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Peppers

When to start, transplant and harvest peppers, as 4 university extension services put it, and what that means in each zone.

Family
Solanaceae5
Type
Fruiting
Rules
6
Last reviewed
Garden experts do not always agree, so I show every rule side by side.

Five digits. The calendar is computed on your device.

Spring timing, source by source

Every rule counts from the last spring frost, so the same rule gives different dates in different gardens. Here are the rules themselves before any dates are worked out.

  1. Colorado StateTransplant outdoors
  2. Utah StateTransplant outdoors
  3. Oregon State, central ORTransplant outdoors
  4. Oregon State, central ORStart indoors
  5. Texas A&M (E-502)Transplant outdoors
  • Plant outdoors
  • Start indoors
Figure 1. How each extension source times peppers in spring, in weeks before or after the last frost. Sources disagree; each bar is one publication's rule, shown as written.

Fall timing, source by source

Fall rules count from the first fall frost.

  1. Texas A&M (E-502)Plant for fall
  • Plant outdoors
Figure 2. How each extension source times peppers in fall, in weeks before or after the first frost. Rules written for warm states sit weeks earlier than those for cold ones.
Table 1. Planting rules for peppers, as published.
SourceWritten forWhatWhen
Colorado State1COTransplant outdoors2 weeks after last frost
Utah State2UTTransplant outdoors2 weeks after last frost
Oregon State, central OR9central OregonTransplant outdoors2 weeks after last frost
Oregon State, central OR9central OregonStart indoors6 weeks before last frost
Texas A&M (E-502)4TXTransplant outdoors1-8 weeks after last frost
Texas A&M (E-502)4TXPlant for fall12-16 weeks before first frost

Peppers by hardiness zone

Applied to the frost records of every ZIP in each zone. The zone median is a starting point; your own station can be weeks earlier or later.

Table 2. Outdoor planting for peppers by zone, using the Colorado State rule. Linked zones have their own page.
ZoneWhatZone medianAcross most of the zone
4aTransplant outdoorsMay 26May 19 – Jun 7
4bTransplant outdoorsMay 22May 15 – Jun 8
5aTransplant outdoorsMay 17May 10 – Jun 3
5bTransplant outdoorsMay 15May 5 – May 31
6aTransplant outdoorsMay 12Apr 30 – May 24
6bTransplant outdoorsMay 6Apr 24 – May 17
7aTransplant outdoorsApr 30Apr 18 – May 12
7bTransplant outdoorsApr 19Apr 13 – May 1
8aTransplant outdoorsApr 12Apr 3 – Apr 21
8bTransplant outdoorsMar 31Mar 20 – Apr 15
9aTransplant outdoorsMar 16Mar 1 – Apr 1

Growing facts

Table 3. Each value as one source states it. Sources measure differently, so values are not averaged.
FactValueSource
Frost tolerancevery tenderColorado State1
Frost tolerancevery tenderUtah State2
Frost tolerancetenderPurdue (HO-66)3
Minimum soil temperature60°FColorado State1
Best soil temperature80°FColorado State1
Days to germinate10-20 daysColorado State1
Days to germinate9-14 daysTexas A&M (E-502)4
Days to maturity70 days from transplantColorado State1
Days to maturity60-90 days from plantingTexas A&M (E-502)4
Days to maturity90-100 days from seedUF/IFAS Florida5
Days to maturity65-75 days from transplantUF/IFAS Florida5
Days to maturity90-120 days from plantingArizona (AZ1005)6
Spacing15-18 in apart each wayColorado State1
Spacing18-24 in in the row, rows 30-36 in apartTexas A&M (E-502)4
Spacing9-15 in in the row, rows 15 in apartUF/IFAS Florida5
Heat limit90°Fncsu-burke-blossom-drop7
Heat limit90°Fpurdue-hot-weather8

Sources

  1. Colorado State University Extension, Vegetable Planting Guide (CMG GardenNotes #720), reviewed September 2024. Retrieved 2026-11-02.
  2. Utah State University Extension, Suggested Vegetable Planting Dates for Utah, January 2018; revised May 2025. Retrieved 2026-11-02.
  3. Purdue Extension, The Fall Vegetable Garden (HO-66-W), reviewed September 2019. Retrieved 2026-11-02.
  4. Texas AgriLife Extension Service, The Texas A&M System, Texas Home Vegetable Gardening Guide (E-502), 2/09. Retrieved 2026-11-02.
  5. University of Florida, IFAS Extension (Department of Horticultural Sciences), Florida Vegetable Gardening Guide (SP 103 / VH021), Original December 1999; revised October 2015, January 2016, May 2018, September 2020, September 2021, and June 2025. Retrieved 2026-11-02.
  6. The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Vegetable Planting Calendar for Maricopa County (AZ1005), reviewed This information has been reviewed by University faculty.. Retrieved 2026-11-02.
  7. N.C. Cooperative Extension, Burke County Center, Blossom Drop, 2021-07-01. Retrieved 2026-11-02.
  8. Purdue University, Indiana Yard and Garden (Purdue Consumer Horticulture), Hot Weather Is Tough on Plants Too!, reviewed Page last modified October 26, 2016. Retrieved 2026-11-02.
  9. Oregon State University Extension Service, When to start seeds indoors in central Oregon, reviewed 2024. Retrieved 2026-11-02.