More recently, purple pepper was a curiosity for our compatriots.
Now the situation has changed dramatically and gardeners are actively experimenting with different varieties of peppers of unusual colors. Which are interesting not only for their color, but also for their unique agricultural technology features. Today, not as many exotic varieties of pepper are known as we would probably like. Let's look at the most interesting options. We will also look at the basic rules for growing plants.
Distinctive features of purple pepper
The high content of anthocyanins not only gives vegetables an unusual color, but also provides high immunity to cold weather.
Many varieties can and should be grown in the North-West region of the country, since anthocyanins absorb solar energy and convert it into heat, thereby increasing their cold resistance. This is the main difference between purple pepper and traditional varieties. Purple, blue and even black pigments appear in peppers when the vegetable is at the stage of technical ripeness.
Unusual fruits affect the human body several times more effectively than yellow or red varieties. Thanks to anthocyanins, regular consumption of purple pepper helps strengthen the walls of blood vessels and lower intraocular pressure. They destroy harmful bacteria in the body and increase overall immunity.
Characteristic
Anthocyanin gives bell peppers more than just their unusual color. It increases resistance to low temperatures, which is why such varieties are planted even in cold climate zones with few sunny days a year.
The organoleptic qualities of purple bell peppers are the same as those of “standard” varieties. And in terms of the richness of their chemical composition, they are even inferior to it - they contain less iron, iodine, zinc, B vitamins and folic acid.
Pepper varieties with purple fruits
There are a great many purple varieties. Gardeners prefer unpretentious and tasty varieties. Let us examine in more detail the most popular types, identifying their distinctive features, advantages and disadvantages.
Amethyst
An early-ripening variety for open ground ripens within 100-115 days from planting .
Summer residents recommend planting it in seedlings, after soaking the seeds. Amethyst is planted in fertile and sunny beds. The variety is unpretentious in care and requires a minimum of time and effort. Productivity is stable, from 1 sq. m farmers annually collect from 10 to 12 kg of tasty and juicy fruits. The bush grows about 60 cm in height, so it does not require staking or shaping. The weight of one pepper varies from 130 to 160 g. The color is rich red or purple. The walls of the vegetable are dense and fleshy, thanks to which the pepper can be stored for about a month without losing its beneficial properties. Stews and vitamin salads are prepared from the vegetable.
Othello F1
The hybrid matures in 110-120 days. Farmers recommend planting it in a greenhouse or greenhouse. The plant is tall, so over time it requires staking and pinching. The fruits are cone-shaped, deep purple in color. The weight of one pepper is about 110 g, the wall thickness is 6-7 mm. The taste is sweet and juicy, so the vegetable is ideal for preparing pickled and dried dishes for the winter. From 1 sq. m harvest about 9 kg of fruit.
Important ! To obtain a rich harvest, peppers are regularly fertilized and fed. Organic fertilizers help improve the quality of fruits and their quantity: liquid manure, chicken droppings, burdock infusion, wood ash. Together with them, mineral complexes and growth stimulants are used, for example, Heteroauxin or Kornevin.
Arab
The early ripening variety ripens in 100-110 days. It is grown outdoors or in greenhouses. The plant is cold-resistant and rarely gets sick. For a good harvest, the beds are watered every 5-7 days. The amount of watering depends on weather conditions.
If the summer is rainy, then water once every 7-10 days. The bushes are compact, about 75 cm high. The peppers have a cone-shaped, elongated shape. The color is rich purple, the taste is soft and juicy. From 1 sq. m harvest 5-6 kg of crop.
Oh yeah
The variety ripens within 115 days from planting. Excellent for regions with unpredictable climatic conditions. The bushes are compact, the height of one is about 50 cm.
The plant does not need special care; the main thing is to regularly water, loosen and fertilize the beds. The fruits are cuboid in shape and dark purple in color. The weight of one fruit is 120-140 g. Pepper can be stored for up to four months in a cool and dark place, for example, the basement of a house. From 1 sq. m harvest about 6 kg of vegetables.
Important ! Loosening is a necessary stage of crop care. Due to it, the evaporation of moisture is reduced, the soil retains liquid in itself, and the flow of oxygen to the roots improves, which has a positive effect on the development of fruits. Constant loosening helps to avoid many diseases and unwanted insects in the beds. Carry out the procedure before watering.
Star of the East
The variety is one of the heat-loving and whimsical varieties, so it is best to grow it in central Russia. The fruits ripen in 100-110 days. The shape is cuboidal, the weight of one vegetable is about 200 g. Unlike many peppers, the taste of the Eastern Star is neutral.
For the best harvest, summer residents recommend preparing seedlings in March-April. The vegetable is planted in open ground after the spring frosts have passed. The yield is average, about 5-7 kg per 1 sq. m.
This is interesting:
Pests of sweet peppers and their control.
Red pepper and paprika: how they differ from each other.
