Pepper "Star of the East": characteristics of the variety, description (photo)

"Star of the East" is a group of hybrid sweet pepper varieties developed by the Moscow-based breeding and agricultural firm SeDeK. They share high productivity, ripening period, and other characteristics. The varieties range in color from natural to the most exotic.

The variety got its name from the star-shaped peppers when cut. Hybrids in this group are close to perfect. "Star of the East" is a major success for breeders.

Description and characteristics

Peppers of these varieties have a beautiful appearance, are large, and have fleshy, juicy flesh with walls up to 1 cm thick. The cube-shaped fruits can weigh up to 400 grams. They have a sweet taste and a firm flesh.

The only drawback is the need to tie up large spreading bushes, which can reach a height of up to 90 cm.

General advantages of the breeding group:

• high productivity;
• early ripening;
• good preservation during transportation;
• disease resistance;
• pleasant taste and universal use;
• Commercial appearance of fruits: rich color, glossy surface, large size.

The entire group line includes 12 varieties, each with slightly different characteristics. Each variety has its own distinct color.

Characteristic features of varieties:

Features of cultivation

These varieties can be grown outdoors, under plastic cover, or in greenhouses. Seedlings are planted in the ground. Seeds for seedlings are prepared in late February or early March.

Seed preparation

In the fall, seeds are extracted from ripe, good-quality fruits, rinsed under running water, and dried on a napkin. To select viable seeds with good germination rates, they are placed in a warm saline solution (40 g/l) for 10 minutes. Only the seeds that sink to the bottom are selected.

Immediately before planting, the seeds must be warmed up by placing them in a cloth bag and immersing them in hot water (40-50°C) for 2 hours, then placing them on a damp cloth and leaving them in a warm place until sprouts appear.

You can speed up germination by up to 5 days by treating the seeds in stages in two solutions:

1. The first step is to soak the plant for 12 hours in a solution of 1 tablespoon of ash, a knife-tip of boric acid, and 1 liter of water, heated to 50°C. After treatment, rinse with running water.
2. The second step is to wrap the seeds in a cloth and soak them for 24 hours in an aqueous solution of Agricola Vegeta heated to 26-28°C (1 tsp/1 l).

If you are using store-bought pelleted seeds with a coating of organomineral nutrient mixture, you should not soak or treat them before planting, so as not to wash off the coating.

Growing seedlings

Sprouted seeds are planted in plastic cups or special seedling molds. Make sure they have holes in the bottom to allow water drainage. You can use a store-bought potting mix or make your own. It should be loose, light, and nutritious.

Soil options:

• 1 part sawdust, 2 parts peat, 2 parts humus;
• 1 part humus, 1 part peat;
• 2 parts humus, 1 part sand, 1 part soil, 1 tablespoon ash;
• 1 part peat, 1 part compost, 1 part soil, 1 glass of ash.

The soil level in the molds should be 2 cm below the rim. Moisten the soil, make holes 2-3 cm apart and 1 cm deep, and sow the seeds. If possible, plant each plant in its own cup. Then cover the holes with a 1 cm layer of soil, cover with plastic wrap, and maintain a room temperature of at least 20°C. Water as the surface dries. Once sprouts appear, it's best to move the seedlings to a cooler location (15-17°C).

Three to four weeks after planting, when the first two leaves have formed, the seedlings are transplanted into larger containers (they are pricked out). Plants in individual cups do not need to be pricked out.

Every two weeks, seedlings should be fed with an aqueous solution of fertilizer, for example, Agricola (25 g/10).

Transplantation into the ground

Repotting should begin when the plants begin to bud. Suitable soil includes black soil, loam, and sandy loam. Planting is best done on a cool day or in the evening. The soil should be warmed to 15°C.

Planting sequence:

1. Dig up the soil, form beds, make holes at a distance of 56-60 cm from each other, add humus or compost to the holes.
2. Remove the seedlings from the mold along with the root ball and distribute them among the holes. The root collar of the plant should be level with the surface of the bed.
3. Fill the hole halfway with soil, water generously with warm, settled water (at least a liter), add a second portion of soil.

The next day, the bed can be mulched with wilted lawn grass to better retain moisture in the soil and shade the roots.

Further care consists of the following steps: regular watering, timely fertilizing, and tying up the bushes. On hot days, artificial shade can be provided for the plants using special awnings, and the greenhouse should be ventilated. It's best to water in the morning or evening, avoiding direct sunlight to the roots.

Disease prevention

Plants in this line of varieties are disease-resistant and, with proper care, are trouble-free. Periodically loosen the soil in the hole, ensuring the root zone is covered. Water regularly, but only as needed. In wet weather, water sparingly or not at all.

If the root part of the plant rots, it should be removed and the soil treated with a 3% copper sulfate solution.

To prevent pests (aphids, mites), plant in clean, healthy soil. Treating plants with dry mustard or ground pepper and loosening the soil will help keep slugs away.

Harvesting

Peppers are ready for consumption at both technical and biological maturity stages, so large fruits can be harvested before they reach their typical varietal color. This will allow the plant to utilize its energy to ripen all the ovaries. Peppers tend to ripen further during storage. Each "Star of the East" bush can produce an average of 12 fruits.

Purpose of fruits

Selective breeding has allowed us to develop hybrid varieties for universal use. Peppers from the "Star of the East" series are sweet and have no bitter aftertaste. They can be eaten raw, added to salads, soups, and roasts, stuffed, or used to make canned vegetable caviar or lecho.

The fruits have a long shelf life. They can be frozen or dried until the next harvest, without losing their vitamins or flavor.

Reviews from summer residents

Hobby gardeners have received the hybrid "Star of the East" variety very well. They praised its yield and early ripening. It was noted that the peppers ripen in open ground and do not require greenhouse cultivation. With proper care, up to 20 peppers were obtained per plant.

Gardeners praise the peppers' flavor and note the long shelf life of the harvest. The only drawback noted is that the branches cannot support the weight of the fruit and break. Seeds from these varieties are in high demand among vegetable growers.