How to Grow and Care For Shishito Pepper Plant

Shishito pepper plant is a Japanese heirloom sweet variety with a slightly smoky, spicy flavor when cooked. Although it has a low Scoville rating of just 50 to 200, the versatility and flavor profile of these small, elongated, wrinkly fruits rival hot chiles for increasing popularity with pepper lovers and gardeners. You might be surprised, occasionally, with one that matches the heat of a mild jalapeño.

Shishito is an easy-to-grow pepper that adapts to vegetable gardens, raised beds, pots, and hanging baskets and can even be grown as a houseplant. It's a warm weather plant, set out in late spring or early summer when soil and air temperatures reach averages of close to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Shishito pepper matures quickly, with harvest beginning in about 65 days. Plants are prolific for producing up to 20 fruits each.

How to Plant Shishito Pepper

Shishito pepper seed can be direct sown in zones 8 to 10 once soil warms to 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Plan to purchase seedlings or start seeds indoors early if you live in cooler regions.

When to Plant

Shishito pepper seedlings should be planted around four weeks after the final frost when the soil temperature reaches 70 degrees Fahrenheit.Average daytime temperatures arebetween 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit and nighttime temperatures above 55 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal climate. For growers in cool zones, start seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before the final frost.

Selecting a Planting Site

If you're planting in the ground, in a raised bed, or pots, choose an area that receives direct sunlight all day. Shishito peppers thrive with plenty of heat and light. They need fertile, neutral to slightly acidic soil that drains well. You can also grow Shishito pepper on a sunny windowsill.

Spacing, Depth, and Support

To transplant a Shishito pepper seedling, dig a hole slightly wider than the rootball: 8 inches deep. Remove the lowest set of leaves and set the seedling with the crown just below the soil surface. Avoid exposing roots to direct sunlight and water well beforehand to discourage transplant shock.

Space plants in the garden 12 to 18 inches apart. Leave 24 to 36 inches between plants in a raised bed. Choose a pot 12 inches deep and wide with plenty of drainage holes. At just 2 feet tall, mature peppers do not need support, but a short stake prevents a plant, heavy with fruit, from toppling over.

For direct sowing, plant seeds 1/4 inch deep and 12 to 18 inches apart in the garden or 24 to 36 inches apart in a raised bed. Cover with soil. You can plant several seeds in one wide, deep deep container. It may need to be thinned to one plant depending on the pot size.

Shishito Pepper Plant Care

Plant strong, healthy seedlings when soil and air reach ideal temperatures to avoid potential problems. Provide plenty of sun, adequate air circulation, water and fertilizer and Shishito pepper is easy to grow.

Light

This heirloom pepper benefits from direct sunlight all day long. Choose a spot that gets at least eight hours daily.

Soil

Peppers prefer soil rich in organic matter. Add aged compost before or at the time of planting. Soil pH should be neutral to slightly acidic at 6.0 to 6.8.

Water

Keep seedlings slightly moist by watering every other day to support a healthy root system. Once plants have grown, once-a-week watering is usually sufficient. Avoid overhead watering, maintain consistent moisture, and don't let the soil completely dry out.Drip irrigationis an ideal method for watering peppers. If you live in a dry climate,mulchingaround the base keeps roots cool and hydrated.

Potted plants on the patio or indoors need more frequent watering. Depending on the growing conditions, it can be as often as daily. Water deeply at the base allowing all excess to drain.

Temperature and Humidity

Pepper plants thrive in hot, sunny conditions. Shishito pepper grows particularly well planted at least four weeks after the final frost when average daily temperatures are between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you're growing this pepper indoors, add a humidifier or set the plant on a pebble tray toboost the humidity level to 40 to 60 percent.

Fertilizer

Fertilize Shishito pepper every four to six weeks throughout the growing season. Working compost into the planting hole is ideal or add a balancedNPK fertilizersuch as 10-10-10. Bloodmealis an organic alternative that supplies nitrogen.

When flowers appear, add bonemealor an NPK fertilizer higher in phosphorous and potassium, 5-10-10 for example, to encourage flowering and fruiting. As fruits develop, a third application of balanced fertilizer, compost, or bloodmeal helps sustain healthy growth. Shishito peppers also respond well to water-soluble organic fertilizers likefish emulsionand seaweed extract. Fertilize peppers grown in pots more frequently, every two weeks.

