Summer residents on their land do not so much relax as work. They use the land to grow various vegetables and fruits. First of all, they plant the most useful plants, such as California Miracle peppers. This vegetable is not only healthy, but also has excellent taste.
Characteristics and description of the variety
The difference between this variety of pepper is that its fruits are very large and fleshy, have an elongated shape with four sides.
- The peppers start out green and then turn red as they ripen. Natural gloss gives it a chic look. Breeders have learned to produce fruits different colors.
- The height of the bush is 60-100 cm, depending on the soil.
- The bush has a strong trunk, so there is no need to tie it up.
- The weight of one fruit reaches a maximum of 200 g.
- The main purpose of the variety. You can use pepper to prepare all kinds of dishes, winter preparations, and salads.
- On average, the fruit ripens in 135 days.
Features of growing and caring for the variety
This variety of pepper is very easy to grow due to its unpretentiousness. The plant quickly adapts to any climate.
The fruit can grow not only in the south, but also in cool regions. Seedlings are used to grow this vegetable.
Planting time for seedlings
It is necessary to start sowing seed material in order to obtain seedlings at the end of winter. To get healthy and strong seedlings, sowing seeds must be done in accordance with the rules and requirements.
Attention!
Before making seedlings, the seeds are soaked in warm water. They should stay in it for two days until they swell. They are then placed in the soil!
Seeds can only be planted in prepared humus soil. It should have a light structure. There are specialized stores that sell such soil. You can also make it yourself by mixing earth with wood ash. It is used to protect the soil from harmful bacteria.
Productivity. If you do everything according to the rules, then about 15 peppers can grow on one bush. In this case, the weight of each will be from 130 g.
Important!
Warm water is used to water the seedlings, since the unformed plant is still weak and does not tolerate low temperatures. It is better to water it every other day.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Due to the varietal characteristics, the following positive qualities predominate in the plant:
- the fruit has an even shape and marketability appearance;
- excellent taste;
- high yield both in the greenhouse and in the open ground;
- easy care and cultivation;
- the fruit is distinguished by juicy and fleshy pulp;
- the pepper does not need to be tied up and pinched;
- harvested can be used for different purposes;
- The vegetable can be stored for a long time.
The disadvantage is that if the plant does not have enough light, the buds and ovaries will begin to fall off.
Resistance to diseases and adverse conditions
If some requirements are not taken into account, the plant may develop Alternaria blight, white or gray rot, or blackleg. To prevent these diseases, so that the entire plant does not die, you need to get rid of the affected areas in a timely manner. It is necessary to treat the soil with special solutions and sprayers.
It is also possible to be affected by aphids, spider mite, slugs. They suck the juice from the plant and spoil its appearance. As a preventive measure, you need to constantly get rid of weeds and not leave plant residues on the soil.
Preparing for winter
To prevent the pepper from losing its quality, you need to have time to collect it before frost sets in. After this, the fruits are sorted. Ripe ones are put in one box, unripe ones in another. Small fruits in one direction, large ones in the other.
Storage rules
The vegetable will not spoil for a long time if you immediately think about storing it. To do this, you need to prepare bags and boxes. Special plastic packaging is also suitable. Paper protects vegetables well from spoilage. A basement or a refrigeration room can be chosen as a room.
Quite a lot of summer residents are planting sweet peppers. One of the most common varieties is the California Miracle pepper. Its main distinctive feature are taste qualities, since it is several times sweeter than other types.
Characteristics include a description of the fruits and characteristics of the plant. The California Miracle refers to mid-season varieties. It takes about 115-125 days to reach technical maturity. The plant is a bush with elastic, spreading branches and a stem about 75 cm high. The seeds have good germination, thanks to which peppers can be planted in open and closed ground.
The fruits of the plant are quite large and sweet. They are painted bright yellow and have a cuboid shape. Their surface is covered with shiny and smooth skin. The weight of mature fruits can reach 165 grams.
The plant is heat-loving, but good yields can be achieved even in insufficient favorable conditions. On average, you can collect 5-10 fruits from one bush.
