Shishito Pepper (Capsicum annuum) 

 A finger-long, slender, thin-walled Japanese chili with a mild, sweet flavor—perfectly blistered as an appetizer, with only 50–200 SHU. Most pods are gentle, but the occasional pepper surprises with extra heat, often triggered by sun and other growing stresses. Named shishitō because the tip resembles a lion’s head (shishi).

Start seeds indoors 8–10 weeks before the last frost. Sow 6 mm (¼”) deep; keep soil 24–29°C (75–85°F) for germination. Transplant outdoors after frost into full sun and warm, well-drained soil. Space 45–60 cm (18–24″) apart. Water evenly, mulch, and harvest mainly green (or let ripen red). Chigarden 2026