Pepper- represents the fruits of a climbing bush.

Black pepper is sometimes also called “Malabar berry” after its natural habitat - the Malabar Islands (in southern India). In nature, shrubs wrap around trees, climbing upward. Since pepper became an agricultural crop, poles are installed on plantations for it, like for hops, and this limits its growth to a height of 4-5 m. The plant is a climbing shrub, reaching a height of 15 m. The leaves are 80 m long. -100 mm. After flowering ends, round fruits grow, first green, then they become yellow or red.

The length of the brush is 80-140 mm, it contains 20-30 drupes. To obtain black pepper, the fruits are collected unripe - green or slightly yellowing. When dried in the sun, they wrinkle and turn black. Pepper fruits do not ripen at the same time, so the harvest period is greatly extended.

There are more than one and a half thousand species of plants belonging to the genus pepper, the pepper family. However, only 5-6 species growing in South Asia are used as a spice. True peppers include black pepper, white pepper, cubeba pepper, long pepper and African pepper.

Characteristics and origin:

Black pepper- dried unripe fruits of the tropical perennial shrub of the same name. Dried unripe fruits look like small black peas (hence the name - black pepper) with pleasant aroma. Black pepper is native to the eastern shores of India, where it still grows as wild plant jungle It then spread to Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries. To Africa and America - only in the 20th century. Black pepper was the reason for the discovery of America and the appearance of red pepper. After all, it was precisely for this and other Indian spices that Christopher Columbus set out his expedition.

In Sanskrit, black pepper is called marich. This is one of the names of the sun, and black pepper gets this name due to its high content of solar energy.

The Greek name "peperi", the Latin "piper", the English "pepper", as well as the Russian "pepper" all come from the Sanskrit name for pepper "pippali".

In India, pepper has been highly valued since time immemorial and was one of the first oriental spices to conquer Europe, starting from Ancient Greece and Rome. Aristotle's student, the Greek philosopher Theophrastus (372-287 BC), who is sometimes called the “father of botany,” divided pepper into two types: black and long. From the Malabar coast of India, pepper traveled around the world by both sea and land routes. Through Persian Gulf it was delivered to Arabia, and through the Red Sea to Egypt. Later, in 40 AD, ships of the Roman Empire joined the pepper trade. Direct trade between Rome and India helped eliminate the Arab monopoly on all types of "spicy treasures". In the Roman Empire, pepper took a strong place among the popular commercial goods. Frederick Rosengarten, in his Book of Spices, writes that during the reign of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, the pepper trade reached such unprecedented proportions that in 176 AD. The customs tax in Alexandria was levied primarily on long or white pepper. Black pepper was not included in the tax filing; perhaps the authorities did this for political reasons, fearing to cause discontent among the people. To prevent the sack of Rome by the troops of the Gothic king and conqueror Alaric in 408 AD. the Romans paid him tribute, which, among other riches, included 3,000 pounds of pepper.

Cosmas Indinopleustes, a merchant who later became a famous holy monk and traveled throughout India and Ceylon, described in detail in his book “Topography Christiana” the methods of growing, collecting and preparing pepper by the inhabitants of the Malabar Peninsula. Shortly after this, in the 1st century AD. Indian colonists established pepper plantations in Java. Marco Polo in his memoirs describes the "plenty of pepper" in Java. He mentions Chinese ships that went to sea, each loaded with 6,000 baskets of pepper.

In the Middle Ages, pepper took an important place in European cooking. It was used to add piquancy and good taste to raw and perishable food and, mainly, to drown out the disgusting taste of meat.

Whole peppercorns were very expensive back then and were accepted by the authorities as payment for taxes, duties, debts, and also as a dowry. In 1180, during the reign of Henry II, the “Guild of Whole Pepper Merchants” began operating in London, which was then renamed the “Guild of Spice Merchants”, and a century later began to bear the name “Company of Grocers”, under which it is successfully developing to this day. .

In the 13th century, the economic growth and great wealth of Venice and Genoa, especially the latter, was achieved mainly through the spice trade. The Portuguese and Spaniards watched with envy this unheard-of enrichment. The fall (in 1453) of Constantinople and the excessive taxes of the Muslim rulers on the spice trade further exacerbated the need for their sea voyage to the East. Europe's need for spices, especially black pepper, and the desire to become fabulously rich became the main incentives for Columbus's expedition and Vasco de Gama's sea voyage. All this allowed the Portuguese to seize a monopoly on the sale of spices, which they maintained for 100 years. After fighting several decisive battles with the Muslims, they captured the coveted Malabar coast of India (in 1511), Ceylon, Java and Sumatra.

Later, the monopoly on pepper production passed into the hands of the Dutch, and belonged to them until 1799, when their East European Company went bankrupt. At the same time, the American captain Carnes moored a schooner in New York harbor with a cargo of black pepper, from the sale of which he earned $100,000. Over the next 50 years (in the first half of the 19th century), American merchant ships occupied main role in the world pepper trade. This business is known to have produced the first American millionaires. Currently, the largest pepper producers are India, Indonesia and Brazil, which produce more than 40,000 tons of pepper per year. The top consumers of black pepper are the USA, Russia, Germany, Japan and England.

