When to Plant Peppers
From sweet bells to fiery habaneros, peppers love heat and reward patience with prolific harvests.
The Short Answer
How to Grow Peppers
Peppers are the slow starters of the vegetable garden — they need warmth to germinate, warmth to grow, and warmth to ripen. Start seeds early (8-10 weeks before transplant) because they grow slowly indoors. The heat level of hot peppers increases with plant stress — slightly underwatering and withholding fertilizer late in the season produces hotter pods. Bell peppers take longest to ripen (green bells are just unripe peppers of any color), so patience is essential. Epsom salt (1 tablespoon per gallon) applied at flowering provides the magnesium peppers need for fruit set.
Starting Seeds Indoors
Begin peppers seeds indoors 8 weeks before your average last frost date. Seeds need soil temperatures of at least 65°F to germinate, which typically takes 7-14 days. Provide 14 hours of light per day using a south-facing window or grow lights.
Transplanting
Move seedlings outside 2 weeks after your last frost date, once soil temperatures reach 65°F. Harden off seedlings for 10 days before transplanting by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions.
Growing Tips
Start seeds early — peppers are slow to germinate. Wait until nights are consistently above 55°F before transplanting.
Companion Planting
Good companions:
Keep away from:
Peppers Planting Dates by State
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Last reviewed: March 29, 2026