When to plant pepper by zone
Capsicum annuum is a warm-season crop that is tender to frost. Rule of thumb: start seeds indoors 8–10 weeks before the last frost; plant out from 2 weeks after to 4 weeks after the last frost.
Pepper planting dates by zone
Each row uses the median 30%-risk frost dates of the major cities in that zone; rows marked * have no major city and use the median of NOAA stations in that zone instead. Frost dates vary a lot within a zone, so use your city page for local dates. In frost-free climates: Feb 1 – Apr 15; Jul 15 – Aug 31.
| Zone | Median last frost | Start indoors | Transplant / plant out | Direct sow | Fall crop |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1a* | May 29 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Jun 12 – Jun 26 | — | — |
| 1b* | May 29 | Mar 20 – Apr 3 | Jun 12 – Jun 26 | — | — |
| 2a | May 21 | Mar 12 – Mar 26 | Jun 4 – Jun 18 | — | — |
| 2b* | May 20 | Mar 11 – Mar 25 | Jun 3 – Jun 17 | — | — |
| 3a* | Jun 4 | Mar 26 – Apr 9 | Jun 18 – Jul 2 | — | — |
| 3b* | May 24 | Mar 15 – Mar 29 | Jun 7 – Jun 21 | — | — |
| 4a | May 12 | Mar 3 – Mar 17 | May 26 – Jun 9 | — | — |
| 4b | May 5 | Feb 24 – Mar 10 | May 19 – Jun 2 | — | — |
| 5a | May 4 | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | May 18 – Jun 1 | — | — |
| 5b | May 4 | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | May 18 – Jun 1 | — | — |
| 6a | May 4 | Feb 23 – Mar 9 | May 18 – Jun 1 | — | — |
| 6b | Apr 26 | Feb 15 – Mar 1 | May 10 – May 24 | — | — |
| 7a | Apr 22 | Feb 11 – Feb 25 | May 6 – May 20 | — | — |
| 7b | Apr 10 | Jan 30 – Feb 13 | Apr 24 – May 8 | — | — |
| 8a | Apr 1 | Jan 21 – Feb 4 | Apr 15 – Apr 29 | — | — |
| 8b | Mar 22 | Jan 11 – Jan 25 | Apr 5 – Apr 19 | — | — |
| 9a | Mar 11 | Dec 31 – Jan 14 | Mar 25 – Apr 8 | — | — |
| 9b | Feb 12 | Dec 4 – Dec 18 | Feb 26 – Mar 12 | — | — |
| 10a | Jan 26 | Nov 17 – Dec 1 | Feb 9 – Feb 23 | — | — |
| 10b | Jan 27 | Nov 18 – Dec 2 | Feb 10 – Feb 24 | — | — |
| 11a | Rare | Feb 1 – Apr 15; Jul 15 – Aug 31 | |||
| 11b* | Rare | Feb 1 – Apr 15; Jul 15 – Aug 31 | |||
| 12a* | Rare | Feb 1 – Apr 15; Jul 15 – Aug 31 | |||
| 12b | Rare | Feb 1 – Apr 15; Jul 15 – Aug 31 | |||
| 13a* | Rare | Feb 1 – Apr 15; Jul 15 – Aug 31 | |||
| 13b* | Rare | Feb 1 – Apr 15; Jul 15 – Aug 31 | |||
Growing tips
- Peppers germinate slowly; a heat mat (75–85°F) speeds them up.
- Transplant a week or two later than tomatoes — peppers sulk in cool soil.
- Hot peppers usually need the longer end of the maturity range.
Exact dates for your city
Popular: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas, Jacksonville, Fort Worth, San Jose — or browse all cities by state.
Other crops: Tomato, Lettuce, Green Beans, Sweet Corn, Zucchini & Summer Squash, Cucumber, Carrot, Onion, Potato, Basil, Spinach, Kale, Broccoli, Peas, Eggplant, Cabbage, Radish, Strawberry, Beets