California Wonder sweet pepper - Capsicum annuum
California Wonder sweet pepper - Capsicum annuum
- Naturally produced in the EU
- 99% germination rate
- Large package
8,80 zł
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Description
The classic blocky pepper for nearly a century. California Wonder is the world’s most famous sweet pepper – introduced in 1928, it still defines what a classic “bell pepper” should look like: a large, four-lobed, almost cube-shaped fruit with thick walls, ripening from dark green to a deep red. The plants are compact and sturdy and do not require pruning or staking.
In brief
- Fruit: red (dark green earlier), blocky, four-lobed, thick-walled
- Type: sweet pepper, mid-early
- Sowing under cover: mid-March
- Planting out: late May
- Harvest: August–October
- Position: sunny and sheltered, humus-rich, well-aerated soil
- Difficulty: medium – requires warmth and a long growing season
- Number of seeds per packet: approx. 75 seeds (0.5 g)
What makes this variety stand out
California Wonder is an open-pollinated variety, cultivated continuously since the 1920s and still one of the most popular peppers for home gardeners worldwide. The fruit has a regular, blocky shape with four distinct lobes, smooth, glossy skin and flesh up to 6–8 mm thick. At the green stage, it is slightly grassy and crisp; when fully ripe, it is red, distinctly sweeter and richer in vitamin C.
The plants are stocky, well-branched and do not need support or training. The variety performs best under unheated cover, but in warmer regions of Poland and in a good position, it also ripens outdoors. It needs a long, warm summer to develop its full colour, so do not delay sowing.
Growing step by step
Sowing (mid-March, under cover): sow the seeds in trays or plug trays in a greenhouse or on a bright windowsill, at a temperature of 22–25°C. Germination takes 10–14 days; after emergence, lower the temperature to approx. 20°C to prevent the seedlings from becoming leggy.
Pricking out: when the seedlings have expanded their cotyledons and produced their first pair of true leaves, transplant them into 7–8 cm pots. The seedlings should be 8–10 weeks old when planted out; use the final week for hardening off.
Planting out (late May): plant at a spacing of 40 × 40 cm or 50 × 30 cm, in a sunny, sheltered position, in humus-rich, loose, well-aerated soil – preferably enriched with well-rotted manure or compost. In cold springs, it is worth covering the plants with horticultural fleece for the first two weeks.
Care: water regularly at the base (peppers dislike both drought and waterlogging), mulch and feed every 2 weeks with a fertilizer high in potassium. The variety does not require pruning or staking. The first flower at the stem fork can be removed – the plant will then set more fruit.
Uses
A versatile pepper for stuffing – its shape and thick walls are ideal for this – as well as for eating raw: in salads, on sandwiches and cut into strips for dips. Excellent for roasting and grilling, in vegetable stews and goulash, and also for preserving (pickled peppers, pastes and jarred salads). Its high yields and uniform fruit also make it a good variety for freezing.
Gardener’s tip
If you want red fruit, leave it on the plant – it takes 3–4 weeks to change from green to fully red. But do not wait to pick them all at once: harvesting the first fruit while still green “unlocks” the plant and significantly increases the number of subsequent fruit sets. The best compromise is to pick the first few green and let the rest ripen.
Specifications
| Latin name | Capsicum annuum |
|---|---|
| Variety | California Wonder |
| Fruit colour | red (harvest maturity: dark green) |
| Position | sunny and sheltered |
| Seasonality | annual plant |
| Sowing time | mid-March (under cover) |
| Planting-out time | late May |
| Harvest time | August–October |
| Spacing | 40 × 40 cm or 50 × 30 cm |
| Net weight | 0.50 g (~75 seeds) |
| Series | Traditional |
| Producer | W. Legutko |
| EAN code | 5903837455522 |
Manufacturer
W. Legutko
Species name
Capsicum annuum
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Frequently Asked Questions - FAQ
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Instructions and guides on sowing and plant care can be found in the product descriptions and on our blog, where we regularly publish educational materials. Additionally, we include a printed instruction manual with every order.
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