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Capsicum annuum Sigaretta di Bergamo

Capsicum annuum Sigaretta di Bergamo
Bell pepper, sweet pepper

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An old Italian variety, mid-early and with good productivity. The plants, 60 cm (24in) tall, bear small conical and tapered fruits, measuring approximately 10-12 cm (4-5in) long and 1-1.5 cm (0-1in) in diameter, resembling a cigar. They change from light green to shiny red when ripe. They are enjoyed fresh in salads, fried, or preserved in vinegar. Sowing from February to May for a harvest from August to November.
Ease of cultivation
Beginner
Height at maturity
60 cm
Spread at maturity
35 cm
Soil moisture
Dry soil, Moist soil
Germination time (days)
14 days
Sowing method
Sowing under cover, Sowing under cover with heat
Sowing period February to May
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Flowering time May to September
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Harvest time August to November
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Description

The Sigaretta di Bergamo Pepper is a very old Italian variety cultivated for a long time in the Bergamo region. As its name suggests, its small, elongated and particularly slim fruits resemble cigars. It is a semi-early selection and has good productivity. It forms plants that are 60 cm (24in) tall and bear slender fruits, measuring approximately 10-12 cm (4-5in) in length and 1-1.5 cm (0-1in) in diameter, transitioning from light green to bright red when ripe. They are enjoyed fresh in salads, fried, or preserved in vinegar. The seeds contained in the fruits can be collected and sown the following year. Sow from February to May for a harvest from August to November.

We usually distinguish between peppers and chillies. Pepper is a term for a chilli without or almost no capsaicin, the substance that, in varying concentrations, produces the spicy or even burning effect.

The Pepper is a fruit vegetable which, like its close relative the chilli, belongs to the Solanaceae family. It is a perennial plant in tropical climates and is grown as an annual in our latitudes unless it has been placed in a pot so that it can be stored in a warm place during the winter. It produces small flowers, white or mauve, with anthers or seeds of different colors depending on the species.

In cooking, peppers are consumed raw in salads, quickly grilled, or cooked in confit, ratatouille, or stuffed. 

In the garden, or on the balcony for the most compact varieties, it is a vegetable plant that appreciates sun, heat, and regular watering. In colder climates, it benefits from being grown undercover. It is grown in rich soil, previously amended with 3 kg of compost per m².

Harvesting: the time of harvest depends on the colour of the variety when ripe. Pick them with a small knife or by hand as needed, be aware that the pepper continues to ripen after being harvested.

Storage: peppers can be stored for several days in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator. Depending on the quantity of your production, you may want to store them for a longer period. There are several methods: First, drying, which can be done in several ways: either in the sun by cutting the peppers in half lengthwise. Air drying indoors is only possible if the conditions are dry enough, otherwise the fruits will become soft. It can also be done with whole fruits in the oven on a low temperature grill (about 50°C) for several hours.
You can also opt for a preservation method where the pepper remains fresh. You then have the choice of marinating it in oil with herbs, pickling it in vinegar, or reducing it to a puree. There are plenty of recipes for these methods. As a last resort, you can also freeze your peppers. In any case, wash and dry them carefully.

The gardener's tip: To combat red spider mites, plant radishes nearby.

Harvest

Harvest time August to November
Type of vegetable Fruit vegetable
Vegetable colour red
Size of vegetable Small
Fruit diameter 1 cm
Interest Flavour, Nutritional value, Colour, Productive
Flavour Sweet
Use Table, Cooking

Plant habit

Height at maturity 60 cm
Spread at maturity 35 cm
Growth rate fast

Foliage

Foliage persistence Annual
Foliage colour dark green
Aromatic? Fragrant foliage when creased

Botanical data

Genus

Capsicum

Species

annuum

Cultivar

Sigaretta di Bergamo

Family

Solanaceae

Other common names

Bell pepper, sweet pepper

Origin

Cultivar or hybrid

Annual / Perennial

Annual

Product reference169641

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Planting and care

Peppers are easy to grow. Sun and heat play a decisive role in the success of this crop. They can tolerate any type of soil, although they prefer rich, loose, and well-draining soil. You can add a little sand if the substrate is too compact.

Sowing under glass: From mid-February to May, sow indoors or in heated greenhouses in trays at around 20°C (68°F). Bury the seeds under 5 to 7 mm (0.3in) of seed compost as they need darkness to germinate. Do not use humus at this stage, as it may burn the future roots. The growth of pepper plants is rapid: the seeds germinate between 3 days and a week after sowing. This is an average. Do not discard a tray if germination has not occurred within this time frame, thinking they are irrecoverable. Some varieties take longer. When the plants have reached 5 to 6 true leaves, transplant them into buckets that will provide a little more space for their roots, and start acclimatising them to the outside on sunny days.

Transplanting in open ground: Once the risk of frost has passed, usually by mid-May, transplant your plants into the open ground. Choose the sunniest and warmest spots in the garden. At the base of a south-facing wall is an ideal position. Loosen the soil and dig a hole at least 3 to 4 times the volume of the plant's root system. Add a little well-decomposed compost at the bottom. Place your plant, which can be buried up to the first leaves, then fill in the hole. Tamp down, form a basin around the base, and water generously. Be careful not to water the leaves to protect your plants from fungal diseases. If you want to plant multiple plants, space them 60 cm (24in) apart in all directions.

Maintenance: Adding mulch at the base of your plants helps retain some moisture and reduces the need for weeding. Pepper plants do not require a lot of watering: their root system has a taproot that searches deeply for available resources. Only water generously in case of prolonged drought. If you have chosen to grow them in pots, you can keep your pepper plants for several years by storing them in a warm and well-lit place in winter. In pots, the plant cannot develop as efficient a taproot as in open ground. Therefore, it is necessary to water it regularly but moderately.

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Seedlings

Sowing period February to May
Sowing method Sowing under cover, Sowing under cover with heat
Germination time (days) 14 days

Care

Soil moisture Tolerant
Disease resistance Good
Pruning No pruning necessary

Intended location

Type of use Container, Vegetable garden, Greenhouse
Hardiness Hardy down to 1°C (USDA zone 10b) Show map
Ease of cultivation Beginner
Soil Well-drained and rich in organic matter
Exposure Sun
Soil pH Any
Soil type Silty-loamy (rich and light), 130,187

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