Pollination

Shishito pepper flowers are self-pollinating but, when grown outdoors, are likely to be visited by insects that transfer pollen. Wind movement among plants and insects all contribute to fruit production. If you're growing Shishito pepper indoors, you canhand pollinate or gently sweep your hand through the foliage and flowers of the plant to encourage complete pollination and support better fruiting.

Harvesting Shishito Pepper

Experienced growers harvest Shishito pepper while still in its green stage, around 60 to 65 days after planting. Fully ripe peppers turn red and are edible, although you might lose flavor. Pick peppers as soon as they are 3 to 4 inches long. Leaving this thin-skinned variety on the vine too long causes it to thicken and makes it less palatable. Plants continue to produce fruit for up to 45 days in optimal conditions.

Harvest in the morning for the best flavor and moisture content. Grasp peppers by the stem and gently twist them to remove the stem and fruit. You can also use a snipper. If any of the stem remains attached, the pepper will deteriorate quickly.

Shishito peppers can be refrigerated in plastic bags for one week. Freeze excess peppers whole or char, skin, and de-seed them before freezing if you will be cooking with them.

How to Grow Shishito Pepper in Pots

This pepper grows well in containers, even hanging baskets. Choose one 12 inches deep and wide and fill it with potting soil and aged compost. Potting soil that does not contain inorganic fertilizer is best for germinating seeds. Plant seed 1/4 inch deep and cover lightly. Place the pot to receive full sun and keep the soil evenly moist.

To transplant a pepper seedling into a pot, fill a 12-inch deep and wide container with quality potting mix. Dig an 8-inch deep hole, slightly wider than the root ball. Remove the lowest leaves and plant the crown just below the soil level. Adding aged compost to backfill encourages healthy growth. Place pots in a spot that receives full sun daily and keep the soil consistently moist.

Propagating Shishito Pepper From Seed

Shishito pepper germinates reliably from seed, sprouting anywhere from one to three weeks. You need a seed starting mix and small pots or a germination tray.

1. Fill a germination tray or small pots with moistened, soilless seed starting mix.
2. Plant seeds 1/4 inch deep and cover lightly with the mix.
3. Place container/s in a warm location that receives bright, direct sun.
4. Use grow lights and heating mats or bottom heat to aid germination.
5. Keep seeds consistently moist but avoid overwatering, which can cause them to rot.
6. Plastic domes or other covering help contain moisture.
7. When seeds sprout, remove plastic if you're using it.
8. When true leaves appear and stems are sturdy enough to handle, peppers can be transplanted into full size containers.

Tip

If you don't have a heating mat, the top of your refrigerator releases bottom heat to quickly and reliably germinates pepper seeds.

Overwintering

Even though peppers are an annual plant in most zones, they are perennial plants that can be overwintered for several years. Preparing for and encouraging them into dormancy gives an earlier start to next year's growing season with a plant with an established root system. You need a clean, sterile pot, fresh potting soil, a shovel or spade, and sterile clippers. Follow these steps.

1. Fill the bottom of a clean pot with fresh potting soil. You can use a pot the same size as the one the pepper is growing in or choose one slightly smaller. If you plan to overwinter a pepper grown in the ground, select a pot 12 inches wide and deep.
2. Use the clippers to cut back branches leaving two or three nodes per branch and removing all foliage.
3. Slide the pepper out of its pot. If planted in the ground, use a shovel to dig a circle 8 inches out and deep from the main stem, then lift out the plant.
4. Gently shake off excess soil and use your fingers to comb through and feather roots. You can rinse the remaining soil off with a hose.
5. Place the bottom of the root ball on top of the soil and start filling in around the roots until the top of the root ball is covered.
6. Water, let excess drain, then place the pot in a cool spot (55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit) that receives indirect sun.
7. Continue to remove any new leaves that form during the resting or dormancy period.
8. Dormant pepper plants don't require much water. Once every two weeks is adequate.
9. As temperatures approach 70 degrees Fahrenheit, start exposing the plant to outdoor conditions to harden it off. Peppers with an established root system adapt quickly to outdoor conditions.
   

Common Pests and Plant Diseases

Shishito pepper is susceptible to the same pests and diseases that affect all pepper plants. Pests to watch for include aphids and hornworms. The most prevalent fungal infection is powdery mildew and may require repeated treatments for control.

From: thespruce