Lilac fog F1
The hybrid is mid-early, ripens in 120-125 days from planting. Recommended for cultivation in northern regions, for example, in the Urals or Siberia. The fruits are small, the weight of one is about 90 g. The color is bright, the flesh is juicy. The plant rarely gets sick and is resistant to insect pests. About 2 kg of exotic and tasty fruits are collected from one bush.
Interesting ! Purple peppers make an excellent base for stuffed dishes. Meat, fish, other vegetables, spices and herbs are used as filling. This is an ideal dietary dish that will not harm your figure.
Maxim F1
Small fruits ripen in 120-130 days. Vegetables of red and light purple colors appear on one bush. The length of the pepper reaches about 10 cm, the thickness of the walls is 6-8 mm. The hybrid is cultivated in any climatic conditions, be it sunny Volgograd or harsh Chelyabinsk.
The plant performs well both in greenhouses and in open beds. From 1 sq. m gardeners receive 8 kg of harvest.
Gypsy Baron
A mid-early vegetable shows the first results in 125-135 days. Recommended for cultivation in warm regions. The semi-spreading bush reaches a height of only 60 cm and does not need a garter. The fruits have a cone-shaped shape; red and purple vegetables weighing 120-130 g ripen simultaneously on one plant.
The wall thickness is only 5 mm, so the vegetable is not suitable for long-term storage. From 1 sq. m farmers harvest 3-4 kg of crop.
Lilac Lavender
The literal translation of the name sounds like “lilac masterpiece.” To find and buy seeds of this variety, you need to try very hard. The mid-early vegetable ripens within 110-115 days. It is planted in shifts in open ground.
The bushes are spreading, but reach a height of only 50-60 cm. They do not require special care. The fruits are large, cone-shaped, deep lilac in color. The walls are thick and fleshy, the surface is glossy. The weight of one fruit reaches 400-450 g. Lilac Lavender is excellent for long-term storage and transportation. Universal in use.
Purple Bell
The mid-season variety is ideal for greenhouses and greenhouses.
Planted using seedlings that are previously hardened off. Fleshy fruits at the ripe stage weigh up to 200 g. The color is blue-violet. The taste is excellent, the fruits have a sweet, pleasant aroma. The vegetable is actively used in cooking for preparing salads and snacks. Under film covers with 1 sq. m summer residents collect about 8 kg of fruit.
Blot
The mid-early variety is suitable for any region of the country. The bushes are semi-spreading, the height of one is about 60 cm. The pepper is unpretentious in care. The fruits are medium in size, black-violet or dark red in color.
The flesh is crispy, the surface is smooth and even. The weight of one fruit is 130-160 g. The vegetable is perfect for making pickled and dried snacks; peppers look attractive and appetizing in a jar.
Bagheera
The original spherical variety ripens in 125 days. Bagheera is suitable for open beds. Large fruits weigh up to 400 g and are not suitable for long-term storage. The color is dark, the walls are dense. The pulp is pleasant to the taste, there are few seeds.
The variety is resistant to pests and shows stable yields regardless of the growing region. One bush gives summer residents about 2 kg of large and heavy fruits.
What are the processes of planting and caring for a crop?
Add one glass of ash or lime to one bucket of prepared soil, then mix thoroughly.
Pepper seedlings do not tolerate transplanting very well, so you need to immediately take a glass and plant two seeds at a depth of 3 cm there. But before starting the process of planting seeds, it is necessary to process them.
In the Siberian region, the process of sowing pepper is done in March. In this case, the ground temperature should be +25°C. Then you need to water the cups with the seeds, cover them with film and place them in a sunny place.
For the short summer of Siberia, it is best to choose early ripening varieties.
You can feed the seedlings with liquid fertilizers for indoor flowers. So there are all the necessary components.
Seedlings must be planted in soil with a temperature of about +20°C. The distance between adjacent rows should be 85 cm, and between holes 60 cm.
Pour one tablespoon of potassium fertilizer, without chlorine, into each hole, then pour water. After the water has been absorbed, it is necessary to plant the seedlings.
Features of growing purple pepper
How to create ideal growing conditions? Before planting, the seeds are soaked in aloe juice or a solution of potassium permanganate. This increases the immunity of future plants and kills dangerous microbes on the surface of the seeds.
To get a rich harvest, experienced gardeners advise adhering to the following rules:
- Store pepper seedlings on a sunny windowsill;
- plant vegetables in the garden on a windless and dry day;
- Before planting, be sure to dig up the beds and add compost or humus to them;
- leave a distance between bushes of at least 40-50 cm, depending on the variety;
- if the fruits are heavy, be sure to tie the bushes to a support;
- water the beds only with settled or rain water;
- remove weeds and weed beds;
- regularly inspect bushes and fruits for the presence of insect pests;
- regularly take preventive measures against diseases.
Important ! Purple pepper needs timely feeding. Summer residents advise alternating mineral and organic fertilizers. Two weeks after planting, the plant is fed with ammonium nitrate or superphosphate. Subsequently, every 10-15 days, wood ash and yeast are added to the soil, the bushes are watered with Bordeaux mixture, and 2-3 times a season they are sprayed with whey or nettle infusion, which protect the peppers from aphids, slugs and spider mites.
