Have grown Sweet Cherry (one year bumper crops, other years sparse fruiting), Jupiter (nice bell peppers, okay cropping), Early California Wonder (dropped most of its flowers until right before frost), and Marconi (big peppers, nice crop). I've found the non-bells usually set better than the bell peppers.
If you are still looking for more varieties to try, and you would try a hybrid, I'd suggest Carmen. It was developed by Johnny's in Maine so it is used to growing in short season climates, sets a good crop of nice sized peppers.

You have the same tray for your seedlings that I bought today! I have a packet of California Wonder 300 Peppers that I've never tried before. I'm planting some today or tomorrow and when they sprout, I'll put them under a light! :) I'm in SW BC, Canada so we usually get decent temps.

In 2009 we had a heat wave and it was usually mid to upper 20's and lots in the lower to mid 30's. (In terms of Celsius and not Fahrenheit). 30 C is 86 F I think.

Hi wulfe,

You have some nice choices there. I'm in a further south zone, but I grew some of these peppers two years ago during a very cold, wet summer (for us).

Chervena Chushka and Marconi were amazing and gave me the most peppers. That year Wisconsin Lake and others of its type didn't give me anything. Oddly, Chervena Chushka and Marconi did well last year in my accidental drought tolerant garden project. They taste fantastic, too.

Quadrato d'Astirosso also did fairly well in the cold, wet summer, but not as well as the other two. Sweet Chocolate wasn't my favorite. I only grew it once in a normal weather year and it kept rotting on the vine as it ripened. I don't know how that one would do up north.

Happy pepper growing!
Bellatrix

Thanks for the feedback gang. And thanks for the specific feedback on Chervena Chushka and Marconi, Bellatrix. I grabbed seeds for both of those on their cool weather reputations and its nice to hear someone back it up. :)

I had the same cool wet weather up here all summer last year and my pepper efforts (albeit somewhat limited last year) ended up producing nothing even though I did reasonably well with tomatoes in the same area.

I'll definately report back with my findings for anyone else dealing with cooler summers.

Here is a link that might be useful: My Homesteading Adventures

It's a little early for peppers in zone 3 isn't it? I'm just getting mine started here. I guess if you've got a green house that's ok.

I'm z3 also. I started my peppers for my high tunnel 10 days ago. I start peppers for outside garden the first of April.
Wulfe I noticed that you are trying Liebesapfel also. I have high hopes for it.
To be absolutely certain I will get peppers I grow Ace. It's not the greatest for flavor and wall thickness, but it comes through every year no matter what.I grow about 6 other varieties also. I have never had any luck with the bells of different colors, low yeilds and late maturing. I agree with Cybrczch about Carmen, lovely red color and great flavor. I think the main thing that makes pepper growing tricky up here is that the nights never really warm up.
Like eggplant, I have had years where I stressed the transplants before I put them in the ground, either to cold or accidently drying them too much, and not had yeilds from the plants.
Wulfe, please post your results this summer, maybe we can find more varieties that will succeed in our climate.
Kathy

Wow - definitely started peppers early! In 5b, I just started mine on March 3rd.

None have sprouted yet... very odd I think. I use California Wonder and Anaheim Hot Pepper (new this year).

I had a heating pad under a tray that was filled with compost tea - to allow the tea to filter in from the bottom of the containers the peppers were planted in. So I'm sure the tea kept the temperature lower.

So I just drained all of that this morning and now I'm afraid the temperature will get to over 100 degrees (which has happened before).

Here is a link that might be useful: My Garden Blog