Nicole's Take: Shishito peppers are the pepper I recommend to almost every new kitchen gardener — they're forgiving, incredibly productive, and fun to harvest.

By Nicole Johnsey Burke: Founder of Gardenary and Author of Kitchen Garden Revival

Gardeners of All Skill Levels Can Grow Shishito Peppers

When I say peppers you can grow at home in your kitchen garden, you might first think of either bell peppers or jalapeños.

Well, if you haven’t already become acquainted with shishito peppers, I’d like to introduce you and make my case for shishitos being the perfect peppers to meet every gardener skill level. Then, I’ve got a quick guide to help you grow shishito peppers in your garden. 

Why Shishito Peppers Are the Best Pepper for a Kitchen Garden

Peppers are high on many beginner gardeners' to-grow list. And it's easy to see why. Pepper plants are attractive, they don't take up too much room in the garden, and it's fun to watch the fruits grow and change colors.

The problem is, a lot of people start with bell peppers. If you're a beginner gardener, you might be in for a frustrating experience by starting with this variety. Bell peppers are big and round, which means they have to grow to a pretty nice size before you can harvest them. During the 90 or so days they’re growing, all kinds of things can go wrong, from blossom-end rot to pest pressure. 

On the opposite end of the challenge spectrum are jalapeño peppers. You can get tons of them off of just one plant, they're much more forgiving about over- or under-watering, and because they're smaller, you don't have to wait as long to harvest them. Obviously, not everyone can stomach jalapeño peppers though. 

So we need a pepper that’s somewhere between those two—something that’s easy to grow and flavorful without packing the heat. Enter the shishito pepper. Shishitos have a nice, sweet flavor, and each plant produces tons of them. 

How Hot Are Shishito Peppers, Really?

These little peppers from Japan are typically not very spicy at all. Nine out of ten shishito peppers range from 50 to 200 Scoville heat units, which is about 160 times milder than the hottest jalapeño and 12.5 times milder than even the least hot one. With every harvest, however, there can be one rogue shishito that measures as high as 1,000 Scoville heat units, though that's still considerably less hot than a jalapeño.

So, you're taking a bit of a gamble that you'll bite into a random spicy shishito pepper that you've grown, but it's a pretty low-risk gamble.

How to Plant Shishito Peppers

Season

Peppers grow best in the warm season and have zero frost tolerance. That means you can’t put them outside until the threat of frost has passed. Air on the side of caution and wait at least a week after the last expected freeze in the spring to plant seeds or move a transplant outdoors. If colder temps return, add a floating row cover over your pepper plants to give them some much-needed protection.

You'll need to harvest all of your peppers before the first frost of your next cold season arrives.

For most of you, that makes peppers the perfect plant to grow in the summer. If you have a long warm season, you can start peppers by seed directly in the garden. If, however, you only have a couple months in between your frost dates, it's best to either start your pepper plants by seed indoors or buy a healthy plant from a local grower, farmer, or CSA. Pepper plants take a long time to grow from seed, and by the time you could sow the seeds in your garden after your last frost, you could already have a plant growing indoors, ready to take full advantage of the great outdoors as soon as the weather warms. (Learn more about indoor seed starting here.)

Space

Peppers are medium-size plants that grow about two feet tall and span 15 to 18 inches across. Give each plant at least one square foot of space in the garden.

What your container or raised bed needs:

• Minimum 12 inches deep so roots have room to grow down
• At least 12 inches across if you're growing in a pot, planter, or grow bag
• Good drainage holes — peppers really don't want their roots sitting in water. Drill holes if your container doesn't have them.

Before you plant:

• Add a 2 to 3 inch layer of fresh compost to your bed or container
• Bury the seedling slightly deeper than its crown (the point where roots meet the main stem) to encourage a strong root system

One more thing: peppers are in the nightshade family and often grow too tall to support themselves. I like to place my plants near an obelisk trellis or use garden stakes and twine to keep them upright — ideally before they get established so the stakes don't disturb the roots. It protects the branches and keeps production going strong all season.

Need an obelisk trellis? Check out the ones from our shop below.

Sun

Peppers need long days of sunshine to help them form and mature fruit, so make sure your plant receives a good eight to ten hours of sunlight each day.

