Paprika is a Solanum species originally from Central and South America. As early as 7,000 B.C. the people grew the vegetables. After the seeds were shipped to Europe, the plant has completed a triumphal procession. Today it is considered a popular crop that is cultivated in one's own garden.
When a pepper can be harvested depends on the variety
garden season
Peppers are in peak season from July to August, with fully ripe fruits being harvested into October. With a cover they extend the harvest window into November. Early varieties produce peppers that are ready to harvest from June, but you can harvest any perennial early, even if the vegetables are still green. It is characterized by a bitter taste.
Pepper varieties according to ripening times:
- 50 to 55 days: 'Yesil Tatli'
- up to 60 days: 'Ferenc Tender', 'Healthy' and 'Tollis Sweet'
- up to 70 days: 'Giant Aconcagua' and 'Corno di Toro Giallo'
The optimal harvest time
You should only harvest the nightshade plants when the fruit coloration is fully developed. Small green spots indicate that the ripening process is not yet complete. Give the plant a few days.
It takes about three weeks for the sweetness to emerge and the color to fully develop. Red, yellow and purple cultivars are ready for harvest when the outer skin is colored throughout. Green specimens are not their own variety, but rather unripe vegetables. You can let peppers that were harvested too early ripen.
Cultivation in the garden
Seeds can be grown in a mini greenhouse or in small seed pots on the windowsill between February and March. Coconut fiber swelling tablets are ideal for the seeds because they are low in nutrients and store moisture. At the same time, you save yourself the trouble of transplanting, since you can plant the individual young plants directly in a larger pot.
habituation
Since the nightshade plants are sensitive to cold, they are only allowed to go outdoors in mid-May after the ice saints. Place the plant pots in a sheltered and shady area on the balcony or terrace every day for the first week so that the plants slowly get used to the light conditions.
preparations
Choose a sunny spot and improve the soil with compost. After loosening the bed, dig planting holes about 50 centimeters deep, leaving a distance of 40 centimeters between the pepper plants.
Care for
Supply the culture regularly with water and nutrients, although you should avoid using nitrogen-rich fertilizers. This leads to excessive leaf development. Potassium-rich special fertilizers, on the other hand, promote flower development and thus ensure a rich harvest.
tips
Break out the leader as soon as the perennial has grown 20 to 30 centimeters high. The first so-called king flower is also removed so that the plant expands in width.