One of the best types of bell pepper - "Golden Calf": an overview of the variety and its features
Bell pepper Golden Calf is loved by gardeners throughout the country. Some appreciate it for its unpretentious care, others - for its sweet and juicy taste. Delicious preparations are made from pepper, which are useful with vitamins A and B. And in terms of vitamin C content, it is not inferior to lemon and black currant.
Let's take a closer look at what the Golden Calf sweet pepper variety is and how to grow a rich harvest on your site.
The content of the article
Characteristics and description of the variety
The golden calf was bred by breeders from Siberia, therefore it has a high immunity against an unpredictable climate and common diseases... Peppers are grown in open ground, greenhouses or hotbeds.
A mid-season variety yields a harvest 100-110 days after planting. The bushes are undersized and compact, the leaves are classic green. The golden calf is planted in a seedling or non-seedling way, organic or mineral complexes are used as top dressing. The fruiting period is extended, which allows you to enjoy the delicious pepper for as long as possible.
Productivity and fruits
The fruits are large, the weight of one is from 250 to 500 g. They have a slightly ribbed glossy surface and a rich yellow-orange color (see photo). There are few seeds, the pulp is very juicy and sweet.
Pepper has a high keeping quality and can be stored for a long time. Summer residents remove from 10 to 14 large and beautiful fruits from one bush.
Preparation for growing
To obtain a high-quality harvest, gardeners prepare seeds: they disinfect, germinate and harden. To understand which seeds are of the highest quality, they are tested for germination. Pour seeds into a jar of water, stir the water with a spoon. Those seeds that have sunk to the bottom of the jar are planted, and the rest are thrown away.
Disinfection is carried out with aloe juice or hydrogen peroxide, in which the seeds are left for a day. Means destroy dangerous microbes on the surface of seeds, reduce the risk of developing diseases.
Then they are germinated by placing them in a moist gauze bag. Germination helps seeds adapt to external conditions and enhance immunity. 1-2 weeks before planting, the seed is hardened by placing it in the freezer for an hour every day. Thanks to hardening, the Golden Calf can easily endure frost, rain and fog.
Important! Experienced summer residents are advised to prepare beds for pepper in the fall. To do this, they dig up the soil, fertilize it with peat or humus. With the arrival of spring, the beds are dug up again, straw is laid on them and sprinkled with river sand. Pepper The golden calf is planted in sunny and well-heated areas.
How to plant seedlings
In order for the harvest to turn out well, seedlings are prepared. This requires a container and soil. Any clean container is suitable as a container: flower pots, egg nets or plastic boxes. Prepared soil is poured into them and small grooves are made.
The distance between the seedlings should be at least 10 cm. Immediately after planting, the seedlings are watered with settled water at room temperature.
Important! The soil from the garden or ready-made mixtures is used as soil. There is no consensus on which is better. Regardless of the composition and quality, the soil is disinfected with a manganese solution, all garbage (remnants of past plants, twigs, larvae) is removed from the ground.
Seedlings are placed, as a rule, on a windowsill, where there is a lot of sunlight. At first, the container is covered with thin glass or cling film, which is removed after 5-7 days. This makes it easier for plants to adapt. To accelerate growth, stimulants and liquid organic fertilizers are added to the seedlings. "Fitosporin", bird droppings, nettle solution are recognized as excellent means.
The Golden Calf variety is watered regularly, every 3-4 days. For convenient watering, a pipette is used, with which the water falls directly under the root, and not on the leaves. Seedlings are fertilized every 15-20 days. As a fertilizer, wood ash, Bordeaux liquid or a solution of copper sulfate are used. Means not only strengthen the plant, but also serve as the prevention of many diseases.
Important! After two weeks, gardeners dive (transplant) the seedlings into a larger container. This is due to the fact that the root system is developing and it needs more free space. When picking, it is important not to damage the thin and still weak roots of the bell pepper.
Planting pepper in open ground
The Golden Calf pepper is planted on a dry and calm day. Before planting, water the beds abundantly with warm water to make the soil soft and moist. The sprouts are placed in the ground 15-20 cm, the distance between the bushes is at least 30 cm.
