The envy of neighbors and the delight of owners is the “California Miracle” pepper variety with an ideal appearance and excellent taste.
Many people like the tasty, bright fruits of sweet peppers, rich in vitamins. Various dishes are decorated with vegetables: soups, stews, salads, homemade preparations. Good news awaits those who want to grow this heat-loving plant on their plot: it is not at all necessary to have large greenhouses, as many are accustomed to thinking, pepper can be safely planted in open ground! And what variety will help you get a rich harvest not only in the southern regions and central Russia, but even in Siberia, read in this article.
Description of the California Miracle variety
The California Miracle variety cannot be called new. It is believed that it was bred at the beginning of the 20th century American breeders. It was included in the State Plant Register of the Russian Federation in 1999. The mid-early variety has been grown for decades in many countries, including Russia. In domestic gardens it feels great and can compete with most hybrids, and in some ways even surpass them.
The bushes are lush, 60–75 cm high, with a strong powerful stem, withstanding the load of a dozen fruits at the same time. The leaves are bright green, smooth and shiny. The fruits are large, cube-shaped, with a ribbed surface and fleshy, juicy, tasty pulp.
The photo shows the fruits of the California Miracle pepper.
Distinctive features
The California Miracle variety has a number of advantages, which allow culture to maintain a leading position in the global market.It can be grown not only in greenhouses, it is not afraid of open ground, is easy to care for, is resistant to diseases and pests, has a very high yield and is well preserved during transportation.
Fruit characteristics and yield
The bright red color of the fruit is traditional for the variety California miracle. But there are also other varieties of this pepper - yellow, orange and even black in color.
The fruits are cube-shaped with a shiny and smooth surface. The average wall thickness is 6–8 mm. The weight of one fruit is 90–140 grams.
Features of pepper California miracle - high sugar content in fruits. And in terms of vitamin C concentration, this variety is not inferior to black currants.
About other varieties of sweet peppers:
"Buratino" for lovers of sweet and juicy high-yielding varieties
Growing
California miracle pepper seeds have high germination rate (96–98%) even without additional processing and preparatory actions. However, it is a good idea to germinate the seeds by spreading them on a damp cloth and leaving them in a warm place. In a few days they will hatch.
Bell pepper grown by seedlings. There are two main methods for this: with picking (transplanting young shoots from a common container into an individual container) and without it. If you pick correctly, it will benefit the plants and strengthen them. But this procedure has significant disadvantages:
- There is a high risk of harming the seedlings.
- There is a possibility of diseases arising from the stress of repeatedly transplanted sprouts.
- The time costs of this method should be taken into account.Currently, many gardeners practice sowing pepper seeds directly into individual containers, that is, without picking.
To get a harvest in any summer conditions, in early - mid-February, seeds are sown to a depth of about 1.5 cm. Shoots appear on days 7–10, subject to a temperature of +25 degrees.
Pepper is a moisture-loving plant, but Stagnation of moisture and excess dampness should be avoided. Also, do not allow the soil to dry out. Excess, as well as deficiency, of moisture negatively affects the growth of bushes.
10–15 days before disembarkation They begin to harden the seedlings to a permanent place. This will have a positive effect on resistance to adverse conditions. The container with sprouts is placed in a greenhouse or outdoors, weather permitting. You need to start with 20–30 minutes, gradually increasing the time.
At the end of April - beginning of May, peppers are planted in greenhouses. In open ground - after night frosts have passed. California miracle pepper is stress-resistant and easily tolerates temperature fluctuations. However, it should be remembered that unfavorable conditions reduce the yield of any plant. If there is a threat of sudden cold weather, it will not be superfluous to cover the planted seedlings.
Care and possible difficulties
California miracle is one of the most unpretentious varieties. But to get a bountiful harvest, proper care is necessary.
The place for pepper should be chosen as bright, sunny, with fertile soil. (chernozem, loam, sandstone). Legumes, onions, carrots, zucchini, pumpkin and cucumbers are considered good predecessors for this crop. According to the rules of crop rotation, you should not grow peppers after representatives of the nightshade family.
It is important to provide the plant with timely watering as the soil dries out.Loosening the soil and hilling up the roots after the water procedure will prevent the formation of an earthen crust.
This type of sweet pepper responds well to fertilization, both organic and mineral. During the entire growing season, no more than three feedings are required.
Diseases and pests
The variety is resistant to diseases. If you follow simple rules of agricultural technology (timely removal of weeds, watering, loosening), treatments against pests and diseases are usually not required.
Read also:
Pepper “Swallow”: description of the variety, its pros and cons
Harvesting
California miracle has an average ripening period. The harvest is obtained 115–130 days after planting. Peppers are collected at the stage of technical maturity - when they are still green, but have already reached the desired size - and placed in boxes for ripening. The fruits acquire their characteristic color after 2–4 weeks. To avoid damaging the stem of the plant, it is recommended to cut ripe peppers with a knife.
Advantages and disadvantages of the variety
Pepper California miracle is able to bear fruit even without careful care. And with proper care, you can achieve maximum productivity and record harvests. The taste of the fruits of the California miracle remains unsurpassed: peppers are good in salads and first courses. They are consumed fresh, stuffed, baked, and canned.
There are practically no downsides to this variety, because it gives a rich harvest of tasty and beautiful peppers without much hassle.
Reviews
Variety The California miracle has earned a lot of praise. Let us give some impressions of gardeners about this pepper.
Valentina, Tver: “This is my favorite variety of pepper - large, fleshy, aromatic.I use it in salads and rolls. It looks very beautiful in salads, because there are yellow and red varieties of the variety. It is very productive, easy to care for and disease resistant.”.
Olga, Ekaterinburg: “The California Miracle variety is very good. I've been planting it for many years. The bushes are strong and durable. The peppers are large and have a delicious taste. I always recommend this variety to all my friends, it deserves attention!»
Tatiana, Krasnodar: “Once I took a bag of California miracle to try. And I liked this variety so much that now I plant it from my own seeds. The peppers are large and tasty. The harvest is rich, there’s also enough to share with neighbors.”.
Conclusion
The California Miracle variety is rightfully one of the three most popular varieties of sweet pepper in the world. It is undemanding to care and is guaranteed to produce high yields even in risky farming conditions. Well, isn't this a miracle?