Bell pepper variety description, photos, reviews, fruit characteristics, advantages and disadvantages presented in this article is a new variety. Despite this, it is becoming more and more popular every day among Russian gardeners.
Peppers of the Bell variety have an unusual shape, are suitable for preparing various dishes, and also play a decorative role in the garden. This variety has many advantages, and it grows well both in open and closed ground.
What type of pepper is this?
The Bell pepper variety differs from others in the interesting shape of its fruit, which resembles flower buds. This species is becoming increasingly popular in Russia, becoming an exotic decoration for garden plots.
Characteristics and description of the variety
Bellflower is a late-ripening variety.
This is a rather tall, up to 2 m tall, spreading plant, the leaves and stem of which are slightly covered with fluff. The fruits have an original shape: similar to a bell flower. At first they are dark green, a little later orange, and when fully ripe they become bright red.
From one Bluebell bush you can harvest about 2 kg of harvest. This variety of pepper can be grown in open ground, in a greenhouse or in a pot.
Distinctive features
The difference between this variety and others lies not only in the interesting appearance of its fruits, but also in its unusual taste combination. The part of the fruit near the tail is bitter, reminiscent of hot pepper, and below, where the fruit looks like a flower, its walls thicken and become sweet and sour in taste.
Fruit characteristics, yield
The fruits of this pepper are smooth and shiny. Their weight depends on growing conditions and reaches 70-90 g. The walls are fleshy, about 4 mm thick. Number of cameras - 2-3. Productivity is relatively high. The fruits reach maturity 130-140 days after planting the seeds. From 1 m² you can harvest 5 kg of fruit.
A little history
The Bluebell plant is native to South Africa. It was widespread throughout India. Externally, the shape of the fruit resembles the bell of the same name, in honor of which it received its name.
It appeared in Russia only a few decades ago. Its seeds are rare in stores and have a high price.
Similar to bell peppers and hot peppers. The fruits acquire a spicy taste and aroma in accordance with the ripening process.
Hot pepper Bell photo
Preparation for cultivation
Preparing for growing the Bell variety is no different from other types of pepper. It is not fresh seeds that germinate better, but those that were collected 5 years ago. They begin to sow seedlings in February, checking the lunar calendar.
They start by soaking the seeds in Epin or Fitosporin. Sometimes they are pre-treated with a manganese solution. Then the seeds are wrapped in a wet cloth and plastic wrap and left in a warm place until the sprouts hatch.
The soil for planting is preheated to 20 °C.
Recommendations for caring for peppers
Peppers are a perennial plant and can be transplanted into containers and stored indoors during the winter. It does not tolerate frost, and in the spring it can be returned to open ground again.
Bell pepper reproduces by pollination and seeds, so you should not plant it next to other peppers, then it will lose its original properties. The variety requires loosening of the soil, but this should be done carefully, because the root system is quite close to the surface. This type of pepper prefers soil rich in potassium and calcium. Therefore, taking into account the composition of the soil, the plant must be fed. Pepper especially needs fertilizer during periods of active growth and vigorous flowering.
For the winter, peppers can be transplanted into a pot and stored at home.
Growing seedlings
Bell pepper does not tolerate picking, so it is better to sow the seeds immediately in separate cups. Nutrient soil with sand and peat is added to the seedling containers, watered with “Fitosporin” and the sprouted seeds are carefully laid out. Sprinkle 1.5-2 cm of soil on top, cover with a lid, and leave in a warm place. When sprouts appear, the trays are moved to a well-lit windowsill.
Attention! Protect seedlings from drafts, otherwise the plants may die.
Planting pepper
You can plant peppers in open ground when the threat of frost has passed and the ground has warmed up well. By that time, up to 12 leaves will appear on the seedling. The growing place should be well lit and sheltered from the wind. It is best if legumes, cabbage or cucumbers grew there the previous year.
Seedlings should be replanted in the evening or in cloudy weather. Bushes are planted at a distance of at least 45-50 cm from each other.