Planting seedlings
Before growing California miracle peppers, you should start planting seedlings. This is done in mid-February, since young bushes need to be transplanted into open ground 100 days after planting. If you do this later or earlier, the growing season may slow down due to unfavorable climatic conditions.
Planting seedlings consists of several stages.
Disinfection
Disinfection is carried out to protect future seedlings from bacterial and fungal diseases. Seeds can be disinfected using dry and wet methods. The most common dry method is to expose the seeds to the sun for one week.
Numerous reviews indicate that the best remedy for wet disinfection is a 1% solution of potassium permanganate. To do this, the seeds are placed in a heated liquid for 25-35 minutes. You can also use a 2% hydrogen peroxide solution. Before adding seeds, it is preheated to 35 o C.
You can protect the plant from bacterial diseases with the help of aloe juice. To do this, the seeds are kept in liquid for several days.
Soak
In order for pepper to have a good yield, its seeds need to be soaked for 4-6 hours in warm water. After this, they are placed in wet gauze for pecking. Seeds should be stored in plastic bag so that they do not dry out quickly. They can be planted in the ground 2-3 days after soaking.
Selection of capacity
You should not buy large containers for planting. The California Miracle pepper develops rather slowly and its roots take up little space. It is better to plant seeds in small pots or special cassettes with cells.
Soil preparation
The soil for seedlings may contain pathogens of various diseases. To destroy them, you need to disinfect the soil. This can be done by heating the soil in the oven at a temperature of +125 o C. The second method of disinfecting the soil is much simpler. It is enough to water the soil with boiled water.
Planting
California pepper seeds must be sown in moist soil. The soil will need to be watered one more time immediately after sowing. Before the first shoots appear, the seedlings are covered with film and stored in a room with a temperature of about 20 o C.
Seedling care
After the first leaves appear, the pots with sweet peppers need to be moved to a room with additional lighting. You should also remove plastic film so that the plant gradually gets used to new conditions. The optimal daytime temperature for growing is 25 ° C, and the evening temperature is not lower than 10-15 ° C.
Seedlings need to be watered two to three times a week. To do this, it is recommended to use warm water with a temperature of about 35 o C. If you water it with cold liquid, the yellow pepper bushes may get sick and die over time.
The soil can be treated with mineral fertilizers several times a month. However, if all the conditions for growing pepper are met, then you can do without it.
Landing in the ground
You need to start planting bushes in open ground at the beginning of summer. If the plant is grown in a greenhouse, it can be replanted as early as mid-May.
Preparing seedlings
Before planting peppers in the ground, seedlings must be hardened off. This is done to improve the yield and survival rate of the plant. Gradual hardening helps California peppers get used to the sun's rays.
First, the seedlings are placed near open window. After warming up, it can be moved to the street or balcony. You should not change temperature conditions too sharply, as this may affect the health of the plant.
Soil preparation
First, the soil needs to be disinfected. This is done several months before planting the California miracle. The soil is treated with special chemical solutions and fertilized. For this, potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers are used.
Loamy soil can be fertilized with a mixture of peat, manure and sawdust. IN clay soil coarse sand with peat and humus is added.
2-3 days before planting, the beds are treated with cow barn. On square meter area consumes five liters of liquid. After this, the soil is dug up and you can begin replanting the seedlings.
Planting seedlings
When planting California miracle sweet peppers, the square-cluster method is used. The distance between the beds and bushes should be at least 35 cm. The depth of the holes is the same as the height of the seedling containers. You need to fill the plant with soil very carefully so as not to accidentally close the root collar.
Pepper care
The Yellow California Miracle is unpretentious plant, but this does not mean that it does not need to be looked after.
Watering
If there is insufficient moisture in the soil, the growth of the plant will slow down. It needs to be watered regularly and at the root. To do this, use well-heated water. When growing bushes in a greenhouse, not only the soil is watered, but also the row spaces with paths. This will help maintain the required level of air humidity and increase productivity.
Soil care
Several times a month you need to loosen the soil. This is done very carefully so as not to accidentally damage the roots of the plant. To avoid frequent weeding, the soil must be mulched. To do this, the ground is covered with a layer of straw, sawdust, humus or mown grass.
