Why do summer residents love "Swallow" pepper: characteristics and description of the variety, its pros and cons

The abundance of varieties of vegetable seedlings on the market shelves is wonderful. But choosing a crop that will yield a rich harvest, quickly adapt to the environment and not get sick is not easy. The article will help solve the problem in choosing a vegetable crop such as bell pepper.

We bring to your attention the Swallow variety - what is the advantage, how to grow, what is the yield, this article will tell.

What kind of pepper is this

One of the representatives of the nightshade family is sweet pepper. Many breeders are working to improve its quality characteristics. There are varieties of pepper that were bred many years ago, back in the USSR, but to this day they are in demand among gardeners.

The swallow is just one of them. The variety was included in the State Register of Plants back in 1974. It has improved growth rates, disease resistance, and shows excellent yield. Bred by Moldovan breeders.

Characteristics and description of the variety

The sweet pepper variety Swallow is planted in open soil in many regions of Russia: from Central Black Earth to Trans-Urals. The swallow was bred for industrial food production. But it is successfully grown by summer residents on personal plots.

The Swallow variety produces red fruits. It is these peppers that lead in the content of vitamin C. 100 g of this variety contains its daily requirement for humans.

The calorie content of sweet bell pepper is only 26 kcal, so people who monitor their weight are happy to include it in their diet.

The main indicators of the variety:

• a small bush with a single trunk, about 65 cm high, cascading;
• with a large number of fruits, the bushes are tied to a support to avoid damage;
• mid-early ripening period, ripens in the third or fourth month from the moment of planting in the ground;
• yield - up to 5 kg per 1 m2;
• used for domestic use and on an industrial scale;
• well tolerates changes in air temperature, does not require special care.

Distinctive features

The swallow differs from its predecessor parents in several ways:

• tall bushes - grows up to 70 cm;
• high productivity;
• early ripening of fruits.

Characteristics of fruits, yield

Pepper Swallow got its name from the shape of the fruit. At the base, the vegetable is cone-shaped, resembling a swallow's beak.

The shape of the fruit is clearly visible in the photo.

The main characteristics are:

• fruits are large, fleshy, up to 10 cm long, wall thickness can reach 7 mm;
• the shape of the pepper is cone-shaped, the peel is smooth;
• the weight of the fruit is about 85 g, larger vegetables grow - up to 100 g;
• ripe peppers are bright red, technically ripe vegetables are bright green in color, 20-30 days pass between ripening periods;
• the taste is sweetish, with sourness and slightly perceptible bitterness.

The yield is high. If you properly care for the crop, you can get up to 6 kg per 1 m2. The fruits ripen almost simultaneously.

Preparation for growing

It is advisable to sow pepper seeds Swallow in open ground only in the southern regions. In the northern regions of the country, the culture is grown by seedlings. Seeds for seedlings are sown two months before planting seedlings in open soil.

Seeds are planted in the last week of February - the first decade of March.Pepper Swallow is grown both in the open field and in greenhouses... Seedlings are planted in a permanent place at the end of May, in a greenhouse - in the third decade of April.

Attention! Since pepper seeds take longer to germinate than tomatoes and cucumbers, consider planting timing.

Seed preparation for sowing

Seeds bought in specialized gardening stores are not processed, the manufacturer does it. If the planting material was collected from the last harvest, then the first step is to select suitable seeds and activate them:

• I select whole, uniform seeds, without damage and defects;
• disinfection is carried out with a solution of manganese 1% or with chemicals designed to combat fungi (the seeds are soaked for 20 minutes, then they are washed);
• to accelerate germination, the grains are soaked in growth stimulants (Epin-ektar, Kornevin, Sodium humate, Zircon, Silk);
• germinate seeds on cotton wool moistened with water (cotton pads are used for convenience), cover the container with plastic wrap or a bag and make sure that the cotton is constantly wet;
• the seed material is aired several times a day - the film is removed and put back on the container.

Growing seedlings

When the seeds begin to sprout on cotton pads, they are planted in soil treated with hot steam. This is done to destroy harmful bacteria, fungi, algae, and nematodes. The ground for planting pepper is prepared independently - they are mixed in identical parts of turf, river sand, sawdust. You can purchase ready-made soil, then there is no need to pre-cultivate the soil.

There is another option for sowing pepper seeds - in peat tablets or immediately in separate cups filled with soil. This method will allow you to avoid the procedure, which is traumatic for young shoots, - picking.

When the bushes grow up, they are planted in the ground along with tablets or from cups with a lump of earth where the roots are located. This option for obtaining seedlings will help plants quickly take root in a new place and accelerate the ripening of fruits.