Characteristics by origin:

1. MALABAR. A large amount of black pepper comes from the state of Kerala, which is located in the southwestern part of India (Malabar coast). Today, all Indian peppers are usually called Malabar peppers. Pepper berries are large and have a strong aroma. Its essential oils contain a rich aromatic bouquet. It has a high content of piperine, and this gives it its pungency.
2. LAMPONG. Indonesia, and mainly the island of Sumatra, is another major producer of premium quality black pepper. The pepper is grown in Lampong province in the southeastern part of the island of Sumatra, and is shipped from the port of Pandang. Pepper from Lampong is not inferior in quality to Indian pepper. It is just as spicy and aromatic, it contains a lot of essential oils and piperine. Characteristic difference from Indian - pepper is smaller in size. Ground pepper from Lampong is slightly lighter than Indian pepper.
3. BRAZILIAN. Brazil is a major pepper producer that has just recently entered the market. Peppers are grown in the northern state of Pará, along the Amazon River. Plantations were created only in 1930, and a harvest sufficient for export trade was obtained only in 1957. Since then, Brazil has been one of the main suppliers of black and white pepper. Brazilian black pepper has a relatively smooth surface and a unique appearance. The skin of the pepper is black, and the inside of the berry is creamy white.
4. CHINESE. Only recently has it begun to be exported to the foreign market, although it is constantly grown in China. It is very light in color and mild in taste. Grown mainly on Hainan Island, southeast of the mainland.
5. SARAWAK. The former British colony of Sarawak (now part of the Republic of Malaysia) along the northwestern coast of Borneo is the world's other pepper producer. Port of shipment v Kuching. The bulk of Sarawak pepper goes to Singapore for transhipment and new shipments around the world, especially to the UK, Japan and Germany.
6. CEYLON. Now the country is officially called Sri Lanka, but the pepper (like tea) is called Ceylon. It departs from Colombo, the capital and main seaport of the country. This pepper is mainly used for the production of extracts due to its increased content pungent essential oils, piperine and capsicin.

OTHER. These are Madagascar, Thailand, Nigeria and Vietnam. Pepper is produced in large quantities. Now Vietnam is strengthening its position, but the quality of pepper there does not always meet the requirements for pepper good quality.

There are two main qualities of pepper - its pungency (due to piperine) and aroma (depending on the content of essential oils). The best is considered to be the densest and heaviest pepper of the highest quality from the Malabar coast of India. This is Malabar Grade 1 or MG1. Its density is 570-580 grams per liter. This pepper is very economical to use and is recommended for use in the production of boiled sausages.

Growing:

Black pepper is grown in Sri Lanka, Java, Sumatra, Borneo, and Brazil. Plant growth is limited to a height of 5 m. It grows on tall rods, similar to hops. It begins to bear fruit after three years. Plantings can be used for 15-20 years. The harvest is harvested when the fruits begin to turn red. During the process of drying in the sun, the fruits turn black. Black pepper is better the harder, darker, heavier it is. 1000 grains of good quality black pepper should weigh exactly 460 g. Therefore, in ancient times, black pepper served as a weighing scale for weighing pharmaceutical products that required great precision.

White pepper has a more subtle taste, a noble and strong aroma and is valued higher. White pepper is obtained in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia.

Application:

Black pepper promotes digestion and the Romans consumed it in large quantities. But this cannot be recommended. However, in the quantities in which it is used in our cuisine, it does not pose any harm to health.

Pepper is used for soups, gravies, sauces, vegetable salads, marinades, in the preparation of all types of meat, including game, savoy cabbage, beans, peas, lentils, sauerkraut, goulash, eggs, cheeses, tomatoes, fish, canned vegetables and for large quantity other dishes that are prepared in our kitchen. Homemade pig slaughter, sausage making and whole line meat products.

Black pepper- the most universal spice for many dishes. It goes on sale in the form of peas or ground. Ground peppercorns have the greatest aroma. Ground black pepper is used to season various dishes, minced meats, and fillings. Pepper is added to dishes shortly before cooking, otherwise, with prolonged cooking, the dish becomes excessively bitter. It is recommended to store ground pepper in hermetically sealed packaging, otherwise it will quickly fizzle out and lose its properties.

Along with pepper fragrant And red pod, black pepper is widely used in the canning industry in the production of vegetable marinades, salads, and canned meat. If in the listed cases black pepper is used in the form of peas, then in soups, gravies and sauces, sausages and cheeses - only ground.

Types of spices:

Black pepper is obtained from the unripe fruits of the plant. In order to clean them and prepare them for drying, the fruits are quickly scalded in hot water. Heat treatment destroys the cell wall of pepper, accelerating the work of enzymes responsible for “browning”. The fruits are then dried in the sun or by machines for several days. During this time, the fruit shell dries out and darkens around the seed, forming a thin, wrinkled black layer. The fruits dried in this way are called black peppercorns. Black pepper is used both as whole peas and ground - both as a separate seasoning and in a variety of mixtures.