Top dressing
Sweet bell peppers should be fed several times a season. The first feeding is carried out immediately after the first leaves appear on the bushes. The next one should be done only after 2-3 weeks. You should use nitrogen fertilizers very carefully, as they may reduce the number of ovaries.
Disease and pest control
There are several most common pests and diseases of bell peppers.
Aphid
It causes enormous harm to the plant, as it feeds on its sap. To get rid of aphids, bushes should be treated with insecticides. To do this, one spoon of the drug is mixed with ten liters of water. During fruiting, the plant cannot be sprayed.
Spider mite
This pest feeds on sap from plant leaves. You can get rid of it using a special solution. To prepare it, a glass of ground garlic is mixed with liquid soap, dandelion leaves and 5-8 liters of water. The strained liquid is applied to the leaves of the plant.
Slugs
Very dangerous pests, which feed on the fruits and leaves of the Californian. To prevent slugs from appearing on the bushes, you need to regularly loosen the soil and pollinate the plant with dry mustard.
Conclusion
California pepper is pretty unpretentious variety, which can be grown even by people without experience. To do this, it is enough to study the description of the variety and the characteristics of its cultivation.
There are many varieties of sweet peppers, which are ranked among the best almost every year. Such varieties differ from others in their characteristics; they are often especially tasty, sweet and aromatic, they produce a stable harvest, they are not very susceptible to disease and grow well. California miracle sweet pepper is one of the most popular varieties today, its popularity has not decreased over the past ten years.
One of the most outstanding varieties of sweet pepper - California miracle, despite its exotic name, feels great in home gardens. Outwardly, it is not inferior to hybrid species: identical tall and powerful bushes with strong trunks and branches, huge beautiful fruits, excellent taste.
Characteristic features of the California miracle variety, Bell pepper:
- Medium-sized bushes grow up to 60-75 cm. Cuboid fruits with a ribbed surface, divided into four segments. They are covered with thick, shiny and smooth skin.
- The pulp is fleshy, sweet, juicy. The wall thickness is 6-8 mm.
- Ripe peppers turn a rich red color, while at technical maturity they are green in color.
- A feature of the variety is its high sugar content. According to this indicator, California Miracle is superior to other varieties.
The variety with red fruits is considered the most common and familiar for this variety. However, there are other types such as California golden caliber peppers, California miracle yellow and orange. Except for the color of the fruit, there are no noticeable differences from the red-brown type, they are also grown.
Growing
California miracle, pepper variety, being planted in a standard way. However, for all efforts to be successful, you must be aware of the key planting requirements.
Seed preparation
To speed up the appearance of shoots, the seeds must be prepared in advance:
- Firstly, planting material placed in a solution prepared from 30 g of salt and 10 liters of water for 10 minutes, only those remaining at the bottom are taken for planting.
- Seeds that rise to the surface should be discarded. After this, they are washed and laid out on paper.
- When the planted material dries, you can move on to the next stage - etching. This procedure helps protect the peppers from damage from various diseases. The seeds are dipped in a solution of potassium permanganate (1 g per liter), where they are kept for 15 minutes. They are then washed and dried again.
- Before sowing (within 1-2 days), the seeds are wrapped in gauze and immersed for 12-24 hours in a solution of 2 g of wood ash and 1 liter of water, which is infused throughout the day, stirring occasionally.
- After this time, they are laid out on a sheet of paper and dried without washing.
- Then the seeds are wrapped in moistened cotton cloth or gauze, placed on a saucer and placed in a warm place.
- In a day, sprouts will appear. And after 2-3 days the material will be ready for planting.
Germination can be replaced with bubbles. This procedure involves treating the seeds in oxygen-containing water. Within 1-2 weeks before sowing:
- Fill a 3-liter jar with 2/3 of water at a temperature of 20 °C.
- Place the tip from the aquarium compressor on the bottom.
- And after bubbles appear, drop the seeds into the jar.
Every other day they need to be taken out and dried.