Landing
Seeds pre-treated with a solution of potassium permanganate are sown in late February or early March.
When transplanting seedlings to a plot, the bushes must be 2 months old and have at least 6-8 leaves. Seedlings are sown in nutritious and light soil consisting of peat, sand and soil from the site. You can purchase a universal mixture or substrate for tomatoes and peppers in the store. Planting depth is 0.5-2 cm. Until sprouts appear, the crops are kept moist under a film, ventilated daily, at a temperature of +23-28 degrees.
Peppers have a fragile root system that is easily damaged when picked. To protect it, it is better to sow the seeds immediately in separate containers.
From common boxes, seedlings need to be picked in the phase of 2-3 leaves. The containers are kept on the windowsill. Apply 1-2 fertilizing with weakly concentrated solutions of mineral fertilizers.
They are transplanted into unheated greenhouses in mid-May, into open ground - when it warms up to +14-15 degrees and the frosts end. Scheme - 50 by 35 cm.
Reviews
Judging by the reviews, every year an increasing number of gardeners grow unusual purple varieties on their plots.
What bell peppers do Russian summer residents prefer? Elena, Orenburg: “I love everything unusual, so every year I try to grow a new vegetable on my plot. Last year it was the Gypsy Baron pepper. I was very pleased with the harvest; the fruits grew evenly, with a beautiful color. I recommend it for cultivation."
Mikhail, Ufa: “ I grew Bagheera pepper for two years in a row. I was pleased with the exotic appearance of the vegetable and its pleasant taste. However, the last time the plants fell ill with powdery mildew, which destroyed 60% of the crop. I’m very disappointed, I’ll try other purple varieties next season.”
Irina, Sochi: “I want to praise the Oda and Amethyst varieties. These are my favorites, they always show the best yield. I make preparations from them for the winter, and in the summer I add them to soups and side dishes; there are a great many recipes. The taste of the vegetable is excellent."
Pests and diseases
The insect enemies of peas are the pea moth, leaf roller, cabbage cutworm and garden cutworm. Cutworms, like cutworms, lay eggs on pea leaves. The hatched cutworm caterpillars eat the ground parts of the plants, and the leaf roller larvae, feeding on the leaves, wrap themselves in them. Codling moth butterflies lay eggs on the fruits, leaves and flowers of peas, which literally within a week become food for the larvae.
Diseases that are dangerous for peas are mosaic and powdery mildew. Mosaic is a viral disease that cannot be cured, but it can be avoided by following the agricultural practices of the species and crop rotation, as well as properly processing the seed before planting. The first signs of the disease are slow growth and curling of leaves, as well as the appearance of teeth on their edges. Later, necrotic spots appear on the leaves, and the veins become discolored.
The fungal disease powdery mildew, or spheroteca, is manifested by a whitish, loose coating that appears first at the bottom of the above-ground part, and then spreads to the entire plant. As a result, the fruits crack and die, and the affected leaves and shoots turn black and die over time.
Treatment
If you have found out why peas are sick, you need to know how to treat peas against fungus, because there is only one way to get rid of the virus: remove the diseased specimen from the area and burn it, and spill the soil in which the diseased plant grew with a strong solution of potassium permanganate and Do not grow anything in this place for at least a year.
You can fight the fungus with fungicides (Quadris, Topaz, Topsin, Fundazol, Skor, for example), but it is best to try to treat spheroteca with folk remedies that are safe for humans:
- dissolve 40 g of soda ash and 40 g of grated laundry soap in ten liters of water, mix thoroughly and spray the peas with this mixture twice at intervals of a week;
- 300 g of field thistle leaves are poured into a bucket of water, left overnight, filtered and sprayed on the peas twice with an interval of seven days;
- half a bucket of chopped garden weeds is poured with hot water to the top of the bucket and left for several days, then the infusion is filtered through cheesecloth, diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10 and sprayed on the peas.
All treatments on the leaves are carried out in the evening to avoid burning the drop-covered ground parts of the peas by the sun's rays.
Caterpillars of cutworms, leaf rollers and moths are combated by treating peas with infusions of tomato tops and garlic. To prepare tomato infusion, three kilograms of chopped tomato tops are infused in 10 liters of water for a day or two. Before processing the peas by leaves, filter the infusion. To prepare a medicinal infusion, 20 g of garlic is passed through a crusher, poured with ten liters of water and infused for 24 hours, then filtered and used. These infusions have also proven themselves in the fight against aphids.
Bagheera
A variety of pepper that produces the first harvest after 4 months. Bushes up to half a meter high grow equally well in a greenhouse and in a vegetable garden. Fruits weighing up to 350 g, almost black, sweet, cube-shaped. The walls of the fruit are massive – up to 8 mm.
Up to 2 kg of fruits ripen on the bush. This variety is resistant to insects and tolerates transportation well over long distances. To obtain a bountiful harvest, you need to regularly loosen the soil.