White pepper is the mature seeds of black pepper, devoid of the pericarp. Typically, to obtain white pepper, the ripe fruits are soaked in water for about one week. As a result of soaking, the shell of the fruit decomposes and softens, after which it is separated and the remaining seeds are dried. There are also alternative ways separation of the shell from pepper seeds, including mechanical, chemical and biological.

White pepper has a light gray color, has a more delicate taste, a noble and strong aroma. This spice has almost the same uses as black pepper.

Green pepper, like black pepper, is obtained from unripe fruits. Dried green peas are processed in such a way as to preserve green color, for example, using sulfur dioxide or by lyophilization (dry drying). In a similar way, pink (red) peppers are also obtained from ripe fruits (pink pepper from Piper nigrum must be distinguished from the more common pink pepper made from the fruits of Peruvian peppers or Brazilian peppers).

Green and red peppercorns are also pickled or used in fresh(mainly in Thai cuisine). The smell of fresh peas is described as fresh and zesty, with a vibrant aroma.

Medical use:

Affects systems: digestive, circulatory, respiratory.

General strengthening, expectorant, carminative, anthelmintic.

Research shows that pepper, in addition to the properties listed above, reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases: thins the blood, destroys clots, improves blood circulation. It also promotes digestion and stimulates the metabolic process, activating the burning of calories. Peppers contain three times more vitamin C than oranges. It is also rich in calcium, iron, phosphorus, carotene and B vitamins. In addition, pepper can enhance the effects of other medicinal plants.

Recommended for: chronic indigestion, toxins in the rectum, metabolic disorders, obesity, high temperature, fever, during a crisis colds. Pepper has long been considered a medicinal plant. The Mayan Indians also used it to relieve pain, treat coughs, sore throats, asthma and other respiratory diseases.

You can't do without pepper in the kitchen. This spice is so common that in enterprises Catering ground pepper is placed in special pepper shakers on tables in dining rooms. And any visitor can pepper the dish at his own discretion and taste.

Have you ever wondered what the plant that produces black pepper fruit looks like? This is a very long climbing vine, reaching 15 meters in nature. And it grows, twining around tree trunks, in warm countries such as India, China, Brazil, and Indonesia. It is there that black peppercorns, which we are used to buying in small bags, are grown as a food crop on an industrial scale.

Peppercorns grow on these vines in large clusters, and are themselves drupe fruits, and not seeds enclosed in fruits, like bell peppers. This is absolutely different types plants.

When grown on plantations devoid of trees, special supports no more than five meters high are installed for pepper vines to facilitate harvesting. Such plantations exist not only in the countries listed above, but also in other regions with a suitable climate. But most of all piperine, which is responsible for the pungent taste, and essential oils, thanks to which pepper has a specific aroma, are found in the fruits of Indian (Malabar district) and Indonesian (Sumatra island) peppers.

Video – Black pepper production

Types of pepper

If you are familiar with other types of seasonings in the form of dry peas, then you will be interested to know that they are all the fruits of the same plant, only processed differently. The processing method affects the color and size of the peas, as well as the degree of spiciness.

1. The most popular black peppercorns are unripe green fruits, slowly dried in the sun or in special drying machines. Before this they are briefly immersed in hot water to free from pericarp. After drying, the shell of the grains becomes black or dark brown. This type of pepper is the hottest and most aromatic. It is used both in whole form and in ground form.

   

2. Milder white pepper is produced in South-East Asia. To obtain it, wait for the fruits to fully ripen and turn red. After which they are collected and soaked in water for two weeks. Then the softened shell is removed, exposing the white core, which is dried. Since it is the shell that contains the largest amount of essential oils and piperine, white pepper loses its strong pungency and pungent odor. It is used to prepare delicate dishes from white meat and fish, as well as some types of dough.

   

   White pepper is a ripe fruit without a shell.

3. Green peppers, like black peppers, are harvested unripe but are dried in a special way to preserve their color. It turns out softer, with a pleasant refreshing aroma.

   

4. Red peppers are fully ripened drupes with a sweetish shell placed in brine. It is used only in its whole, unground form to decorate dishes.

   

Note. Ground red pepper is not related to the described culture. It is obtained by grinding the pods of hot chili peppers into powder.

Growing at home

Pepper vine is a very heat-loving plant. It does not tolerate cold and dies when the temperature drops to +10 degrees. Therefore, in our latitudes, trying to grow it in open ground- an impossible task. But in an apartment it is quite feasible. And 2-3 years after planting, you can wait for fruiting.

Whether this is necessary is another question. From the point of view of economic feasibility, it is unlikely, because this spice costs a penny in stores. If you want to experiment, then why not? Among flower growers there are many lovers of exotic vines; growing such a vine can give them pleasure. If you are interested, below is detailed instructions How to grow black peppercorns at home.

Seeds

You will not find seeds of this plant in gardening stores. Go to the grocery store and buy black peppercorns in the spice section. We will imprison him. But before buying, be sure to look at the release date on the bag. If the pepper was packaged more than 12 months ago, it is unlikely to sprout.

Note! Only black pepper has germination. It is useless to plant white, green, and especially red.

To determine whether the grains are viable, fill them with warm water. Those that float can be thrown away. We leave the rest in water for a day in a warm place for better germination. Of course, not all seeds will sprout, so you can plant everything and then select the strongest shoots.

