Fenton Friday: Pepper Report

Shishito Peppers

These next few weeks, I'm letting the summer interns take over the community garden plot reports to share what they grew and how that went.

By Molly Cuddy

This summer, while interning at Washington Gardener, I grew peppers at our community garden plot. I grew two different varieties: 'Shishito' (smokey peppers, sometimes a bit spicy) and 'Lunchbox' (mini snacking sweet peppers). I’ll admit it, I think this was my first time ever growing something edible. That being said, I was a little nervous about how my pepper plants would do throughout the summer! Of course, every week, we made sure to take good care of my peppers so they could thrive. 

Lunchbox Peppers

Thankfully, I’m able to say a lot of my peppers grew. I got to take home a handful of the Shisito peppers and I’m researching a recipe I can make with them (any suggestions?). I love snacking on the  Lunchbox peppers (especially dipping them in ranch dressing!), so I’m excited to eat them.

My plants even grew enough peppers that we got to enter them in the Montgomery County Fair and they each won a ribbon -- the Shishito got a 4th place and Lunchbox earned a 3rd! I’m super-excited that I even got to enter what I grew, so I’m even more excited they won anything.

I had a great time learning more about gardening this summer. I’m hoping to get some plants for my apartment soon. I was too scared before, because I didn’t think I had much of a green thumb, but now I have complete confidence in my “plant mom” abilities!

What is growing in your kitchen garden?

About the Author

Molly Cuddy is a journalism major at the University of Maryland, College Park, and was an intern this summer with Washington Gardener. She is also a campus tour guide and will be a teaching assistant for a professional writing class next semester.

About Fenton Friday: Every Friday during the growing season, I'll be giving you an update on my community garden plot at the Fenton Street Community Garden just across the street from my house in zone 7 Mid-Atlantic MD/DC border. I'm plot #16. It is a 10 ft x 20 ft space and this is our 8th year in the garden. (It opened in May 2011.) See past posts about our edible garden by putting "Fenton" into the Search box above.