When to Plant Peppers
Peppers need even more warmth than tomatoes. Start them early indoors and set them out once the soil has warmed, two to four weeks after the last frost.
- Start indoors: 8–10 weeks before the last frost.
- Transplant outside: 2–4 weeks after the last frost.
Peppers planting dates in major cities
| City | Start indoors | Transplant outside |
|---|---|---|
| Mesa, AZ | Nov 23 – Dec 7 | Feb 15 – Mar 1 |
| Phoenix, AZ | Oct 30 – Nov 13 | Jan 22 – Feb 5 |
| Tucson, AZ | Nov 27 – Dec 11 | Feb 19 – Mar 5 |
| Anaheim, CA | Oct 27 – Nov 10 | Jan 19 – Feb 2 |
| Bakersfield, CA | Nov 22 – Dec 6 | Feb 14 – Feb 28 |
| Fresno, CA | Nov 5 – Nov 19 | Jan 28 – Feb 11 |
| Irvine, CA | Oct 27 – Nov 10 | Jan 19 – Feb 2 |
| Long Beach, CA | Oct 31 – Nov 14 | Jan 23 – Feb 6 |
| Los Angeles, CA | Oct 24 – Nov 7 | Jan 16 – Jan 30 |
| Oakland, CA | Oct 29 – Nov 12 | Jan 21 – Feb 4 |
| Riverside, CA | Oct 31 – Nov 14 | Jan 23 – Feb 6 |
| Sacramento, CA | Nov 3 – Nov 17 | Jan 26 – Feb 9 |
| San Diego, CA | Oct 28 – Nov 11 | Jan 20 – Feb 3 |
| San Francisco, CA | Oct 21 – Nov 4 | Jan 13 – Jan 27 |
| San Jose, CA | Oct 24 – Nov 7 | Jan 16 – Jan 30 |
| Stockton, CA | Nov 27 – Dec 11 | Feb 19 – Mar 5 |
| Aurora, CO | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | May 21 – Jun 4 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | Feb 22 – Mar 8 | May 17 – May 31 |
| Denver, CO | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | May 18 – Jun 1 |
| Washington, DC | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 |
| Jacksonville, FL | Nov 23 – Dec 7 | Feb 15 – Mar 1 |
| Orlando, FL | Nov 16 – Nov 30 | Feb 8 – Feb 22 |
| Tampa, FL | Nov 11 – Nov 25 | Feb 3 – Feb 17 |
| Atlanta, GA | Jan 13 – Jan 27 | Apr 7 – Apr 21 |
| Chicago, IL | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Apr 24 – May 8 |
| Indianapolis city, IN | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | May 4 – May 18 |
| Wichita, KS | Jan 31 – Feb 14 | Apr 25 – May 9 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | Feb 2 – Feb 16 | Apr 27 – May 11 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County metro government, KY | Jan 26 – Feb 9 | Apr 20 – May 4 |
| New Orleans, LA | Nov 13 – Nov 27 | Feb 5 – Feb 19 |
| Boston, MA | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Apr 18 – May 2 |
| Baltimore, MD | Jan 13 – Jan 27 | Apr 7 – Apr 21 |
| Detroit, MI | Feb 16 – Mar 2 | May 11 – May 25 |
| Minneapolis, MN | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | May 7 – May 21 |
| Kansas City, MO | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Apr 18 – May 2 |
| Charlotte, NC | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Apr 13 – Apr 27 |
| Raleigh, NC | Jan 17 – Jan 31 | Apr 11 – Apr 25 |
| Omaha, NE | Feb 5 – Feb 19 | Apr 30 – May 14 |
| Albuquerque, NM | Feb 12 – Feb 26 | May 7 – May 21 |
| Henderson, NV | Nov 11 – Nov 25 | Feb 3 – Feb 17 |
| Las Vegas, NV | Nov 15 – Nov 29 | Feb 7 – Feb 21 |
| New York, NY | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 |
| Cleveland, OH | Jan 28 – Feb 11 | Apr 22 – May 6 |
| Columbus, OH | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | May 4 – May 18 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | Jan 24 – Feb 7 | Apr 18 – May 2 |
| Tulsa, OK | Jan 20 – Feb 3 | Apr 14 – Apr 28 |
| Portland, OR | Dec 17 – Dec 31 | Mar 11 – Mar 25 |
| Philadelphia, PA | Jan 19 – Feb 2 | Apr 13 – Apr 27 |
| Memphis, TN | Jan 5 – Jan 19 | Mar 30 – Apr 13 |
| Nashville-Davidson, TN | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 |
| Arlington, TX | Dec 29 – Jan 12 | Mar 23 – Apr 6 |
| Austin, TX | Dec 12 – Dec 26 | Mar 6 – Mar 20 |
| Dallas, TX | Dec 22 – Jan 5 | Mar 16 – Mar 30 |
| El Paso, TX | Dec 22 – Jan 5 | Mar 16 – Mar 30 |
| Fort Worth, TX | Dec 25 – Jan 8 | Mar 19 – Apr 2 |
| Houston, TX | Nov 24 – Dec 8 | Feb 16 – Mar 2 |
| San Antonio, TX | Dec 17 – Dec 31 | Mar 11 – Mar 25 |
| Virginia Beach, VA | Jan 18 – Feb 1 | Apr 12 – Apr 26 |
| Seattle, WA | Dec 28 – Jan 11 | Mar 22 – Apr 5 |
| Milwaukee, WI | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | May 10 – May 24 |
Calculated from each city's average (50%) frost dates. In a cold spring, lean toward the later end of each window.