Review of the best varieties of sweet peppers

Sweet peppers are a must-have crop in every garden! Residents of cold regions around the world have long mastered the art of growing this delicious southern vegetable. And thanks to the efforts of plant breeders, an incredible number of sweet pepper varieties and hybrids have been developed, capable of satisfying the needs of even the most discerning gardeners.

Description and characteristics of pepper seeds

Hybrid and varietal pepper seeds are available at specialty stores. Understanding the difference between these terms is crucial when selecting seed.

1. Varietal peppers are the result of selecting the best plant specimens. Breeders strive to increase their fertility, taking into account growing conditions. Varietal pepper seeds can be harvested independently; the resulting offspring will retain the characteristics of the original plant.
2. Hybrid peppers (F1) are the result of crossing different varieties. The resulting plants typically have increased immunity to various adverse factors and produce higher yields of fruit with excellent taste and marketability. They are also more demanding in terms of growing conditions. Seeds collected from such plants will not pass on their properties to subsequent plants.

Gardeners who have been growing peppers for years recommend choosing seeds with different ripening times. They should be planted so that they do not cross-pollinate. The distance between varieties should be at least 2 meters. Hot peppers should be planted as far away from sweet peppers as possible. This same technique will help you obtain the original variety when harvesting seeds yourself.

Planting peppers with different ripening periods will allow you to enjoy delicious, fresh vegetables all summer long. Learn more about timing:

• early - these peppers are best planted in areas with a short summer; it takes 80-110 days from sowing to harvesting ripe fruits;
• medium – suitable for growing in any conditions, they ripen 120–130 days after sowing;
• Late peppers are recommended for cities with warm, long summers and autumns. They are also planted in various greenhouses. They take about 140 days to ripen.

Regarding growing conditions, let's remember the crop's capricious nature. In most of our country, peppers are difficult to grow in unprotected soil. As mentioned earlier, hybrids are more resilient to unusual weather conditions. Another important factor when choosing seeds is plant height: the taller the peppers, the more attention they require.

Finally, I'd like to point out the storage quality of the fruits. This factor should also be taken into account when purchasing seeds, especially if the vegetable is grown commercially. More information can be found on the packaging. It also includes suggested sowing times and recommendations for growing the variety or hybrid.

Rules for selecting seeds

An important, and often decisive, criterion for choosing pepper seeds is the fruit's characteristics. This is especially important if a variety or hybrid is grown for a specific purpose. For example, hot peppers are most often purchased as a seasoning for preserves and homemade dishes. For stuffing, choose varieties with uniform fruits.

Sweet peppers come in a variety of shapes—cones, cubes, ovals, and spheres. They can be elongated or compressed, and even have very intricate shapes. Their surface can be bumpy, ribbed, or completely smooth. Size also varies, with some peppers being very large and others quite small.

The main color variations of pepper fruits are yellow, red, and green. A huge number of varieties and hybrids are now known, combining several colors and shades.

Atlantic

A large-fruited, early-ripening (up to 80 days) hybrid of Dutch origin, it rarely gets sick and is tolerant of low temperatures. The bush is tall and moderately branched. Yields approximately 11 kg/m². It can be grown in all conditions and regions and is resistant to potato virus and tobacco mosaic virus.

The peppers are thick-walled, prismatic, and weigh between 120 and 250 grams. When fully ripe, the fruit is a rich red. The flavor is rated as very good, with no bitterness and a bright, fresh peppery aroma. The flesh is firm, with a pleasant texture, and the skin is thin and very tender.

Fakir

This early-ripening variety (90–110 days) can be grown both outdoors and indoors. The bush is just over half a meter tall, standard, with moderate branching and medium foliage. Disease resistance is excellent. The peppers are smooth, cone-shaped (elongated), uniformly red, thick-walled, and weigh 50–200 grams. The flavor is sweet, and Fakir is a very prolific variety.

Prince Silver

A mid-early (100–120 days), highly productive sweet pepper variety for open-field cultivation in all regions. Excellent resistance to adverse weather conditions. The bush grows approximately 75 cm tall and is moderately dense. The peppers are smooth or slightly ribbed, cone-shaped, and bright red. The flavor is excellent, sweet, and rich. Fruit weight ranges from 100 to 200 grams, with a wall thickness of approximately 7 mm.

