- Authors: Wouter Lindeman, Aernoudt Aartse
- Name synonyms: Shakira
- Year of approval: 2010
- Bush height, cm: up to 120
- Growth type: medium-sized
- Fruit shape: narrow conical
- Fruit weight, g: 45-50
- Fruit color: green in technical ripeness, red in biological ripeness
- Ripening terms: mid-season
- Ripening month: July August
Shakira pepper is a real find for connoisseurs of spicy dishes. This Dutch hybrid has practically no flaws, pleases with abundant harvests and a piquant taste of fruits. It is not surprising that, having appeared in 2010, it has already won the sympathy of many gardeners and business owners.
Description of the variety
The variety is versatile in terms of the place of cultivation. However, in the northern regions, planting in a greenhouse is preferable. It is also sometimes cultivated in greenhouses. Shakira pepper is not suitable for loggias and home breeding due to its high growth.
The variety has excellent immunity. It is resistant to temperature extremes, drought and other adverse conditions. Standard agricultural technology makes it possible to successfully cultivate this variety even for vegetable growers with little experience.
Characteristics of the appearance of plants and fruits
Bushes are closed, covered with medium-sized leaves. They grow up to 120 cm. Fruits with a smooth glossy skin have the shape of a narrow cone. The maximum length can be 18 cm with a diameter of about 4 cm. The average weight is 45-50 g. In the process of ripening, the peppers acquire a dark green tone. When they reach biological ripeness, they turn red.
Purpose and taste
The bicameral fruit has a bright, pungent flavor similar to that of chili peppers. Fresh, they are not eaten. But the harvest of this variety is ideal for adding spice to stewed, boiled and fried dishes. It is also good at conservation.
Ripening terms
The hybrid is mid-season. The fruits begin to ripen about 100 days after the first shoots appear on the surface of the earth. Thus, vegetable growers remove the first peppers from the bushes at the end of July. At the same time, fruiting continues in August.
Yield
According to statistics, one square meter accounts for about 3.4 kg of the crop. The peppers are well kept. They also endure transportation staunchly. Even when moving long distances, the fruits retain their excellent presentation. In this regard, the Shakira variety is considered suitable for commercial breeding and subsequent sale.
Landing scheme
To provide the peppers with enough space for full growth, a distance of about 50 cm should be left between the bushes.The optimal spacing between the beds is 60 cm.
To get a large and tasty harvest of pepper, you need to take care of the seedlings in advance. When growing pepper seedlings, you need to correctly determine the sowing time, pre-sowing seed treatment, prepare the necessary container and soil.
Growing and care
Seeds are sown about 55-70 days before the young bushes are moved to the site. No deep penetration is required. In order not to injure the peppers with a dive, it is better to immediately use separate containers. If sowing is still done in a common box, the plants are planted after the appearance of 3 true leaves. The seedlings do not require special care. It is enough to provide her with warmth and adequate lighting (at least 12 hours a day).
Adult plants planted in a greenhouse or garden beds are regularly watered with warm water. The soil around the bushes is loosened. Top dressing is done 3 times per season:
- before flowering, the soil is enriched with organic matter or mineral composition with a large amount of nitrogen;
- when flowers appear, the culture is fertilized with a ready-made potassium-phosphorus complex;
- during the fruiting period, potassium and phosphorus are reintroduced into the soil.
With regard to plant formation, leaves and side shoots are removed before the first fork. Also, the bushes need supports.
To harvest a tasty and rich harvest of pepper, you need to comply with all the conditions of agricultural technology, and proper care begins with planting plants. Before planting pepper in open ground, it should be prepared. It is also important to take care of the seedlings and planting space in advance.
Soil requirements
For growing seedlings, a nutrient mixture is prepared from garden soil, peat or humus, sawdust and wood ash. Superphosphate, urea and potassium sulfate are also added to it. For the purpose of disinfection, you can spill the resulting soil with a strong solution of potassium permanganate.
When planting bushes in a permanent place, it is necessary to check the acidity of the earth. In very acidic soil (with a pH of more than 6.5), this variety does not grow well. Therefore, if necessary, this indicator is reduced by adding ash, slaked lime, crushed chalk or dolomite flour.
For good growth of pepper bushes and active fruiting, you need to regularly apply mineral and organic fertilizing to the soil. It is necessary not only to choose the right formulations, but also to use them at the right stage in the development of culture. The frequency of top dressing is always individual. It depends directly on the composition of the land on your site. The poorer the soil composition, the more often you will need to feed the pepper.
Required climatic conditions
It is better to choose a sunny place for planting. The area freed up after legumes or cereals, cabbage, carrots, radishes, onions, garlic, dill, pumpkin, zucchini is perfect.
Pepper is one of the most common vegetables in home gardens. This culture is quite stable and unpretentious. However, under certain conditions, this plant can suffer from infections and harmful insects. Before treating peppers for diseases or pests, you need to find out the cause of the problem, otherwise the treatment may be ineffective.
Review overview
Gardeners who grow Shakira pepper on their backyards are enthusiastic about this variety. The bushes are highly decorative, and fruiting is long and abundant. Even outdoors in unstable weather, yields are good. At the same time, the taste qualities of the fruits receive the highest marks.
Peppers with a fleshy, juicy pulp and a piquant taste are ideal for marinades, perfectly serve as hot spices. Commercial cultivators are also pleased with this variety. High productivity, marketability and resistance to transportation allow you to get a decent profit from the sale of such peppers.
