Hybrid pepper "Pinocchio" for lovers of sweet and juicy high-yielding varieties

Many gardeners believe that it is possible to grow a full crop of peppers only in the southern regions. However, selection does not stand still: dozens of varieties and hybrids adapted to areas with cool climates. In the article we will consider one of these crops - a hybrid of sweet bell pepper Buratino.

What kind of pepper is this

Pinocchio is a high-yielding early hybrid, perfectly adapted to temperate latitudes.. Large-fruited peppers are valued for their taste and look colorful in winter preparations. Caring for the crop will not be difficult.

Characteristics and description

The hybrid is resistant to the most common nightshade diseases. Tolerates heat, rainy weather, and lack of light. It is grown in greenhouses and open ground. The best harvest is produced in temperate latitudes.

Semi-determinate plant (reaches 1 m in height). The bushes have weak branches (2-3 shoots), but look spreading. The leaves are small, dark green.

Reference! Semi-determinate crops stop growing at a certain point and are limited in growth. Their main advantage is early maturity.

Hybrid F1

If in the southern latitudes there are no problems with cultivation, then in the middle zone F1 hybrids must have specific qualities:

• ability to grow in open ground;
• ease of care;
• fast ripening times;
• unpretentiousness to weather conditions.

Pinocchio meets these requirements.

Distinctive features

Hybrid pepper Pinocchio has a number of features:

• good germination;
• resistance to tobacco mosaic, blossom end rot;
• long-term fruiting and storage;
• drought resistance;
• ability to grow in shaded areas.

Fruit characteristics, yield

Ripe fruits are red, large (about 17 cm in length and 8 cm in width), cone-shaped, with slight ribbing. The weight of each is 100–120 g, the wall thickness is 4–5 mm, the skin is dense.

Peppers are juicy, sweetish, and can be stored for a long time. The sugar content in them is 3.9%. Productivity is high: up to 13 kg per 1 m2.

Preparation for cultivation

Sowing of seedlings begins in February - March. Use light soil with good drainage or a ready-made soil mixture. At home, mix peat, sand and soil in equal parts and add humus.

The largest seeds are chosen, without cracks. When placed in a saline solution they will sink to the bottom.

Methods for processing planting material:

• place in warm water (no more than +50 °C) for 4 hours, wrap in a damp cloth and keep for several days;
• hold in the potassium permanganate solution for 20 minutes;
• place in a 40% hydrogen peroxide solution for 10 minutes, do not rinse, dry;
• treat with growth stimulants: Epin, Zircon and others;
• hold in ash solution to boost the immunity of future sprouts;
• place in the refrigerator for 1 week, then for 1 day in a mixture of water and aloe juice.

Important! When soaking seeds, do not allow them to be completely immersed in liquid.

Seed germination is up to 70%.

Growing seedlings

Seedlings are first germinated in a common container and then planted, or they are immediately planted in separate containers.

With a pick

The seeds are planted in boxes and covered. Ground temperature - +15 °C.The emerging seedlings are provided with good lighting and regular ventilation. Constantly monitor soil moisture. The film is removed after 14 days and mineral fertilizers are applied.

Important! The seedlings are additionally illuminated with phytolamps, since there is not enough natural sunlight for the plants at this time of year.

After the appearance of 2 pairs of true leaves, picking is carried out. Seedlings are moved into cups, preferably peat cups. The room temperature is maintained within +25…+27 °C, but not lower than +20 °C. On the eve of planting in the ground, the crop is gradually taken outside, strengthening its adaptation to new conditions.

Without picking

This growing method is less traumatic for the delicate roots of peppers. Place 2 seeds in separate cups at once. One of the sprouts (the weaker one) is subsequently removed. After 4 true leaves appear, the plants are transferred to larger pots.

Planting pepper

Planting to a permanent place begins in the last days of April, in warm weather, in the afternoon. The distance between the holes is 35-40 cm, between the rows - 50 cm. A handful of humus and ash are placed in the holes. Density landings - 7 bushes per 1 m2.

Pinocchio has a weak root system: the hybrid is planted in places protected from gusts of wind, as the plants can break.

Attention! This is a self-pollinating hybrid: it is not planted next to other varieties of peppers to avoid the transfer of pollen from them.