Priming

Pepper with its “aerial” roots, with which in nature it clings to tree trunks, grows best in purchased soil for. It allows both water and air to pass through well. If you do not have the opportunity to purchase it, prepare the soil mixture yourself from the following components:

• 4 parts turf land;
• 2 parts leaf soil;
• 1 part humus and sand each.

Since the best time to plant this plant is the beginning of summer, it will not be difficult to find all the components.

Before filling the pot with this mixture, make sure there are drainage holes in the container and fill it about a quarter full with broken shards, crushed stone or expanded clay. This is necessary for removal from the roots excess moisture. Pepper loves it very much, but does not tolerate stagnation.

Landing

It is best to plant peppers in late spring or early summer, so that the warm period favorable for seedlings lasts as long as possible. And young plants could be taken out to Fresh air. Immediately after planting the grains, it is advisable to wrap the pot with film or cover it with glass to ensure a greenhouse effect. And ventilate and water every day. In such conditions, seedlings should appear in 3-4 weeks.

Pepper vine prefers to grow in bright areas, but not in direct sunlight. Therefore, when choosing a place for it, it is better to give preference to windows facing east, west and adjacent directions. If there are none in the apartment, consider the following recommendations:

• when located on a southern window, the plantings should be shaded by placing tulle, gauze, other thin fabric between them and the glass, or by gluing tracing paper to the glass;
• if the window faces north, the plant on it will be uncomfortable without additional lighting. You will have to install a phytolamp or fluorescent lamp.

The ideal temperature for plants in summer is between 25 and 30 degrees. In winter, it is enough to maintain 16-18, since this is a period of rest.

Care

Caring for a tropical vine is not difficult. Under normal conditions, she develops well and practically does not get sick.

The basic rules of care are:

• abundant watering throughout the warm season. There is no need to fill it to the “swamp”; it is enough to keep the soil slightly moist and not allow it to dry out. During the dormant period, watering can be halved;
• daily spraying with soft water - rain, melt or settled and filtered. In winter, spraying is continued if it is not possible to reduce the air temperature. If it stays no higher than 20 degrees, one procedure every 7-10 days is enough;
• feeding once every 2-3 weeks. You can use complex mineral fertilizers dissolved in water according to the instructions. But if there is such an opportunity, at least occasionally it is worth watering the vine with bird droppings, diluted in a large amount of water and strained. From October to the end of March, fertilizers may not be applied at all;
• replant as it grows into a larger pot. Pepper does not grow too quickly, so replanting is required first every year, and then no more than once every couple of years. At the same time, it is important not to damage the roots, so replanting is carried out together with a lump of old soil using the transshipment method;
• installation of supports is mandatory; seedlings need them for normal development. In apartment conditions, vines rarely grow longer than two meters.

At good care fruits on young plant may appear in two to three years. And you will have the opportunity to get your own spices in the form of white or black peppercorns. How to bring them to the desired condition is described above.

Errors during cultivation

If improper care or failure to maintain temperature, light or humidity, the plant gives obvious distress signals. You just need to be able to take them apart.

Table. Plant reaction to improper care

On a note. But if white convex dots appear on the underside of the leaves, reminiscent of eggs, there is no need to worry. This is normal for pepper vines.

Use and storage of black pepper

Regardless of whether you bought black peppercorns or grew them yourself, you need to store them by pouring them into a tightly sealed glass container. It best preserves the original aroma and taste properties. If you need to add ground pepper to the dish, then it is better to grind it in a special grinder just before use.

You've probably noticed more than once how much weaker the aroma of ground pepper bought at the store is. This is explained not only by the weathering of essential oils from the product, but also by the fact that in addition to the pepper itself, the powder may contain foreign components, including dirt and dust. The special aroma and pungent taste of black pepper is most valued by chefs. They add it whole and ground to a wide variety of dishes and products:

• meat and fish;
• sausages;
• soups;
• sauces;
• canned foods;
• some drinks (for example, mulled wine).

The presence of this seasoning in a dish stimulates appetite and improves digestion. Of course, if it is added in small quantities. Because piperine in large doses can corrode the stomach walls and duodenum. For this reason, black pepper should not be added to dishes for people suffering from gastritis, stomach ulcers and other diseases. gastrointestinal tract. Not recommended spicy dishes with these spices and for hypertensive patients.

Video - How black peppercorns grow

Growing peppercorns at home can be perceived more as a hobby, rather than a need to obtain a popular spice. But for sweets and hot pepper the attitude is completely different, because to provide yourself with this tasty and healthy vegetable not difficult at all. How to properly grow pepper seedlings and achieve good harvest, can be read at.

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Grow black pepper at home

Turns out Black pepper (lat. Piper nigrum) you can grow it at home, and getting the seeds is simply elementary, just buy black pepper in the form of peas at any grocery store, choose the largest peas, soak the peppercorns in water for a day and plant them in a pot, preferably plant them in early summer, in about a month the first ones will appear sprouts from sprouted peas (temperature 25-30 degrees Celsius) and do not believe those who say that black peppercorns will pass heat treatment, peppercorns are dried in the sun in natural conditions.
After the second leaf, you need to fertilize the pepper - this will be a solution of bird droppings, left for a couple of days. After these steps, the peppers can be carefully transplanted into large pots. Keep the plant on a windowsill in winter and on outdoors in the warm sunny place.