You need to add a handful of ash to the planting holes, and after planting, pour in a solution of manganese. The ground around the bushes can be mulched to protect it from weeds and drying out.
If the weather worsens, the plantings can be covered with film.
Further care
Subsequent care for Bell peppers is almost no different from other varieties. Here are some features:
- in bushes it is necessary to pinch the side shoots growing below the first ovary;
- water moderately and only with warm water so as not to stress the plants;
- Fertilize the Bluebell 3 times per season - 2 weeks after planting, add mullein diluted with water 1:10, during the flowering period, water it with a solution of wood ash, after 3 weeks add minerals (potassium, phosphorus and calcium);
- before flowering it is recommended to carry out treatment against pests;
- a month before harvesting, pinch all the shoots to allow the pepper to ripen;
- You can also harvest it green; such fruits are sweeter. The pungency appears in them as the color changes to red. This happens literally in a week.
Important! The variety is perennial; over time, the plant trunk becomes rough and covered with bark. As the temperature drops, the leaves fall off. For the winter, the pepper needs to be transplanted into a tub and moved to a warm room. With the arrival of spring, buds will appear on the Bluebell again.
How to grow Bell peppers
The rules of agricultural technology for this variety largely coincide with the conditions for growing sweet peppers.
The culture is not demanding in care, it is enough to observe:
- technology for planting seeds and seedlings;
- light mode;
- watering standards;
- requirements for soil composition and growing site;
- crown formation rules;
- dosage and timing of fertilizer application;
- prevention from pests and diseases.
Bell peppers can be grown in open beds, greenhouses and greenhouses, as well as in portable pots and containers.
Planting seeds
You need to grow hot peppers in the garden using seedlings. Seeds for the first planting should be purchased from a reliable store to ensure that you receive high-quality seed. Subsequently, the seeds can be collected from peppers from your own harvest.
The bell should be planted as seedlings already in February, starting from the first days of the month until the middle.
Small cups with drainage or holes in the bottom are suitable for growing. Seedling soil must be mixed with wood ash, and the containers must be filled 70%.
The seeds must be large and not empty. To check the contents of the bag, just place it in salted water; the quality material will quickly sink to the bottom. After this, the seeds are soaked for 30 minutes in a weak solution of potassium salt of permanganate acid.
Growing seedlings is carried out as follows:
- Wrap the seeds in a damp cloth and place them in a room with a temperature of 20°C for 2-3 days.
- Bury the germinated material 3 cm into the container separately.
- Water the pots and cover with film.
- Create certain temperature conditions: about 28°C during the day, 15°C at night.
- Water as the soil dries.
- Remove the film after sprouts appear.
Lighting
At the beginning of growth, seedlings should be additionally illuminated with phytolamps. For planting, you need to choose an area open to sunlight.
There should be no dense tall plantings around that will shade the crop. Lack of lighting leads to stretching and thinning of the shoots, and the fruits are poorly formed.
In summer, the bush continues its growing season in moderate or saturated sunlight, and the pepper tolerates partial shade and shade very poorly. In winter, the Bell variety goes into a dormant stage and does not need additional lighting.
Watering
Bell peppers require regular moisture. When watering, you must be guided by the condition of the soil, which should be sufficiently moist, but not wet. Stagnation of water at the roots can lead to fungal rot.
Water for irrigation should be moderately warm, preferably pre-settled. If the beds are properly cared for, the water will saturate the plant for a long time. Before watering, the soil must be loosened and weeds removed. Light soil conducts moisture and air well, which has a positive effect on vegetation.
In hot weather, it is important not to water the peppers with cold water, as a noticeable temperature difference can destroy the plants.
Planting seedlings in open ground
Seedlings of this type of pepper can be planted in a permanent place in the second half of May, when there is no risk of freezing temperatures at night.
The transplant technology involves:
- Dig planting holes at a distance of 0.4 m from each other.
- Prepare a mixture of garden soil, wood ash and mineral fertilizers.