Hercules

This early-ripening (100–110 days) variety, bred in Russia, can be grown in all regions in greenhouses and open ground. It is highly tolerant of adverse conditions, and problems during cultivation are extremely rare. It is resistant to fusarium. The bush grows to a height of no more than 60 cm, semi-spreading, and very neat, with slightly wrinkled leaves.

The peppers are thick-walled, red, smooth, and cubical, up to 12 cm long. The fruit diameter is about 11 cm, and they weigh 150–220 grams. The flesh is pleasantly sweet, without bitterness, and the aroma is very rich. The maximum yield per plant is about 3 kg.

Arsenal

A mid-season variety (125–130 days), suitable for cultivation under plastic covers and in open ground. Arsenal is resistant to most common diseases and thrives even in cooler climates. The bush grows up to 80 cm tall, with sparse branches and a semi-spreading habit.

The peppers are cone-shaped, smooth, and red, weighing between 120 and 150 grams. The walls are no thicker than 6 mm, the flesh is firm, sweet, and not bitter, with a pleasant, unobtrusive aroma. With proper care, a single plant can yield up to 2 kg of fruit.

Ox ear

Another very good variety with a mid-season ripening period (120–125 days). The plant is tall, up to 90 cm, with moderate branching. "Ox Ear" has good resistance to all adverse factors. The fruits have a good shelf life. The peppers are red, elongated and conical, weighing from 150 to 220 grams. The walls are about 6 mm thick, and the flesh is very tasty, juicy, and aromatic. The yield per square meter is approximately 3 kg.

A gift from Moldova

A very old Moldovan variety, it was imported to Russia back in 1973. This mid-season pepper (115–130 days) is resistant to many diseases and can be grown both outdoors and indoors. Its immunity to adverse weather conditions and diseases is high, especially when basic agricultural practices are followed.

The bush grows no taller than half a meter, forming a standard. The fruits are cone-shaped, with walls approximately 8 mm thick. The red peppers have excellent taste and marketability. This variety is very popular in our country; it's easy to grow and produces substantial yields—up to 5 kg/m².

Poltava

A common, productive variety with a mid-season ripening period (100–120 days), it is cold-hardy, and the fruits keep well and are easy to transport. The peppers develop vigorously throughout the growing season. They are highly resistant to all adverse factors.

The plant grows up to 70 cm tall, with medium foliage and a compact habit. The peppers are cone-shaped, slightly ribbed, and red, weighing up to 100 grams. The walls are about 7 mm thick, the skin is firm, and the flesh is juicy.

Lumina

The name of this variety isn't familiar to everyone, but everyone knows its taste. This is the same pepper that's one of the first to appear in spring at markets and grocery stores. It's early maturing (100–110 days), productive, disease- and pest-resistant, and weather-tolerant. The fruits are shelf-stable and easy to transport.

The bush is medium-sized and semi-spreading. The peppers are cone-shaped, ranging in color from golden yellow to red. The fruits weigh 100–120 grams, and the walls are approximately 5 mm thick. Some gardeners describe the flavor as neutral; the flesh is juicy and tender, moderately sweet, and lacks bitterness.

Orange miracle

An early-ripening Dutch variety (95–110 days), recommended for both open-air and greenhouse cultivation. The plant grows up to a meter tall, is branched, and requires support. It is resistant to adverse weather conditions and diseases. The fruit retains its marketable appearance for a long time and is suitable for long-term storage and long-distance transport.

The peppers are cube-shaped, smooth, thick-walled, orange, and weigh between 200 and 300 grams. They have a very good, rich, peppery, sweet flavor, and juicy flesh. A single plant produces up to 12 peppers, yielding up to 14 kg per square meter.

California Miracle

The variety's fruits can be red, yellow, or orange. The plant is compact, no taller than half a meter. Ripening time is average (120-130 days). The California Miracle pepper is undemanding to growing conditions, is resistant to the mosaic virus, and possesses characteristics of hybrid peppers, despite being a cultivar. The fruits are smooth, fleshy, and juicy, with a cubic shape. The flavor and marketability are excellent, with peppers weighing between 80 and 200 grams. Yields reach up to 10 kg/m².

