Black peppercorns. Propagation of black pepper and errors that are possible when cultivating a plant

Instruction

Liana of black pepper has the name "Piper nigrum" and sometimes reaches 6 m in length. In the wild, they become a support for it tall trees, and on plantations it is allowed to grow on special props-shields. As a result of formation and care on plantations, black pepper is a climbing shrub and can reach a height of 15 m. Pepper leaves are 8 to 10 cm long, they are shiny, hard and leathery, ovoid and gray-green in color. Black pepper blooms with small white flowers, which are collected in hanging brushes or clusters. After the end of flowering, a cluster of round fruits is formed, which are green and soft at first, then harden or turn yellow. Ripe black pepper fruits are hard-shelled drupes, spherical shape, which have a burning taste both fresh and dried. Essential oils from them volatilize if stored improperly. The pepper should not be exposed to direct sunlight and it is better to store it in a sealed container.

The use of black pepper is useful for people with cardiovascular diseases, as it has the ability to thin the blood and cleanse the blood vessels. It is a very good seasoning for meat and fish dishes, as well as for some vegetables. Black pepper is grown on plantations in Brazil, Sri Lanka, Java, Sumatra and Borneo, with Sumatra being the main exporter of black pepper to the market at present. Black pepper begins to bear fruit 3-4 years after planting, and its growth on some plantations is initially limited, and it does not exceed 5-6 m. both black and green. They begin to collect pepper when its fruits acquire a reddish color, then, in the process of drying, the pepper shrinks and turns black. High quality black pepper should be dark, firm and heavy. There is an ancient measure of quality for this - 1000 grains of pepper should weigh exactly 460 grams. Unripe fruits of black pepper in many tropical countries are preserved in salt and vinegar, in this marinade they acquire a delicate and delicate aroma.

Like all heat-loving tropical plants, black pepper does not like cold weather very much and at a temperature of less than 10 ° C it already dies. Therefore, grow it in middle lane quite difficult. Frosts will destroy the pepper instantly, and it will not be possible to save such a plant. Pepper creeper can grow in an apartment on the windowsill if it has enough sunlight and places. The plant is very moisture-loving and does not tolerate overdrying of the soil around its roots. Choose for growing peppers protected from direct sunlight, but a bright window sill. Pepper can be propagated by seeds, cuttings and layering, and in some cases by dividing the bush from the root.

Useful, hardy, unpretentious and easy to grow marigolds are irreplaceable. These letniki have long moved from city flower beds and classic flower beds to original compositions, decorated the beds and potted gardens. Marigolds with their easily recognizable yellow-orange-brown colors and even more inimitable aromas today are able to pleasantly surprise with their diversity. Firstly, among the marigolds there are both tall and miniature plants.

Our grandmothers, growing strawberries, or strawberries, as we used to call them, were not particularly worried about mulching. But today this agricultural practice has become fundamental in achieving high quality berries and reducing crop losses. Some might say it's troublesome. But practice shows that labor costs in this case pay off handsomely. In this article, we invite you to get acquainted with the nine the best materials for mulching garden strawberries.

Succulents are very versatile. Despite the fact that “kids” have always been considered more fashionable, the assortment of succulents with which you can decorate modern interior, it is worth taking a closer look. After all, colors, sizes, patterns, degree of pricklyness, influence on the interior are just a few of the parameters by which you can choose them. In this article, we will talk about the five most fashionable succulents that surprisingly transform modern interiors.

Mint was used by the Egyptians as far back as 1.5 thousand years BC. It has a strong aroma due to the high content of various essential oils with high volatility. Today, mint is used in medicine, perfumery, cosmetology, winemaking, cooking, ornamental gardening, and the confectionery industry. In this article, we will look at the most interesting varieties mint, and also talk about the features of growing this plant in the open field.

People began to grow crocuses 500 years before the advent of our era. Although the presence of these flowers in the garden is fleeting, we always look forward to the return of the heralds of spring in next year. Crocuses - one of the earliest primroses, whose flowering begins as soon as the snow melts. However, the timing of flowering may vary depending on the species and varieties. This article focuses on the earliest varieties of crocuses that bloom in late March and early April.

Shchi from early young cabbage in beef broth is hearty, fragrant and easy to prepare. In this recipe, you will learn how to cook delicious beef broth and cook light cabbage soup with this broth. early cabbage it cooks quickly, so it is placed in the pan at the same time as the rest of the vegetables, unlike autumn cabbage, which takes a little longer to cook. Ready cabbage soup can be stored in the refrigerator for several days. Real cabbage soup is tastier than freshly cooked.

