Pepper Seeds - Sweet - Manganji
80-90 Days to maturity (from transplant). Capsicum annuum. Manganji Pepper Seeds. Non-GMO, annual, open-pollinated, heirloom, sweet pepper with mild heat levels. 0 to 100 Scoville Heat Units. Suitable for growing in garden plots, raised beds, and greenhouses. Manganji pepper is one of the designated traditional specialty vegetables of Kyoto, Japan. These vegetables are called kyo yasai or dento yasai. Many of these vegetables have existed for hundreds of years. This Japanese pepper has a thicker wall than the fushimi and shishito peppers. Fruits average 6 inches long, mild flavored, and not spicy. The pepper skin is shiny with distinctive wrinkles at the stem end. ~3,000 seeds/oz.
Download Free Vegetable Growing Guide PDF
Growing Manganji Peppers in the Vegetable Garden
Starting peppers from seed is easy and requires no special treatments beyond normal seed starting protocol. Use a seed-starting tray or small pots and fill them with a germination mix. Be sure that it does not contain fertilizer. Wet the soil fully and portion out two or three seeds per cell. Cover with a quarter inch of soil. Seeds germinate best when the soil is between 70-90 F. Use a heating mat to achieve this temperature if necessary. It is better to have soil that is warm rather than too cold. Provide bright overhead light as soon as the seedlings peak through the soil. The light should be present for a minimum of 8 hours per day. If you are using a sunny windowsill and not evenly distributed grow lights, rotate the seedlings to ensure they all get equal exposure. Without sufficient light, the seedlings will get long and spindly and fail to reach maturity.
Once true leaves appear, thin the seedlings so they are all 2-3 inches apart. At this point, light is crucial. Keep the soil consistently moist. If your pepper seedlings start to flower indoors, pinch off the flower cluster to allow the plant to focus on establishment first. Stop pinching off the flower clusters just before transplanting outdoors.
Begin to gradually reduce the amount of water when the seedlings are at least 4-5 inches tall and 6-8 weeks old. Slowly allow the soil to dry between waterings lightly but not to dry out completely. Then, begin hardening off the plants outdoors. Hardening off is the gardening term for acclimatization. Place the seedlings outdoors for a few more hours daily to get them used to the sun, wind, and other weather factors. Do not place them outside if temperatures are predicted to be below 55 F.
The seedlings are now ready for transplantation into the garden! Choose a spot that has not grown tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, tomatillos, or eggplants in the past three years. Dig holes 18 inches apart in 3-foot-spaced rows. Once the nighttime temperatures are above 50 F, it is generally safe to plant outdoors. Watch for temperature extremes and be ready to shield your seedlings if needed. Water the plants well before and after transplanting to avoid air pockets in the soil. Try your best to avoid disturbing the roots during transplantation.
Plant the seedlings up to the previous soil line. Completely bury the root ball and peat pot (if applicable). Firm the soil around the plants after transplanting. Keep the soil consistently moist and avoid overhead watering. Use drip irrigation or other means to deliver the water at the base of the plant directly to the roots. If the plant does not get at least 1 inch of natural rainfall throughout the week, thoroughly soak the soil at least once each week. Sandy soil often requires more watering. Mulch can help retain soil moisture and prevent weeds.
Harvesting Manganji Peppers
Harvest your peppers when they have reached their fullest size of about 6” long. Manganji peppers are a sweet pepper but remain green. Remove the fruits from the plant by clipping the stem about 1-2” above the fruit with sharp shears. Similar to indeterminate tomatoes, peppers continue to produce flowers and fruits throughout the season and will need to be harvested periodically.
Store your pepper harvest in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Their skins are sensitive to cold and will decline after too long.
About Manganji Pepper Garden Seeds
These delicious Manganji peppers are softer than a bell pepper but thicker than the shishito pepper.