Ivanhoe

One of the best early-ripening red pepper varieties (100–125 days). It has excellent immunity to viruses and fungi, is tolerant of temperature fluctuations, and is undemanding of growing conditions. The bush is compact, medium-sized, with few branches, and is semi-standard. The peppers are very tasty, thick-walled, cone-shaped, red, and weigh from 100 to 160 grams. The average yield is 5 kg/m².

Claudio

An early-ripening Dutch hybrid. It thrives in temperate climates and can be grown both indoors and outdoors. Claudio tolerates both low temperatures and hot periods. It has excellent disease resistance.

The bushes are upright, medium-sized, and massive, producing up to 12 fruits. The peppers are prismatic, slightly elongated, and red, weighing 200 to 250 grams. The walls are slightly thicker than 1 cm, and the flesh is juicy, sweet, and incredibly tasty. The harvested crop stores well, yielding up to 4 kg per square meter.

Viking

An early-ripening, high-yielding variety, it's a popular choice for growing under plastic cover and in open ground. The bush is semi-spreading, medium-sized, and produces approximately four fruits at a time. It is highly resistant to the most common diseases, especially tobacco mosaic virus.

The fruits are prismatic, red, and weigh up to 200 grams. The walls are about 7 mm thick, and the flesh is juicy and sweet without bitterness. The skins do not crack, meaning the peppers store well; this variety is often grown commercially.

Marinka's tongue

Another very attractive mid-season (120-130 days) sweet pepper variety native to Ukraine. It tolerates adverse weather conditions very well and is rarely affected by viruses or fungi—a boon for growing in open ground. The bush is medium-sized, producing up to 15 fruits. Ripening period is average.

The variety's name is no coincidence: the red peppers are shaped like a tongue. The walls are up to 12 mm thick, and the flesh is juicy, dense, sweet, and aromatic. The average fruit weight is 250 grams. A 1 m² planting yields approximately 5 kg.

Recommendations for obtaining a high yield

Despite the characteristics of the varieties described, and they all differ in productivity, a good result can only be achieved by following agricultural practices:

• First of all, you should adhere to the sowing dates and not forget about seed preparation - culling, disinfection, nutrition and germination;
• Proper watering and fertilizing of seedlings, lighting and providing ideal conditions at all stages of growth have a significant impact on the future harvest;
• Peppers should not be planted next to eggplant, potatoes, or tomatoes. They can be planted after zucchini, cucumbers, pumpkin, and carrots, and the best neighbor for peppers is bush beans.
• Choose a sunny, level site with fertile, loose, and non-acidic soil. In cooler regions, even the most cold-hardy varieties should be planted in warm beds.
• Neither young nor mature plants should be left without moisture and nutrition. Peppers need feeding before and after flowering, and during fruit formation. The plant is very responsive to watering; the soil should be sufficiently moist, but not waterlogged.
• tall peppers require tying and shaping;
• Weeds should be removed from the garden bed, the soil can be loosened, but very carefully.

The described sweet pepper varieties have been time-tested and grown by many gardeners across different countries and regions. All of them produce excellent results year after year. But it's important to remember that garden crops, especially peppers, thrive on care and attention.

Reviews

Svetlana. In our region, summers are short and not as warm as we'd like, but we still grow peppers, planting them in greenhouses! Selecting seeds is a very important process, with a ton of details to consider. A couple of years ago, I bought seeds of the Atlantic hybrid sweet pepper. It's productive and delicious, and it's adapted perfectly to greenhouse conditions. We eat it fresh and can it.

 

Bogdan. I recommend the Viking and Arsenal peppers to everyone. I've been growing them outdoors in the central region for several years now. I've had no problems with proper cultivation practices. I prepare the plot in the fall, apply fertilizer, and during the growing season, I barely feed the peppers, except perhaps with ash infusion. The plants produce a harvest before the cold weather sets in; they're very prolific. The taste and marketability of both varieties are excellent.