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The best sweet pepper cultivars for greenhouse cultivation

For gardeners

8 min read

GREENHOUSES AND COVERS G

Selection of sweet pepper cultivars for greenhouse cultivation

For protected soil, it is advisable to select pepper cultivars with early and mid-early ripening periods. They allow for early produce and the most efficient use of greenhouse space. When planning planting, it is important to consider not only the growing season, but also potential yield, fruit weight, and wall thickness.

  • Maximum fruit weight — up to 400 g (cultivar California Wonder)
  • Maximum wall thickness — up to 8 mm (cultivar Rubinovy)
  • Time to first harvest — 95–100 days (cultivar Novosibirsky)
  • Maximum yield in the greenhouse — up to 6 kg/m² (cultivars Novosibirsky, Sibiryak, Podarok Moldovy)

For planting in a greenhouse, it is recommended to select the following sweet, semi-hot, and hot pepper cultivars:

  • Zolotaya Medal;
  • California Wonder;
  • Indus;
  • Novogogoshary;
  • Podarok Moldovy;
  • Lastochka;
  • Khobot Slona (semi-hot);
  • Astrakhansky (hot).

Detailed economic and biological characteristics of the main greenhouse sweet pepper cultivars based on test results are shown in the table:

Cultivar Ripening period and bush characteristics Fruit parameters Flesh thickness Yield
Novosibirsky Early-ripening. From emergence to flowering takes 65–70 days, to first harvest — 95–100 days. Average fruit weight 50–58 g, red color at full maturity. Fruits are single, pointing upwards. 4–4.5 mm 4–6 kg/m² in a plastic greenhouse.
Sibiryak Early-ripening. Bush is slightly spreading, up to 60 cm tall. Resistant to diseases. Elongated fruits. 4–4.5 mm 4–6 kg/m² in a greenhouse (in open ground — up to 0.5 kg per bush).
Lastochka Mid-ripening. Average fruit weight 50–55 g, oval-conical shape. Fruits can point upwards or downwards. Flesh is tender and juicy. About 5 mm 3.6–5.7 kg/m² in a greenhouse.
Podarok Moldovy Mid-ripening. Fruits are pendulous, conical, three- or four-sided. Weight — 70–150 g. Green fruits also have good taste. More than 5 mm (skin is thin) Up to 6 kg/m² in a greenhouse (in open ground — 0.4–0.5 kg per bush).
Vinni-Pukh Low-growing (bush height up to 30 cm). Weight up to 50 g. Fruits are conical, slightly ribbed, arranged in bunches of 4–9 per bush. Flesh is tender and juicy. 5 mm No data
California Wonder Late-ripening. Bush up to 60 cm tall. Very large fruits of round-blocky shape, divided into sections. Weight reaches 400 g with intensive care. Up to 8 fruits form on the plant, with few seeds. 7 mm High-yielding cultivar for open and protected soil.
Zolotaya Medal Mid-ripening. Bush is tall, requires planting at a distance of 50 cm. Weight 60–90 g. Fruits are conical, long (up to 13 cm), sweet, without bitterness. Average High-yielding cultivar.
Rubinovy Mid-ripening. Bush height 50–60 cm. Fruits are large, round-flattened, slightly ribbed, fragrant. Flesh is juicy and sweet. Up to 8 mm High-yielding cultivar.
Gogoshary Late-ripening (matures later than other cultivars). Fruits are apple-shaped, slightly ribbed, dark red, pointing upwards. Flesh is tender and fragrant. Thick-walled fruits No data

Developmental characteristics and hybridization of the summer squash (zucchini)

The summer squash is an early-ripening variety of the hard-rinded pumpkin, originating from South and Central America. In our country, the crop has been cultivated everywhere since the 17th century due to its high dietary value and quick production of marketable yields. It is important for an agronomist to monitor the timing of the main plant development phases to plan harvesting.

The life cycle of the summer squash from sowing to the start of fruiting includes the following stages:

  1. Emergence of seedlings — on the 6th–7th day after sowing the seed.
  2. Start of flowering — 30–40 days after the emergence of seedlings.
  3. Formation of marketable fruits — 7 days after the start of flowering.

Thus, the first harvesting can be carried out as early as 40–50 days from emergence, and the total fruiting period of the bush lasts 2–2.5 months.