- Place each plant in holes and cover with soil.
- Water the seedlings generously with warm water.
- Mulch the beds with hay, sawdust, pine needles or peat.
The Bell variety is a perennial plant, so it must be insulated or moved indoors for the winter. Planting in a greenhouse will eliminate the need for this annual procedure.
Soil preparation
Bluebell loves soil rich in minerals. Special requirements apply to potassium and calcium. The soil for growing peppers should be light, loose and fertile. Timely addition of humus, manure and other organic matter has a positive effect on the growing season.
If there is no soil suitable for planting bell peppers, then the planting holes can be filled with a mixture prepared by hand. To do this you need:
- Combine sand, peat, humus and garden soil in equal parts.
- Add wood ash to the soil in an amount of 250 ml per 10 kg.
- Spill the soil with boiling water or an aqueous solution of potassium salt of permanganic acid.
- Remove excess acidity by adding dolomite flour.
- If necessary, add complex mineral fertilizers.
Pruning and crown formation
In order to get the Bluebell bushes of the correct shape, you need to pinch and trim the shoots. The procedure mode involves:
- At the flowering stage, the lateral ovaries below the first one must be pinched.
- As it grows, vertical shoots are removed.
- After harvesting, during the transition to the dormant stage, all shoots are removed.
During the period of active growth, you can shorten the shoots, leaving no more than 3 main stems. This will allow the plant to move from the phase of growing green mass to fruiting. Nutrients will be directed to the ovaries, not the leaves.
Fertilizer
High-quality care for Bell peppers requires additional fertilization. Regime and norms of fertilizing for the season:
- 14 days after transplantation, organic substances must be added to a permanent place. To do this, just water the plants with an aqueous solution of cow dung.
- During budding, water for irrigation is mixed with a small amount of wood ash.
- After 2-3 weeks, a complex of minerals is added. The composition must contain potassium, phosphorus and calcium compounds.
It is important to remember that any fertilizing should be stopped 30 days before the Bellflower fruits ripen.
Reproduction
Bellflower reproduces by seed. Good germination is typical for seeds after storage; freshly harvested seeds do not retain the properties of the variety to the fullest. It is recommended to use pepper seeds that are 5 years old for sowing.
A special feature of the formation of high-quality seed material is pollination by the same variety.
It is recommended to grow Bluebell in isolation from other types of pepper.
Cross contamination of pollen will change the appearance and taste of the vegetable. And the seeds inside the fruits will not retain varietal characteristics during future planting.
Features of growing the variety and possible difficulties
Those wishing to grow Bell peppers may encounter some difficulties. The main one is that the seeds are rarely found on sale; it is better to look for them from gardeners who have already grown this variety.
Bushes can reach a height of 2 m, so the beds need to be equipped with supports so that stems that are not too strong can rest on them.
If you are planning a perennial crop, then you need to plant the seedlings in tubs with holes in the bottom. This will allow you to take the plants outside in the warm season, and with the first frost, take them into the warmth.
The variety is suitable for year-round fruiting if grown in a greenhouse.
Pepper Bell: characteristics and description of the variety
The appearance of the bush resembles a variety of hot peppers. However, unlike the latter, it has slightly pubescent leaves and stems. The plant grows up to 2 meters in height.
The growing season lasts from 130 to 150 days. The fruits have an elongated, oblong shape, and, as noted above, they look like a familiar flower - a bell. From a botany point of view, the crop, like tomatoes, belongs to berry crops. However, many people still consider pepper to be a vegetable.
At the stage of technical maturity, when the fruits can already be harvested, they have a rich, dark green color. In just a week they gain color, first becoming orange and then red. At the same time, taste is formed.
Ripe fruits have a rich aroma, a piquant taste, combining bitterness with sweet-spicy notes.
The yield of the Bell variety (with proper care and good conditions) reaches 2 kg per bush.
The weight of the fetus can vary from 30 to 100 grams. Each fruit has a separate, own stalk.
