, fleshy, and dark red when ripe. This variety is perfect for canning! It looks beautiful in jars and is delicious. I've also made stuffed ones; the shape is very convenient. I recommend it, but be sure to take the ripening time into account so the fruits have time to ripen.