Peppers: care and cultivation in a greenhouse, the path from planting to harvesting, features of cultivating sweet (bulgarian) and bitter peppers in a greenhouse

Chili pepper is an ancient Bolivian plant that is actively used not only as an ingredient for preparing various culinary dishes, but also as a pharmacological agent. The fruits of the perennial shrub have intense warming properties, but, nevertheless, chili pepper has gained popularity due to its fiery taste. The technology for growing a spicy plant is not complicated; many people achieve a good harvest by growing chili peppers in greenhouses, and even on windowsills. To achieve really good yields, you need to follow the basic recommendations for planting and caring for the plant, and also not make a mistake with the choice of variety at the first stage.

The best varieties of peppers for greenhouses

Only cold-resistant varieties are suitable for cultivation in open ground in the central part of Russia. But in a greenhouse you can grow any variety of pepper . Protected soil allows you to create optimal conditions even for the most demanding crops.

What varieties and hybrids are most often grown in greenhouses and greenhouses :

California miracle. The main feature is large fruit. The weight of individual specimens reaches 500 g. The wall thickness is 12 mm.
Black cardinal . It has an unusual dark purple fruit color. During the ripening period they acquire a red tint. The bush reaches 1 m in height.
Yova . It is characterized by high productivity (up to 15 kg per 1 sq. m). Thick-walled bell pepper.
Claudio. Mid-season. Dark red long fruits reach a weight of 250 g. They are immune to the main diseases of nightshades. The bush reaches a height of 1.3 m.
Atlant. The main feature is the short stature of the bush (up to 70 cm). Bell peppers have thick walls and a sweet taste.
Denis. Early. The main stem grows no higher than 60 cm in height. The weight of each fruit reaches 300 g.

The described varieties give the best yield indicators in the greenhouse.

According to ripening time

In order to be able to enjoy delicious, fresh peppers from your garden throughout the summer season, you should plant varieties with different ripening periods.

Ultra-early ripening

The very first fruits can be collected from these ultra-early varieties of sweet peppers:

Tamara F1. The growing season of this ultra-early hybrid lasts only 65 days. The bushes are small and compact. The fruits are medium, juicy and tasty. The species tolerates minor cold snaps well.
Sonata F1. The fruits of this high-yielding hybrid can be harvested after 70 days. Peppers weigh on average 200 grams. The variety is unpretentious and resistant to diseases.
Caliph F1. Already 55-60 days after germination, you can enjoy the delicious fruits of this variety. Peppers are initially white in color, but as they ripen they turn red. Although the species is quite cold-resistant, it is still best to grow it in greenhouses.

Early

By the end of June, the fruits of these early varieties of bell pepper begin to ripen:

Triton. The species has small bushes and therefore does not require staking or pruning. The fruits are medium, weighing 150 g, red.
Merchant. The growth of the plant reaches 85-90 cm and for this reason it requires a garter to a support. This variety is loved not only for its early ripening, but also because of the stable, large harvest of red peppers.
Montero. The harvest of this hybrid will take a little more than 3 months . The fruits are medium, weighing 120-130 g. From one bush you can collect 2 kg of peppers.

Medium ripening

From the beginning of the second half of summer, we begin to harvest from mid-season varieties; their growing season lasts about 110-130 days:

Pepper Anastasia. The height of the plant is 75-80 cm, the yield is small - 4-5 kg per square. The fruits are tasty, juicy, weighing 230-250 g.
Fatty. Thick-walled (1cm) fruits weighing 200 grams are red in biological ripeness. Pepper is valued for its high content of vitamin C. The plant is not tall - 55-60 cm. Productivity is up to 5 kg per square.
Isabel. A productive hybrid with large and thick-walled fruits. The bush is compact, 60 cm in height. The weight of pepper is 130-150 g; from one bush you can collect 5 kg per season.