Planting pepper

A step-by-step instruction for sowing seeds looks like this:

1. Seeds are placed in a common container to a depth of 1.5 cm with a distance of 2 cm from each other.
2. When planted in separate containers, the germinated seeds are laid out one by one in each tablet or cup. Those that have not sprouted sow two at a time. After germination, the excess plant is carefully cut off, and not pulled out.
3. When two or three leaves grow in a common box of seeds, the plants dive - they are transplanted into containers with cells or into cups (the volume should not be less than 0.5 liters), trying not to damage the root system.
4. The volume of each glass should not be less than 0.5 l - sweet pepper roots love freedom.

Further care

To get healthy strong seedlings, planting conditions must be created.

The plant needs sunlight for at least 12 hours a day. If it is not enough, then phytolamps are used. A temperature regime is recommended for a thermophilic vegetable: during the day + 25 ° C, at night not lower than + 20 ° C.

Attention! The thermophilic variety stops growing if the air temperature is below + 13 ° C.

Do not let the soil dry out. Water the seedlings with settled warm water.

The Swallows seedlings are fed twice. Chlorine-free mineral fertilizers are used. Top dressing is combined with watering.

Before planting, pepper seedlings are hardened, periodically placed in the open air, gradually increasing the residence time. Seedlings that have passed the hardening procedure take root faster.

Features of growing varieties and possible difficulties

Pepper is a thermophilic plant. In those regions where the climate is cool, it is covered with a film so that the growing culture does not expend energy to combat stressful temperatures.

Lack of water affects the amount of the crop - the fruits grow small in size, do not correspond to varietal indicators.A large amount of moisture interferes with the absorption of fertilizers, which also affects the yield. During the dry season, the pepper is watered regularly, as soon as the top section of the ground is a few centimeters deep. Irrigate the culture from a watering can, taking care not to get water on the leaves.

Every two weeks, the pepper is fed with mineral fertilizers. Nitrogen is used with care so that vegetables do not grow leaves instead of fruits. Feeding begins two weeks after planting in the beds, when the plant has not yet bloomed. The culture is fed by alternating organic fertilizers with inorganic ones.

Important. To preserve moisture, which does not allow the pepper to overheat in the heat, and to supercool in the cold, the soil is mulched. Weeds are removed, the soil is loosened.

Typical diseases and pests

Swallow pepper suffers from the same diseases as other vegetables of the Solanaceae genus: late blight, black leg, fusarium, stolbur. Pests that cause great damage to culture: beetle larvae, whitefly, aphids, spider mites.

Insect control methods are used both industrial and folk: sprayed with fungicides "Fitoverm", "Actellik", "Karbofos" or use decoctions of onion husks, dandelion inflorescences, garlic.

Advantages and disadvantages of the variety

The Swallow pepper has many advantages over other varieties. Thanks to these qualities, it is widely used by gardeners and summer residents in their personal plots:

• leads in the amount of the harvested crop;
• adapted to the first frosts in summer and autumn;
• seeds for planting are used from their own garden;
• a fleshy fruit that tastes good.

The fruits are eaten fresh, they make salads, canning.

Among the shortcomings, the susceptibility of the variety to typical for vegetables of the nightshade family is noted. illness and pests. In regions with an unstable climate, the Swallow variety is grown only in greenhouse conditions.

Reviews

The variety, which has more than 50 years of cultivation history, can only boast of positive reviews. It is chosen by both experienced gardeners and those who are just beginning to master garden wisdom.

Anna, Voronezh: «I have been growing a Swallow for a long time. It has a long shelf life and excellent taste. Leaving does not take much time. The main thing is to water regularly and in time to pinch off the extra leaves. The fruits are large. I recommend it for gardeners who have no experience in growing vegetable crops. "

Sergey, pos. Alexandrovka: “The yield is excellent! The taste is pronounced, the fruits are fleshy, 80 grams each. I liked the fact that I had to take care of the Swallow only at first, when there were frosts on the ground. For those who are constantly engaged in the cultivation of vegetables, this variety of pepper is simply irreplaceable. "

Svetlana, Mtsensk: "Swallow - gradewhich I recommend to all pepper lovers. It is a bit of a hassle, but there are enough advantages: a tasty, juicy vegetable. The sprouts sprout at the same time, together. I feed it with a mullein - the pepper grows remarkably. I have a rich harvest. The whole family loves salads, lecho, winter preparations from Swallow. "

Conclusion

All characteristics of Swallow pepper indicate that the variety does not require special conditions for growing, is resistant to many diseases, weather changes, and is well preserved. Sweet peppers have improved growth rates and high yields. The fact that this crop has been cultivated for more than half a century suggests that the Swallow is the best variety of pepper. Try to grow the fruits of the original shape in your garden. Judging by the reviews of gardeners, you will not regret your choice!