Variety of sweet bell pepper Merchant deserves special attention among vegetable growers - he does not at all look like his other relatives, is quick and easy to adapt, high commercial quality of fruits and amazing resistance to frost. This article invites you to get acquainted with other features of the variety, cultivation agricultural technology, as well as useful recommendations for care.

Description and characteristics of the variety

Pepper Merchant refers to the early ripe varieties of sweet bell pepper. Despite the fact that most varieties prefer high humidity and a hot climate, the Merchant easily tolerates frosts and stably pleases the high productivity of gardeners in cool regions. This feature of the variety was obtained thanks to selection, which gave the inhabitants of Siberia and the Urals the opportunity to cultivate it in open ground.

Pepper Kupets is a sprawling bush about 80–85 cm high, due to which it acquires an outward resemblance to small trees. A rather dense stem allows the fruits to be well retained and not to bend the plant to the ground under their mass. This feature of the variety does not require garter shoots. The fruits are drooping, rich in vitamins, the pulp is juicy and tasty.

They have two stages of maturity:

• on the first, technical, they acquire a green color and are already quite suitable for eating;
• on the second, biological ripeness, the fruits have a uniform red tint and glossy skin.

The variety is recommended for fresh consumption and for preservation. Pepper is especially widely used in merchants to create semi-finished products, since even after defrosting it is able to maintain its previous shape, color and exactly the same taste as fresh. Great for stuffing or stewing.

Grade history

The merchant was bred by specialists of the West Siberian Vegetable Station, which has a rich breeding base. The authors' goal was to create a pepper variety whose characteristics would ideally suit the inhabitants of cool regions with a short summer.

Upon completion of the work, the Merchant was successfully entered into the State Register in 2001 and has since been actively grown by CIS residents. And although the variety was created specifically for adverse climatic conditions, its full development can occur in any conditions, so the Merchant quickly spread to all regions due to its frost resistance and high productivity.

Undemanding to heat and light does not affect the appearance of fruits, which can boast of its bright red color and high content of ascorbic acid.

Did you know? Due to the large content of B vitamins in its composition, bell pepper acts as a natural antidepressant, perfectly relieving nervous tension, fatigue and normalizing sleep and the nervous system.

Yield Features

The early ripeness of the Kupets pepper allows you to get the crop already 100-110 days after emergence, and thanks to the quick adaptation of the variety, even taking into account the most adverse weather conditions, about 3-4 kg of vegetables can be removed from 1 m².Moreover, this indicator is often much higher. If pepper grows in a temperate climate, then you can safely expect to collect at least 7 kg of fruit, and as for the greenhouse, then under such conditions the yield will reach about 11 kg from 1 m².

Description of the fetus

The fruits of the variety are large, pyramidal in shape, their mass when grown in open ground reaches 85–90 g, and in greenhouse conditions 130–145 g. The wall thickness is good - from 0.5 to 0.9 cm, but this indicator is mostly depends on the frequency of feeding and weather conditions.

The pulp tastes very sweet and juicy, contains a huge amount of sugar and vitamins and does not give a feeling of bitterness or pungency. Fruits are also characterized by even color and uniform glossy gloss.

Pepper variety Merchant is characterized by long storage and good transportability, and even over long distances. Presentation of fruits allows you to profitably grow pepper for sale. Their use in cooking has a wide range: from decorating meat and fish dishes to the creation of semi-finished products.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

• Pepper Merchant has several advantages that distinguish it from other varieties:
• fast ripening period, which allows to obtain selected large fruits weighing up to 100 g;
• compactness of plants that do not take up much space on the site;
• the almost daily appearance of new ovaries during the growing season;
• consistently high productivity;
• excellent taste;
• good immunity to pests and diseases;
• unpretentiousness in leaving;
• good transportability;
• long-term storage of fruits;
• versatility that allows you to grow a variety both in open ground and in a greenhouse.

Based on the experience and numerous reviews of gardeners, the flaws of the variety were not fixed.

The rules for growing varieties

You can grow a variety of pepper Merchant at home, adhering to certain rules, compliance with which will not take much time and effort.