The final stage of preparation is hardening, which will help increase the pepper’s resistance to adverse conditions. The seeds are soaked in warm water, and when they swell, place them in the refrigerator for a day. Then dry and start sowing. The procedure is carried out from the last ten days of February to the end of March, 50 days before planting in the ground. To grow pepper seedlings, you will need a substrate of humus, peat and turf (2:6:1) or sand, turf and humus (1:3:3).
Sowing
After all preparatory activities you can move on to sowing. The process works as follows:
- Seeds are planted in containers measuring 6x6-8x8 cm. When filling with the soil mixture, leave 2 cm between the edges and the surface. The optimal soil composition is ordinary plant soil, humus, ash and sand in proportions 2:1:1:2.
- Seeds are placed at a depth of 1 cm, keeping 2-3 cm between them.
- Then the substrate is poured warm water(20 °C) so that the moisture is completely absorbed.
- Then the containers are covered with glass or film and placed in a room with a temperature of 23-25 ° C.
- After 3-7 days shoots appear, after which the shelter must be removed.
The temperature is maintained between 20-25 °C during the day and 16-18 °C at night. Containers with seedlings should be in a well-lit place. Water the pepper when upper layer the soil will dry out. To do this, use only warm water. Otherwise, the fruits form thin walls, and plant development slows down.
Features of picking
At the stage of formation of two leaves, the seedlings dive. To do this, you need to prepare 10x10 cm cups. Do not move the peppers in large containers because the plants develop slowly until the flower buds form. The primer mixture is prepared in the same way as for sowing. The process is quite simple:
- The cups are filled with the composition, then a hole is prepared of such a size that the seedling can be placed in it.
- Each plant is taken by the stem and placed with a ball of earth in a new container to the level of the cotyledon leaves.
Then the soil is compacted. 7-8 days after picking, the pepper is fed with a solution of 1 tbsp. l. urea and 10 liters of water. The second time the solution nutrients administered at the stage of bud emergence.
Seedlings are pinched to increase yield.
At the budding stage, the main stem is cut above the sixth to eighth leaf, as a result of which the plant begins to branch intensively. This will help increase productivity by a third.
Transplanting seedlings into open ground
Seedlings move to open ground at the age of 50-55 days, when the sprouts form 8-12 leaves. Within 10-15 days, start hardening the pepper. Plants are taken outside first for 3 hours, the next day for 6 hours. The seedlings are then left to outdoors from morning till night.
Do you think it is beneficial to leave pepper seedlings outdoors?
Yes, usefulNo, it's harmful
For pepper you need to pick sunny plot. The soil must be fertile and breathable. The most suitable soil type will be loam, black soil and sandy loam. Peppers should be planted in a slightly acidic environment (pH 6-6.6). The predecessors of this crop can be beans (except beans), carrots, onions, zucchini, pumpkin, and cucumbers. Do not grow peppers after eggplants, potatoes, physalis, tomatoes, and peppers.
The landing process is carried out in the standard way:
- The site is first prepared. In autumn, the soil is dug up to the level of the spade bayonet and 7-10 kg of compost, rotted manure or humus is added. At increased acidity add 400 g of fresh lime.
- You can start planting peppers when the soil temperature reaches 15°C and the air temperature reaches 17°C.
- Plants in the garden bed are spaced at a distance of 20-30 cm, and in the aisles they leave 50-60 cm.
- The pepper goes deep to the level of the cotyledons.
- First, the hole is filled with half the soil, after which the plants are watered at the rate of 10 liters of water per 3 bushes, after which the hole is filled to the top.
The previous area for planting pepper can only be used after 3-4 years.
Care
Pepper is a crop that needs care. It reacts to lack of moisture, fertilizer, and loosening of the soil. However, if everything is done correctly and on time, the California miracle will reward you with a truly tasty and rich harvest.
Bell pepper California miracle is a moisture-loving crop. Its productivity depends on timely irrigation. When there is little moisture, the ovaries, leaves and buds fall from the plant. Watering is carried out using a watering can, which is directed under the base of the bush (this will help avoid burns on the leaves). The water should be warm (20-25 ° C). After watering, the soil is loosened and rooted.
Usage cold water during watering leads to slower growth of pepper and reduced yield.