Blueberries - a rare promising berry culture in the gardens. Blueberries are a source of biologically active substances and vitamins, have antiscorbutic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, tonic properties. Berries contain vitamins C, E, A, flavonoids, anthocyanins, trace elements - zinc, selenium, copper, manganese, as well as plant hormones - phytoestrogens. The taste of blueberries resembles a mixture of grapes and blueberries.

Looking at the variety of varieties of tomatoes, it is difficult not to get confused - the choice is very wide today. Even experienced gardeners he is annoying sometimes! However, it is not so difficult to understand the basics of selecting varieties “for yourself”. The main thing is to understand the peculiarities of culture and start experimenting. One of the easiest tomato groups to grow are varieties and hybrids with limited growth. They have always been appreciated by those gardeners who do not have much time and energy to care for the beds.

Once very popular under the name of room nettle, and then forgotten by everyone, coleuses today are one of the brightest garden and indoor plants. They are not in vain considered stars of the first magnitude for those who are looking primarily for non-standard colors. Easy to grow, but not so undemanding as to suit everyone, coleus require constant supervision. But if you take care of them, bushes of velvety unique leaves will easily outshine any competitor.

Salmon backbone baked in Provence herbs is a "supplier" of delicious pieces of fish pulp for light salad with fresh wild garlic leaves. Mushrooms are lightly fried in olive oil, and then poured over apple cider vinegar. Such mushrooms are tastier than ordinary pickled ones, and they are better suited for baked fish. Ramson and fresh dill coexist perfectly in one salad, emphasizing the flavor of each other. Garlic sharpness of wild garlic will saturate both the flesh of salmon and pieces of mushrooms.

Conifer tree or a shrub on the site is always great, and a lot of conifers is even better. emerald needles various shades decorates the garden at any time of the year, and phytoncides and essential oils, secreted by plants, not only flavor, but also make the air cleaner. Generally, most zoned adults coniferous plants, are considered very unpretentious trees and shrubs. But young seedlings are much more capricious and require competent care and attention.

Sakura is most often associated with Japan and its culture. Picnics in the shade flowering trees have long been an integral attribute of the meeting of spring in the Country rising sun. Financial and academic year here begins on April 1, when the magnificent sakura blossoms. Therefore, many significant moments in the life of the Japanese pass under the sign of their flowering. But sakura also grows well in cooler regions - certain types can be successfully grown even in Siberia.

It is very interesting for me to analyze how people's tastes and preferences for certain foods have changed over the centuries. What was once considered tasty and traded lost its value over time and, conversely, new fruit crops conquered their markets. Quince has been cultivated for more than 4 thousand years! And even in the 1st century BC. e. about 6 varieties of quince were known and even then the methods of its reproduction and cultivation were described.

Make your family happy and make themed Easter egg-shaped cottage cheese cookies! Your children will be happy to take part in the process - they will sift the flour, combine all the necessary ingredients, knead the dough and cut out intricate figures. Then they will watch with admiration how the pieces of dough turn into real Easter eggs, and then with the same enthusiasm they will eat them with milk or tea. How to make such original cookies for Easter, read in our step by step recipe!

There are not so many decorative and deciduous favorites among tuberous crops. And the caladium is a true star among the variegated inhabitants of the interiors. Not everyone can decide to start a Caladium. This plant is demanding, and first of all - to care. But still, the rumors about the unusual capriciousness of the Caladium never justify. Attention and care allow you to avoid any difficulties when growing caladiums. And a plant can almost always forgive small mistakes.

Today, such a product as black pepper is available in every household. It costs mere pennies and can be found in any grocery store. It's hard to believe, but the Arab tribes once had a monopoly on the sale of black pepper in Europe. And the product cost so much that it served as the equivalent of money, and the rich gave it as a dowry to their daughters. What is hidden in black pepper such that in the Middle Ages people embarked on a long and dangerous journey just to get a bag of black berries? Why is this spice so valued? The benefits and harms of black pepper will be the topic of our article.

plant description

The perennial evergreen liana received the Latin name Piper nigrum from botanists. And in translation it means "black pepper". Thus, it becomes clear that the most valuable thing in the plant is not the stem (which can reach a length of 15 meters) and not the dark green leathery leaves, but the berries. In the wild, there are about one and a half thousand varieties of pepper. But only ten of them are used as spices, and, therefore, cultivated.

On plantations, the vine is limited in growth to four meters. Black pepper berries, the benefits of which we will consider here, are harvested unripe when they have a green or yellowish color. This plant is native to South India. Now the liana is grown in many countries with a tropical climate. This explains the cheapness of the product. But the best is still Indian pepper, or rather, from the province of Malabar. It is not as hot as, for example, Malaysian, but very fragrant. Indonesian black pepper is also in demand. If the peas are light brown, they are from Vietnam. There is little aroma in them, but there is more than enough burning.