Don't be alarmed if you notice back side leaf formations similar to eggs white which then turn black is normal.

By the way white pepper this is the same black pepper, only mechanically peeled from the pericarp; usually, to obtain white pepper, freshly picked ripe pepper fruits are soaked in water (sometimes hot to speed up the process) for about one week. As a result of soaking, the fruit shell decomposes and softens, after which the fruit shell is separated and the remaining seeds are dried. You are unlikely to be able to grow anything from white peppercorns.

Obtained from the unripe fruits of black pepper. Dried green peas are processed in such a way as to preserve the green color, for example using sulfur dioxide or by freeze-drying (dry drying). In a similar way, pink (red) peppers are also obtained from ripe fruits (pink pepper from Piper nigrum must be distinguished from the more common pink pepper made from the fruits of Peruvian peppers or Brazilian peppers). Green peppercorns are not suitable for planting.

What kind of plant is black pepper?

Black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) it is also called Malabar berry, is a tree-like vine "Piper nigrum" belonging to the pepper family. It grows in the forest, entwining trees that serve as its support. The length of the vine can reach 6 m. On plantations where it is specially bred, special supports in the form of poles are used as supports.
On plantations, the plant is a climbing shrub reaching a height of 15 m. The leaves are 80-100 mm long. After flowering ends, round fruits grow, first green, then they become yellow or red.

The liana has ovate, leathery, grayish-green leaves. Black pepper blooms with small white flowers collected in hanging spikes. The fruits of black pepper are spherical drupes with a hard shell and a pungent taste. Black pepper is beneficial for people with cardiovascular diseases because... it effectively cleanses blood vessels and thins the blood. It is used to season meat, fish and vegetable dishes.

Black pepper is grown in Sri Lanka, Java, Sumatra, Borneo, and Brazil. The main exporter of black pepper to the world market is the island of Sumatra.

The height of plants is limited, it is no more than 5 m. Black pepper grows on high rods, similar to hops. Three years after planting, it begins to bear fruit. Three types of pepper are obtained from the same tree - black, white and green. Peppers begin to be harvested when the fruits turn red. During the process of drying in the sun, the pepper fruits turn black. Black pepper High Quality should be hard, dark and heavy. 1000 grains of high-quality black pepper should weigh exactly 460 g. Therefore, in ancient times, black pepper served as weights for weighing pharmaceutical products that required great accuracy. In tropical countries, the fruits of unripe green peppers are preserved in salt and vinegar. At the same time, it acquires a very delicate and subtle aroma. The highest quality varieties of black pepper in the world are considered to be Malabar and Tellicherry.

How to grow black pepper correctly

Black pepper tropical plants, and like all heat-loving plants, they really don’t like cold snaps (at temperatures less than 10 degrees Celsius, the plant dies) and frosts kill the plant instantly.

The black pepper plant grows very well in a pot and can grow up to 2 meters in the first year of its life.

With proper care, it begins to bear fruit in the second year.

The plant is very moisture-loving and overdrying the earthen coma is not recommended.

Adult black pepper plants are grown in a mixture of heavy turf and leaf soil, humus, and sand (4:2:1:1).
For pepper, choose a bright place, protected from direct sunlight.
Water abundantly in summer and moderately in winter, with water at room temperature.
Pepper is propagated by seeds, cuttings, layering, and also by dividing the bush.
The flowering time for black pepper occurs in April - May.

Plant care:

Pepper prefers bright diffuse light, suitable for growing near windows facing western and eastern directions. At south-facing windows it is necessary to shade the plant from direct sun rays. U north windows In winter, the plant may not have enough light.

During the active growing season, pepper prefers an air temperature of around 20-25°C; in the fall, you can slightly reduce the temperature, and in winter it is recommended to keep the plant at a temperature of about 18°C, not lower than 16°C.

From spring to autumn, peppers are watered generously with soft, settled water as the top layer of the substrate dries. In autumn, watering is reduced; in winter, watering is moderate. Overdrying, as well as overwatering, are very harmful to the plant.

Pepper needs high air humidity. This factor must be taken into account when purchasing a plant. If the air humidity is low, the plant gets sick. Spray the pepper twice a day with soft, settled water. In addition, it is recommended additional measures to increase humidity, for example, placing a pot with a plant on a tray filled with wet expanded clay or peat.

Peppers are fed from spring to autumn with complex mineral fertilizers for decorative foliage plants once every two weeks. In autumn and winter they do not feed.

Peppers have a dormant period in winter. It is recommended to keep the plant at a temperature of about 17-18C, in a bright place.

An adult plant is replanted once every two years, a young one - once a year, in the spring. The substrate for pepper is loose and nutritious. For example, consisting of turf soil (1 part), leaf soil (1 part), peat (1 part), humus soil (1 part) and sand (1 part). It is better to take plastic pots, as clay pots the substrate will dry out more. The bottom of the pot provides good drainage.