If you notice white patches developing on your fruits, this is a sign of sunburn. Provide shade for your fruits by adjusting the plant leaves or installing some structure to shade the plant for an extra hour or two each day.
These fruits are long, skinny, conical-shaped peppers with wrinkles toward the stem. They taste aqueous and earthy, and some field-grown peppers can have a very slight kick to them but are less spicy than a jalapeno.
This Japanese variety was developed in Japan in the 20th century.
Tips From Our Gardeners
"The pepper flavor is best preserved when the seedlings are transplanted on a cloudy day but the growing season is generally warm and sunny. Sunny weather and temperatures around 65 F (day or night) are ideal!"
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- Lara Wadsworth, True Leaf Market Writer |
Other Resources
Manganji Pepper Seeds Per Package:
- 500 mg packet - Approximately 54 Seeds
- .25 oz - Approximately 750 Seeds
Non-GMO Manganji Pepper seeds are available for Fast Free Shipping on qualifying orders.
Basic Info
| Latin Name: | Capsicum annuum |
| Pepper Type: | Sweet - These peppers (think Bell Peppers) are almost all at 0 on the Scoville Scale, meaning that they have no heat at all. A handful of sweet peppers do register very low on the Scoville scale but are still classed as sweet peppers. For example, Pepperoncinis are sweet peppers but usually rank around 100 to 500 on the Scoville Scale. |
| Manganji Pepper Color: | Green |
| Manganji Pepper Flavor: | Mild |
Growing Info
| Hardiness Zone: | 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 Technically a tender perennial, but commonly grown as an annual. Perennial in zones 10 and 11. |
| Days to Maturity: | 80-90 (from transplant) |
| Days to Germination: | 7-10 |
| Seeding Depth: | 0.25 inch |
| Plant Spacing: | 12-18 inches |
| Row Spacing: | 24-36 inches |
| Plant Height: | 18-30 inches |
| Growth Habit: | Upright |
| Soil Preference: | Well-draining, loose (sandy loam), slightly acidic (6.5 pH), and moisture retaining. Too much nitrogen in the soil may lead to more foliage production and less fruiting, similar to tomatoes. Peppers also need sufficient amounts of phosphorus and calcium. We recommend using a balanced fertilizer for the best results. |
| Temperature Preference: | Warmer (70-85 F). During high heat, foliar and flower development slow or pause until temperatures return to the preferred range. |
| Light Preference: | Full Sun |
Other
| Direct Sow: | No |
| Start Indoors: | Yes Start Indoors 7-9 weeks before your last spring frost date. Harden off and transplant when seedlings are 6-8 inches tall. Bury the stem slightly deeper than the root ball. Avoid planting hot and sweet peppers right next to each other, as they can cross-pollinate, potentially affecting the flavors of your harvested peppers. |
| Pepper Pollination: | Peppers have perfect flowers (male and female parts) and will self-pollinate. However, wind and pollinator activity may increase success rates of fertilization and fruit production. |
| Plant Width: | 18-24 inches |
| Deer Resistant: | No |
| Scoville Heat Units: | 0 to 100 |
| Heat Level: | Mild - 100 to 2,500 on the Scoville Scale. Example: Poblano Ancho or Pepperoncini |
| Growth Speed: | Mid - Ready for harvest around 76 to 90 days from transplant. |
| Germination Temperature: | 80-90 F |
| Pests and Diseases: | Peppers are commonly susceptible to cutworms, aphids, flea beetles, bacterial spot, Phytophthora, sunscald, and blossom end rot. To avoid or reduce problems with pests and diseases, stick to a regular watering schedule (drip irrigation is preferred), plant into well-draining soils, and utilize practices such as crop rotation. When taking pest control measures, consider utilizing integrated pest management principles by using mechanical removal, biological control, and other cultural practices before turning to chemical agents. |
| Garden Size: | Greenhouse, Garden Plot, Raised Bed |
| Pepper Use: | Sauteing, tempura, yakitori, and pickling |