Peppers also require regular intake of nutrients. This will allow the crop to increase resistance to disease, and will also provide strength for the formation of large fruits.
The pepper needs shaping. The procedure is performed when the plant reaches a height of 25-30 cm:
- First remove the top bud. The two strongest shoots remain in the first and second rows, the rest are pinched.
- When the bush begins to branch, a weak stem is cut off from each branch on the lower first leaf. Leave only the most developed shoot.
- Also remove any branches that are not bearing fruit. Next to each bush there is a peg to which the plant is tied.
Expert opinion
Filatov Ivan Yurievich, private farmer for more than 30 years
Possible diseases and pests
If the rules of agricultural technology are violated, peppers may be exposed to pests and diseases.
Diseases affecting culture:
- Blackleg. Darkening of the neck of the root. Appearance gray plaque in the affected areas.
- Alternaria blight. Sick plants must be destroyed. Compliance with the planting scheme.
- White rot. The leaves are covered with round brown spots and fall off, wrinkled black spots appear on the fruits. Treatment of plants with 1% boron-containing liquid or copper chloride solution (40 g per bucket of water). Maintaining crop rotation.
- Gray rot. Dark gray spots form on the fruits. Apply a mixture of Rovral fungicide and lime (1:1) to the affected areas.
White rot
Pests:
- Aphid. Curling of leaves, deformation of fruits, appearance of a gray coating on the bushes. Spraying with a solution of 400 g of tobacco dust, 400 g of soap and 10 liters of water. Regular weed control.
- Spider mite. Down side leaves are covered with cobwebs. Also, bright dots appear on the plates, they turn yellow and crumble. Flowers and fruits fall. Removing plant residues from the site after harvesting.
- Slugs. Formation in fruits and leaves large holes. Treating the soil with a mixture of lime and tobacco dust (1:1). Weed control, collection of plant residues.
Photo
The photo shows the California Miracle pepper.
Video
The video shows the California Miracle pepper being harvested.
California miracle pepper has the ability to develop and bear fruit in unfavorable conditions. The harvest can be obtained even without care. But the productivity of pepper will decrease significantly. Compliance with agrotechnical requirements allows you to increase productivity to maximum levels.
The California Miracle bell pepper variety was first produced in the West a century ago. Today, a myriad of varieties of this pepper have been developed. It adapts perfectly to the climate of our country and pleases with a rich and fragrant harvest. You can learn about the features of its care and maintenance by reading this article.
Description and characteristics of the variety
The “California Miracle” pepper variety, despite its exotic name, has perfectly adapted to domestic garden plots. Visually note any major differences from hybrid varieties bell peppers almost impossible. Large bright red fruits. Branched shrubs with strong stems.
Sweet pepper California miracle
The fruits of the “California miracle” may have a different shade of peel when ripe
Yellow pepper California miracle
Pepper Californian miracle orange
Pepper California miracle ripe green, on one bush with yellow
Pepper California miracle purple
California miracle chocolate pepper
Let's take a closer look character traits this variety of sweet pepper:
- The bush has the average size, its height can reach 80 cm.
- The fruit, as a rule, acquires a cuboid shape during the ripening process. The surface is ribbed, visually divided into several lobules.
- The skin is dense, shiny, smooth.
- The pulp of “California” pepper is characterized by meatiness, juiciness and a memorable sweetish taste. The walls are 9 mm thick.
- At the stage of biological maturity, pepper acquires a bright scarlet hue, and technical maturity is characterized by a greenish tint to the skin.
One of the main distinctive characteristics variety "California Miracle" is high level sugar in pepper. “California Miracle” peppers are also known for the fact that they are equally excellent for eating fresh and for preparing stuffed dishes; we should also not forget about winter preparations. Thanks to their crispy and dense crust, the peppers retain their shape even when cooked.
Varieties of pepper California miracle
This variety of sweet pepper has another interesting feature. The fact is that the fruits of the “California miracle” may have a different shade of peel when ripe. The color of the fruit shell does not change the taste or other characteristics of the pepper at all, it only adds greater visual decorativeness to the shrub.