The dietary value of marketable summer squash fruits is determined by their chemical composition. Fruits contain 4 to 6% dry matter (half of which is sugars), 1% protein, 1.7–2% pectin, and 0.1% fats. The flesh is also rich in mineral salts of potassium, phosphorus, iron, and copper. The seeds of the crop contain vegetable oil and have medicinal and preventive importance. The increased potassium content in the flesh prevents the accumulation of cholesterol, promotes the excretion of excess water and sodium salts, activates bile secretion, and contributes to the restoration of glycogen. However, in cases of kidney disease, summer squash consumption must be limited.

Most standard summer squash cultivars have significant drawbacks — reduced field emergence and unstable yield. In modern practice, they are replaced by F1 hybrids, which form an open-type bush, produce uniform fruits, and are characterized by high and concentrated yield return.

Seed production of F1 summer squash hybrids is carried out by natural cross-pollination, using forms with a high concentration of female flowers as maternal lines. This allows for the production of offspring that are also prone to forming a large number of female flowers, which is crucial for obtaining high yields. To stimulate this process, chemical growth regulators are used in seed production.

The use of an aqueous solution of "Ethrel" for stimulating female flowering in maternal lines of summer squash (cucurbita) carries serious risks. Genetic abnormalities may occur in subsequent generations of plants, including pollen sterility, which completely precludes the possibility of fruit set.

Technology for growing summer squash and zucchini under covers

To obtain an early harvest, common summer squash and zucchini (the Italian bush form) are grown via transplants under temporary plastic or non-woven covers. Zucchini are more demanding regarding heat but have a compact bush, large leaves, and less prickly peduncles. Their fruits store longer than those of common summer squash, and young immature fruits are suitable for raw consumption. Both crops require good lighting, loose, fertile soil, and cannot tolerate a high water table.

Observe crop rotation: do not plant summer squash after cucumbers, pumpkins, or pattypan squash due to common diseases and pests. The best predecessors are solanaceous, leguminous, and brassica crops.

  • Summer squash seed germination temperature — 8–9 °C
  • Zucchini seed germination temperature — 10–14 °C
  • Sowing dates in the soil — from May 9 to May 20
  • Transplant planting dates — from May 25 to June 10
  • Start of fruiting for summer squash — 45–50 days
  • Start of fruiting for zucchini — 55–60 days

Soil preparation begins in the autumn, as these crops are highly sensitive to high soil acidity and magnesium deficiency. On acidic sites, liming is mandatory, and dolomite flour is applied to sandy loams. Basic and top dressing fertilizer application are carried out according to strictly regulated rates.

Application period Fertilizer / Soil amendment Application rate
Autumn preparation (basic application) Superphosphate 30–50 g/m²
Autumn preparation (basic application) Potassium chloride 20–40 g/m²
Autumn preparation (in case of high acidity) Lime 200 g/m²
Autumn preparation (on sandy loam soils) Dolomite flour 30 g/m²
Spring digging Potassium nitrate 20–30 g/m²
Start of growth (root top dressing) Ammonium nitrate 30 g/m²
Fruit formation (liquid top dressing) Potassium salt 50 g per 10 l of water (0.5 l of solution per plant)
  1. Seed preparation. Soak the seed in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Sow them in the soil or in transplant trays once the radicle reaches a length of up to 3 mm.
  2. Sowing and transplanting. Sow seed in open ground in rows using a 50 + 90 x 70 cm pattern. Plant transplants using a 70 x 70 cm pattern, adding a handful of humus and a tablespoon of wood ash into each hole.
  3. Care during the growing season. Carry out regular weeding, loosening, and irrigation. Pay special attention to soil moisture during the phases of mass flowering and fruit formation.

Short-term spring frosts down to −1 °C completely destroy seedlings and transplants. Plan planting dates so that young plants appear above the soil surface only after steady warm weather sets in in June.

When growing summer squash, it is important to respond promptly to the appearance of pests and diseases. To combat powdery mildew, the plants are sprayed with a solution of monosodium phosphate (50 g per 10 l of water) or colloidal sulfur (10 g per 10 l of water). Colloidal sulfur at the same dosage is also effective against the spider mite. In eco-friendly farms, chemical preparations are replaced by spraying with infusions of manure, tomato foliage, hay, garlic, or by dusting plants with tobacco or makhorka dust. Marketable young fruits for fresh consumption are harvested when they reach a weight of 400–600 g.

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