Sweet Pepper Yolo Wonder by Linda’s Original Seeds.

Yolo Wonder is a classic open-pollinated sweet pepper, often described as an improved California Wonder type. Plants produce thick-walled, 4-lobed bells that start dark green and ripen to bright red. The flesh is crisp and sweet, which makes the variety useful for salads, stuffing, roasting, stir-fries and cooking. Plants are compact and upright, so they suit garden beds and containers in full sun.

Why grow sweet peppers?

• Large blocky sweet peppers with thick walls
• Harvest green or leave to ripen red for a sweeter flavour
• Good for stuffing, salads and cooking
• Open-pollinated / heirloom-type seed from Linda’s Original Seeds
• Suitable for beds and pots (about 30 cm wide and deep or larger)
• Often noted for useful foliage cover and tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) resistance in this variety group.

How to grow sweet peppers:

Peppers need warmth. Sow 5–10 mm deep in seed trays or small pots. Keep at about 20–30 °C for germination (often 7–21 days). Transplant after the soil has warmed and frost risk has passed. Space plants about 40–50 cm apart. Full sun, fertile well-drained soil (pH about 6.0–6.8), and even moisture. Too much nitrogen grows leaves at the expense of fruit. Stake or cage if plants are heavy with fruit. First green fruit is often ready about 70–80 days after transplanting; red ripe fruit takes a few weeks longer.

Best time to grow sweet peppers in South Africa:

Yolo Wonder is a warm-season crop. Do not plant out into cold soil.

Approximate sowing / transplant windows:

• Cool areas (Highveld and similar): September–October; possible through November
• Warm areas: August–October; possible August–January
• Hot / frost-free areas: July–September and again in February; possible July–March

Start seeds indoors or in a sheltered warm spot 6–8 weeks before you transplant. Harvest can continue for weeks once plants are established. Extreme heat above about 32 °C can cause flower drop; afternoon shade or consistent watering helps in midsummer.

Linda’s Original Seeds are produced for home gardeners in South Africa. Use Yolo Wonder where you want a reliable sweet bell for the kitchen rather than a hot chilli.