Peppers are propagated by seeds, cuttings, division, and layering.

Propagation by seeds.

Substrate composition: leaf soil- 1 hour, turf - 0.5 hours, sand - 0.5 hours. Caring for crops consists mainly of maintaining a temperature of 24-28 ° C and watering. When the seedlings get stronger and the first true leaf has fully developed, they are planted in containers at a distance of 2x3 cm. Later, 1 copy is planted in 7-centimeter pots. Composition of the earth mixture: leaf - 1 part, turf - 1 part, humus - 1 part, sand - 1 part. Plants are installed in a lighted place, but shaded from the bright rays of the sun. Water generously. After the development of the root system, transfer to 9-centimeter pots is given. The shoots are recumbent, the plants may require support.

Propagation by cuttings

When propagated by cuttings, the latter are cut with 1-2 buds and placed in a propagation box, a mini greenhouse for rooting, where they are kept at a temperature of 24-26°C. Substrate composition: leaf soil - 0.5 tsp and sand - 1 tsp. Cuttings take root within 3 weeks; after that they are planted 1 copy at a time. in 9 cm pots. In industrial gardening, cuttings of 3 copies. planted in 9-centimeter pots and placed in a distribution box for rooting. After rooting, they are transplanted into 12-centimeter pots and released for sale after about six months. Composition of the earthen mixture for transplanting rooted cuttings: leaf - 1 tsp, humus - 1 tsp, turf - 1 tsp, peat - 1 tsp, sand - 1 tsp. Plant care is the same as for peperomia.

Cousteau division produced annually in the spring, during plant transplantation. The composition of the earth is similar to the above.

When propagated by layering, long lying shoots of the plant are tightly bent to the surface of the sand. With high air humidity in a warm, bright place, they take root easily. After this, the shoots are cut. Each rooted shoot segment is planted in a pot, 1 copy. or 2-3 copies, depending on the purpose of reproduction.

Possible difficulties:

Due to lack of light and nutrition, the plant is prone to stretching and bare stems.

If the leaves turn brown at the tip, this may indicate insufficient air and substrate humidity.

Yellowing of leaves and their wilting most often occurs from waterlogging of the soil. Overmoistening is especially dangerous in winter. Also, yellowing of leaves may be due to a lack of nutrients in the soil (chlorosis).

When the plant is placed in a sunny place, the leaves fade and become faded.

Application:

Black pepper promotes digestion and the Romans consumed it in large quantities. But this cannot be recommended. However, in the quantities in which it is used in our cuisine, it does not pose any harm to health.

Pepper is used for soups, gravies, sauces, vegetable salads, marinades, in the preparation of all types of meat, including game, savoy cabbage, beans, peas, lentils, sauerkraut, goulash, eggs, cheeses, tomatoes, fish, canned vegetables and for large the number of other dishes that are prepared in our kitchen. Homemade pig slaughter, sausage production and a whole range of meat products cannot be done without black pepper.

Black pepper is the most versatile spice for many dishes. It goes on sale in the form of peas or ground. Ground peppercorns have the greatest aroma. Ground black pepper is used to season various dishes, minced meats, and fillings. Pepper is added to dishes shortly before cooking, otherwise, with prolonged cooking, the dish becomes excessively bitter. It is recommended to store ground pepper in hermetically sealed packaging, otherwise it will quickly fizzle out and lose its properties.

The wars have ceased - trade and very real, bloody ones. All the greatest have been accomplished geographical discoveries. Humanity has entered the age of globalization and has erased the boundaries between countries and continents. Humanity has calmed down and is no longer fighting for the right to own caravan and by sea routes delivery of the greatest value - black peppercorns.

If humanity knew that beginning of XXI century, the question will become relevant: not where and for how much to buy precious black peas, but how, out of purely sporting interest, to grow peppercorns on a windowsill or balcony.

The Story of the King of Spice

Black pepper was, and to this day remains, the most sought after and most popular spice in the whole world. Already five thousand years BC there was a brisk trade in black pepper. Some pundits believe that the introduction into culinary use of salt as a spice and black pepper as a spice occurred at approximately the same time.

It is not known for certain when the use of black pepper began in its homeland, India, but the fact that black pepper was used by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans is well known.

The Sanskrit name “pippali” goes back to the words that name pepper in Latin, English, Russian and many other languages.

Black pepper began its victorious march around the world from the coast of southwestern India - the Malabar Peninsula, where it grew wild. His path ran to the West through the Arabian Peninsula, the Red Sea to Egypt, and from there to the countries of Europe.

IN Ancient Rus' black pepper penetrated quite early; it is not known for certain whether it was present on the tables of the Slavic princes who raided Byzantium, but already the first Russian Rurik princes were familiar with this spice through trade with Byzantium.

Biology of the precious vine

Píper nígrum (lat.) - black pepper - a perennial vine of the Pepper genus, the Pepper family, native to the southwestern coast of India, the Malabar coast peninsula, for many centuries it was called the “Malabar berry”.

This is a typical tropical vine, naturally growing in a humid, hot climate in the lower layer of the tropical forest, using tree trunks as a support plant. IN wild conditions reaches a length of 15 meters.

