I get really excited when I get introduced to something new and exciting I can try in my garden. This is why over the years I have tried everything from growing aji limon peppers to growing tomatillos and even growing cucamelons. My next experiment is going to be on how to grow shishito peppers.

Originally from Japan, the heirloom shishito pepper is similar to the padron pepper. Although the later is more spicy and less wrinkled. One unique characteristic, is that 9 out of 10 shishito peppers will actually be crisp fruity sweet, but you will run into that one crazy hot one in each batch. I think this is the reason why these peppers have recently become very popular.

Here’s What You’ll Need:

• shishito pepper seeds
• seedling trays
• seedling starter mix
• organic fertilizer
• compost
• neem oil or spinosad
• heat mat (optional)
• grow light (optional)

It’s best to start your peppers indoors from seed about 2 months before Spring pops up. If you have access to heat mats, use those during the germination stage. You can then move the tray next to a window or use grow lights to encourage growth. Before transplanting to your garden, harden the seedlings by letting them sit outside for a few hours a day.

Keep well watered and apply an organic fertilizer every month or so. The peppers are pretty resistant to pests and diseases. However, should anything affect the growth of your plants then it is recommended that you use neem oil or spinosad. Shishito peppers are best enjoyed whilst still green, but feel free to allow them to mature and harvest only after they turn red.

You can get more information on the You Should Grow blog, here…

How To Grow Shishito Peppers

You can watch the video below on shishito pepper germination…

You can watch the video below on growing shishito pepper in Tempe, Arizona…

You can watch the video below on harvesting shishito peppers and a recipe!…

.