Types of peppers

Let's say right away: the sweet Bulgarian kind, sometimes called paprika, has nothing to do with Piper nigrum, and with other peppers too. This plant belongs to the nightshade family. And a relative of bell peppers are eggplant, tomato and potatoes. And, in fact, Piper nigrum is used as a spice in different types. Unripe berries are dried and packaged. This is black peppercorns. The benefits and harms of this product are the same as those of its ground counterpart. Crushed berries should be stored in an airtight container, as the aromatic qualities of the spice disappear within a few months.

Even in cooking, white, green (these varieties are less hot) and red peppers are used. For the final spice, the berries are picked fully ripe. Therefore, red pepper has the most pungency. If we talk about the black variety, then the peas should be no more than five millimeters in diameter. Their skin is dry and wrinkled. Ground black pepper should have a dark gray hue and a very strong, characteristic aroma.

Chinus fruits are widely used in perfumery. This is the name of the pink variety of pepper.

Penetration into Europe

Alexander the Great, with his campaigns in India in the 4th century BC, discovered black pepper for ancient Greece. benefit and especially taste qualities Europeans immediately appreciated this product. The Greeks even presented black pepper as a sacrifice to the gods. In the Roman era, the product, like salt, served as the equivalent of money.

In the Middle Ages, black pepper was also highly valued, as Arab merchants controlled the route to India. The high cost of the product was also explained by the fact that there can be berries on one bunch of creepers varying degrees maturity. And the plant began to bear fruit from the age of three. "Piper Nigrum" is a very whimsical liana. It requires not only a hot climate, but also special lighting. By the way, black pepper was the first spice that Russian people began to use in their cuisine. And the spice was so well liked that now it is added to all dishes, except for desserts and drinks.

Composition of dry unripe Piper nigrum berries

Now we know what black pepper is. The benefits of this product are due to its composition. What microelements are contained in Malabar berries? These are proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fiber, alkaloids, essential oils, resins and vitamins. The unique substances piperidine and piperine are responsible for the sharpness of black pepper. Surprisingly, berries contain a lot of starch - up to 60 percent of the total chemical composition. Of the vitamins in black pepper, there are A, B (1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 9), PP, E, K and C. Moreover, there is more ascorbic acid in Piper Nigrum than in oranges. But since black pepper is used in minimal doses, the spice cannot be regarded as the only source of vitamin C. Of the minerals, calcium, iron, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, zinc, copper, selenium and fluorine are present in the product. Such a rich composition allows black pepper to be one of the most healthy seasonings. There are not so many contraindications to its use. But we will list them anyway.

Ground black pepper: benefits and harms

Chefs know the secret: this spice increases appetite. In addition, it stabilizes the process of digestion. Before exams, students and schoolchildren should lean on black pepper, as it increases blood circulation in the brain and thereby stimulates mental activity, strengthens memory. This spice is an excellent antidepressant. It also thins the blood and lowers cholesterol, being a product for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. The spice has a mild laxative effect. It cleanses the body of toxins. With a cold, black pepper is good as an expectorant and It has been noticed: those who love seasoning suffer less from cancer.

But this product also has negative qualities. Black pepper should not be abused by people with gastric or intestinal ulcers, disease urinary tract with hypertension and anemia. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should also keep the spice in their diet to a minimum. If you are going to take urine and blood tests, then the day before you should refrain from eating black pepper. Spice Can Significantly Affect Results laboratory research and therefore the diagnosis will be incorrect.

Black pepper and harm

In principle, these are the same berries, only whole. They have the same chemical composition, which means both beneficial and harmful qualities. But there is also specificity. After all, peppercorns in gastronomy are used differently than ground product. We put whole berries in marinades, homemade preparations. Therefore, some spice substances are transferred to related products, while others are not.

In folk medicine, they mainly use tincture of berries in alcohol or vodka. This tool is great for pain in the joints and spine. Rub the lower back with tincture - and sciatica will be removed as if by hand. The benefits of black pepper for men are undeniable. If you often eat spice in food, you can increase sexual potency. Peppercorns also serve as a prophylactic against prostate adenoma and even treat the early stages of this disease. And if you grind the berries and mix the powder with sugar in a one-to-one ratio, then such a folk drug will increase (though only for a while) your male potency.

black pepper and weight loss

Have you noticed that the residents South-East Asia, where spicy dishes are in honor, are distinguished by harmony. It turns out that black pepper helps fight excess weight. The benefits of spices in the difficult fight against unwanted kilograms have been verified scientific research. Responsible for the burning properties of the seasoning, the substance piperine, as well as others chemical compounds destroy fat cells and remove it from the body. But it should be remembered that the optimal dose of black pepper is 4 grams per day.

