Description and characteristics of pepper varieties for paprika

Paprika is a well-known and beloved spice made from red bell peppers. Depending on the variety, paprika can range from sweet to very hot. It's added to various dishes and treats because it's a very healthy food, containing numerous vitamins and minerals. So, it's safe to say that paprika not only enhances the taste of dishes but also has a positive effect on the human body.

Paprika peppers originated in Central America, but they thrive in colder climates, even though they are heat-loving plants. Therefore, planting and caring for them require some specific considerations.

Landing rules

In temperate climates, paprika is planted only from seedlings—that is, the seedlings must first be grown from seeds before being transplanted into the garden. The only exception is the hot southern regions.

Seeds can be purchased in specialized stores or collected by yourself.

Sowing takes place in late February or early March. Wrap the seeds in a damp cloth and leave for a few days to germinate. Place the sprouted seedlings in a weak solution of potassium permanganate for half an hour to disinfect. Finally, it's a good idea to soak the seeds in a growth stimulator to improve germination. Now you're ready to plant.

Prepare the soil for planting as follows: mix 2 parts garden soil and peat with 1 part humus and sand. Mix all ingredients and freeze thoroughly. Next, add wood ash to enrich the soil at a rate of 1 cup per bucket of soil. You can also enrich the soil with a mixture of potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus fertilizers: in this case, use 20 grams of each potassium and nitrogen fertilizer and 40 grams of phosphorus fertilizer.

Prepare plastic cups filled with fertile soil (or any other container will do). Make a 2-cm hole in the soil and drop a few seeds at a time. Fill with soil, compact lightly, and water with room-temperature water. Cover the containers with a transparent material (glass or film) and place in a warm, well-lit area. Remove the covering material for a short time each day to allow air to drain, and regularly moisten the soil. However, overwatering is also important, as this can cause the sprouts to rot. Once the sprouts emerge, remove the film or glass completely.

When the sprouts have 2-3 leaves, they need to be pricked out, meaning each sprout should be planted separately to ensure the roots can absorb all the necessary nutrients from the soil and develop properly. Carefully transplant the sprouts, along with clumps of soil on the roots, into prepared containers with fertile, moist soil. Lightly compact the soil, and water the seedlings.

Now the seedlings should receive sufficient sunlight (at least 12 hours a day). Regular watering is also essential. Two weeks before planting, hardening off the seedlings will be beneficial. To do this, it's best to take the containers outside for a few hours every day.

When the seedlings reach 20 cm in height, they can be safely planted in open ground.

To get a bountiful pepper harvest, you need to choose a good growing location. Peppers don't like drafts, windy areas, direct sunlight, or very hot temperatures. Therefore, the site should be sheltered from the wind and have some shade.

The selected site must be prepared in the fall by digging and fertilizing. Before planting, it must be loosened and fertilized with potassium and phosphorus fertilizers.

Peppers are replanted in late May or early June. Prepare holes in the soil 35 cm apart. The distance between the rows is about 45 cm. Carefully remove the seedlings, along with the root ball, and transfer them to the hole. The stems are buried up to the first lower leaves, covered with soil, and compacted. Finally, be sure to water with room-temperature water and install long stakes next to each plant to which they will be tied later.

Care instructions

Further care of the bushes consists of watering, fertilizing, and disease and pest prevention.

After planting, peppers are watered approximately once a week. One liter of water is sufficient per plant. The water temperature should be around 20°C (68°F), and after each watering, loosen the soil around the stems to improve root aeration and prevent crusting. To retain moisture, pepper plants can be mulched with grass or rotted straw.

Fertilization of the soil is carried out at least 3 times during the entire season.

Nitrogen is essential for normal plant growth and development. Therefore, the first fertilization is done two weeks after transplanting the plants into the garden bed using nitrogen-containing fertilizers.

Potassium is essential for the formation of full-fledged fruits. Potassium fertilizers are applied during the pepper flowering period.

The third feeding is done when the first fruits are forming. To do this, dissolve 2 teaspoons of potassium salt and superphosphate in a bucket of water and water the soil around the bushes at the roots.

Peppers are susceptible to common pests such as mole crickets, Colorado potato beetles, slugs, whiteflies, and aphids. All pests can be removed by hand, and aphids can be controlled by spraying the plants with a wood ash solution.