The following peel shades are possible:
- dark green (mistaken for technical immaturity of the fruit);
- rich yellow tint;
- red (the fruits visually become similar to persimmons);
- the most famous is a deep red shade;
- black with a purple gloss (extremely reminiscent of eggplant skin);
- deep chocolate shade that was released a couple of years ago.
Yellow and red peppers have the largest weight.
Advantages and disadvantages
The popularity of the California Miracle variety of sweet peppers among gardeners is quite easy to explain - there are a huge number of advantages over other similar varieties:
- excellent presentation of the fruit;
- taste qualities - juiciness, meatiness, lack of bitterness;
- shrub's ability to produce good harvest not only in the greenhouse, but also in the open garden;
- the plant is quite unpretentious in maintenance;
- no need for pinching and creating supports for fixing the stems;
- fairly fast ripening period;
- versatility of using fruits (fresh, preserved, pickled);
- peppers have a long shelf life, which makes them easier to transport to long distances.
For vegetable crops, regardless of their variety, tend to have a number of disadvantages that must be taken into account. Fortunately, the California Miracle has a minimal amount of them.
The only significant drawback of this variety is the low resistance of the plant to infectious and viral diseases. However, this problem is quite easy to overcome - you only need to periodically carry out the necessary preventive measures.
Features of cultivation
There are several features that should never be ignored when growing California Miracle seedlings:
- Do not overwater the soil. Despite the fact that this crop needs moist soil, excess water causes blackleg disease.
- The water used for watering seedlings must be heated, preferably pre-infused.
- Create conditions so that there are no drafts or excessively dry air in the room.
- If possible, try to extend the daylight hours for the plant. Buy special ones.
Seed preparation
An important step Before planting seeds, they are prepared. The process is quite simple, but extremely effective. Therefore, it is not recommended to ignore it:
- Soak the seeds in warm water and leave until they swell.
- After increasing their size, wrap them in a damp piece of cotton cloth and leave for 3 days.
Such manipulations with seeds allow for faster and more efficient germination. It has been noted that seeds planted directly into the ground germinate much longer and less readily. The seedlings eventually mature less vigorous and require additional feeding.
Planting seeds for seedlings
Of this particular variety, preferably in separate containers or glasses. This is because root system in seedlings, subject to all conditions for growing this crop, it develops very actively.
Fill the containers with a mixture of fertile soil, sand and humus, in a ratio of 1:1:2, respectively. The most preferable period for planting California Miracle seedlings is the month of February. Correctly carried out planting affects the future development of the plant, its resistance to infectious and viral diseases, as well as on the quality of the fruit.
Place the seeds in the soil, making small depressions in the ground and sprinkle soil on top. Using a spray bottle, moisten the soil and cover the container with cling film to create a “greenhouse effect.”
Picking seedlings
The roots of sweet peppers cope much worse with picking seedlings, compared to tomatoes or other vegetable crops. As a rule, they take longer to recover. Therefore, if possible, it is better to refuse diving. If a transplant is necessary for objective reasons, it is recommended to pay attention to the following nuances:
- Only seedlings that have already developed more than 3 leaves can be picked.
- Do not add to the replanted soil a large number of mineral fertilizer. This will have a beneficial effect on the injured plant.
- The day before the dive, stop watering. A compacted lump of earth near the root system of the seedling will press on the stem with its mass and tear off the roots.
Transplanting seedlings into open ground
It is advisable to plant sweet pepper seedlings immediately after reaching the age of 65 days. Older seedlings are at high risk of injury during planting. A few days before planting, conduct a hardening course for the plant. To do this, periodically take the seedlings outside or leave the window open.
Before planting in the ground, make small depressions in the ground. Pre-loosen the soil and water the holes generously. Plant seedlings at a distance of 45 cm from each other, no less.
Use mulch to retain the soil moisture that bell peppers need. This, in turn, will help keep the soil loose and breathable.
Avoid placing hot pepper varieties together with “California” (sweet) peppers in the beds. The fact is that both varieties can cross-pollinate, which will contribute to a change in the taste of both plants.