Late

Such varieties begin to bear fruit after 130 days, towards the very end of summer. Of the late-ripening peppers, it is worth noting:

Hercules. The fruit harvest period is 135-150 days from germination. Peppers weigh 150-180 grams and are red when fully ripe.
Marshmallow. Such a plant should only be grown in greenhouses where the temperature does not drop to zero. Vegetables fully ripen by the beginning of autumn and are red in color and weigh 150-180 grams. The pulp is tasty and crispy. The bushes do not require a garter.
Bogatyr. Tall and spreading bushes of this species need support. The growing season of the plant is about 4 months, the peppers weigh 200 grams and are scarlet in color.

Features of growing peppers in a greenhouse

The agricultural technology of pepper in protected and open ground is almost the same, but there are still several features of care in a greenhouse:

The greenhouse maintains an optimal level of humidity by regularly ventilating the room. Especially during the heat. It is necessary to create an ideal microclimate in the room.
Peppers in the greenhouse are pollinated artificially. To do this, bushes with inflorescences are shaken daily. This is done carefully so as not to damage the stems of the plants. An easier way is to install a fan in the greenhouse, which will promote both pollination and optimal air exchange.
In a greenhouse, the beds are watered much less frequently. Usually, in such conditions, only one watering per week is enough for pepper.
Peppers are easily pollinated. Therefore, hot and sweet peppers are not planted in the same greenhouse. It is not recommended to place plants of different varieties next to each other, especially if you plan to use their fruits to collect seeds for planting.

Advice! Plants that require different growing conditions cannot be planted in one greenhouse. For example, peppers and cucumbers.

Variety selection

Growing greenhouse or indoor hot peppers begins with the correct selection of the variety of this plant. Experienced gardeners have been successfully cultivating this type of pepper for quite some time and have an idea of the most productive varieties for growing in greenhouse conditions. However, for beginning amateur gardeners, a wide selection of varieties can cause some confusion. Experts recommend the following varieties, which are most adapted to our climatic conditions.

Growing greenhouse or indoor hot pepper begins with the correct selection of the variety of this plant.

A tall type of hot pepper with long and showy pods. Despite the fact that many housewives prefer to use peppercorns in the kitchen, these varieties of vegetable crops may well compete with the usual seasonings. The most popular variety is called "Giant of China" . In addition, the varieties “Goat Horns”, “Chili”, “Chinese Spiral”, “Cayenne”, “Louis XV”, “Strelka” and “Bitter Ukrainian” show very good results.

The smallest and stunted varieties of indoor hot peppers. If the kitchen runs out of peppercorns, then it can be replaced with peppers grown on the windowsill. The most popular and decorative variety grown at home is called “Vietnamese Bouquet”. A very decorative plant that can decorate any windowsill and harmonizes perfectly with indoor plants. The following varieties of indoor hot pepper are very common: “Bouquet of Uzbekistan”, “Chestnut”, “Chinese lanterns”, “Star”, “Confetti”, “Snowman”, “Lilac Tiger Cub” and “Chir Holiday” . Growing all these varieties at home is not difficult.

The most popular and decorative variety grown at home is called “Vietnamese Bouquet”

Landing

Some farmers grow peppers in a greenhouse all year round. In this case, you will need a fully equipped room. If you plan to cultivate the plant only in the warm season, then lighter polycarbonate structures or greenhouses are also suitable.

Planting peppers in heated greenhouses is possible at any time of the year . In simpler shelters, the crop is planted in May.

If the greenhouse is not heated, peppers are grown exclusively by seedlings . Otherwise, it simply will not have time to produce a harvest before the cold snaps.

Seed preparation

Many manufacturers sell pepper seeds, especially hybrid ones, already processed . They are pickled and coated with nutrients in the factory. Processing information is indicated on the packaging. These seeds are colored orange or green.

If the seeds have not been processed by the manufacturer or planting material collected from your own harvest is used, then it will have to be prepared at home.

