Need suggestions for a sweet red pepper
 

Last year I grew 6 pepper plants in containers, which was way too much for my family. This year I only grew 3, but put them in larger containers, and they grew much bigger and have produced way more than we can eat...again! I grew Burpee's Costa Ricans, and they are ok, taste-wise.

Next year I'd like to grow 1 or maybe 2 plants. I'd like really sweet, thick walled peppers. I have no preference for bells or elongated ones, but I don't want any heat. I almost exclusively eat them raw, in salads or as a snack.

I might be interested in a pimento, but I don't know much about them.

I'd really appreciate your suggestions for what would meet my needs. I would like to find a nice variety that I can save seed from and grow year after year.

TIA

California Wonder and let it get Red. I have a few on my container plants (2nd crop this year - same plants). I also have some Corona Bell fruit which is super sweet. One 18 gallon tub and some patience.

I always raise several plants and we stuff and then freeze peppers when the harvest is bountiful. We also cut up a lot into strips that get frozen for stir-fries and such.

My favorites is lipstick

Carmen

I planted California Wonder and instead I have some very small bell peppers and I also have some small cherry peppers. I don't know what to do with the cherries but I dice some bells and I slice others for using in cooking. I freeze them in ziplock bags making easy retrieval when I need a handful or cupful. Freeze them spread out in a single layer on a cookie sheet covered in foil. The foil releases them pretty easily to move them into ziplock style bags.

Little Bells from this website is an excellent pepper.
[url]http://www.wildgardenseed.com/index.php?cPath=80&osCsid=6v8bd6di82jhea33jplqn2cm72[/url]

DarJones

Margaret's is very sweet, thick-walled and crisp

I've grow the Romanian Gogosari Pepper since obtaining seed on Tomatoville some years ago. It is sweet, red and tasty.

Maybe someone there has seed you could try.

Palanacko Cudo is my favorite- large, thick-walled, sweet and productive, followed by Slonovo Uvo, which is slightly smaller but still a very large pepper. The plants reach 4-5' by this time and are still loaded with ripening fruits. No heat with either one. I also eat peppers raw and plain for salad and snacks.

I'd be afraid to grow just one or two plants of varieties that were completely new-to-me, though- think I'd have to grow a few varieties to see which did the best for me and met my expectations before narrowing down to a plant or two.

PM if you'd like some seeds- sorry, not a general offer.

I think a pimento might be right up your alley. I like Ashe County Pimento and Sheepnose Pimento, both red with thick walls and very sweet. Tennessee Red Cheese would be another good choice. All these are shorter plants and would do very well in containers.

Thanks everyone for these great suggestions!

I think you would love Giant marconi sweet pepper. It handles colder damp conditions well and are thick walled and very sweet while being enormous. It is the only hybrid pepper I grow alongside with Corno di toro yellow and red version.

Are you planning on container growing again? if NOT Jupiter was a great pepper for me last year. It is a large plant though, mine was about 3 1/2 feet last year, but with the drought this year it only made it to 2 ft.

i'd go with carmen...
first you eliminate all the bells because the sweet italians simply taste better in general.

of the sweet italians i have found carmen to be more productive than italia, lipstick, apple, or the marconis. if i were judging flavor alone i might choose lipstick but i prefer the larger pods and higher productivity from carmen enough to offset the slight difference in flavor.

I love the sheepnose pimento!