Sweet bell pepper Rubinova

Capsicum annuum - Rubinova

A perennial plant native to 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. 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 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. In general, peppers are divided into six groups: cone-shaped peppers (Hungarian type), bell peppers, cherry peppers, kapia peppers, bull's horn and ram's horn peppers, and spice or chili peppers.

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

How to Grow Peppers

• They require 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 unfavorable for peppers. We plant peppers 2 side by side. Peppers should be tied up continuously. Ideal is to 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 or spraying be done in direct sunlight, as this would burn them. In a greenhouse or polytunnel, peppers will also grow much faster, mainly thanks to temperature and humidity. We 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 pellets (jiffy). If we choose to sow in substrate, it should contain perlite mixed in suitable proportions with nutrient-rich soil. We can therefore use special sowing substrate mixed with perlite or sand. Seeds are planted about 1 cm deep. We treat sown seeds with Previcur to protect against damping-off. The temperature must be around 25 degrees Celsius. Air humidity should remain constant for proper seedling growth. Seedlings need plenty of light to prevent stretching. When small plants develop at least two leaves, it's time to transplant them into pots. Plants with root balls are transplanted to their permanent location with spacing of 60–70 cm x 25–40 cm.

• Peppers require humus-rich, nutrient 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 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 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 apply water-soluble NPK fertilizer—Cererit, Kristalon. It's important that the water-soluble fertilizer also contains microelements! We apply fertilizer every 14 days.

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

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

  Bacterial spot disease 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 a bacterial disease called bronze spot. When plants are affected by these infections, the best method is their elimination.

  Calcium deficiency in soil, irregular irrigation, or the presence of potassium in 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, we maintain even watering, sufficient 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. Spice peppers (chili) are harvested in autumn if grown outdoors or in a greenhouse.