Step-by-step seed treatment:

Calibration _ The seeds are sorted, leaving specimens with uniform color without dark spots. They are soaked in salted water (1 tbsp. water and 1 tsp. salt). Only planting material that has sunk to the bottom is suitable for planting.
Disinfection . Planting material is soaked in one of the following: for 30 minutes in a light pink solution of potassium permanganate, for 15 minutes in hydrogen peroxide, for 12 hours in a soda solution (1 tsp per 1 cup of water) or for 12 hours in aloe juice .
Germination . The seeds are immersed for 12 hours in a growth stimulator (Epin, aloe juice, Zircon). Then they are wrapped in gauze and placed in a saucer with a sponge at the bottom. The seeds are watered with warm water, placed in a warm place and left until germination.
Hardening . Place the pepper sprouts in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

Seeds treated in this way will sprout faster . Plants grown from them will be highly resistant to diseases and adverse environmental factors.

Growing seedlings

Pepper seedlings are grown immediately in a heated greenhouse or pots . In the second case, the plants turn out to be stronger and squat, since it is easier to provide optimal conditions in a special room.

The soil for seedlings should be nutritious, but light . To prepare it, garden soil, humus and sawdust or sand are mixed in equal proportions. If the acidity of the resulting mixture is increased, then ash is added to it. Superphosphate is added for enrichment.

The soil must be disinfected. It is poured with hot copper sulfate or a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate. If pepper is grown at home, then the soil is poured into pre-disinfected special boxes or peat pots.

Before sowing, the soil is watered with warm water . Grooves 1-2 cm deep are made in it at a distance of 6 cm from each other. Seeds are sown at a distance of 1 cm from each other. They are covered with film and kept at a temperature of 26-30°C until germination. When the planting material germinates, the film is removed.

The seedlings are watered as the top layer of soil dries . Make sure that the water does not stagnate, otherwise the roots will begin to rot.

After 10 days, the weakest peppers are removed by breaking off their stems. After the appearance of two true leaves, the seedlings are thinned out again so that a distance of 5-6 cm remains free between the plants.

In winter, peppers will need additional lighting with fluorescent lamps . If seedlings are grown in the spring, then natural light is enough for them.

During the entire growing period, seedlings are fed twice.:

Two weeks after the appearance of two true leaves, the first fertilizing is applied. Use a composition prepared from 5 liters of water, 3 g of urea and 15 g of superphosphate.
The second time fertilizer is applied five days before picking. To prepare the nutritional composition, mix 5 liters of water, 25 g of superphosphate and 15 g of potassium sulfate.

Seedlings begin to be grown 2.5 months before the plants are planted in a permanent place.

Advice! If the plants are strong and stocky, have short internodes and bright green foliage, then it is not necessary to apply the last fertilizing.

Soil and greenhouse preparation

Before sowing seeds or planting seedlings in a greenhouse, it must be prepared. First of all, the room is cleaned of all plant residues and disinfected . Copper sulfate is used not only to water the soil itself, but also to wash the walls of the greenhouse.

Nightshades are not grown on the same soil for several years in a row. Greenhouses are either replaced annually, or the top layer of soil is simply removed every season, replacing it with a new one.

The soil must be enriched . For every 1 sq. m add 6 kg of rotted manure or humus. Also add 25 g of superphosphate and 15 g of urea.

Advice! Experienced vegetable growers sow their beds with rye for the winter. In the spring, the emerging plants are dug up, mixed with soil and watered with Baikal. Literally in a month, fertile soil is obtained in this place, allowing you to reduce the amount of necessary fertilizing.

Boarding procedure

The planting pattern for pepper depends on its variety . For 1 sq. m, 3-4 bushes of tall plants and 4-5 bushes of low-growing specimens are planted.

A handful of ash and long-acting granular complex fertilizers are added to the holes. Some gardeners additionally pour in 1 liter of chicken manure diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10.

Before planting, the seedlings are watered and carefully removed from the ground with a small spatula or fork, being careful not to damage the roots. Then they are placed in the hole, forming roots towards the center, and covered with soil without deepening the root collar.

Plantings are watered with warm water , spending at least 1 liter per plant. The next watering and fertilizing is possible no earlier than two weeks later.

Advice! Many farmers plant peppers in a greenhouse when the plants have two true leaves.