Introduced into cultivation and domestication, black pepper grows exclusively in countries with a hot, humid tropical climate (Java, Sumatra, Brazil), which are the main exporters of this spice to world markets.

For growing as cultivated plant on plantations they use 4-6 meter poles around which the plant is wrapped, which makes harvesting berries more convenient.

All varieties of trade names of peppercorns - red, pink, white, green - are products obtained from the same plant. The only difference is in the technology of processing the fruits and the degree of their ripeness during harvesting.

Potted option

Growing black pepper at home is a relatively new hobby. It is carried out exclusively by amateur enthusiasts who devote their free time to gardening and floriculture. Growing an exotic plant on a windowsill or balcony has no practical significance, since high-quality black pepper, both in peas and in powder, is available to everyone today, and its prices are not high.

Since growing an exotic plant at home is the choice of a very limited number of amateur gardeners, there is no abundance of seeds or varieties in specialized stores selling seeds. To grow peppers on the balcony at home, amateurs use ordinary store-bought peppercorns, sold in stores as a spice.

It all depends on the drying conditions and the integrity of the spice manufacturer. If the technology was not violated during the production (drying) of berries, spices were used to prepare ripe berries and no chemical preservatives were used to protect the product from spoilage during storage, then the probability of seed germination is quite high.

Difficulties of growing at home

Unlike tropical and subtropical fruits and vegetables long established in temperate climates, no serious attempt has been made to acclimatize black pepper. A lot of surprises await an enthusiast who decides to grow peppers on a windowsill or balcony. Each of them is a pioneer. The experience shared on the Internet by those who have already tried to grow black pepper at home is purely empirical in nature and depends more on luck or coincidence than on the developed and established practice of cultivating this crop.

The main difficulty is the lack of sunny days in mid-latitudes, low summer temperatures and dry climate.

Create ideal conditions growing black pepper at home is a task that only a very passionate and purposeful person can do. It requires quite significant material costs for the equipment of an insulated greenhouse, in which a certain illumination, temperature, humidity and chemical composition soil. Existing grow boxes (automated cabinets for growing exotic plants) are usually small, as black pepper grows up to two meters or more.

There is only one way out - making them yourself. And this requires certain skills, free space in the apartment or on the balcony, special equipment and large waste of electricity.

If this does not stop the enthusiast, then go ahead! Let's get down to business.

Traditionally, we will consider two ways of growing black peppercorns in an apartment - the “folk” way, completely free from any technical problems, and relying only on chance and Marya Ivanovna’s advice, and the scientific and technological one, which creates an optimal environment for the plant. Mechanisms for maintaining this environment are involved, and modern progressive agricultural methods are used.

Let's start Sum Ova

Cum ova (lat.) - with eggs, this is how dinner began for the Roman patricians. And in Russian - from the very beginning.

Since you can’t find seeds in specialized stores during the day, we’ll use the Internet’s advice and stock up on a bag of black peppercorns after checking the packaging date. It is advisable that at least the year of production coincide with the year in which you were struck by the idea of ​​growing pepper at home. Select the largest and darkest seeds from the bag. It is more likely that these were ripe berries. Having selected them, soak them in warm (22-25 °C) water for a day. They should swell and sink. Peas floating on the surface will certainly not germinate. After this, we treat with growth stimulants (“Epin-Extra”, “Bud”, “Ovary”, “Tsveten” in strict accordance with the instructions and after treatment we place the seeds on filter paper or in a damp gauze cloth in a bowl with wet, clean, calcined river sand and cover plastic film. We place the vessel near a heating radiator or in another warm place so that the temperature of the sand is constantly maintained in the range of +25-30 °C. Until the sprouts hatch, we monitor the moisture content of the sand, periodically removing the film for ventilation and spraying with water.

After the sprouts appear, we plant the seeds in pots. Advice to sow in one ditch or box, and then pick and plant in pots is a waste of time. The plants will grow in the pot anyway and there is no need to further traumatize them with transplants. This ends the general path of the “folk” method and the scientific method. Then they walk apart.

"Folk" growing method

Amateur enthusiasts, accustomed to doing everything in the old-fashioned way, immediately recommend the composition of the earthen mixture:

The soil pH should be between 5.5 and 6.5.

If the soil is acidic, add lime.

I readily believe that in tropical forest there is a lot of fallen rotted leaves, but it’s hard to believe that cows or horses were actively grazing there (this is about humus).

After making the mixture, be sure to disinfect it. What if the tropical guest doesn’t like the bacteria living in our manure? And after disinfection (steaming for 30 minutes over steam), leave for 2-3 weeks in a cool place to restore the microflora.

The seeds are planted to a depth of 2 cm. The soil is moistened and covered with a transparent cap or film. After emergence of shoots, the film is removed. The air temperature should always be +22-25 °C.

Further care comes down to tying the growing vine to a support, regularly spraying it with water and replanting it in larger pots 2 times a year.

It is recommended to maintain the temperature regime: in summer +22-25 °C, in winter it is reduced to +18 °C. According to the “folk” academicians, this is so that the plant can rest. It is believed that with this growing regime, the plant should bloom and produce berries in the second year.

