Many amateur gardeners enjoy growing sweet peppers in their gardens. In the southern regions of our country, harvesting this heat-loving crop is relatively easy, but in the harsh conditions of the Moscow region, it requires selecting early-ripening varieties and using specialized cultivation techniques.
Climatic features of the region
Sweet peppers are native to Mexico, where they thrive in long, warm summers with many hot days. Favorable conditions for growing them outdoors in Russia are found in the southern regions: the Don River, Kuban, and the Astrakhan region.
In northern regions, summers are shorter, daytime temperatures are cooler, and spring frosts are common. When grown from seed, nightshade crops, which include sweet peppers, don't have enough time to flower and produce a harvest. To ensure a harvest in the short summer, gardeners in the Moscow region grow early-ripening pepper varieties indoors (in warm greenhouses or hothouses) using seedlings.
The best varieties
To grow and harvest peppers in open ground in the Moscow region, early-ripening, cold-resistant varieties and hybrids that don't require much light are cultivated. When choosing the best pepper varieties, it's also important to consider the growing conditions. Due to the unstable summers of the Moscow region, peppers are protected from recurring frosts in greenhouses. Therefore, low-growing varieties (40-70 cm) are grown in open beds, while medium-sized plants (70-110 cm) produce the best yields in greenhouses.
Based on the test results, the following pepper varieties were recognized as the best for greenhouses in the Moscow region:
- Arsenal;
- Bagheera;
- Red Chief;
- Ox's ear;Hercules;
- Prince of Silver;
- Orange King.
To calculate the required number of sweet pepper seeds for the Moscow region, measure the area of the future plantings. Typically, 2 to 8 pepper seedlings are planted per square meter.
Growing seedlings
The whole process of growing suitable for planting in the ground pepper seedlings This process can be broken down into several stages. By carefully completing each stage, the gardener will obtain strong, viable seedlings.
Selection and preparation of seeds
Sweet pepper seeds remain viable for 3-4 years. One-year-old seeds produce the most sprouts.
Before soaking, inspect the seeds and discard any that are hollow. To do this, dissolve a teaspoon of salt in 0.5 liters of water. Pour the seeds into the solution and let them sit for 10 minutes. Discard any hollow shells that float to the surface.
To awaken the seeds, they are wrapped in cotton cloth, soaked in hot water (40°C) for 20 minutes, then placed in cold water for 3 minutes.
To destroy viruses and bacteria, seeds are immersed in a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate for ½ an hour, then washed.
For better germination, clean, disinfected seeds are immersed for a while in one of the following solutions:
- a teaspoon of ash or nitrophoska per liter of water (soak for 24 hours);
- Liquid Humate or Ideal fertilizer is diluted in water. The seeds are soaked in the solution and left on a radiator at a temperature of 25-28°C for 24 hours;
- Dissolve 10 ml of Azofit in a liter of water. Soak the seeds in the solution for 2 hours.
The seeds treated with nutrients are dipped in a solution of Liposal (1 ml of the preparation per 100 g of water) and laid out for germination.
Germination
For germination, use a wide container with low sides. Jar lids, saucers, plates, etc. are used. Place a cotton cloth, napkin, piece of cotton wool, or paper towel moistened with water or an ash solution (10 g per liter of water) on the bottom of the container. Spread the seeds on the damp surface, cover with plastic wrap, and leave in a warm (27-30°C) place to germinate.
Pepper seeds germinate in 10-15 days.
Preparing soil for seedlings
The key to producing high-quality, strong seedlings is choosing the right soil mix. Peppers grow well in light, loose soil with a neutral pH. This soil can be purchased at a specialty store or made at home by mixing equal parts of humus, peat, turf, and compost. If necessary, add sand to the soil to make it looser and more crumbly.
Purchased peat soil is mixed with chalk or dolomite flour (2 tablespoons per bucket) and good garden soil (in a 1:1 ratio).
The prepared soil is disinfected by pouring it with a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate or heating it to 90°C in the oven.
Sowing seeds
The hatched seeds can be planted in soil. Here's how:
- Prepared seedling boxes or pots are filled ¾ full with prepared soil and watered;
- In the box, make furrows 1-1.5 cm deep at a distance of 3-4 cm, into which the hatched seeds are placed at intervals of 1.5 cm. Make a separate hole in the pot, 1.5 cm deep, into which the seed is placed;
- The holes are filled with soil. The boxes and pots are covered with plastic wrap and placed in a warm place.
Growing seedlings
Once the seedlings emerge, remove the plastic wrap from the pots and boxes and move them to a windowsill. For the first week, to prevent the plants from stretching, the young seedlings are grown at a temperature of 13-16°C during the day and 8-10°C at night. Then, until planting in the ground, maintain a room temperature of 20-27°C.
During the first week, young plants do not require watering; subsequently, the seedlings are watered generously at the roots once every 7-10 days.
After 2-4 true leaves appear, the plants are transplanted into separate pots with a volume of at least ½ liter.
The following solutions are used to feed seedlings:
- 14 days after transplanting the plants into larger pots, they are watered with a composition of 2.5 g of urea and 15 g of superphosphate per 5 liters of water;
- a few days before planting the seedlings in the greenhouse, they are fed with a solution of 25 g of superphosphate and 13 g of potassium sulfate per 5 liters of water;
- Once every ten days, plants can be watered with complex fertilizers for seedlings, diluted in a proportion of 10 g per liter of water.
Seedling roots require oxygen to develop. To achieve this, the top layer of soil is regularly loosened.
Preparing seedlings for planting
Two months after germination, the seedlings are transplanted into a permanent location in the greenhouse. To ensure better establishment, the plants are hardened off two weeks before transplanting.
The first time, the seedlings are chilled for an hour. To do this, open a window or take the pots and boxes out to the veranda. Each subsequent day, increase the chilling time, reaching 8 hours per day. Just before planting, the seedlings are taken out to the greenhouse and left overnight.
Seedlings ready for planting should be 25-30 cm high and have 6-8 true dark green leaves.
In cloudy weather and in the evenings, fluorescent or LED lamps are turned on over the seedlings to increase daylight hours.
Growing peppers
Growing peppers This is done in a greenhouse or garden bed. To protect delicate plants from frost in the spring, arches are installed over the garden bed and film or agrofibre is stretched over the plants.
Soil preparation
To grow peppers outdoors, choose a well-lit bed protected from strong north winds. The best predecessors for sweet peppers are plants from the cruciferous family (cabbage, radish, turnips), legumes (peas, beans, clover, lupines), or cucurbits (melons, cucumbers, pumpkins, watermelons). Unsuitable predecessors for peppers are nightshade crops (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, eggplants).
Pepper grows well in light, humus-rich sandy loam soils.
In the fall, the soil for future plantings is dug over, adding rotted manure at a rate of one bucket per square meter. Over the winter, the fertilizer will rot and release nutrients into the field. In the spring, the soil is dug again, adding 40 grams of potassium and phosphorus fertilizers and 30 grams of nitrogen fertilizers per square meter.
Planting pepper seedlings
Young plants are planted in the soil when the soil in the greenhouse or garden beds warms up to 12-15°C. In the Moscow region, this period occurs in late May (after the 25th). The optimal temperature is considered to be 20-25°C.
Before planting, make holes in the beds and add 1.5-2 liters of water. To ensure better rooting, the seedlings are planted in the holes with a clod of soil. The seedlings are buried in the soil to the level of the lower leaves. After planting, the hole is filled with soil and covered with a layer of mulch to prevent moisture evaporation.
In a standard polycarbonate greenhouse, peppers are planted in two rows. The distance between rows is 50-60 cm. The distance between plants in a row depends on the future height of the plants. Low-growing plants are planted 15-20 cm apart, medium-sized plants 25-30 cm apart, and tall plants 40-50 cm apart.
When planting in a staggered pattern, space the plants 30 x 30 cm or 30 x 50 cm apart. Close planting saves space but shades the plants and reduces the yield per plant. To promote rooting, mound the seedlings with moist soil a few days after planting.
You may be interested in:Growing peppers in open ground
In open ground, peppers are grown on raised beds. To ensure the soil warms up faster and more effectively after spring plowing and loosening, it is covered with black plastic film. The sun's rays warm the beds very quickly, and the plastic covering prevents moisture from evaporating.
Peppers are planted in rows 60 cm apart, with 30 cm between plants. Before planting, the film is marked with a marker and then cut crosswise.
Arches are installed over the planted seedlings, and film or agrofibre is stretched over them.
The film prevents moisture from evaporating, so plants are watered at the roots once every 7-10 days.
Growing peppers in a greenhouse
To get a good harvest, the greenhouse must have light, fertile soil, well-fertilized with humus and compost. Soil preparation begins in the fall. After removing the previous season's plant debris, the beds are dug over, adding ½ a bucket of compost per square meter of surface area. Over the winter, the nutrients from the compost will be released into the soil. In the spring, the following is added to each square meter of the bed:
- 1 tbsp each superphosphate and potassium fertilizer;
- a glass of wood ash;
- ½ bucket of humus.
The bed is dug up, harrowed well and covered with plastic film to prevent drying out.
Peppers are planted in greenhouses earlier than in open ground. The planting time depends on the wall material and the presence of a heating system. The optimal soil temperature for planting is 20-25°C.
Plants in greenhouses grow and develop actively. To achieve this, they require ample moisture. Before flowering and fruiting, peppers are watered once a week, and once every three days during fruit set and growth. Plants are watered with warm water (20-25°C); drip irrigation systems are ideal. After watering, the soil is loosened to a depth of 3-5 cm. To reduce moisture evaporation, the soil between plants is covered with a layer of mulch.
For growth and abundant fruiting, plants require 12-14 hours of daylight. Supplemental lighting is added to the greenhouse in the fall.
Pepper fertilizing
To produce a bountiful harvest, plants require a lot of minerals and nutrients. They get some of these from the soil, and the rest is added by the gardener. top dressing.
Essential nutrients
Peppers require nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, and micronutrients for growth and fruiting. Nitrogen is essential during active growth before fruiting begins. Subsequently, its supply is limited. Phosphorus and potassium are needed throughout the plant's entire growing season.
Magnesium and calcium are particularly essential micronutrients for pepper development. They are readily absorbed by plants when applied foliarly. They are typically applied foliarly as needed. Infusions of complex organic fertilizers are beneficial for plants throughout the growing season.
Top dressing with organic fertilizers
Organic fertilizers contain all the nutrients plants need. Using them, gardeners receive environmentally friendly produce.
To prepare the solution, place 2.5 buckets of manure or droppings in a 100-liter barrel and add 7.5 buckets of water. Cover the container with a lid and leave for a week. Before use, add 1 liter of mullein or 0.5 liters of manure infusion to 10 liters of water and add a glass of wood ash.
A good option for fertilizer is a herbal mash. To prepare it, fill a barrel halfway with finely chopped garden weeds, add water, and cover with a lid. Place the container in a sunny spot to ferment. Stir the solution daily. The finished solution stops foaming and turns a yellow-green color. Before use, dilute it 1:10.
The first pepper feeding is done two weeks after planting the seedlings, when the plants have established themselves and new leaves have begun to emerge. Add ½ liter of diluted organic infusion to each plant. Water the peppers twice a month throughout the growing season, adding 2 liters of the infusion to each plant.
Top dressing with mineral fertilizers
For fertilizing, use specialized pepper fertilizers or mix your own. The following mixture is considered optimal for 10 liters of water:
- 20 g ammonium nitrate;
- 40 g superphosphate;
- 30 g potassium sulfate.
During the summer season, peppers are fed several times:
- The first time the plants are fed is 14 days after planting the seedlings. Pour ½ a liter of fertilizer solution under the roots of each plant;
- The second feeding is done after flowering. Small bushes are given 1 liter of solution, while tall bushes are given 2 liters;
- The third feeding is carried out during the first harvest of fruits. Two liters of solution are poured under each plant.
Formation of a pepper bush
With proper care in protected soil, the pepper plant actively grows numerous small branches and leaves. Typically, the area of the fertile bed is limited, so the plants are planted at small intervals. To ensure each plant receives the required amount of light, gardeners shape the plants by removing excess stems and leaves.
As a rule, medium- and tall-growing varieties require pruning. Shorter bushes require pruning of weak and wilted shoots.
Formation of seedlings
Plant development begins when it reaches a height of 15 cm. At this point, the bush branches into two shoots, between which a flower emerges. When growing pepper bushes yourself, the flower is left to produce ripe seeds; otherwise, to avoid stunting the plant's growth, it is removed. Pinching the bud promotes the rapid emergence of the next tier of branches and flower buds on the bush.
Forming a pepper bush in a greenhouse
Peppers are planted indoors at a density of 2 to 8 seedlings per square meter, with 70-70 cm between plants. Once the seedlings have established themselves and begin to sprout their first leaves, they are inspected and any wilted or damaged leaves are removed. For better ventilation, shoots and leaves growing below the first fork are removed.
During plant formation, the strongest shoot is selected from each emerging branch. Weak branches are removed, leaving only one leaf and flower.
To thin out the crown, remove side shoots growing at the base of the leaves. They are carefully pinched or broken off. To prevent branches on tall peppers from breaking under the weight of the fruit, they are tied to a trellis.
Once the plants reach a height of 1-1.5 meters, their tops are pruned. The bushes stop growing tall and begin to direct all nutrients toward fruit production. Forty days before the end of harvest, the ends of all skeletal branches are pruned. After this, the bush's growth stops, and the fruit weight increases.
Harvesting
The fruits of early-ripening varieties and hybrids begin to ripen in the Moscow region in early July. The fruiting period continues until the end of August, when the plants finish developing and long, cold nights begin. To speed up fruit formation, blooming flowers are picked off the bush at the end of July.
To increase the quantity and weight of the fruit, peppers are harvested at the technical ripeness stage. At this stage, they become glossy green, sweet, and juicy. If the fruit is left to ripen on the vine, it will be sweeter and brighter, but the overall yield will be reduced by half.
The fruits are harvested throughout the fruiting season as they ripen. During harvesting, the stem is carefully trimmed with pruning shears or scissors, being careful not to damage the branch. The last fruits are harvested before frost.
Harvested peppers are stored in a cellar or basement in wooden boxes, stacked one layer deep. The room temperature should be maintained at 10-15°C for a month. Once ripe, the temperature is reduced to 0°C, and the fruits are stored for another 50-60 days.
By selecting early-ripening varieties and hybrids and using appropriate agricultural techniques, tender southern peppers can be successfully grown in the harsh conditions of the short northern summers of the Moscow region.
Reviews
Nikolay, 57 years old
I've been growing peppers for over 10 years. I built a small greenhouse with a polycarbonate covering for this purpose. I grow the seedlings myself from my own seeds. To do this, I leave the very first peppers to ripen on several plants. I plant several varieties at once, preferring low-growing ones. I begin harvesting the peppers in mid-July, and the last harvest is in mid-September.
Elena, 36 years old
I really enjoy growing peppers. I plant them in two large beds in the garden every year. I grow the seedlings on the windowsill, preferring hybrids, which are quicker to ripen and more resilient. I plant the seedlings in early May, immediately install trellises in the beds, and cover the plantings with agrofibre. The new hybrids are very frost-resistant, so spring cold snaps don't harm them. When warm weather arrives, I remove the trellises. I let the peppers ripen on the vine—that's how they grow sweet and juicy.
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