A rich harvest is guaranteed provided that highly fertile soil was used during cultivation. Carefully pre-dug and moistened. Don't forget about the rules of crop rotation. When planning to grow sweet peppers of this variety on open beds, the most preferred site is former place growing onions, carrots and various representatives of legumes.
California Miracle Pepper Care
Watering and fertilizing
“California Miracle” loves wet soil. But don't overdo it. Excess water will adversely affect the bush. Water as needed as soon as you notice that the soil has dried out. Periodically loosen the soil along the entire diameter of the bush. This will allow air to penetrate to the root system, and moisture will not stagnate.
You should also be careful with fertilizing. As a rule, for good growth and plant development, fertilizers based on phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium are used. For 1 sq. m requires no more than 45 g of feeding. A little less nitrogen is added – 25 g per 1 sq. m.
Relying on the experience of people who have been gardening for a long time, for the “California Miracle” variety, it is enough to apply fertilizing once a day. spring period. In the first weeks after planting seedlings in open ground.
Bush formation
In most cases, pruning sweet pepper bushes is done only by experienced gardeners. Beginners are convinced that even without the formation of the California Miracle bushes, the harvest will be rich. But an experienced gardener knows that the volume of the harvest and the size of the fruit can be increased by properly pruning the plant.
This variety is a tall plant, since the height of the bush can reach 80 cm. The bushes must be thinned out - plucked, and excess shoots that do not bear fruit must be removed. Such manipulations contribute to better passage of air and sunlight.
Sweet pepper varieties are pruned in order to regulate aboveground part bush. Lack of timely pruning delays the ripening of fruits and contributes to a deterioration in their quality and taste. The formation of pepper bushes consists of removing:
- side shoot on the main stem;
- flower bud;
- small sections of main stems, especially those that produce a large number of shoots without fruit.
It is customary to leave the flower bud on the main stem so that it has time to sprout. After which the side shoot is removed along with the flower bud. However, one sheet must be left. So for each shoot there are two leaves, thanks to which it can feed.
How to shape peppers garden plot, find out in the video below:
Harvesting
Fruit harvesting time directly depends on following parameters:
- Accounting for the ripening time of varieties. In the case of the “California Miracle”, this is about 120 days from the moment of planting in open ground.
- Taking into account the characteristics of a particular type of pepper. This variety is sweet, which means the fruit ripens a little earlier compared to bitter varieties of peppers.
- Climate this season.
For those shrubs that were not kept in greenhouse conditions, the last parameter will be decisive. Such a heat-loving crop does not tolerate peppers. subzero temperature. Therefore, when the first frost occurs, all the fruits available on the bushes are collected.
Having reached technical maturity, peppers can ripen on their own if they are placed in a warm room. By and large, many gardeners do not wait until sweet peppers reach biological maturity, but prefer to harvest in advance.
If, then you can wait to harvest the crop when frosts occur. However, do not forget that at a stable cold temperature, the growth of vegetable crops stops and the plant stops its development. This means there is no point in delaying the harvest of fruits.
Another important factor is the shelf life and storage life of the California Miracle sweet pepper. The fruits of this variety have a long shelf life and are able to withstand transportation over long distances. However, this is only possible if the fruits were collected before biological maturity. Otherwise, it is recommended to consume the vegetable immediately fresh or preserve it or pickle it.
Diseases and pests
Dull and drooping leaves, often accompanied by dry edging, are a sign that the plant is in dire need of nitrogen fertilizer. In case you notice on back side leaves with purple spots - urgently fertilize the shrub with fertilizer, the basis of which is magnesium.
There are not many diseases to which the “California Miracle” sweet pepper variety is susceptible:
- blackleg;
- late blight;
- macrosporiosis.
Treatment of the culture is carried out using chemical solutions called “Barrier” and “Barrier”. Treatment with drugs is carried out no later than 2 weeks before the start of harvest.
Like any other crop, sweet peppers are also susceptible to “attack” from insect pests. Typically this is:
- mole crickets;
- Colorado potato beetles.
Most effective means control of these pests is wood ash. It pollinates shrubs and the top layer of soil near the root system.