Further care

After transplanting seedlings into open ground or a greenhouse, the following activities are periodically carried out:

1. Loosening the soil: roots need to breathe.
2. Watering is carried out daily at first, and when the plants get stronger, reduce it to 2 times a week. Use warm water.
3. Fertilizer.A total of 3 feedings are applied: the first - after planting, the second - during the flowering period, the third - during fruiting. They use an infusion of droppings, manure, ash, and solutions of mineral fertilizers. When signs of plant wilting appear, foliar feeding is performed on the leaves.
4. Topping. They do this as needed: the bushes do not branch much, so they do not need shaping. Remove the crown flower (formed in the center of the bush).
5. Hilling. Carry out for the growth of the root system.

Features of growing the variety and possible difficulties

When growing Pinocchio, it is important to take into account its features:

• Pepper bears fruit on the 90th day after sowing, in a greenhouse - on the 80th;
• in protected soil the yield is higher;
• in the southern regions the crop is grown in open ground, in the middle zone - in greenhouses.

There are no particular difficulties in care compared to other varieties.

Typical diseases and pests

The hybrid has average resistance to tobacco mosaic and blossom end rot. With proper agricultural technology, the crop is not affected by other diseases.

Pests that threaten peppers:

1. Aphid - affects all leaves and flowers. Control measures: treatment with rapidly decomposing insecticides (“Keltan”, “Karbofos”) at the rate of: 1 tbsp. l. drug per 10 liters of water. For preventative purposes, the products are used before and after the bushes bloom. During the fruiting period, chemicals are not used.
2. Spider mite - feeds on plant juice. The bushes die in a short time. Control measures: treatment of the bushes themselves and the soil underneath with acaricides. They use special sticks that are buried in the ground. During watering, they dissolve, the poison releases into the soil and enters the plant itself.Plant-Pin, Ethisso, Substral, and Green House-Dust are suitable for these purposes.

Possible illnesses:

1. Verticillium. Signs: wilted or curled leaves with brown or yellow spots. The lesion can occur on only one branch. The fungus penetrates the roots and spreads throughout the plant. Control measures: treatment of bushes and soil with fungicides (Vitaros, Previkur, Fundazol, Topsin M, Maxim).
2. Alternaria blight. The reason is a constant temperature difference. The main features: dark brown angular spots on the leaves, water stains on the fruits and a small fluff on the stems. The fungus attacks the inside of the peppers. The disease progresses in dry weather. Control measures: treatment of bushes with a solution of Bordeaux mixture at the rate of 100 g of the drug per bucket of water.

Advantages and disadvantages of a hybrid

Advantages of Pinocchio F1:

• high productivity;
• large fruits;
• ease of care;
• early ripening;
• disease resistance;
• high content of vitamin C (204.5 mg per 100 g);
• suitability for conservation;
• long shelf life (ripe fruits at a temperature of +2 °C and 90% humidity retain their taste and presentation for 60–90 days);
• bushes do not require shaping.

Flaws:

• sometimes a garter is required;
• impossibility of using your own seeds, since it is a hybrid.

Reviews

Vegetable growers share their impressions, observations and experience in growing a hybrid:

Valentina, Voronezh: “I’ve been growing this pepper in a greenhouse for the second year now. To increase productivity, I advise you to pick peppers at the stage of technological maturity, that is, green ones. This way you free the bushes, and they have the strength to form new fruits.”

Mikhail, Moscow region: “Pinocchio grows better in a greenhouse. The harvest is stable and good.I noticed that if you remove the crown flower, fruiting slows down. That's why I'm leaving him."

Marina, Leningrad region: “I’ve been growing Pinocchio for several years in a row. The bushes are always large, the stems are as thick as a finger. The year before, heavy rain bent the bushes, some even broke. Since then I decided to tie it up, even if the bushes are not tall. The peppers are bright, as in the photo, very tasty both fresh and in canned. The aroma is fragrant, I love adding vegetables to salads. I like them even in a state of technical maturity.”

Ivan, Lipetsk: “Due to my inexperience, I made a mistake, and my peppers were pollinated with a bitter variety. I advise you not to grow different peppers within the same area.”

Conclusion

The Pinocchio hybrid is suitable for growing in regions with a temperate climate. Despite its heat-loving nature, it tolerates temperature changes, rain and lack of moisture well, while maintaining high yield (up to 13 kg per 1 m2) and decent fruit quality.

The culture will appeal to both owners of personal plots and those who cultivate vegetables on an industrial scale.