Red Peppers

The national areas (in the Netherlands) will be 40 - 50 ha less than in 2010. This is in particular due to growers stopping or switching to a different crop. The red-pepper area has remained virtually unchanged. The area contraction is mainly in yellow and green peppers. 'Red' growers have changed over to varieties that ripen faster. The consequence of this is that red peppers will appear on the market earlier than last year.

As regards varieties, Nagano RZ takes up 115 ha and Sapporo RZ, 40 ha.

Plant material

Lighting has clearly been used more cautiously this year than last year in raising plants of Nagano RZ and Sapporo RZ. Our advice to transplant extra plants has also been taken up conscientiously by the plant raisers. These actions have certainly had a positive effect on the quality of the plant material.

Despite this, we still come across nurseries where Nagano and Sapporo plants are a bit 'bushy'. Don't try and take these plants to 2, 3 or 4 stems too quickly, especially not when the weather is not very conducive to growth (e.g. cold and snow), as we must be able to choose the strongest heads. Weekly topping rounds also have a positive effect, and you can simultaneously remove any so-called 'overhanging leaves', as this is the time when stem uniformity is created for the remainder of the cropping period!

Nagano RZ

All the abovementioned advice about selecting stems and topping also goes for Nagano, as this variety does not initiate a new shoot very easily once missed. This is an advantage for the rest of the season (less top growth), but right now it does need to be given extra attention.

Temperaturewise, the earliest sowing dates are already dropping the temperature a little in order to have sufficiently strong buds in week 1. Because Nagano is a generative variety we do not expect that low pre-midnights will be necessary. It should be possible to create fruit set in a Nagano crop with a pre-midnight of 18°C. Temperatures can be kept steady (i.e. no peaks) during the day as well. Maintaining speed is also best for the quality of the fruit.

In view of the generative character of Nagano we must aim for a fruit load that is neither too early nor too high. We can allow fruit set, depending on the size of the plant and the number of stems per plant. No fruit set below the 4th axil above the split in crops with a sowing date of before 1st November and at most 1 fruit per stem, especially if more than 2 stems per plant. Create sufficient plant size in Nagano!

Sapporo RZ

Compared with Nagano, Sapporo shows a little more 'stretch' and slightly heavier growth. Towards the time of fruit set we prefer to maintain as much speed as possible in this crop as well, of course, but we do like to see a slightly larger day/night differential here. A brief peak in the afternoon to 22 - 24°C (depending on the size of the head and, of course, the amount of light) should be enough to achieve this. Creating sufficient size also applies to Sapporo, although we can give it a plant load more easily compared with Nagano.

Yellow Peppers

The national area (in the Netherlands) will be 40 - 50 ha less than in 2010. This is in particular due to growers stopping or switching to a different crop. The yellow-pepper area is shrinking the most, by about 30 ha.

As for varieties: Stayer RZ has become the main variety this year with 160 ha and about 80 ha has been planted with Inzell RZ. Sven RZ has seen some growth in area to 5 ha

Stayer RZ

Most Stayer crops have now been planted and have, often, also already been taken to 2, 3 or 4 stems. Once that is a fact, it is a question of keeping 'on top of the topping' in a Stayer crop: weekly topping rounds will prevent that stems lag behind due to so-called 'overhanging leaves', which can cause this effect. It is important in a Stayer crop that none of the stems lag behind. Generating more stems in a Stayer crop is not always easy because of its slight top growth, which is an advantage for the rest of the year and so needs to be given some extra attention now!

As regards temperatures, the earliest sowing dates are already reducing the temperature a little in order to have sufficiently strong buds in week 1. Because Stayer is a generative variety we do not expect low pre-midnights to be necessary. With a pre-midnight of 18°C it should be possible to create fruit set in Stayer. And neither is it absolutely vital to have a temperature peak during the day. Maintaining speed is also best for the quality of the peppers.

Inzell RZ

Compared with Stayer, Inzell shows a little more 'stretch' and slightly heavier growth. Towards the time of fruit set we prefer to maintain as much speed as possible in this crop as well, of course, but we do like to see a slightly greater day/night differential here. A brief peak in the afternoon to 22 - 24°C (depending on the size of the head and, of course, the amount of light) should be enough to achieve this. Prevent heavy flowers in Inzell, too!

Sven RZ

This variety grows a bit more compactly than Inzell. Sven is generative enough, but can certainly be steered a little more generatively than Stayer.

Steering the pH and Fe

As a consequence of increasing growth, we often see the pH in the slab rising to values of 7 or even higher. In February this can often result in yellow blotches on the leaves. In order to prevent this, it is as well to play into this now by adding a small amount of NH4 (Ammonium) and making sure that at least 20% of Fe given is so-called 'red' Fe.