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How to Grow Shishito Peppers

These delicious little peppers are super popular right now! Learn how to grow them in your own garden.
Course: Vegetables
Cuisine: Peppers, shishito peppers
Keyword: how to grow, peppers, shishito peppers, vegetables,

Instructions

  • Purchase shishito pepper seeds from a reputable nursery, or harvest your own seeds from a store bought shishito pepper.
  • Start seeds indoors about 8 weeks before the last frost. Keep the seeds in a warm place, such as the top of your refrigerator – this will help them germinate faster.
  • Once seedlings have sprouted, move them to a sunny spot. Grow lights are ideal, but if you don't have those, you can certainly set them on a south facing windowsill, or wherever you get the most sun.
  • Occasionally spray your seedlings with water. The soil should be moist, but never water logged. This will all depend on the climate in your home and how much light your plants are receiving.
  • In the last week before planting outdoors, harden your plants. Set them outside for just a few hours a day, so they can acclimatize to their new environment.
  • This process is called hardening off, which gives the plants a smooth and easy transition to the outdoor world.
  • After a week of hardening, you can go ahead and plant your shishito pepper plant in the soil.
  • You can put them in pots, raised beds, or directly into the ground. Choose a spot where they'll receive at least 6-8 hours of sunlight per day.
  • Use an organic fertilizer every 4-6 weeks to encourage growth.
  • Harvest shishito peppers when they are bright green in color about and 3-4 inches long.