The timing of planting peppers in an unheated room depends on the climate of the region.:

southern (Belgorod, Sochi, etc.) - April;
central (Moscow region, Tver, etc.) - early May;
cities with a cooler climate (Siberia, Ural) – second half of May.

Reviews from gardeners about popular varieties

At the moment, in the State Register there is a large assortment of good varieties of peppers for greenhouses. Every summer resident can find exactly those species that will delight him with their rich harvests.

Tatiana, Tula:
I have been growing my favorite varieties in my greenhouse for a long time: California Miracle, Atlant, Lastochka. I have never been left without a harvest. I start picking peppers by the end of June.
Natalya, Novgorod:
Last year I planted Apricot favorite for the first time. From six bushes I provided my entire large family with peppers for a whole year. This year I have already purchased seeds of this variety.
Nikolay, Kemerovo:
My favorite varieties for the greenhouse have remained the same for many years. These are Barguzin, Bogatyr, Atlas, Cardinal. I trust these guys, and they have never let me down with the harvest.

Caring for peppers in a greenhouse

To get a good harvest, it is important to properly care for the plantings. Here are the basic rules for growing peppers :

Peppers in the greenhouse are watered 1-2 times a week, using 3-4 liters of warm water for each plant. Before flowering, the plants are watered with rain, then the liquid is poured only at the root. Moisture on flowers will cause pollen to clump together. On the day of pinching and pinching, do not water the pepper.
After each watering, the soil is loosened and cleared of weeds. A layer of mulch on the beds (hay, straw, humus) will help make these procedures less frequent.
Tall plants need to be pinched. This is done when the main stem reaches its maximum support height.
Whether pepper needs shaping depends on its variety. Low-growing varieties usually do not take stepson. Tall specimens form one or two stems. Stepping is carried out early in the morning or late in the evening.
Experienced summer residents recommend tying up all high-yielding varieties. Even low-growing plants will break under the weight of the fruit if they are not tied up. The bushes are attached to the support with synthetic thread.
Fertilize peppers 3-4 times per season. It is recommended to alternate chicken manure diluted 1:10 and complex mineral fertilizers. Before applying fertilizing, the plants must be watered. Fertilizers are used for the first time two weeks after transplanting seedlings to a permanent place.
Greenhouses are regularly ventilated. This is especially important to do on hot days.
To help pepper pollination, the bushes are shaken regularly.

Advice! Some vegetable growers use the stepsons of pepper for plant propagation.

Features of pepper care by month

Peppers are grown in a greenhouse all year round . In August, July, May, June and September, the rules for caring for plants remain the same.

During the colder months, plant care techniques will vary . Here are the main nuances:

In winter, the greenhouse is heated to maintain a comfortable room temperature.
To reduce the risk of disease development, ensure proper air exchange in the greenhouse. The windows cannot be opened in winter, so it is important to take care of a good ventilation system.
It is recommended to reduce the number of waterings in winter. Plants are watered only once a week.

Diseases and pests

In a greenhouse, diseases can more easily spread between plants . Here it is especially important to follow the rules of prevention, which include correct crop rotation, disinfection of tools and premises, proper watering and regular inspection of the bushes.

The most common diseases of pepper in a greenhouse:

Pepper seedlings are damaged by blackleg. The stem begins to rot and darken at the base. Affected plants cannot be saved; they are removed. Healthy seedlings and beds are then treated with copper sulfate.
Gray rot . Soft dark spots appear on the fruit. Affected fruits are removed. If symptoms of the disease appear on the stems, then such areas are coated with Rovral.
White rot . The stems and leaves of plants become covered with soft spots with a white coating. To cope with the problem, plantings are treated with copper sulfate.
Verticillium and fusarium wilt. Leaves and stems of plants turn yellow, curl and wither. There is no cure. The main prevention is disinfection of seeds and compliance with crop rotation.
Late blight . All parts of the plant are covered with brown or dark brown spots. As a preventive measure, peppers are sprayed with Bordeaux mixture. There is no cure.
White spotting . Plants become covered with dry white spots with a dark border, on which black spores later form. This leads to wilting and death of the pepper. In the early stages of planting, they are saved by spraying the beds with Fitosporin.
Bacterial cancer . Brown spots form on plants, which gradually merge with each other, become crusty and lead to the death of the plants. There is no cure. Diseased plants are removed, and healthy ones are sprayed with copper sulfate.

