Sweet Pepper Yellow California Wonder

What Sweet Pepper Yellow California Wonder is

Sweet Pepper Yellow California Wonder (Capsicum annuum L.) is an annual vegetable of the Nightshade family (Solanaceae). Popular since the 20s, this variety is the yellow version of California Wonder.

The smooth peppers are thick-walled, very sweet and tender. They reach about 12 cm. in length and ripen from light green to golden yellow.

The plants reach a height of 55-65 cm., and the harvest is expected 62-73 days after sowing.

The productive plants crop early and are suited to a cooler climate.

Pepper is a must in the home garden — for roasting, stuffing, salads and relish. A well-chosen variety gives fleshy, sweet fruit from July into autumn.

Key features

• Measured germination rate of the batch: 85%
• Seeds per packet: 25–35 pcs (0.2 g)
• Seed origin: China
• Sowing: March and April; seedlings
• Harvest: August – December
• Position: sunny spot

When to sow Sweet Pepper Yellow California Wonder

Sweet Pepper Yellow California Wonder seeds are sown in March and April. Harvest in August – December. The months are a guide for a temperate climate — in warmer areas sow 1–2 weeks earlier, in cooler or upland areas, later.

How to sow and grow Sweet Pepper Yellow California Wonder

• Sowing method: seedlings
• Depth: 0.5–1 cm
• Spacing: 35–45 cm between plants, 60–70 cm between rows
• Germination: 10–20 days at 25–28 °C
• Position: sunny spot

Fill pots 7 cm wide almost to the top with moist multi-purpose compost. Place two seeds in each pot and cover with a thin layer of compost, half to one centimetre. Pat the surface of the compost lightly to make sure the seeds are in contact with the compost. Place them in a warm place in the house, ideally at around 22°C during the day; a few degrees warmer would be even better. Check every few days and water the surface lightly if it shows signs of drying out. Seeds germinate in the range from 18°C to 32°C; outside this range the germination rate drops very quickly. The ideal temperature range for germination is 25°C to 30°C. Seeds take from 8 to 21 days to germinate under good conditions. Plant them in their final position only once all danger of frost and cooler weather has passed. This can be taken to be the second half of May. If you have a greenhouse or polytunnel, this can be done a few weeks earlier. Place the plants in full sun and in a spot sheltered from the wind. If planting outdoors rather than in a container, leave 45 cm. between each plant. If planting in containers, the minimum is 30 cm. wide. The bigger the container, the bigger the sweet pepper harvest will be. Larger pots will also need watering less often. Watering is the main task for healthy sweet pepper plants. They like the soil to be moist at all times, but never waterlogged. Flowering will begin 70 to 80 days after the seeds are sown. Sweet pepper flowers open like clockwork two to three hours after sunrise and last only about a day. About 45% of the flowers set fruit. The plants grow best at daytime temperatures of 19°C to 28°C, and day length is not an important factor in their development.

Plant in a warm, sunny spot once the soil has warmed above 15 °C. Water evenly — peppers do not tolerate drought during flowering. Feed with a potash fertiliser when the fruit sets.

Harvest and use

Fruits are picked at technical maturity (green) or biological maturity (red/yellow); red ones are sweeter and richer in vitamin C.

Frequently asked questions

When should Sweet Pepper Yellow California Wonder be sown?

The recommended sowing months are March and April. Sowing method: seedlings.

How many seeds are in the packet?

The packet contains 25–35 seeds, pack size 0.2 g.

What is the germination rate of the seeds?

The measured germination rate of this batch is 85%. The test was carried out under controlled laboratory conditions; in the field, emergence depends on soil, temperature and moisture.

When should peppers be sown for transplants?

Peppers are sown earlier than tomatoes — 8–10 weeks before planting out, usually in February.

Why does my pepper flower but not set fruit?

Most often because of heat above 32 °C, dryness or too much nitrogen feeding. Shade the plants during the hottest hours and water evenly.