VegetablePepper
Basket Sweet Pepper
Basket Sweet Pepper is a compact F1 hybrid that produces an abundance of cherry-sized, thick-walled peppers in a remarkably short 70 days from transplant. These nearly round fruits ripen to a vibrant cherry red and measure just 1 to 1.5 inches across, packed with mild, sweet flavor and virtually no heat. Growing only 18 to 24 inches tall with an upright habit, this variety thrives in containers, raised beds, and garden plots across hardiness zones 4 through 13, making it accessible to gardeners in nearly every climate.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
4-13
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Growth Stats
24 in
Height
TypeUpright
Spacing
18
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
4-13
Size
24in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
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Highlights
The real appeal of Basket Sweet lies in its ornamental abundance paired with genuine culinary value. A single plant produces a dense canopy of small, round peppers that ripen nearly simultaneously, creating a harvest that looks as striking as it tastes. The thick walls make these peppers equally suited to fresh eating straight off the plant or pickling whole, and their diminutive size means you get more individual fruits per plant than you would from standard-sized pepper varieties.
Common Uses
Basket Sweet peppers shine in fresh eating, where their mild sweetness and tender flesh make them enjoyable raw. Their small, nearly spherical shape and thick walls make them exceptionally well-suited to pickling whole. The compact fruit size also works beautifully in salads, crudités platters, or as charming garnishes where their vibrant cherry red color adds visual appeal.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost, sowing them 1/4 inch deep in warm soil (around 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit). Peppers germinate slowly, so be patient; seedlings should emerge within 10 to 14 days. Once true leaves appear, provide bright light and keep soil consistently moist but not waterlogged.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant seedlings outdoors after all danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed to at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit, ideally closer to 70 degrees. Harden off seedlings by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions over 7 to 10 days before planting. Space transplants 18 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart, and plant at the same depth they were growing in their containers.
Harvesting
Begin harvesting when fruits reach their full size of 1 to 1.5 inches and have turned a deep cherry red, approximately 70 days from transplanting. Peppers are ready for immediate use fresh, or can be left to fully color for maximum sweetness. For pickling, harvest when fruits are firm and glossy. Snap or cut peppers from the stem rather than pulling, which can damage the plant.
Pruning
No pruning is necessary for Basket Sweet's compact, upright growth habit. The variety naturally develops a bushy, well-branched form that requires no training or structural support.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Capsicum annuum
Family
Solanaceae
Genus
Capsicum
Growth Habit
Upright
Native Status
L48 (NI)HI (I)PR (I)VI (I)