Pepper Zlata

Capsicum annum - Zlata

A perennial plant originally from Mexico. In cultivation, it is grown as an annual and can reach heights 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. About three thousand varieties of peppers are cultivated, both sweet and hot. The heat is caused by the alkaloid capsaicin. It was first grown as an ornamental plant. Its use as a spice or vegetable came later. Today, two types of peppers are mainly 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. In general, peppers are divided into six groups: conical peppers (Hungarian type), square peppers, apple peppers, kapia, bull's horn and ram's horn peppers, and spicy or chili peppers.

Peppers contain a lot of potassium, phosphorus and sodium and are, among others, an important source of vitamin C, U and carotene. Vegetable varieties are used fresh, in salads or in cold and hot cuisine. Spicy varieties are an excellent piquant spice! 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 addition to 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 and above 30°C are extreme and not suitable for peppers. We plant peppers 2 next to each other. Peppers should be tied up continuously. Ideal is to secure the plant to a leading stake both at the lower part of the plant and at the upper part. Regular watering and weeding around the plants is important. Never water or spray 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 pests 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 to plant in substrate, it should contain perlite mixed in a suitable ratio with nutrient-rich soil. We can therefore use a special sowing substrate mixed with perlite or sand. Seeds are planted approximately 1 cm deep. Treat planted seeds with Previcur to protect against damping-off of seedlings. The temperature must be around 25 degrees Celsius. Air humidity should not change for proper seedling growth. Seedlings need a lot of light to prevent stretching. When at least two leaves appear on the small plants, it's time to transplant them into pots. We transplant plants with root balls to a permanent location at a spacing of 60–70 cm x 25–40 cm.

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

• Basic fertilization involves incorporating mature cow manure or compost into the soil where we will plant peppers. We do this fertilization 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 soil at the location. Before planting, it's advisable to incorporate 50–70 g/m2 of NPK fertilizer with a higher nitrogen content into the soil. During the growing season, we fertilize with water-soluble NPK fertilizer - Cererit, Kristalon. It's important that the water-soluble fertilizer also contains microelements! 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 from Natura.

  With high air humidity, fruits can be attacked by molds and fungi. The best-known fungal diseases are gray and white rot. A suitable preparation against these fungal diseases is Ortiva.

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

  Calcium deficiency in soil, irregular irrigation, or the presence of potassium in the soil causes physiological disorders. These deficiencies can manifest as disorders of fruits, leaves, and flowers, which are often mistaken for fungal diseases. If plants are affected by necrosis, maintain even watering, adequate nutrition and treat them with, for example, 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 at the end of August and in September. Spicy peppers (chili) are harvested in autumn if grown outdoors or in a greenhouse.