Pepper Red Shovel

Red shovel is a variety of sweet bell peppers, bred by specialists of Siberian breeding and approved for use in 2017. Despite the relative novelty of the species, many summer residents have already tried to grow it on their plots. Based on their experience, let's take a closer look at this variety.

This vegetable is distinguished by its sweet good taste and the possibility of whole-fruit canning, which not all varieties of bell peppers can boast of. Also, the fruits are characterized by thick walls, due to which the variety tolerates transportation well, without losing marketable qualities during transportation.

Each bush gives quite a lot of fruits, so the plant needs a garter. But he has good immunity against common diseases and pests.

The bush is semi-spreading, small, reaches a length of 70 cm, has medium-sized dark green slightly wrinkled leaves. Each plant is capable of forming up to 15 drooping peppers.

The fruits are large enough, formed in the form of a narrow cone, their weight is about 132 g. In technical ripeness, the peppers are covered with a dark green skin, closer to biological maturity it turns dark red, it is characterized by a slightly wrinkled and slightly glossy surface. It is a thick-walled vegetable with two chambers inside.

Pepper Red shovel has a juicy pulp with a sweet, pleasant, peppery, aromatic taste. Due to its unusual shape and thick walls (8 mm), it can be used for stuffing without any problems. The vegetable is perfect for pickling, cooking lecho, whole-fruit canning. The pulp can be used to make sauces, soups, add to stews or fresh vitamin salad. A well-sweet, spicy peppery flavor goes well with meat, chicken or fish, and peppers are also freeze-resistant.

Fruiting begins 100-110 days after the first shoots appear, which is typical for varieties with an early ripening period. Usually the fruiting period is in July, August, September.

This variety has a good yield and, subject to all the rules of agricultural technology, it allows you to get an average of 6.3 kg of vegetables from each square meter.

Sowing is carried out in late February - early March, seedlings are planted in the summer cottage in May. The seeds are buried at a level of 1.5-2 cm and the container is covered with foil. When sprouts appear, the film can be removed, and the container can be placed in a bright place. Young bushes will feel comfortable and develop well at a temperature of + 22 ... +25 degrees.

Every three days, the soil should be sprayed with water from a sprayer, and full watering should be done every five days. It is advisable to loosen the soil a little before irrigation at a level of about 1 cm to provide the young roots with access to oxygen. It is important that there are no drafts in the room where the seedlings are grown. At the stage of the first 1-2 leaves, the bushes dive.

Approximately 10 days before the expected day of transplanting, the shoots need to be hardened, that is, they should be taken out on the street every day or placed on a windowsill with an open window.To strengthen immunity during this period, the bushes can be treated with nettle infusion, and when three leaves appear, it is recommended to add a solution of chicken droppings.

For transplanting Red Shovel seedlings, choose a sunny area and avoid places where eggplants, tomatoes, cucumbers, and potatoes used to grow. Plant 3-5 plants per square meter.

Further care consists in watering and feeding. It is a moisture-loving variety that needs to be watered in the morning or evening to avoid causing sunburn. The frequency of watering depends on climatic and weather conditions, but it is important to keep the middle ground, that is, to prevent the formation of a hard crust and not to overfill the plant in order to avoid the formation of rot. Pour 1-2 liters of water on each bush.

The variety responds well to feeding with complex mineral compositions, they can be alternated with organic matter, for example, liquid manure or urea. The garden bed is fertilized every 15-20 days.

This is a highly resistant to diseases and insects variety, but if you disregard the rules of care, then you can allow the occurrence of some ailments. For example, a plant can be affected by powdery mildew. To prevent illness, treat the bushes with a solution of whey.Among pests, the plant most often attacks aphids; spraying with iodine is considered an effective method of dealing with these individuals.