Typical diseases and pests
The most common diseases affecting Bell pepper:
- Gray rot covers the leaves with gray spots. In advanced cases, the plant dies. In the initial stages of the infection, it is necessary to cut off the infected branches, and if the disease has spread to the entire bush, it is necessary to treat it with the Gamair fungicide (add 10 tablets per 10 liters of water).
- Anthracosis covers the plant with brown spots and leads to death. A 1% solution of Bordeaux mixture can help in the fight against this disease. Prevention is done by regular loosening of the soil.
- Blackleg is a disease caused by a fungus that causes the stem to turn black. Fitosporin-M is used for treatment.
How to get rid of black leg of seedlings
The most common pest of Bell pepper is the aphid. If the plant is affected by this insect, immediately prepare the following solution:
- Brew 10 g of ground pepper and 200 g of tobacco with boiling water and pour into a 10-liter bucket of water;
- rub some laundry soap there;
- spray the bush and the soil around with the resulting solution.
If the pepper is attacked by the Colorado potato beetle, celandine will help. Beans planted nearby repel these insects.
An infusion of several bulbs and heads of garlic, kept for a week in a bucket of water, is effective against spider mites. The resulting liquid is sprayed onto the pepper bushes.
The benefits of red pepper variety "Bell"
Pepper is also used to maintain the health of the human body. After all, if regularly in small
If you consume red pepper, rich in vitamins B and C, in quantities, your work will be normalized:
- hearts;
- insomnia disappears;
- a person's mood improves;
- the condition of hair, nails and skin improves.
Beneficial properties of pepper:
- removes cholesterol from human blood;
- improves the condition of the human nervous system;
- strengthens bones;
- blood composition significantly improves;
- strengthens all walls of the vascular system;
- increases brain function;
- improves vision.
IMPORTANT! When adding pepper to various dishes, you must adhere to a certain norm. After all, if you eat it little by little, but often, it is beneficial, but if you eat a lot, it can lead to disastrous consequences for the human body.
And this is what the Orange pepper is.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The advantages of this spicy pepper variety are as follows:
- perennial;
- can be grown in soil and in pots;
- high yield;
- can be eaten raw and after heat treatment;
- contains B vitamins, vitamin C and serotonin - the hormone of joy.
The disadvantage is the long period of fruit ripening - about 5 months.
Attention! Fresh bell pepper fruits are recommended to be consumed with caution by people who have problems with the gastrointestinal tract.
The benefits and harms of hot bell pepper
The unique pepper appeared in South America, and began to be grown in Russia relatively recently.
Gardeners love it for a number of advantages:
- exotic appearance;
- excellent taste with spiciness;
- large fruits;
- the possibility of growing red bell pepper at home;
- content of essential oils;
- presence of antioxidants and vitamins;
- not too difficult to care for.
The spice has a beneficial effect on the body and provides great benefits:
- relieves stress and insomnia;
- strengthens vascular walls;
- increases immunity;
- stimulates brain activity.
The fruits of hot bell peppers will not cause serious harm. The main thing is to make sure there are no problems with the gastrointestinal tract and heart rate.
Reviews
We bring to your attention several reviews from summer residents about this variety.
Evelina, Krasnodar: “The taste is undoubtedly interesting, but I didn’t notice any strong spiciness. The flesh is rather sweet-spicy. All the heat is in the seeds. But the kitchen was pleasantly enlivened when the fruits were ripe.”
Sviridova V., Tula: “On the Internet I came across a description and photo of this variety. I started looking for seeds in stores and couldn’t find them. I had to order from the online store. Of the 15 seeds, 12 sprouted, so I distributed them to friends myself. Pepper bushes are beautiful both during the flowering period and when the fruits are set. Pepper is good fresh or pickled.”
Reviews from those who planted
Galya
I have been growing this pepper for a long time, as it has a spicy taste and the bush can be preserved for the winter. Moreover, the fruits will appear, of course, less, but they will be fresh and with the same good taste.
