Sweet peppers for the Moscow region: best varieties, reviews

So, based on the advice of leading agricultural firms and reviews from gardeners, it's better to plant pepper hybrids rather than varieties in the Moscow region. Let's figure out why and which ones perform better.

Hybrids or varieties?

A specific variety is the result of selection; it can produce seeds that are planted the following year, and these seeds are absolutely identical in quality to their parent variety. Hybrids, on the other hand, are the result of crossbreeding; they are stronger and more vigorous than their parents, yielding more fruit, and are more disease-resistant. However, if you plant their seeds, you won't grow peppers from them. Their advantage is that they yield a more resilient and high-quality harvest today, while varietal peppers can be harvested and grown year after year. Hybrids are easy to distinguish—the word "F1" is always added to the name on the packaging. These hybrids are more resilient, but only varietal varieties can be harvested for seed.

The problem of gardeners in the Moscow region

Some experienced gardeners are surprised that our summer residents often complain that they can't grow peppers at their dachas, yet they choose varieties that are weak for our region, like Podarok Moldovy (Gift of Moldova), which, in fact, were created for Kuban and Crimea, and are completely unsuitable for us. This same mistake applies to California Miracle; we don't recommend it for the Moscow region; there are far better varieties with a virtually guaranteed harvest.

Proven varieties for the Moscow region

To get a good harvest of sweet, aromatic peppers in the Moscow region, you need to choose early-ripening varieties—this is the first requirement for them to ripen and yield a bountiful harvest. The wonderful varieties Zdorovie, Buratino, Vinnie-Pooh, Chardash, Funtik, Yunga, and Eroshka have long been among the leaders in their ability to consistently deliver results—we recommend paying particular attention to them. These varieties were developed specifically for temperate climates and begin producing crops in 98-100 days after germination. Their low growth habit allows for the use of plastic cover, yielding around 2 kg per plant—not much, but consistently.
We also recommend using special plant activator, which will improve your harvest.
See also: Raspberry Miracle tomatoes - reviews.

The best of the early ripening

Judging by numerous reviews, Chardosh and Buratino have proven to be the best varieties for the Moscow region. They are followed by peppers bred by Boriskina, zoned specifically for our region. They yield 3-4 kg per bush, with thick-walled and large fruits of various colors, shapes, and sizes, delicious, disease-resistant, and extremely early.

According to gardeners, Bagration, Licedey, and Kupidon have performed well in the Moscow region, while Barguzin and Country, Zaznayka, and Kornet have also produced good yields. Alyonushka is very good in greenhouses, but due to its tall bushes (up to 1.5 meters), it is not suitable for open ground. The same applies to the Nochka hybrid.

So, through trial and error, gardeners have identified several excellent early-ripening peppers for the Moscow region, and the first of these is Agapovsky, developed by our research institute located in the Moscow region. This means that the parents live locally, as is customary, and know it best. Also ripening alongside it is a hybrid from the Netherlands called Aries (up to 100 days), Buratino (90-100 days, the bush is only 30 cm tall with small fruits suitable for whole-fruit canning), and Winnie-the-Pooh's fruits will be similarly ripe.

Our Research Institute's Dobrynya variety has proven excellent; it ripens early, up to 92 days, and our Mercury hybrid, up to 100 days, is ideal for greenhouses. Nezhnost (up to 85 days) and our Ruza hybrid (82-104 days) are also suitable (can be grown under plastic).

Reviews

• Natalia: Regardless of what anyone says, I still prefer the California Miracle and think it's perfectly suited for temperate climates. Yes, the ripening period is a bit long—up to 130 days—but it bears fruit for a long time, producing aromatic, thick-skinned fruits that germinate well, sweet, and flavorful. I grew it under plastic and even in open ground, and it managed to ripen, and the harvest was excellent. However, if the summer is cold, the fruits are thin-walled.
• Maxim: I am a fan of the Bull's Ear variety; after planting the seedlings, it bears fruit in 70 days. I have planted it both in a greenhouse and in open ground. The fruits are large, up to 150g, thick-walled, and tasty.
• Sofia: The best one for me is the yellow Gemini F1, a Dutch variety. The bushes are not very tall, up to half a meter, they grow well under plastic, they are early maturing, and can easily be grown outdoors in a good summer.
• Ivan: My favorite is Gemini F1, I've been growing it for three years now, it's sweet and tasty when it turns yellow, although the green one is quite edible, and it also has more vitamins.
• Maria: Claudio F1 peppers are sweet and tasty, with large fruits (some up to 200g). They germinate and grow well, and are ready to eat in 80 days. I also love the Zvezda Vostoka hybrids—they're all fleshy, bright, early-ripening, and delicious.

By the way, take a look - Eggshells as fertilizer - how to use.