favorite cool-climate bells

[eyolf]

I have grown Jupiter pepper for years, discovering it on an NK seed rack over 20 years ago. It has been my favorite workhorse pepper, often delivering 5 or 6 full-sized peppers per plant in my MN garden. I liked that they were heavy and dense, with very thick walls, and rather early. None other so far has been quite as good.

Apparently, Rogers, the breeder, has discontinued them, perhaps because the PVP protection has run out. Maybe someone will pick them up from saved seeds, but if not, I'm soliciting reccomendations for a replacement.

To date I've tried:
Cal wonder
Red Mercury
Northstar
King Arthur
Yankee Bell
bell boy
King of the North
Chinese Giant
Beaver dam
Margaret's sweet Wisconsin
and a few others I don't remember right now.

What are your favorites as a multi-purpose green bell in a cool climate?

[Jeannine Anne]

Gypsy for me XX Jeannine

[OneDahlia]

Not sure if you wanted to buy more Jupiter seed, but Southern Exposure Seed Exchange still sells it:
http://www.southernexposure.com/jupi...05-g-p-68.html

I would have happily sent you the rest of my seed packet from them, but I sent it out for a trade a few weeks ago. I grew it for a couple years and was disappointed -- didn't realize 5 peppers per plant was good production, lol. Guess I should have planted more plants.

Curious why you would be looking for a replacement and not use saved seed?

[Suze]

Obviously I don't live in a cool climate - but I do have a recommendation for a bell.

Hard to beat Mavras F1. My #1 favorite bell to grow at this time of all the ones I've tried. I can think of a few that I've grown that will match it for flavor, but none that can match it for production in my garden. It's fairly early for a bell and has great flavor. Bells don't generally do too well in my climate, but this is one that is early and tough enough to give me a fair amount of peppers before it gets too hot here. (It is also one of the few bells that will continue to occasionally set throughout the summer in Texas, although the peppers I get from it in 100F + temps are admittedly smaller)

I generally also get a great fall crop from Mavras when it cools down a bit, and this year is no exception.

Mavras is an F1 hybrid, and I get my seeds from Totally Tomatoes. http://www.totallytomato.com/dp.asp?...+Hybrid+Pepper

Even though they talk up the dark purple coloration on the TT site (yes, they are very striking at that dk purple stage), the flavor is much better if you wait to pick when they have turned red or at least 1/2 red - stages of ripeness for Mavras are dk purple -> green -> red.

Also, plants are compact - 24-36 inches tall, so would be a good choice for 5 gal containers to get an early start in your cool climate.

Hope this helps.

[eyolf]

Thanks. The seed catalogs are starting...Stokes showed up yesterday, and Stokes lists Cal Wonder as the best replacement for Jupiter. Cal Wonder is OK; not quite as good as Yolo Wonder (also harder to find) and not nearly as prolific as Jupiter.

I haven't given up hope yet. I do have a few seeds left from 2007; if I can get them to germinate I'll grow some in isolation and morality/legality can take a back seat...!?

[afrance30]

Originally Posted by eyolf

Thanks. The seed catalogs are starting...Stokes showed up yesterday, and Stokes lists Cal Wonder as the best replacement for Jupiter. Cal Wonder is OK; not quite as good as Yolo Wonder (also harder to find) and not nearly as prolific as Jupiter.

I haven't given up hope yet. I do have a few seeds left from 2007; if I can get them to germinate I'll grow some in isolation and morality/legality can take a back seat...!?

I got my Stokes catalog yesterday as well.

Yolo Wonder seeds I have TONS of. That's what I grow. If you want some, let me know.

[b54red]

I like Suze don't live in a cool climate but Socrates is by far the best and most dependable producer I have grown. It makes very early in cool weather and continues to produce during our long hot summers and then makes like crazy in the cooler fall weather. I have had the plants get 6 feet tall and produce massive amounts of large bells when the weather is cooler. This year it was exceedingly hot & dry so they were smaller and produced smaller peppers. Three years ago we had a rather wet and cool summer and they really pumped out the peppers.

[fortyonenorth]

Beaver Dam is one of our favorite all-around peppers--though I wouldn't class it as a sweet bell. It's slightly spicy when de-seeded/de-veined, though - and slightly more than slightly spicy when not.

[Tormato]

eyolf,

Green peppers are, for me.

When red, do you have a favorite for flavor, that is also early and productive?

Tormato

[Fusion_power]

Get seed of Franks from Sandhill. It is an elongated red sweet pepper that is super early. It is also a natural dwarf so you plant them much closer together than most peppers. As with all peppers, they really benefit for high levels of organics in the soil.

DarJones

[Suze]

Originally Posted by Fusion_power

Get seed of Franks from Sandhill. It is an elongated red sweet pepper that is super early. It is also a natural dwarf so you plant them much closer together than most peppers.

Yes, Franks is an outstanding red (when fully ripe) sweet pepper. Hard to beat. Would definitely second the recommendation if it doesn't have to be a bell. Early and compact/dwarf plant habit too as you said. I just didn't mention it (or Tolli's Sweet either) because eyolf said "bells" so I didn't think to mention those. Franks also has some nice thick walls as compared to many of the other non-bell (elongated) sweets.

[rxkeith]

Socrates, and Big Bertha are hybrids that have done well, here in the copper country.
I like Jupiter too, so will have to check my seed supply? Chinese giant on your list, I also like.


Keith

[Farmette]

Gypsy has done very well for me both years I've planted it. And I added Socrates this year, which was a larger, very thick walled bell and it did very well too. Will repeat both this next year.

[kath]

eyolf-

Got a 2012 catalog from High Mowing Organic Seeds and they are carrying Jupiter this year.

kath

[eyolf]

Thanks to all who've replied; I will have to try some new varieties this year.

Not necessary to have ALL bells, but mrs eyolf and I do enjoy stuffed bell peppers.

Thanks, again.