Unsurpassed Guest in the Garden - Bell Pepper Californian Miracle
In 1928, American breeders developed a crunchy and aromatic variety of everyone's favorite vegetable. Today, the California miracle sweet pepper is successfully cultivated in Europe. It is here that the soil and climate are ideal for him. The main advantage of pepper is its unique taste and nutritional value. The product contains an abundance of vitamins, sugar and trace elements. It is used for making salads, pickled and canned. It does not lose its beneficial properties after freezing, which is very convenient in the cold season. Consider a detailed description of the culture and cultivation technique at their summer cottage.
Sweet pepper Californian miracle in the country garden
Sweet pepper variety California miracle is not afraid of sudden changes in temperature. Therefore, it is often planted without additional shelter. However, in the northern regions, the crop is grown only in greenhouses. Due to this, the pepper ripens much earlier than in the open field.
The fruits of the American variety have coloring options:
- deep red;
- bright orange;
- almost black;
- lemon yellow.
A maximum of 150 days pass from the moment the green shoots appear before full maturation.
Detailed characteristics of pepper fruits California miracle includes a number of features:
- cuboid shape;
- elastic surface with gloss;
- wall thickness from 5 to 12 mm;
- weight about 140 g.
The vegetable is quite juicy and has an extraordinary sweetness at any stage of ripening. It is widely used in cooking.
The California miracle pepper is resistant to various types of pests, but it is susceptible to viral diseases.
Growing technology "overseas guest"
To get an excellent sweet pepper harvest, you need to follow the guidance of experienced gardeners. The first step is to prepare the seeds. To do this, they are poured with saline, according to the proportion: 30 g of salt are taken for 10 liters of water. The seeds that fall to the bottom are left, washed with clean water and laid out on a paper napkin.
Instances that have surfaced are discarded. Usually these seeds do not germinate.
The dried material is disinfected in a solution of potassium permanganate. 1 g of the substance is placed on 1 liter of water. The grains are kept for about 15 minutes, after which they are thoroughly washed and laid out on paper to dry.
A special solution is prepared 10 days before planting. Wood ash (2 g) pour over with clean water (1 l). Insist for a day, periodically mixing the composition. Then the grains are immersed in it. Withstand 24 hours. After the expiration date, the material is taken out, washed, dried. Then it is wrapped in a wet chintz cloth, placed on a plate and taken to a warm place. In a day, miniature roots will appear.
If desired, you can carry out the bubbling procedure. For 14 days before planting, the seeds are kept in water saturated with oxygen.
Sowing prepared material
The classic cultivation of pepper seedlings The California miracle begins with the preparation of the substrate. It is prepared from components:
- ordinary land from the garden (2 hours);
- wood ash (1 hour);
- humus (1 hour);
- sand (2 hours).
The soil is poured into boxes or small containers. Align the top layer. Wells are made about 1 cm deep with an interval of 3 cm from each other. Prepared grains are sown. Sprinkle with soil. Pour with water at room temperature. The moisture must be completely absorbed into the substrate.
The containers are covered with foil or glass. They are taken to a room where there is an abundance of light and the air temperature is maintained at + 25 ° C during the day and up to + 18 ° C at night. After about a week, green shoots will appear on the surface. Just at this time, the film or glass is removed. Moisten the seedlings as the soil dries up with warm water.
Diving sprouts
When two green leaves are formed on young seedlings, they are carefully transplanted into new pots or a box. A similar substrate is used for business. A recess is made in the container, where a seedling with a small earthen lump is placed. The top layer of soil is lightly tamped with hands. Moisten with a spray bottle. After 8 days, sweet peppers are fed with a urea solution (1 tablespoon of the substance is taken for 10 liters of water). When the inflorescences appear, the procedure is repeated.
To speed up the appearance of side shoots, pruning is done. The top of the main trunk is removed, leaving only 6 or 8 leaf blades.
Transferring a plant to an open bed
Observing the lush development of seedlings, I want to see the long-awaited fruits faster. However, it is important to know when the California Miracle pepper can be planted outdoors? Experts advise to carry out the procedure if there are at least 12 leaf plates on the seedlings. Usually the age of such seedlings is from 50 to 55 days.
Before planting, the plants are stabbed. The process begins 15 days before the "publication". First, the containers are taken out into fresh air for about 3 hours. After 2 days, the stabbing time is doubled, and then left completely for the whole day.
Pepper prefers spacious, sunny areas with fertile soil. It can be a weakly acidic environment of sandy loam, chernozem or loam. Plant predecessors can be:
- legumes;
- melon;
- carrot;
- onion;
- cucumbers.
Bell peppers should not be grown after plants from the Solanaceae family. The planting procedure begins with soil preparation. Even in the fall, they carefully dig it up and add humus and compost. In the spring, when the ambient temperature rises to 17 ° C, they begin to plant seedlings in the garden. The pits are placed at intervals of 25-30 cm from each other. The row spacing is done at a distance of 50-60 cm.
First, the funnel is half filled with earth. Then poured abundantly with water. A young seedling is laid. From above, the roots are covered with soil. Thoroughly tamp with your hands. After a week, the soil is fluffed up and the root area is covered. Then follow the rules of care.
Gentle hydration
The California miracle variety needs regular watering. With a lack of water, the culture loses leaf plates, elements of the ovary, and the buds that have appeared. The procedure is performed using a regular watering can, the throat of which is directed to the root area. The water temperature should not be lower than + 20 ° C. Before budding, the pepper is watered every 7-6 days. When inflorescences appear, the procedure is repeated 2 times a week. When the moisture is completely absorbed into the ground, it is thoroughly fluffed.
During the period of fruit ripening, the culture is not watered. She has enough moisture that comes naturally.
Top dressing
On the 20th day after planting the pepper in the garden, fertilize the root system. For business use ammonium nitrate, superphosphate and potassium sulfate in dry form.
During flowering, various solutions are made:
- superphosphate (for 10 liters of water 40 g);
- potassium sulfate (1 teaspoon per 10 liters of water);
- a mixture of nitroammophoska (2 tablespoons), chicken manure (0.5 l) and water (10 l);
- urea (60 g), potassium chloride (20 g), superphosphate (80 g), water (10 L).
When the pepper grows to 30 cm, they begin to form bushes. The bud located at the top of the plant is removed first.The strongest specimens are left on the side shoots. The landed branches are pinched. As the bush develops, weak and sterile branches are cut. Cut off the fruits in a timely manner.
We examined the characteristics and external features of the California miracle sweet pepper. Its large fruits are distinguished by excellent taste and aroma. They are actively used in cooking. To successfully grow a crop on the site, the seeds are first sown in containers. Then the sprouts are dived, stabbed and transferred to the garden bed. Proper watering, feeding and plant formation will help to collect a bountiful harvest.