Winnie the Pooh Pepper: Characteristics, Description, and Growing

Those summer residents and gardeners who have a small plot or greenhouse should opt for the very unpretentious Winnie the Pooh variety. The hybrid was developed in the Rostov region and is ideal for growing both in open ground and in greenhouse conditions.

Description of the variety

The Winnie the Pooh variety is an early-ripening variety: typically 100 days pass between germination and technical maturity. The bush is very low, just 25 cm tall, with branches pressed tightly against the trunk, and the fruits grow in clusters. This compact plant shape allows for dense cultivation and high yields even in the smallest plots.

The fruits are cone-shaped with a pointed end. They are green when ripe, but turn red as they mature. Ripe fruits can reach approximately 10 cm in length and weigh 50 g. The flesh is quite plump, juicy, and sweet, with walls up to 6 mm thick. Therefore, this variety is ideal for cooking, pickling, and eating fresh.

Considering the small weight of the fruits, the pepper yield will be about 5 kg per 1 m²The harvest tolerates transportation well, has a long shelf life, and retains its marketable appearance.

Preparing and sowing seeds

Seeds are prepared for sowing as early as late February. To do this, place them on a damp cloth, periodically moistening it with water. Within a week, the live seeds will swell, and the dead ones will be discarded. You can speed up the process by soaking the seeds in room-temperature water for two days. Next, soak all the swollen seeds in a very weak solution of potassium permanganate for an hour and rinse under running water.

Now, fill the prepared containers with fertile soil, water it, and place the seeds on top. Cover them with a 1 cm layer of dry soil and cover with a transparent material such as film or glass. After the first sprouts appear (3 weeks), remove the film. Store the containers in a bright, sunny room.

Growing seedlings

Once the seedlings emerge, ensure a temperature of 22–24°C. They should also be watered regularly with warm water as the soil dries out. When nighttime temperatures reach 10–13°C, the young plants should be hardened off by leaving them outdoors overnight. This will help them survive transplantation to their permanent location and establish roots more quickly.

Planting seedlings in beds

Seedlings can be planted in greenhouses in late April or early May, and in open beds in the first ten days of June. The soil should be fertilized with humus before planting. Peppers will grow better and be less susceptible to disease if they were planted after legumes, cabbage, and carrots. Avoid planting peppers in the same bed after nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, and eggplants).

The shoots are spaced 60 cm apart, buried right down to the leaves. They are watered with lukewarm water and covered with garden film for several days. It's best to choose a cloudy day for this, otherwise intense sunlight can burn the tender shoots.

Caring for Winnie the Pooh Pepper

Rooted seedlings need to be watered from time to time, but they should not be watered excessively, as the crop may be affected by diseases due to over-watering.

Twice a month, mineral fertilizers and top dressing should be applied to the soil. You can prepare the following solution: dissolve 1 tablespoon of double superphosphate and 1 teaspoon of urea in 10 liters of water. Apply 0.5 liters of the solution to each plant.

The soil between the beds with planted peppers sometimes needs to be loosened and weeds removed.

When the bush reaches 15 cm in height, lateral shoots will form. Select the two strongest of these and pinch off the rest. Repeat this process each time new shoots appear. This will significantly increase the yield. Regularly inspect the bushes and remove dried leaves.

The pepper bed should be well-lit and protected from winds. Insufficient sun will result in thin, weak shoots.

Sweet pepper disease

The most common disease of sweet peppers is late blight. It manifests as dark spots with a green border on the leaves, stems, and fruit. If left untreated, the disease can lead to fruit rot. Late blight is a common tomato disease, so it is not recommended to plant sweet peppers after or near tomatoes. The disease is caused by sudden temperature changes, as well as high humidity. The disease often affects plants in greenhouses when temperature control is not maintained. At the first sign of late blight, spraying with Bordeaux mixture can help eliminate it.

Harvesting bell peppers

Peppers should be harvested when the fruit is fully ripe. Leaving them on the vine for longer is not recommended. Harvest peppers carefully, cutting them off with pruning shears or a knife, along with the stems. The entire crop is usually harvested in two or three stages as the fruit ripens.

Obtaining bell pepper seeds

If you plan to harvest peppers while also collecting seeds, leave a few peppers on the third tier from the bottom until late summer. Remove any emerging shoots and ovaries, as they will drain the plants and negatively impact seed quality. Remove overripe peppers and place them in a paper bag until completely dry. Then cut the peppers, remove the seeds, and store them in a paper envelope labeled with the harvest time and variety name.