Banana pepper type Corno di toro giallo

Capsicum annum - Corno di toro giallo

A perennial plant originally from Mexico. In cultivation, it is grown as an annual and can reach a height of 0.5–1.5 m. It has alternately arranged lanceolate leaves. The flowers are white and pentamerous. The fruit is a pod, whose natural color is red. Around three thousand varieties of peppers are cultivated, both sweet and hot. The heat is due to the alkaloid capsaicin. Initially, it was grown as an ornamental plant. Its use as a spice or vegetable came later. Today, two main types of peppers are primarily used. The first is the annual pepper (Capsicum annuum). Another pepper widely used for spice production are varieties of the species Capsicum frutescens, known as chili. Generally, peppers are divided into six groups: needle-shaped peppers (Hungarian type), square peppers, apple peppers, kapie, bull's and ram's horns, and spice or chili peppers.

Peppers contain plenty of potassium, phosphorus, and sodium, and are, among others, a significant source of vitamin C, U, and carotene. Vegetable varieties are used fresh, in salads, or in cold and hot cuisine. Spice varieties make an excellent piquant seasoning! Peppers have wide applications; they can be heat-treated, eaten cold, are suitable for preparing salads, Asian dishes, or for pickling. They are an excellent supplement for diets.

How to Grow Peppers

• Requires a warm, sunny, sheltered location. The optimal temperature range during the growing season is 18–23°C. Temperatures below 14°C and above 30°C are extreme and do not suit peppers. We plant peppers 2 next to each other. It is advisable to tie up peppers progressively. Ideally, attach the plant to a support stake both at the lower part of the plant and at the upper part. Regular watering and weeding around the plants are important. Under no circumstances should watering and spraying be done in direct sunlight, as this would burn them. In a polytunnel or greenhouse, peppers will also grow much faster, mainly due to temperature and humidity. Regularly check peppers for pest infestations or signs of physiological or fungal diseases.

• We sow peppers from January until the end of March at the latest. To make sowing easier, we can plant them in peat jiffy pellets. If we choose planting in substrate, it should contain perlite mixed in suitable proportion with nutrient-rich soil. We can therefore use special sowing substrate mixed with perlite or sand. Plant seeds approximately 1 cm deep. Treat planted seeds with Previcur to protect against damping-off. The temperature should be around 25 degrees Celsius. Air humidity should not fluctuate for proper seedling growth. Seedlings need plenty of light to prevent stretching. When at least two leaves sprout on the small plants, it's time to transplant them into a pot. Transplant plants with root ball to permanent location at spacing of 60–70 cm x 25–40 cm.

• Peppers require humus-rich, fertile soil with sufficient available soil water and pH in the range of 6.5–7.5.

• Basic fertilization involves working mature cow manure or compost into the soil where peppers will be planted. This fertilization is done in autumn. In autumn, we also lime the area with a dose of approximately 3.6 kg/m2 of ground limestone or 2 kg/m2 depending on the site soil. Before planting, it's advisable to work 50–70 g/m2 of NPK fertilizer with higher nitrogen content into the soil. During the growing season, we top-dress with water-soluble NPK fertilizer - Cererit, Kristalon. It's important that the water-soluble fertilizer also contains micronutrients! Apply fertilizer every 14 days.

• Peppers are attacked by sucking pests such as aphids, whiteflies, or spider mites. For protection, we can use Mospilan, Decis Mega, or Symfonie by Natura.

  With high air humidity, fruits can be attacked by molds and fungi. The most well-known fungal diseases are gray and white rot. Suitable protection against these fungal diseases is Ortiva.

  Bacterial spot of pepper plants is dangerous. Necrotic fruits affected by this spot usually crack and are destroyed. Various colored spots, especially on fruits, are caused by bacterial disease called bronze spot. With these plant infections, the best method is their elimination.

  Calcium deficiency in soil, irregular irrigation, or presence of potassium in soil causes physiological disorders. These deficiencies may manifest as disorders of fruits, leaves, flowers, which are often mistaken for fungal diseases. If plants are affected by necrosis, maintain even irrigation, adequate nutrition, and treat them, for example, with effective calcium chloride or special foliar fertilizer.

• Peppers grown for green fruits are harvested as early as mid-July. Red or yellow fruits are harvested in late August and September. Spice peppers (chili) are harvested in autumn if grown outdoors or in a greenhouse.