Bell Pepper 'Gourmet Gold'
Capsicum annuum 'Gourmet Gold'
A stunning golden-yellow bell pepper that brings both beauty and exceptional sweet flavor to the garden. These thick-walled beauties start green and ripen to a brilliant golden-yellow, offering the classic sweet bell pepper taste with impressive yields. Perfect for gardeners wanting reliable production of colorful, sweet peppers for fresh eating and cooking.
Harvest
70-75d
Days to harvest
Sun
Blossom-End Rot of Tomato
Zones
4–11
USDA hardiness
Height
1-3 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Bell Pepper 'Gourmet Gold' in USDA Zone 7
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Bell Pepper 'Gourmet Gold' · Zones 4–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | April – April | June – July | — | August – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | June – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 5 | March – March | May – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 6 | March – March | May – June | — | July – September |
| Zone 7 | February – March | April – May | — | July – September |
| Zone 8 | February – February | April – May | — | June – August |
| Zone 9 | January – January | March – April | — | May – July |
| Zone 10 | January – January | February – March | — | May – July |
Complete Growing Guide
Light: Blossom-End Rot of Tomato, Pepper, and Watermelon. Soil: Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage. Water: KAP-sih-kum AN-yoo-um. Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 8 in.. Spread: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 12 inches-3 feet. Growth rate: Medium. Maintenance: 'Aurora', 'Basket of Fire', 'Black Pearl', 'Buena Mulata', 'Calico', 'California Wonder', 'Candelabra', Cerasiforme Group, 'Chilly Chili', Conioides Group, 'Early Jalapeno', Fasciculatum Group, Grossum Group, 'Hot Returns', Longum Group, 'Mad Hatter', 'Purple Flash', 'Sweet orange', 'Sweet Sunset'. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
Fruits are a non-pulpy berry and vary considerably across cultivars. Some are long, thin, bright red, and spicy; others are thick, large, and sweet-tasting; others still are small and in ornamental shapes and colors, grown as decoration.
Color: 'Aurora', 'Basket of Fire', 'Black Pearl', 'Buena Mulata', 'Calico', 'California Wonder', 'Candelabra', Cerasiforme Group, 'Chilly Chili', Conioides Group, 'Early Jalapeno', Fasciculatum Group, Grossum Group, 'Hot Returns', Longum Group, 'Mad Hatter', 'Purple Flash', 'Sweet orange', 'Sweet Sunset'. Type: Berry. Length: 1-3 inches. Width: < 1 inch.
Garden value: Edible, Good Dried, Showy
Harvest time: Summer
Bloom time: Summer
Edibility: Fruits edible, but spiciness is unpredictable in intensity.
Storage & Preservation
Fresh Gourmet Gold peppers store best in the refrigerator crisper drawer, where they'll maintain quality for 1-2 weeks. Store them unwashed in perforated plastic bags to maintain humidity while preventing moisture buildup. At room temperature, they'll keep for 3-5 days.
For freezing, wash and core peppers, then slice or leave whole depending on intended use. Blanching isn't necessary – raw peppers freeze well for 6-8 months and work perfectly in cooked dishes. For stuffing peppers, freeze them whole after removing tops and seeds.
Roasting and freezing is excellent for Gourmet Gold's sweet flavor. Char the skins under a broiler, steam in a paper bag for 15 minutes, then peel and freeze in portions. Dehydrating creates sweet pepper flakes perfect for seasoning, though the beautiful golden color will fade during the drying process. These peppers also excel in pickled preparations and can be pressure-canned using tested recipes for long-term storage.
History & Origin
Origin: Tropical North and South America
Advantages
- +Disease resistance: Deer, Drought, Heat
- +Attracts: Songbirds
- +Wildlife value: Birds are immune to the capsaicin in peppers and can safely eat the fruits with no ill effects. Therefore, these plants may attract birds. Host plant for Potato Tuber Moth.
- +Edible: Fruits edible, but spiciness is unpredictable in intensity.
Companion Plants
Plant Together
Basil
Repels aphids, spider mites, and thrips while potentially improving pepper flavor
Tomatoes
Share similar growing conditions and can help deter hornworms from each other
Marigolds
Repel nematodes, aphids, and whiteflies with their strong scent
Oregano
Deters aphids and spider mites while attracting beneficial insects
Carrots
Help break up soil around pepper roots and don't compete for nutrients
Onions
Repel aphids, thrips, and other pests with sulfur compounds
Parsley
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps
Lettuce
Provides ground cover and living mulch while utilizing different soil layers
Keep Apart
Black Walnut Trees
Produce juglone toxin that causes wilting and stunted growth in peppers
Fennel
Releases allelopathic compounds that inhibit pepper growth and development
Brassicas
Compete heavily for nutrients and may stunt pepper growth through root competition
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #2258588)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Good resistance to tobacco mosaic virus and bacterial leaf spot
Common Pests
Aphids, flea beetles, pepper maggot, cutworms
Diseases
Bacterial leaf spot, anthracnose, blossom end rot