Orange Picnic Pepper

Orange Picnic Pepper – Seedling

• Botanical Name: Capsicum annuum ‘Orange Picnic’
• Variety Type: Open-pollinated
• Pepper Type: Small, sweet snacking pepper
• Heat Level: Sweet — no noticeable heat
• Fruit Color: Green, ripening to deep orange
• Fruit Length: Approximately 7.5–12.5 cm
• Fruit Shape: Small, elongated and slightly tapered
• Fruit Texture: Thick-walled, crisp and juicy
• Maturity: Approximately 60 days green; 75–82 days fully orange after transplanting
• Growth Habit: Upright, productive and compact
• Approximate Height: Around 60 cm under suitable conditions
• Orange Picnic is a productive open-pollinated sweet pepper developed especially for snacking, flavor and attractive fruit color.
• The upright plants produce abundant small, elongated peppers with thick, crisp walls and very few seeds. Fruits begin green and mature to a beautiful deep orange, developing a rich, sweet pepper flavor at full ripeness.
• It’s convenient snack size makes Orange Picnic ideal for lunchboxes, fresh vegetable platters and eating directly from the garden. The fruits are also excellent for salads, roasting, grilling, sautéing and small stuffed-pepper recipes.

Growing in Kuwait

• Recommended transplanting period: October to February. October–December is preferable for the longest harvest.
• Sunlight: Provide 6–8 hours of direct sunlight during the cooler months.
• Spacing: Allow approximately 35–45 cm between plants.
• Container growing: Use a container of at least 15–20 litres per plant; 25 litres is preferable for longer production.
• Soil: Plant in fertile, well-drained soil enriched with mature compost.
• Watering: Maintain even moisture without waterlogging. Water stress during fruit development can reduce fruit size and quality.
• Feeding: Apply balanced nutrition while the plant establishes, followed by a tomato-and-vegetable fertilizer after flowering begins.
• Support: The plant has an upright habit, but a light stake may be helpful when heavily loaded with fruit.
• Harvesting: Pick green fruits once they reach full size or allow them to ripen completely orange for their sweetest flavor.
• Late-season care: Provide afternoon protection as Kuwait’s temperatures increase to reduce blossom drop and fruit sunscald.

Harvesting Tip

• Harvest the first full-sized fruits promptly to encourage the plant to continue flowering. For the richest sweetness and color, allow selected fruits to ripen fully to deep orange.