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 | Capsicum annuum 'Earlycal Wonder'Pepper, Sweet Bell 'Earlycal Wonder' |
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 McKenzie Seeds seed packet Price: £1.01 GBP |
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 Ontario Seed Company seed packet Price: £0.77 GBP Out of Stock |
Description
68 days. Blocky bell peppers grow large and sweet with a big empty cavity just perfect for stuffing. Turn red on the bush even in cool growing conditions.
CULTURE: Start transplants as early as possible and grow them as large as possible before setting them out in the garden. Start peppers indoors approx March 1 - about 8 weeks before setting them out (12 weeks if you have the room). Pepper seed will not germinate below 24C (75F); the ideal is 28C (80F). Pepper seedlings grow best with daytime temperatures around 21C (70F), night-time temperatures above 12C (55F). Before they get root-bound, transplant them into 7cm (3in) pots. Four weeks in a cool room at night, about 12C (55F), will help the plants set more flowers. Then transplant them into 15cm (6in) pots, bringing them into a warm room at night, about 21C (70F). Watch out for damping off from overwatering. Pinch back growing tips to encourage leaf production. This helps shade peppers and prevents sunscald in hot years. Grow them in the best light possible until June 15th, then set out these 45cm (18in) tall transplants with flower buds on them in 15cm (6in) pots. Finally, put them in the garden a week or so after the tomatoes. If the transplants are less than 30cm (12in) tall, space them at 45 x 45cm (18 x 18in) apart; or if they are larger, 60 x 60cm (24 x 24in). Work 1/4-1/2 cup of complete organic fertilizer into the soil below each transplant with some extra bonemeal. If the summer is good, these large plants will set prolifically and grow 1m (3 ft.) tall. Though peppers will tolerate dry soil, they’ll only make good growth if the soil is kept moist. If the soil dries out, blossom end rot or fruit drop may occur. Weedblock and floating row cover can increase the temperature a few degrees-a great help. Setting pepper plants out too early into cool night-time temperatures almost guarantees the plants won’t grow to their potential.
DISEASE: To prevent rot and wilt, plant in well-drained soils; follow a 4-year rotation. Peppers follow the cole crops.
INSECTS; Set out strong, well hardened-off transplants and most insects will avoid your peppers. If cutworms are a problem, use paper collars at the plant base. Control aphids or flea beetles with rotenone or floating row cover.
HARVEST: Fruit set after late August will not usually develop or ripen; from this time remove all new flowers and small fruit to ripen the fruit already set. Hot peppers may be ripened by pulling out the entire bush just before the first frost and hanging it upside down in a warm, dry place. The attached fruit will gradually dry out and ripen simultaneously. Expect 5-10 large bell peppers per well-grown plant, 20-50 hot peppers /plant.
SEEDSPEC: Minimum germination standard: 65%. Days to emergence: 8-18. Optimum soil temperature range for germination: 20-30C (70-85F). Days to maturity: from date of transplant. One gram contains approximately 140 seeds. Usual seed life: 2 years.
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