How to Care for Growing Shishito Pepper Plants

Your three main tasks while you're waiting for fruits to form will be feeding your hungry pepper plant, maintaining consistent watering, and protecting from pests.

Fertilizer

Give your peppers food by adding a little bit of extra compost around the base of your plants every couple of weeks while they’re starting to grow. 

When you notice the first flowers appear, you can either continue feeding with compost or add an organic fertilizer high in potassium and phosphorus to help the plant form and ripen fruits.

Water

You'll need to water your pepper plants at least every other day or so for the first six to eight weeks after they're transplanted to the garden, unless the weather has been wet. Once they're established, you can switch to one deep watering per week. That's about one inch of water aimed at the roots (never the leaves) per week. If you're growing in a container, you'll most likely need to water more frequently, as the soil will dry out faster.

Protection

Seedlings are particularly vulnerable to pest pressure. Cover your pepper plants with garden mesh draped over hoops for the first couple of weeks after they're transplanted to the garden space. Remove this cover once the plants are established to give pollinators access to the flowers.

Prune your plants regularly to prevent disease, remove pest-affected leaves, and promote more fruit growth.

When and How to Harvest Shishito Peppers for Maximum Yield

Mature shishitos are long and slender with thin, slightly wrinkled skin. Here's what you need to know to harvest them right:

When to harvest:

• Pick when peppers are 2 to 4 inches long and still green
• Don't wait for them to turn red — harvesting green frees up the plant's energy to keep producing
• Expect your first harvest around 60 days after transplanting outdoors

How to harvest:

• Use clean pruners or scissors to clip peppers from the plant
• Never pull with your fingers — you risk snapping the branch

How often:

• Harvest weekly to keep the plant producing
• Your plant will continue fruiting for 30 to 45 days after that first harvest if conditions stay warm

How much to expect:

• Each plant can produce dozens of peppers over the course of the season
• I grow about three plants per person in my household — that keeps us well stocked for snacking and appetizers

Frequently Asked Questions About Growing Shishito Peppers

What are shishito peppers?

Shishito peppers are a mild, thin-skinned Japanese pepper variety that produce in abundance and are typically harvested green. About one in ten will have a surprising kick, which makes them a fun addition to any kitchen garden.

How long do shishito peppers take to grow?

You can start harvesting green shishito peppers about 60 days after transplanting outdoors. Plants continue producing for another 30 to 45 days if conditions stay warm and you keep harvesting regularly.

Can I grow shishito peppers in a container?

Yes — use a container that's at least 12 inches deep and 12 inches across with good drainage holes. You'll need to water more frequently than an in-ground or raised bed planting since containers dry out faster.

How do I know when shishito peppers are ready to harvest?

Harvest shishitos when they're 2 to 4 inches long and still green. The skin will look slightly wrinkled. Don't wait for them to turn red unless you want a riper, sweeter flavor — harvesting green keeps the plant producing.

How spicy are shishito peppers?

Most shishitos rate between 50 and 200 Scoville heat units, which is far milder than even the least spicy jalapeño. Roughly one in ten will be noticeably hotter, up to 1,000 Scoville units — still mild by most standards.

Do shishito peppers need a trellis or support?

Yes. Like most pepper plants, shishitos can get top-heavy and will benefit from a garden stake, twine, or an obelisk trellis to keep branches from snapping in wind or under the weight of a full harvest.

How many shishito pepper plants do I need?

Nicole recommends about three plants per person in your household if you want a steady supply for snacking and cooking. Each plant is a reliable producer throughout the warm season.

Where can I buy a trellis for my shishito pepper plants?

Gardenary's Trellises are a great fit for pepper plants in raised beds — they're sturdy, powder-coated black steel, and come in multiple sizes.

Grow Your Own Shishitos

That’s about all there is to growing tons and tons of shishito peppers right in your own garden.

My favorite way to enjoy shishito peppers is raw, straight from the garden. Because of their thin skin, they're also great for grilling, blistering, roasting, and pan frying. I hope you find delicious culinary uses for this sweet and flavorful pepper because you’re about to be harvesting your own bushel!

Thanks for helping me bring back the kitchen garden, one pepper plant at a time!