It's not just diseases that threaten pepper . Pests also pose a danger. In greenhouses, beds are most often attacked by whiteflies, thrips and aphids. To prevent the appearance of insects, the windows are covered with special nets. If pests have already affected the bushes, the plants are sprayed with a solution of laundry soap or a decoction of wormwood.

Chili pepper diseases

Chili peppers, like any other crop, suffer from various types of diseases, the main causative agents of which are various bacteria. It is also worth considering that the crop is most susceptible to disease during greenhouse cultivation. Main diseases of chili pepper:

Gray mold - high humidity becomes the main reason for the activation of the pathogen. White spots appear on fruits located closest to the soil.
Tobacco mosaic virus. The most common symptom is yellowing on the leaves of the chili pepper. The virus is resistant and can retain its ability to infect other plants for several years.
Anthracnose of pepper. It manifests itself by the formation of round spots on fruits that look like watery dents. The cause is excessive watering of plants; as a rule, unripe fruits become diseased.

Chili peppers are harvested in the fall

The main method of control is the use of biological agents that cause minimal harm to the culture itself. However, experts do not recommend abusing chemicals that can harm healthy fruits. Experienced summer residents also advise growing zoned varieties of chili peppers, which adapt better than others to harsh climatic conditions. This means that such varieties are resistant to various types of diseases.

Chili peppers finally ripen in the fall. It has been experimentally proven that the greenhouse growing method is particularly productive. If you take into account all the nuances of caring for and feeding plants, you can ultimately get good yields. The fruits of the plant that cannot be consumed are usually frozen or dried, this allows you to enjoy the spicy taste of chili peppers throughout the year.

The nuances of growing sweet and bitter peppers in a greenhouse

The rules for caring for sweet and bitter peppers do not differ . Both varieties require regular watering, fertilizing and protection from disease.

Most varieties of hot pepper do not require pinching . In addition, due to its pungent taste, this variety is less susceptible to pest damage.

Important! Bell peppers and hot peppers are not planted in the same greenhouse. Otherwise, cross-pollination will occur and the sweet fruits will acquire a bitter taste.

Diseases and pests

Diseases and pests quite often affect bitter peppers grown in protected soil conditions, which is due to the peculiarities of the greenhouse microclimatic conditions. High humidity levels can cause plants to become infected with rot or late blight.

Incorrect or insufficient pre-planting treatment of greenhouse soil contributes to an increase in the number of pathogenic microorganisms that cause fungal or viral diseases of peppers. Insect pests that attack hot peppers are most often represented by aphids and spider mites.

Preventive measures and control methods are standard and correspond to all schemes that apply to this type of vegetable crops. Strong chemical insecticides are used only when plants are massively damaged by diseases and pests.

We also invite you to learn about methods of combating late blight in a greenhouse.

Growing peppers in a greenhouse as a business

Growing peppers in a greenhouse is becoming a profitable business for many gardeners. There are several secrets that will allow you to get maximum yield and reduce costs :

Harvesting at the stage of technical ripeness, when the fruits have reached their maximum size, but have not acquired a uniform color. This will increase the yield of the bushes and allow the product to be stored longer.
Using varieties rather than hybrids. In this case, the seeds from the harvested crop will be suitable for sowing, and the vegetable grower will not have to spend money on new planting material every year.
Use of varieties with disease resistance. This minimizes crop losses due to diseases and reduces chemical costs.

By growing region

When choosing suitable pepper seeds, an important role is played by information in which regions it is recommended to grow this vegetable.