A large crop can be achieved independently, even without huge experience and special skills, the main thing is to clearly follow the instructions and take into account the characteristics of the culture:

1. When watering a variety, it is necessary to use exclusively warm and settled water, but in no case cold, otherwise it will significantly slow down the growth and development of the plant.
2. Observe regular watering.
3. Loosen the soil and remove weeds in a timely manner.
4. It is imperative to include in the procedures for the feeding of pepper bushes and fertilize according to the stages of their development: when planting seedlings, the Merchant prefers fertilizers containing a large amount of nitrogen; after the beginning of flowering and fruiting, pepper will require fertilizing based on phosphorus and potassium, which will contribute to a more abundant crop and strengthen plants.

Seed selection and processing

Seeds for planting peppers must be carefully selected and meet certain requirements. It is best to purchase planting material from a trusted manufacturer that guarantees the receipt of the crop of the claimed variety. If you buy seeds on the market, be sure to make sure they are dry and free from damage. They should also be medium in size and not have external symptoms of the disease.

The treatment process includes disinfection and soaking in a nutrient solution. First of all, the planting material is disinfected by soaking it for half an hour in a solution of potassium permanganate, after which it is thoroughly washed under a stream of cold water. Further seed preparation comes down to nutritious “sessions”:

1. First you need to make a special nutrient solution - for this, one teaspoon of nitrophosphate is diluted in 1 liter of water. In the absence of nitrophosphate, you can also use wood ash.
2. Next, the disinfected seeds are placed in tissue bags and dipped in a solution for 48 hours.
3. After the specified time, the seeds are removed from the solution and laid on a dry plate, cleaned in a room with a temperature of at least +25 degrees for two or three days. This technique contributes to further rapid and high-quality seed growth.

Having completed all the necessary procedures for the preparation of planting material, you can safely proceed to its planting.

Important! To grow pepper for sale, the Merchant variety can be harvested during the period of its technical ripeness, thereby increasing the shelf life of the fruit several times.

The selection of containers for seedlings

Despite the variety of containers for growing seedlings, for the pepper, the most ideal option is just individual cups, because the culture is very difficult to tolerate the transplant. It is also important to select a large-sized container so that healthy seedlings have enough space for large leaves and nutrition.

A good option will also be to grow seedlings in peat pots - this will protect the root system of seedlings from damage. Peppers need to be planted with great care, carefully removing them from the cups so as not to spoil the earthen lump or injure sensitive roots.

Soil preparation

The success of growing any garden crop, including pepper, to a large extent depends on the soil in which seedlings grew. Despite the unpretentiousness of pepper, the substrate for seedlings has a number of special requirements that allow the culture to fully grow and develop.First of all, you should choose a fairly loose and fertile soil that can nourish the seedlings with all the necessary useful substances for their life. Pepper prefers a moisture-consuming substrate with neutral acidity, capable of retaining moisture and absorbing it well.

For this reason, it is not recommended to choose peat soil for seedlings, since peat, after drying, ceases to absorb water.

Soil mix for seedlings of pepper can be purchased in a specialized store or made independently by mixing the necessary ingredients in certain quantities. The most suitable components for creating land are humus, compost and vegetable ash.

One of the most popular soil compositions among gardeners is the following:

• 2 parts of humus or compost;
• 1 part peat;
• half a glass of ash;
• a teaspoon of potassium sulfate.

Before cooking, all selected ingredients are necessarily subjected to a disinfection procedure - etching in a solution of potassium permanganate.

Seedling dates

Dates for sowing seeds directly depend on the place of growing pepper - in the greenhouse or in the garden. In the case of cultivation of varieties in greenhouse conditions, the optimal time for sowing is the end of February. If we are talking about planting seedlings in open ground, then the seeds are sown in mid-March.A week after the procedure, the first shoots appear, and on the 70–75th day after seedlings emergence, the seedlings will be ready for transplantation both in open ground and in the greenhouse. In the absence of heating, February seedlings are allowed to be planted in the greenhouse already in mid-May, and March seedlings in the garden - in the early days of the same month.

Features seedlings care

Pepper seedlings care will not be difficult, it is only important to consider the features and requirements of the culture:

1. After the appearance of the first sprouts, the container must be exposed to light to prevent seedlings from stretching. Between 6 pm and until the morning, seedlings without fail continue to cover the film.
2. Throughout the entire period of growing seedlings, the temperature should be maintained within +20 ... + 25 degrees, however, during intensive root growth, it is recommended to reduce this indicator to +13 degrees. In this case, the seedlings will stretch much less.
3. Watering should be provided with moderate, exceptionally warm water and under the root.
4. Top dressing is a prerequisite for the full development of young plants. This procedure is performed 3-4 times: the first - after the appearance of 2-3 true sheets, the rest - with an interval of 10 days. For the first feeding, the most suitable fertilizer composition is the following: 10 g of ammonium nitrate, 12 g of superphosphate and 7–8 g of potassium salt. With the next two dressings, the doses of the components are doubled, and with the remaining fourth dressing, nitrogen fertilizers must be excluded.