Yana
This pepper has an ideal taste, and if it cannot be preserved during the winter, then in January I plant new seedlings. During the winter months, I use lighting to ensure that the seedlings develop evenly.
Care
Not much different from caring for other types of peppers. But there are a few differences.
- The bush needs shaping, as it is considered tall. Side shoots need to be pinched.
- Watering is carried out only with warm water; cold water is stressful for the plant.
- Apply a solution of mullein (1:10) 2 weeks after planting.
- During the period of flowering and fruit formation, feed the plant with potash and phosphorus fertilizers.
- 4 weeks before the start of harvesting, all shoots should be pinched. This is necessary for all the fruits to ripen.
When the pepper is still green, it tastes sweet. In a state of maturity, sharpness appears. Green peppers ripen within a week.
Agrotechnics of cultivation
Since the variety is new to the market, seeds can only be purchased from proven reliable places, as there is a high probability of substitution.
Sowing seeds
In order to have time to get the pepper harvest before the cold snap, bell pepper seeds are prepared for sowing in mid-February:
- Disinfect in a weak solution of potassium permarganate for 20 minutes.
- Wash in water.
- Soak for 5-6 hours in growth stimulants or solutions of microelements.
- The treated seeds are wrapped in a damp cloth, placed in a bag or jar with a loose lid, which is placed in a warm (25 degrees) place. Since the germination process lasts several days, it is necessary to periodically add water, but in no case do not overwater the seeds, but only slightly moisturize the fabric.
Land for seedlings can be purchased at the store or prepared in the usual way - by mixing garden soil with compost and ash. The mixture should be light but nutritious. To disinfect, it can be treated with a solution of potassium permarganate or another preparation.
Summer residents plant Bell pepper not in dozens, but in several pieces, so the soil for seedlings is placed in planting pots and moistened. Large containers for growing peppers are not needed, since the root system of peppers is poorly developed.
Sowing begins when the seeds have hatched - one at a time into a container. The seeds are covered with soil (1 cm), covered with film or paper and left to germinate in a warm (25-26 degrees) place.
Pickled bell peppers in 15 minutes
As you can see, there are many finger-licking options for pickled peppers for the winter. Recipes with photos will also help you make a snack very quickly - literally in 15 minutes.
Ingredients:
- 500 g peeled bell pepper;
- 4 cloves of garlic;
- 3 tbsp. spoons of vegetable oil;
- 1 tbsp. spoon of salt;
- 4 tbsp. spoons of granulated sugar;
- 1 liter of water;
- 4 tbsp. spoons of vinegar (9%);
- Parsley, dill - to taste;
- 1 PC. bay leaf;
- 5-6 pcs. black peppercorns.
How to prepare:
- Fill jars and plastic lids with boiling water and leave to sterilize for a few minutes.
- Place a bowl of water on the stove, pour sugar, salt, seasonings into it, and pour in vinegar.
- In the meantime, cut the pepper: clean it from the insides, rinse it, cut it into several pieces lengthwise.
- After the marinade boils, add pepper and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave to brew for another five minutes.
- During this time, chop the garlic and herbs. Throw them into a pan with pepper, add vegetable oil. Mix.
Place the instant peppers in a jar and cover with a plastic lid. After cooling, put it in the refrigerator.
Landing
A nutritious loose substrate is prepared for seedlings. Land is purchased or made up of components such as turf, humus, and peat. When planting directly into pots or tubs, expanded clay is placed on the bottom.
The seeds are prepared - soaked, disinfected, treated with stimulants.
Sow into moist soil or peat tablets to a depth of 1 cm. Sprinkle with a layer of 2-3 mm, compact, cover with film or glass until shoots appear. The microclimate for germination is a temperature of 25-28 degrees, humidity 65-70%.
Seedlings are watered with warm, settled water. Light with phytolamps until the total day length is at least 14 hours.
Before transplantation to a permanent place, hardening procedures are carried out. Place the containers outside at a temperature of 14-16 degrees (the time is increased gradually from 1 hour to 7-8 hours).