Before planting, the shovel and other tools are decontaminated with a manganese solution to prevent fungal infections.
Sweet Pepper Care
Pepper care does not require special knowledge and skills. This is another plus of the variety. To get a tasty harvest, you need:
- Water the beds every 5-7 days. On average, one bush takes 1-1.5 liters of water. Summer residents recommend using rainwater rather than tap water.
- Weed the beds once a week, remove weeds and loosen the soil. These procedures are necessary for the earth to be more airy and nutritious.
- Fertilize the plant every two weeks. Pepper reacts positively to mineral complexes, for example, the drug "Cytovit". It reduces shedding of ovaries, increases productivity, and prevents diseases.
Features of cultivation and possible difficulties
In the process of growing, novice gardeners can face a number of problems. Therefore, more experienced gardeners recommend:
- Water the pepper sparingly, without waterlogging the soil. Excessive moisture can lead to the appearance of fungi and viruses.
- Loosen the soil to a maximum depth of 10-15 cm so as not to damage the roots.
- Water the beds in the early morning or evening when there is no sun.
- Remove weeds after every watering or rain.
- Spray the bushes with soapy water or Bordeaux liquid 2-3 times per season.
- Form bushes. As soon as 10 leaves are formed on the stem, cut off the side shoots.
Read also:
How to cook Ratunda pepper with honey for the winter: preservation recipes.
How to cook pickled tsitsak pepper for the winter.
Why is Winnie the Pooh pepper good: getting to know the variety.
Typical diseases and pests
A spider mite attacks from pests on beds with sweet peppers, which, thanks to its cobwebs, sucks vital substances from the bushes. For prevention, summer residents use soap spraying, and if the bug has already appeared, use the effective drug "Maxim". In addition to the tick, Colorado beetles, aphids, and a bear are found in the garden. A solution of copper sulfate helps to fight pests.
It happens that the Golden Calf gets sick with brown spot. It appears due to contaminated soil or improper care. They fight brown spot with the help of the Zaslon preparation, which is used in strict accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations and dosages.
Important! The most common disease is late blight. It is a fungal infection that appears as brown and yellow spots on the leaves. It is very difficult to treat late blight, it is easier to prevent its occurrence with the help of proper care and ash dressings.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
The main advantages of the variety are its taste and appearance. Gardeners actively use the sweet vegetable in cooking: they prepare soups, summer salads, cold snacks. In addition, sweet peppers are indispensable in proper and dietary nutrition, they make delicious and healthy nutritious side dishes. Thanks to its bright and appetizing color, Golden Calf pepper will decorate any festive table. 
Pepper has a high immunity, rarely gets sick, tolerates a prolonged absence of sun and water without problems. It is grown both in the south of the country and in Siberia.
It shows a high and stable yield, is stored for a long time, and can be transported over long distances without problems.
Pepper has no significant drawbacks. Some summer residents do not like the fact that the bushes need shaping. Otherwise, the Golden Calf has no minuses.
Reviews
Mostly there are rave reviews from gardeners who love Golden Calf pepper and plant it regularly. However, there are less flattering comments.
Marina, Novosibirsk: «I love large-fruited vegetables, the Golden Calf variety is no exception. I grow it for the third year, I'm happy with the harvest. Leaving requires a minimum. "
Alexey, Saratov: «Of all the varieties, the Golden Calf is my favorite. It has a delicious pulp, very juicy and delicious. I cook different dishes, eat fresh. I recommend it to all gardeners. "
Irina, Cheboksary: “I planted it with seeds in open ground, I thought that the hybrid would take root anyway. However, the sprouts developed slowly, although the soil was fertilized according to all the rules. The harvest is average and tastes like most other sweet varieties. "
Conclusion
Many people love sweet peppers, they appreciate it for its taste and versatility. The best vegetable is the one grown on your site. The Golden Calf pepper grows large and beautiful, and its care is easy and simple. He needs regular watering and feeding, which are the key to a rich harvest.
Many people use bell peppers not only fresh, but also frozen for the winter. To do this, it is cut into small cubes, wrapped in a plastic bag and put into the freezer.