Did you know? The huge content of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants makes pepper an ideal product for those who want to lose weight. Entire diets based on this vegetable have been developed for the quick loss of extra pounds. Due to low calorie content — only 27 kcal per 100 g, this becomes possible in the shortest possible time, the main thing — Do not forget to consult a doctor before dieting.

Planting seedlings in the soil

To prepare a bed for planting seedlings should begin in 3-4 weeks. First of all, the plot is cleaned of weeds and debris, and then literally a few days before the intended planting of pepper, it should be dug 30–40 cm in depth, even if you already did this in the fall.The second digging is necessarily accompanied by the removal of the remaining weeds and pest larvae. It is advisable to carry out these procedures after rain, so that the ground is moist and fresh.

This culture prefers light loamy or sandy loamy soil, but in other cases the situation can be corrected by introducing the following components:

• if you have heavy soils in the garden, in this case, during autumn digging, add peat and humus to the ground. Sawdust and river sand will also help to make the soil easier;
• in the case of sandy soil, add peat, clay soil or sawdust;
• in order to make peat substrate suitable for planting pepper, experienced gardeners recommend adding a mixture of turf land with humus to it.

The planting scheme depends on the gardener's preferences and the place on the site that he has.

Consider the standard planting scheme for low-growing varieties, which include the Merchant:

• the depth of the holes should not exceed 15–20 cm. Before planting seedlings, it is necessary to pour plenty of water on them, wait until the moisture is completely absorbed, and only then proceed with the procedure;
• the plants are carefully removed from the cups, trying not to damage the roots and the earthen lump, and bury the stems in the holes 3-4 cm lower than they were in the landing containers;
• the distance between the bushes is maintained at 35–40 cm. If you decide to plant peppers in two rows, then the distance should be from 55 to 70 cm.

A square-nest planting is also widespread among gardeners - the holes are staggered according to a 70x70 cm pattern and 2 plants are planted in each.

The best precursors for vegetables are beans, carrots, onions and cabbage. It is also important to observe the norms of crop rotation, allowing the planting of pepper in its former place no earlier than 3-4 years.

Care after planting in the ground

Further care for peppers comes down to watering, top dressing, protecting fruits from diseases and pests, and regular loosening of the soil. Variety agricultural technology is practically no different from traditional agricultural technology - it is important to carry out these procedures in a timely and high-quality way, so that by the time of harvesting the Merchant will please you with large and tasty fruits.

Watering and feeding

It is recommended to water the bushes no more than once a week with warm water, the temperature of which is not less than +25 ... + 28 degrees. If the soil dries up, it is necessary to increase the amount of this procedure to 2-3 times.

It is very important that moisture does not get on the tops, so experienced gardeners recommend making small drainage grooves between the rows and directing a stream of water there during irrigation. It is advisable to irrigate in the late afternoon so that the moisture does not evaporate in the sun, but goes into the ground.

At first, pepper will not be in urgent need of top dressing, since the fertilizers that were applied during planting are usually enough for a month. After rooting and building up the leaf apparatus of seedlings, it is possible to fertilize with any nitrogen fertilizers.

The frequency of this procedure depends on the quality of the soil - if the soil is fertile enough, then three top dressings will be sufficient for the entire growing season of the plants: the first is carried out at the very beginning of budding, the second - before harvesting and the third - after the formation of fruits on the shoots.

The following composition is ideal for 1 m²:

• 10 g of ammonium nitrate;
• 30 g of superphosphate;
• 5 g of potassium chloride.

With the remaining two top dressings, the amount of some elements, namely phosphorus and potassium, will need to be increased by 2-3 times. As for poor soil, in this case, top dressing is carried out once every two weeks. For this, 30 g of complex mineral fertilizer is diluted in 1 liter of water and spent half a liter per bush.

Organic organics have also proven themselves - it is best to use compost or humus. It is necessary to expend them at the rate of 7 kg per 1 m².