There are several recipes for using spices for weight loss. First, every morning you need to drink a glass of fat-free kefir, seasoned with a pinch of black pepper. And in the evening, prepare a cocktail of vegetable juice (cucumber, tomato, half paprika). The drink should also be seasoned with a pinch of black pepper. Such a diet, of course, should be practiced by people with a healthy stomach.

Black pepper in folk medicine

As soon as this spice appeared in Russia, healers immediately adopted it. The benefits of black in the treatment of skin diseases are known. If you mix the spice with soy flour in equal proportions and olive oil, then this substance can cure lichen.

The antimicrobial properties of ground black pepper are also known. It is used as a powder to sterilize wounds and speed up the healing process.

In diseases of the kidneys and liver, it is also worth leaning on seasoning - it helps to filter harmful substances and removes toxins from the body. But most often ethnoscience uses black pepper for colds. It is mixed with honey and consumed internally. It is an excellent expectorant, diaphoretic and pain reliever.

Black pepper in cosmetology

This seasoning is used not only inside, but also externally. The benefits of black pepper were also appreciated by cosmetology. In case of hair loss, you should mix this spice with salt in equal proportions and dissolve the powder in the juice. onion. This mask must be kept on the head for half an hour, and then washed off. This procedure should be carried out once a week.

Essential oil is used in perfumery, as well as in anti-cellulite massages. Creams with "Piper Nigrum" are produced for problem skin, because the spice has an antimicrobial and wound healing effect. Black pepper extract is also used for rinsing the mouth area. It freshens breath no worse than menthol - due to the destruction of pathogenic bacteria. Also shampoos with black pepper in the composition successfully fight dandruff.

Semen is considered the first month of summer because for the germination of pepper seeds, a temperature of + 25-28 ° C is required. Before sowing, you need to calibrate by selecting the largest peas, and then soak them in water for a day and plant them in a pot.

ATTENTION: Before planting the seeds, it is necessary to scald the pot with boiling water, and then pour the soil and immerse the seed in it.

Already a month later, you can see the first shoots.

Soil and fertilizer

For sowing seeds is being prepared, consisting of one share of sheet soil, half of sand and half of sod soil.

After the sprouts get stronger and finally develop one leaf, it will take 2 cm apart and then transplanting each plant in separate dishes with a diameter of 7-8 cm.

The soil composition remains unchanged.

ATTENTION: Transplantation when picking should be done carefully, the plant has a very sensitive root system.

After the appearance of the second true leaf of black pepper, it is necessary. Used for fertilizer chicken manure aqueous solution, previously settled for several days, in proportion 1:10. In the absence of such a solution, it can be replaced with purchased top dressing intended for ornamental deciduous plants.

5-7 days after fertilization when it grows root system plants, it can be transplanted into a larger pot. Black pepper is a liana plant, so you should take care of the support.

Pepper in top dressing needs autumn and spring, wherein every 2 years it is necessary to update the earth in a pot.

Watering

carried out soft water room temperature . black pepper love high humidity, that's why it is necessary to constantly monitor the humidity and prevent the soil from drying out.

You can put the flowerpot on a pallet, filled with expanded clay or moistened peat.

In addition, the plant needs to be sprayed with water twice a day in the warm season.

In winter, the amount of spraying can be reduced.

Temperature regime

To create black pepper comfortable conditions, it is necessary to provide diffused sunlight.

The best way- this is the placement of pots with a plant on the windowsill of an east or west window. Being in a north window, the pepper may experience a lack of light, and on the south windows it will need shading from direct rays.

ATTENTION: In the warm season, it is better to grow pepper on outdoors in a bright place.

During active plant growth it is important to maintain the air temperature at 23-25°C, in the fall this bar can be lowered, and in winter time recommended temperature 18°C. It should be borne in mind that black pepper does not tolerate sudden temperature changes and may die if the temperature falls below 10°C.

Culture features

During cultivation you can see white formations on the back of the sheet resembling eggs. Over time they will turn black. These formations are a feature of plants, therefore they do not pose any danger.

In addition to seeds, black pepper propagated by layering, cuttings And division. At sufficient level lighting and humidity layering and cuttings root very quickly and well.

Harvesting

With proper black pepper grows 2 meters high and above. Flowering occurs in the second year, which results in the formation of yellow and red fruits.

black peppercorns- it is his plant fruit that have been dried in the sun.