Closer to the truth

The Portuguese who discovered the Malabar coast called it the coast of eternal rains.

A narrow strip, no more than 2 kilometers wide, is completely covered with swamps. The dominant landscape is tropical evergreen forests, which never know what winter is or a seasonal drop in air temperature!

The soil is lateritic - formed by fallen leaves. It is characterized by a high content of iron and aluminum, a residual content of alkalis, an acidic reaction (pH 4-5.5), and a small amount of silica.

Such soils are poor nutrients, rough, red. Tropical vegetation of the lower tier - vines and orchids.

Here it is, the golden grain for growing black pepper at home. It grows next to orchids, on the same trees, on the same soil. And the same butterflies come to pollinate them.

Therefore, there is no need to reinvent the wheel and come up with “compositions” of soil rich in organic matter. Just take a guide on growing orchids at home (fortunately there are a lot of them) and you will get detailed guide to growing black pepper.

So, to plant seeds, we buy ready-made soil mixture (for orchids). We place the pot with the plant in a tray of water on a wire rack, so that the bottom of the pot does not fall into the water, and cover the top with a wire frame with stretched plastic film. The pan with water should be wide and not deep so that there is a large evaporation surface. We place the structure in a warm place +25-30 °C. We prepare the growbox for further use - this is the topic of a separate article.

The grow box maintains exactly the same humidity, light and temperature throughout the year. No wintering! No transfers! No organic feeding! We place orchid plants nearby as “beacons” and monitor their well-being. If they grow and bloom well, then black pepper feels great too!

Conclusion

Sometimes it is useful, after reading “tips” on the Internet, to look into a reference book or encyclopedia and find out how much the author bothered himself, undertaking to rewrite in his own way the nonsense that was once written down by someone.

Spicy and aromatic black peppercorns can be found in every kitchen. Everyone knows what it looks like - black round peas, no more than 0.5 cm in diameter. This is an excellent seasoning for any first and second courses, canned food, meat and fish delicacies. But few people know where black pepper grows and how to grow it at home.

Many seasoning lovers have learned to grow this spice, which came to India, on their windowsills and garden beds.

Peppercorns in natural conditions

This spice grows in almost all regions of the equatorial and subequatorial strip. Its homeland is the Malabar Islands, which locals used to even call “The Land of Pepper” translated from the Indian language. The plant itself is similar to a vine, in the wild it twines around trees or shrubs and can reach a length of 15–17 meters.

To grow spices on an industrial scale, special pegs and long sticks are installed on plantations, around which vines curl. The leaves of the black pepper plant have an elongated shape, rounded at the base and pointed at the end. During the flowering period, the buds of the plant grow in bunches of several pieces on long racemes of 12–15 centimeters. The period of growing and harvesting is quite long, because the brushes do not ripen simultaneously, but gradually throughout the vine. 25–35 peas are collected from one branch (one bud).

DIY fertile garden beds

By the way, you can collect not only black peas from such vines. Everyone knows white, red and Green pepper- it's just allspice collected in different time and in varying degrees of maturity. And black pepper acquires its color only after prolonged drying in the open air or ovens.

Growing at home

It is not possible to grow a peppercorn plantation everywhere due to the unsuitable climate in some regions. But there are several ways to grow spices at home:

• from seeds;
• cuttings;
• layering.

The last two methods are more suitable for experienced gardeners, but the fastest and easiest way is to grow spices from seeds. To grow black pepper at home, seeds straight from a pack bought in a store are suitable. One sachet is enough to get a good result. But it is black peas that are suitable for planting; other types simply will not germinate.

You should choose a place taking into account the fact that the bush will need a lot of light, so if you decide to grow pepper at home, the container with it should be placed on the windowsill or balcony.

You need to select the heaviest seeds from the package and pour them in before planting. warm water for a day. After this, they can be sown in soil, which is half composed of leaves, sand and turf in equal parts. It is better to plant spices late spring, and keep the plant at average temperature 24–29 degrees above zero.

Growing strawberries in a greenhouse all year round as a business

In the first year, the plant produces active vine growth, and in the second year it already bears the first harvest. The length of the vine on the windowsill can reach one and a half to two meters, so you need to prepare for this and constantly tie up the plant.

To propagate black peppercorns by cuttings, you need:

• Select vines with two buds and cut them off;
• Place the cuttings in a dark, warm place;
• After 2-3 weeks, when they take root, they can be planted in pots with prepared and fertilized soil.

And the third way to grow spices is layering. Peppers can be propagated by layering directly during transplantation. It is best to carry it out in the spring. After transplanting the bush, the long branch is bent and fixed horizontally at the surface of the ground. At the bend point proper watering and feeding, young roots grow. When they have grown and become strong enough, the bushes can be divided and planted in different pots.

Features of care

After the first shoots appear, the pepper is transplanted into a larger container than was used for planting. When transplanting, add to the soil chicken droppings as a fertilizer. The room in which the spice grows should be bright, but the pot must be protected from direct exposure to the sun, otherwise the pepper may simply dry out. The plant loves moisture very much, so it needs to be sprayed with a spray bottle at least once a day. You can also place a tray with water under the pot and add it there as it is absorbed.