Hilling and loosening the soil

The factor of high crop productivity is influenced by many factors, and one of them is the care of the soil in which it grows. Good results can be achieved using loosening, which will contribute to the rapid growth of plants, the flow of air to their roots and the activation of vital functions of beneficial microorganisms.

The first loosening procedure should be carried out to a depth of not more than 15 cm, however, in the case of crust formation, loosening deeper is simply necessary so that the soil is well warmed up and ventilated. Subsequent procedures should be performed after past rain or watering.

The full growth and development of pepper also involves clean soil, which can only be achieved by regular weeding. Throughout the growing season, the proximity to weed pepper is excluded.

Important! The first two weeks after planting pepper, loosening the soil is strictly prohibited. The thing is that just at this period the rooting of the root system is actively taking place and loosening can significantly harm this process.

The formation of pepper bushes

According to the assurances of experienced gardeners, the formation of a bush of sweet pepper is one of the most significant and necessary methods for increasing fruits and productivity.However, it is important to consider that this is not a one-time procedure - the formation of a bush involves several stages of carrying out using various techniques.

When growing pepper in open ground, it is necessary to pinch the top of the main stems at about 30–35 cm and remove the crown buds. At the initial stage, the pepper bush should consist of 5-6 shoots, the rest must be removed.

The further formation process consists in pinching the extra shoots. From the bifurcation of the main shoots of the bush, it is necessary to leave only 3-4 of the strongest and most viable shoots, and carefully cut the rest, thus creating a decorative lush bush.

After the formation of 8–9 fruits on pepper, you can begin to trim the top. Thanks to this technique, the remaining fruits on the bush will have an active mass gain, and the newly formed ones will stop tying.

The plant will direct all its forces to the full development and ripening of already formed fruits. At the same time, the growth of new leaves and shoots will also continue. After the formation of the bush, the culture will develop in conditions comfortable for it, and the crop will yield a higher quality and more abundant than without this procedure.

Diseases and Pests

Diseases and insect pests cause a lot of trouble to gardeners, which significantly reduce the yield and spoil the bushes. Unlike other vegetables, pepper protection will be required much more often, so you need to be patient and take preventative measures in order to prevent damage to plantations.The most dangerous crop diseases include root and root rot, fusarium wilt, phytosporosis, and mosaic. As for pests, the aphids and the Colorado potato beetle are considered the most malicious enemies of pepper, which can bring enormous damage and reduce to 70% of the crop.

The fight against ailments is the comprehensive prevention and treatment of bushes with fungicides, and this applies both to the soil and stems with leaves. The most successful drugs were Planriz, Gamair, Bactofit, Fitosporin and Haupsin.

When pests are detected, such agents as Mikoafidin, Metarizin and Basamil effectively cope. Processing must be carried out every 2 weeks, taking into account weather conditions.

Preventive measures that can prevent the onset of adversity are:

• spatial isolation of pepper and compliance with crop rotation rules;
• correctly selected predecessors of culture;
• the exception of dense landings and rationing of top dressings;
• planting healthy seedlings, without signs of disease and pests.

Harvesting and Harvesting

Harvesting the fruits of the Merchant variety can begin after they have reached both biological and technical maturity. As a rule, the first crop of peppers in technical ripeness is ready for collection 2 months after planting.

The interval between the stages of technical and biological maturity is not so big - only 25-30 days, therefore it is customary to collect the fruits of the Kupets variety at an intermediate stage, when they contain the most vitamins, minerals and other useful substances. It is possible to determine that the fruits are ready for harvest by the characteristic cod when you touch them.Over the entire growing season, about 5-6 fees are allowed. In case of untimely collection, the fruits are re-ripened, and bitterness will be present in their taste. It is necessary to store the fruits in a dark and cool room, for which you should first cover them with plastic bags.

The Merchant variety is multifunctional in the menu, since it retains its useful properties both during pickling and when stuffing. Pepper sauce, lecho, various salads and even classic ratatouille are very popular. You can enjoy the fruits in their pure form, use as a snack or mix with other ingredients.

Despite its recent appearance, the variety of sweet bell pepper Kupets has already established itself as the best variety for growing in regions with a cold climate. The process of growing this unpretentious vegetable will not be difficult, and the harvest will be high-quality and plentiful, if you follow all the rules of agricultural culture.