From black peas you can get white pepper if you leave it for a week in water, and then peel off the black skin and dry it. Green peppercorns are obtained from unripe peas.

ATTENTION: Only black fruits are suitable for cultivation. You cannot grow a plant from a white, green or pink pea.

It is worth paying attention to the fact that foreign varieties of black pepper are grown in peas without picking, while they grow only one season.

Black pepper is perennial plant. Planted at home, pepper will delight with a stable harvest for several years. The main thing is proper fit And necessary care behind the plant.

Useful materials

Read other articles on pepper seedlings:

• and do you need them?
• How to grow, or at home?

Black pepper has firmly established itself in the kitchen of any housewife. No wonder it is called the "king of spices." Wrinkled small black peas or dark gray powder with a greenish tint - this is what the most popular spice in the world looks like. Interestingly, in the era of antiquity, black pepper served not only as a spice, medicine and an analogue of money, but also as an equivalent for weighing pharmaceutical powders, since it was necessary to measure doses with great accuracy. Translated into modern measures of weight, 1000 black peppercorns highest quality must have a mass equal to 460 grams - no more, no less.

Black pepper- (PIPER NIGRUM) or as it is also called, Malabar berry - tree liana with aerial roots formed at the nodes, from the pepper family. Beloved by all of us bell pepper and chili are not related to "king". The pepper liana grows in the forest, twisting around the trees that serve as its support. The length of a wild-growing liana can reach from 6 to 15 meters, but on plantations its growth is slowed down, and special props in the form of poles are used as supports, just like for cucumbers.

Liana has ovate leathery greyish-green leaves. It blooms with small white flowers, collected in hanging spikes. After the end of flowering, fruits are formed. Pepper fruits are spherical drupes with a hard shell and have a burning taste, and at first they have green color, then turn red. The crop is harvested when the fruits begin to turn red. In the process of drying in the sun, the peas turn black. Interestingly, the pepper liana is able to bear fruit twice a year for 25-50 years.

Black pepper is native to the Malabar coast of India. Black pepper is grown in Indonesia, Brazil and other countries with a subtropical climate. Our cold climate, of course, it does not suit him, but I wanted to experiment.

From personal growing experience

Of course, it was not possible to find seed material in specialized stores. An ordinary supermarket helped - fortunately, at present, black peppercorns are not in short supply in our country. I bought a bag, selected the largest and most beautiful peas, soaked them for a day in warm water with aloe and planted them in a pot. Planting depth - 1 cm. She covered the ground with a plastic cup, periodically ventilated, lightly sprayed. Seeds "thought" for a long time, shoots appeared almost a month later.

Of the seven peas, only five sprouted.
The first conclusion: the seeds are fresh, because. have not lost their germination and peppercorns do not pass heat treatment, as they say, that is, it was dried in vivo. But this is, so to speak, a side effect. although positive, the result of the experiment. The negative was that in the literature it is recommended to plant black pepper in early summer, but I found out after planting, and November was on the calendar.

However, the seedlings looked cheerful. When the second leaves appeared, carefully transplanted them into separate pots. 10 days after the transplant, I slightly fed. Now my task was to create such conditions for the peppers to feel comfortable. The first time they were under the lamp. It was necessary to provide temperature regime. Black pepper feels great at a temperature of + 25C, does not like a sharp cold snap, and at temperatures below + 10 C, the plant dies. Pepper loves moisture. In the summer it is necessary to water plentifully, in the winter moderately. I water the peppers with water at room temperature. In winter, when the heating is turned on, there is a threat of overdrying the air. I sprayed my "babies" twice a day.
The seedlings spent the summer in the garden in the greenhouse, they got stronger, grew well. Covered from direct sunlight. Autumn transplant young plants tolerated well. I installed a support in each pot, otherwise the plant will lie on the surface of the earth.

In spring and summer, I feed black pepper with complex mineral fertilizers. In winter, the plants are at rest, it is better not to disturb them, water them carefully so as not to overdo it. Now that the peppers have matured, they overwinter on the east window, where I try to keep the temperature at least +18C. Of course, more light would be nice. It is recommended to transplant peppers every two years, this should be done carefully, it is preferable to use plastic pots, because they retain moisture better. Good drainage is required. The soil for plants needs nutritious, loose, consisting of equal parts of leafy, humus and soddy soil, peat, sand.

Black pepper begins to bear fruit in the second year. Blooms in April or May. I hope that already this year the “king of spices” will delight me with its flowering and Malabar berries.

As a bonus video about growing peppers at home: