Big Papa Pepper: Characteristics and Description of the Variety (Photo)

Pepper

Big Papa is an unusual sweet pepper with purple or cherry-colored fruits. It grows well in temperate climates and is disease-resistant.

The crop is grown on commercial farms and in private gardens.

General characteristics

'Big Papa' is an early-ripening pepper. It produces fruit in just 100 days—one of the shortest growing seasons among sweet pepper varieties.

The plant grows low. Bushes reach no more than 50 cm and don't require staking or support. This is a definite plus—the garden looks less crowded, and the pepper doesn't block the sun from nearby low-growing grasses and plants. Overall, the variety is easy to grow. This quality makes it popular in children's gardening groups: even children can provide the plant with enough care to ensure it blooms and produces a harvest.

Advice: If you appreciate the variety's low maintenance but aren't satisfied with the quality of its fruit, you can look for "Big Papa" hybrids with red peppers. They'll only live for a year and won't produce seeds, but they'll be delicious. You can also grow your own hybrid.

The crop is suitable for growing under film or in open conditions, however, the plant can only be grown openly in the southern regions of the country.

Like other peppers, the plant is grown in two stages: first, the seedlings are planted, then they are placed in the main soil, either prepared in advance or covered with a low tent. This variety produces very high yields. More information about the fruits can be found below.

Growing in Russia

"Big Papa" is suitable for the central part of Russia (Eastern Russia - the East European Plain), as well as the Volga region, where temperatures are more favorable. In the north, including areas with cool summers (with temperatures of 15-20 degrees Celsius), it is necessary to use Urasil or other film to maintain heat. It is best to grow the crop in a greenhouse. Peppers grow best in the Volga region, especially in areas with black soil. They do not require additional shelter.

However, in the summer in the southern regions, daylight hours are reduced, so additional lighting (to maintain light for 12 hours) may be required.

In Kaliningrad, Sevastopol, and other areas with hot summers, it's important to protect the foliage from sunburn. To prevent leaves from wilting due to constant exposure to ultraviolet radiation, it's recommended to provide shade or plant the plant in a location that receives limited direct sunlight. Avoid spraying the plant with a strong stream of water during hot weather: this can not only break the stem but also intensify the sunburn. Large droplets act as a prism and amplify the sun's rays.

Since clay soils in temperate climates are not nutritious enough for sweet peppers, fertilizing is essential when planting outdoors. If clay soil becomes too loose during wet periods, add a third of the sand; for sandy soil, it's recommended to add black soil or brown soil (the result of leaf mold).

Please note: Don't overdo it with adding fertilizer and topsoil. The soil (clay, sand, and fertilizer) should be in equal parts: 1:1:1.

"Big Papa" is a common farm crop, indicating its high yield in Russian conditions. However, to achieve a good yield, all agricultural practices must be followed.

Care Features

The plant is easy to grow. Basic care—fertilizing, watering, humidifying, and maintaining the correct temperature—is sufficient to maintain healthy growth. Peppers are disease-resistant, but they don't handle stress well. Therefore, during sudden temperature drops, repotting, or other stressful events, spray the stems and leaves with Eprin.

The plant needs to be fed periodically (every 1.5-2 weeks) to produce large fruits. However, be careful not to overfeed the seedlings, as the peppercorns may become watery and lose their rich flavor.

You can hill up the bush to protect it from pests (slugs, mice, snails). It's recommended to remove weeds and grass from the soil around the plant. This will help increase the flow of nutrients to the vegetable.

Landing dates

There's no set planting date for this plant. However, it's best to sow it along with other early-ripening fruits—late January or February. If bad weather is forecast for early summer, sowing can be delayed until late February.

First, the seeds need to be grown indoors. The optimal temperature is 26 to 28 degrees Celsius. The seed should be planted to a depth of 3-4 cm. If the seed company is reputable, planting one seed is sufficient—the risk of a "dead" seed is minimal. However, if in doubt, it's better to plant two seeds per pot.

At home, seedlings need to be regularly watered (but avoid rotting of the fruit, stems, and lower leaves) and fertilized. When replanting, spray the sprouts with Eprin or another supportive solution. Replanting can be done 70-75 days after germination.

Ripening time and characteristics of fruits

The average ripening period for fruits is from 94 to 106 days.

Fact: The vegetative cycle depends on the sowing time. If you plant the seeds late, in the spring, the plant will not produce a harvest as early as the manufacturer claims. The plant begins to bear fruit abundantly after a short, beautiful bloom. A single plant can produce over a dozen fruits. It's essential to trim the lower leaves to prevent them from siphoning nutrients.

Peppers are considered biologically ripe when they turn a deep cherry color. They can be picked and ripened or stored when they turn purple.

Over the entire fruiting season, one square meter of planting can yield 6 to 8 kilograms of fruit. They are cone-shaped and medium thick, with a wall thickness of 4-5 cm, and each pepper weighs 120 g.

Disease resistance

The plant is not susceptible to diseases, and if it does become ill (which happens rarely), it quickly recovers.

With proper care and feeding, seedlings shouldn't develop black spots or yellow or brown sunburn. If stems or roots begin to rot, reduce humidity in the room or soil. Interestingly, Big Papa doesn't require preservative treatments because it has a strong immune system. This increases the vitamin content of the fruit and makes it safer for allergy sufferers and children.

Uses of the plant

Big Papa's fruits have excellent flavor. They're not overly sweet, but they're also not bitter. They lack acidity, so this variety can be used in any dish, including fresh salads.

When harvested at the technical maturity stage, peppercorns can be frozen or canned. Canning doesn't affect the flavor, but it does destroy some of the vitamins.

Peppers can be used to make lecho, the base for stuffed dishes, salads, grilled dishes, or roasted over a campfire. Sliced or thinly sliced, they make a great addition to fresh summer sandwiches. They can also be used as a garnish.

The crop is a sought-after agricultural crop. The seeds offer a good return on investment, and farmers reap a bountiful harvest with minimal investment.

During flowering, beautiful small blue flowers appear on the stems. Therefore, the seedlings can be planted in a prominent location—during flowering, their inflorescences attract attention, and during ripening, their unusual fruits with a purple tint to their walls. The leaves on the bushes are large, with a bluish tint. If the plant has received sufficient nutrition, the blue tint at the tips will be especially noticeable.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

This variety is a profitable and convenient option for both farms and home growers. Its low maintenance makes it easy to care for, even for the elderly or busy people.

Positive aspects of the variety:

does not die during cold snaps;
has a high yield;
well adapted to Russian conditions;
early ripening;
unpretentious;
low, does not require garter. Negative characteristics:
susceptible to stress and in rare cases may die;
when transplanted, the plant may stop growing for a while, which, however, does not affect the yield;
The fruits are small compared to other varieties.

Based on the comparison, it's safe to say the plant has virtually no downsides. These bushes are ideal for those looking for an easy-to-grow, fruit-bearing plant, and only farmers might prefer larger, more succulent varieties.

Reviews from gardeners

Kirill Petrovich, 72 years old. Kropotkin:

"I've been growing peppers for sale ever since I discovered the 'Big Papa' variety at the market. Before, the peppers weren't selling—they died or produced a poor harvest because we live in a northern region and the temperature outside is only 18°C (64°F) in the summer. But 'Big Papa' consistently yields 20 kg of peppers from a small, 4-meter-long bed. It sells well, and people recommend it to their friends. Every year, I sell out of the entire crop in a couple of days."

Inga Ivanovna, 52 years old. With. Levokumskoye, Neftekumsky district, Stavropol Territory:

"I don't know much about gardening, so many crops used to fail. With 'Big Papa,' everything went well. I grew it for summer lecho. Even though I sometimes forgot to fertilize and even water it, the plants yielded a harvest. And the lecho turned out excellent. However, for salads, I would recommend red varieties, not this one."

Ivan Aleksandrovich, 41 years old. Novoshakhtinsk, Rostov region:

"I grow something every year to have my own vegetables for the winter. The Big Papa turned out to be very convenient: I planted it in late spring, fertilized it, and left. I came to the dacha on weekends and watered it, covered it—no problem, the plant didn't suffer from lack of moisture or cold. It started bearing fruit this summer. It tasted a little bitter, but maybe it's due to a lack of fertilizer.

The bushes are available in several varieties and can be found at the most popular gardening companies. Their low maintenance, low seed cost, and high yield make this variety particularly attractive. "Big Papa" is a good choice for those with limited time to tend to their garden and those who want to harvest with minimal effort.