The best varieties for greenhouses near Moscow

Such plants easily tolerate lack of light and high air humidity:

Pepper Accord. early ripening species with tall and powerful bushes. Quite unpretentious with increased immunity to various diseases. The vegetables are large, cone-shaped with a truncated nose, dark red at the end of ripening.
Arsenal. The large fruits of this variety turn red by early August. Peppers can be stored fresh for a long time. The species does not require special care.
Pinocchio . Vegetables can be harvested 3 months after germination. Peppercorns are long (18-20cm), cone-shaped, dark burgundy in color.
Orange King. An unpretentious early species with abundant fruiting. The vegetables are large, dark orange, and can be harvested after 80 days.
Cabin boy. Nice, unpretentious and high-yielding species. Its peppers have a variety of colors and stick out in different directions. With a bush height of 60 cm, it requires a garter.

Sweet peppers for the middle zone

This region is one of the most favorable for growing bell peppers. In addition to all the above varieties, the following grow well in this area:

Pepper Bandai F1. It has cube-shaped fruits weighing 400-450 grams of red color. Productivity – 14 kg per square. Good resistance to viral diseases.
Snowball F1. Even at low seasonal temperatures it produces an excellent harvest. The peppers are light, almost white , cone-shaped, weighing 150 g. The species belongs to the ultra-early hybrids.
Father. Red fruits in the form of cubes weigh 150-180 grams. The variety is low-growing, early. The species is immune to tobacco mosaic.

Pepper varieties for greenhouses in the Urals

This region has short summers, spring comes late, and frosts begin as early as late September. Suitable for greenhouses of Ural summer residents:

Amber. An early ripening variety with orange cone-shaped fruits. The plant is tall (90 cm) and requires support. A type of pepper with high yield.
Kolobok. The bushes are very compact, their height is only 40 cm. The peppers are spherical, red, weighing 160 g. Vegetables ripen in 3-3.5 months.
Knight F1. Mid-early hybrid, disease resistant. On a low bush grow peppers of amazing unusual shape - in the form of a turban, weighing 180-200 grams. The fruits are transportable, used fresh and for preservation.

Harvesting and storage

Harvesting occurs quickly. No special skills required.

Collection is required once a week.
The fruits are cut off with the stalk using pruning shears or garden shears.

When to harvest peppers? If you grow a spicy vegetable, then it should be harvested only after it has fully ripened, otherwise it will not be hot enough, and the fruit can only become spicy on the bush. When growing a sweet Bulgarian vegetable, you can harvest it already at the moment it reaches technical maturity (the fruit has gained weight, but the seeds have not yet ripened) - if necessary, it can ripen in storage. But if you plan to eat it fresh, then it is better to pick the fruits when they gain their color depending on the variety (red, yellow, brown and others)

The fruits are poorly stored and require immediate processing. Storage conditions:

temperature 1 °C, air humidity not less than 90%;
if you layer the fruits with paper, they will last longer;
You can finely chop the pepper into cubes and put it in bags in the freezer.

Peppers can ripen for about a month if the temperature is approximately 10 °C. If the temperature becomes higher, ripening will occur earlier.

Most often, sweet peppers are used for cooking:

pickles, as a separate dish or assorted with tomatoes;
for soups and first courses;
as an additional side dish.

Hot peppers perfectly complement adjika, green tomatoes in a jar or bucket, and exotic dishes.

Growing peppers from seed to harvest

Plant molding

When grown in a greenhouse, the formation process is somewhat simplified, since in such conditions it is easy to create individual support for each plant, mount horizontal trellises (2 wires between rows are enough) or use other options for support.

Typically, molding is carried out as follows:

in 2 stems;
do not allow excessive elongation of shoots;
avoid the appearance of shaded branches;

shoots directed towards the inside of the bush are cut as short as possible;
remove all shoots below the first fork;
be sure to carry out stepsoning.

The sampling is carried out once every 10 days before the start of fruiting, then with each harvest.

Pepper is a demanding crop in terms of soil composition, temperature and humidity. Compliance with cultivation technology will require a certain investment of time and effort, but will result in a rich harvest.