The yield of sweet pepper mainly depends not on its variety, but on the climatic conditions of the area where it is grown. That is why it is recommended for our latitudes to choose varieties of domestic selection that are already adapted to our unpredictable climate. One of the best sweet peppers for the middle lane is Hercules.
Variety characteristics
Sweet pepper Hercules has rather compact semi-spreading bushes with a height of up to 50 cm. Dark green leaves of medium size with a slightly wrinkled texture are placed on them. Against the background of such foliage, the drooping red large fruits of this variety of sweet pepper look especially advantageous. They begin to ripen in about 100 days from germination. Their cuboid shape has the following dimensions: length up to 12 cm, width up to 11 cm, and the average weight will be about 200 grams. They acquire a red color only during the period of biological maturity. In the period of technical maturity, the fruits are colored dark green.
This variety of sweet pepper has a juicy and aromatic pulp with rather thick walls - about 7 mm. It has universal application. Due to its thickness, it is perfect for canning.
This variety got its name for a reason. Its plants and large fruits are not afraid of the most common diseases of this culture. They have a special immunity to fusarium. Hercules stands out for its yield. From each bush, you can get up to 3 kg of peppers.
Growing recommendations
The Hercules sweet pepper variety is perfect both for open beds and for growing in greenhouses and film shelters.
Plants of this variety are grown in seedlings. When sowing seeds for seedlings in March, planting in a permanent place is carried out no earlier than mid-May. Since sweet peppers are a rather thermophilic crop, young plants should be planted only after the end of the frost. By the time of planting, the soil temperature should warm up to at least 10 degrees.
Ready-made seedlings of sweet pepper Hercules are planted in pre-prepared soil every 50 cm. When planting in open ground, it is recommended to cover the plants with a film for the first time to facilitate their adaptation in a new place. You do not need to do this when planting in a greenhouse.
The sweet pepper variety Hercules requires the same care as all representatives of this culture, namely:
- Timely watering... The regularity of watering is determined by each gardener independently, depending on the condition of the soil and weather conditions. The minimum watering frequency should be 2 times a week. Up to 3 liters of warm, settled water should be applied under each plant;
- Top dressing... Hercules sweet pepper plants especially need it during the period of budding and fruit formation. For this, you can use any mineral or organic fertilizer. Feeding should be done no more than 2 times a month with a minimum break of one week;
- Loosening the soil... This procedure is optional, but its implementation will allow the root system to receive useful substances faster, which means it will develop better.
In addition, it helps to retain moisture for longer, reducing the frequency of watering.
To avoid mistakes in growing and caring for plants of this culture, we recommend that you read the video:
Compliance with the requirements of care is the main guarantee of an excellent harvest of the Hercules variety. You can start collecting it from July until October. Moreover, its fruits can be well stored without losing their taste and useful properties.