Californian Wonder Pepper

[King Carrot]

My 2008 Sunnybrook seed must have got old resulting in poor germination so I've got room for a few peppers, and quite frankly, these were the only turkeys in the shop.

I did try them a few years back with no success and what I’m wondering is if anyone’s actually grown them to red fruit in the cooler parts of the world like north of the Watford Gap and if so am I starting them too late now?

[Alison]

Personally I don't rate Californian Wonder at all, tried them a few times but never had any luck. It's getting late for peppers now so I'd be inclined to look to buy some young plants from the garden centre in a bit. Strange you're having problems with Sunnybrook though, my seeds of that type are older than yours and all but one germinated back in January in a heated propogator.

[smallblueplanet]

Personally I don't rate Californian Wonder at all, tried them ...but never had any luck...

Snap.

............

[robfosters]

Sorry to hijack the thread, but i'm kind of in the same boat. Trying to germinate some CW's, but having no luck.

Desperate to have some peppers this summer. Would I be better off waiting till April and buying some young plants for this year and starting afresh from seeds next year?

I'm not sure what variety. What are the Denvers like?

[sewer rat]

My 2008 Sunnybrook seed must have got old resulting in poor germination so I've got room for a few peppers, and quite frankly, these were the only turkeys in the shop.

I did try them a few years back with no success and what I’m wondering is if anyone’s actually grown them to red fruit in the cooler parts of the world like north of the Watford Gap and if so am I starting them too late now?

I bought some California Wonder seeds on a whim in Lidl last year and from one packet I grew about forty plants to maturity in my polytunnel. They performed really well - I won 1st, 2nd and 3rd in this class with 3 pairs of sweet peppers in our local show on 14th August and by the end of the month I was picking red peppers, and although the size dropped off towards the end I had a great harvest.
I will be starting mine in the heated propogator in my greenhouse this weekend. Whay you must remember is that CW is not an F1 variety so germination, as with non F1 chilli peppers, may be a bit erratic.

[VirginVegGrower]

Germinate mine in living room windowsill - very hot with an open fire. They are now five inch plants - grew them last year in gh and got many fruits. I love them.

[timethatthetaleweretold]

Hi your Orangeness,

Can I recommned the variety "Napia"?



I got them from Real Seeds last year.

I didn't sow them until April.
Then put them outside in containers.
- 2-leafed seedlings under little plastic cloches.

Not expecting much, I didn't really look after them much apart from some tomato feed when they were fruiting.
And I got a nice 2 or 3 tasty fruits off each one. Very worthwhile.

Saved seeds from one of the fruits. Sowed them in January and they're going well (much faster growing than the Purple Beauty and Chocolate Beauty I'm doing as well - and also germinated more readily).

If you want I can chuck some saved Napia seeds in an envelope.

small print:
I am on the sunny south coast, but Real Seeds are based in Wales so Napia should do ok in Kerry.

[Bren In Pots]

I'm growing them for the first time this year, they were sown on Jan 11th and germinated by the 22nd hopefully I'll get some descent peppers from them.

[taff]

tried them last year, wasn't that impressed, mind you, the rat in the tunnel seemed to enjoy them, especially the big ones....
the duchy atris ones were really good though, for all they were expensive and only 5 seeds.
trying corno rosso this year instead, the bell ones seem to have really thick skin.

[Leeds_lad]

Aww Reading this is a bit disappointing, the majority of my peppers this year is californlia wonder

[zazen999]

One of my schools sowed a load before I even started this job - and yes they did come to fruition....however they were grown in a large greenhouse in the Cotswolds.

[Flobalob]

I grew them last year. Cropped heavy with no problems. I have 20 growing at the moment.

[poly]

I like them and I've always found CW do well in either a greenhouse or polytunnel, I've never tried growing them outside. A real trier (sp?) producing a tasty crop

[Bramble_killer]

I couldn't get a good crop but this was outside. I'm now trying different variety of peppers to see what I can grow. We don't eat that many peppers so it's not a big loss!

[womble]

I've never managed to grow decent sweet peppers, CW were one of my failures.