The most common diseases of paprika are:

• ovary drop - a solution of boric acid (1 teaspoon per bucket of water) will help to cope with the problem,
• poor fruit development – ​​can be treated with superphosphate or wood ash,
• Yellowing leaves are caused by a nitrogen deficiency. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of urea in 10 liters of water and spray the bushes.

The harvest is collected as the fruits ripen, but slightly unripe paprika can also be picked to relieve excess weight from the bush.

Peppers for paprika: the best varieties

There are many varieties of paprika worldwide, but I'd like to highlight some of the most common ones, which have already been tried and tested by Russian gardeners and have earned widespread recognition. Peppers can ripen early, mid-season, or late. The color of the fruit also varies widely, with shades of purple, orange, red, yellow, and green.

Big Daddy

This variety is early maturing—it takes about four months from sprouting to harvesting ripe fruits. The plants grow small, up to 75 cm tall, and are quite compact. This pepper can be grown outdoors or in protected ground.

The variety's leaves are dark green with a purple tint. During flowering, blue flowers appear on the bushes. The cone-shaped fruits are purple or dark cherry in color, and have very thick walls, which can reach 7 mm. The average fruit weight ranges from 90 to 150 g; the paprika tastes very juicy, sweet, and without bitterness. With proper and careful care, a yield of 6–7.5 kg per square meter can be obtained. The variety is also highly resistant to fungal and viral diseases.

A gift from Moldova

The Podarok Moldovy paprika is a mid-season variety – harvesting is possible as early as 135-140 days after the first shoots emerge. The neat, compact bushes, approximately 50 cm tall, require little care and are quite undemanding. This variety can be grown in garden beds and greenhouses, in any climate and on a variety of soils. This paprika is characterized by high immunity to common diseases and tolerance to variable and unstable weather conditions.

The small, red fruits are cone-shaped and average 70–90 g in weight, with walls up to 6 mm thick. The flesh is unusually sweet, juicy, and aromatic.

Despite the small weight of the fruit, Gift of Moldova produces an excellent harvest – up to 7 kg per square meter.

Lumina

Another of the most common mid-season paprika varieties, it takes 130 days from germination to harvest. Suitable for both open-field and sheltered cultivation, this variety boasts excellent disease resistance even in the most adverse climate conditions.

The compact, standard bush reaches a height of approximately 80 cm. Ripe fruits are red, cone-shaped, and weigh 80–110 g on average. The walls are 7 mm thick. The paprika has a rich, peppery flavor without bitterness, and the flesh is extremely juicy. This variety has excellent shelf life, stores well, and transports well without losing its attractive appearance. Up to 8 kg of aromatic fruits can be harvested from one square meter.

Korenovsky

Korenovsky is a mid-season paprika variety: it takes four months from sprouting to ripening. It can be grown in both protected and unprotected soil. This variety is characterized by high immunity to common diseases and tolerance to adverse weather conditions and other adverse factors.

The sprawling bush grows just over half a meter tall and has large leaves. Ripe fruits are prismatic or truncated cone-shaped and a rich red color. The peppers grow quite large, weighing up to 200 grams and with a wall thickness of 6 mm. The fruit surface has a wavy or ribbed texture and a dense, shiny skin. The flesh is very sweet, juicy, and has a rich peppery aroma. Up to 5 kg of ripe peppers can be harvested per square meter.

Bell

A very beautiful and unusual late-ripening variety – from germination to harvest, it takes an average of 15 days. The bush is very tall, reaching 2 meters, and requires support. This pepper is resistant to many diseases and easily tolerates temperature fluctuations and adverse weather conditions.

This variety is characterized by its unusual, bell-shaped, red fruit. The average fruit weight is 50-100 g, and the flesh is very juicy and aromatic, with a delicate sweet and sour flavor. The yield is approximately 2.5 kg per square meter.

Reviews

According to reviews from experienced gardeners, all of the above varieties produce excellent pepper harvests with low-maintenance care. The Korenovsky variety is edible even when unripe, while the Kolokolchik variety tolerates frosts well and can serve as an additional garden decoration. The Gift of Moldova always produces beautiful fruits—with minimal care, it's virtually disease-free.